Heart Strings

Okay, I don't often blog three times in one week and especially not two days in a row, but there is something that is really tugging at my heart strings tonight. I know several people, acquaintances, if you will, who have recently gone through divorces. These people all have young children. This really has been tugging at my heart tonight. I know that divorce happens, and sometimes, it really is the best choice, but I keep thinking about if my own babies had divorced parents. For those of you married with kids, doesn't that make you sad? I think about having to let them go to "Dad's house" and sharing them for holidays and their birthdays. That makes me really really sad to even have to think about doing something like that. I watch, Teen Mom (I know, I know, but it is fun to watch really awful reality TV sometimes), and every time I see the girls have to say goodbye to their kids for a day or a weekend or whichever, I think what if that were me?

Well, I am so thankful it is not me. I am so thankful for a loving husband. I am thankful that we don't have to share our children and send them to each others' houses. I have realized lately just how lucky I am, and I really have to work on showing how thankful I am more often. It is easy to take for granted all of the good in our lives, and I think that is something that everyone needs to work on!

Too Fast!

I swear it seems like yesterday that Elliot was born, doesn't it? Well, it wasn't! On Friday, she will be six months old! Holy cow! Where in the world did time go? And Emma is going to be two in approximately a month! WHAT! TWO?! I have to admit it makes me rather sad thinking about my babies growing up. They are becoming so much fun though, really. Especially Emma since she speaks lots and lots of full sentences now! That girl is a firecracker, and on top of that, she is HILARIOUS! Seriously, I am not just saying that because she's my kid. Anyway, no news to report this time, but I wanted to share a few recent pictures. :)

Turkey Day!

Hey Y'all! (Ahh! It's so refreshing to say that, seriously! It brings me back to my home for a split second.) Anyway, tomorrow is Thanksgiving, and boy have I been busy today! Everything is ready for tomorrow, even the girls outfits, though, so that is what counts! Tomorrow is the third Thanksgiving that we will be in California for, which means the third Thanksgiving that I haven't gotten to spend at "home" with my wonderful family. It makes me sad, but I am also happy to know that we have good friends here to celebrate the holidays with.

Even more exciting than tomorrow being Thanksgiving is that Friday we are going to pick up our tree and decorate it! I am so excited to get everything done this year since Emma is actually old enough to enjoy it finally! I hope she will actually rip all of her presents open and be super excited! My dad is getting her a trampoline, and I just know she will love that! I hope that the weather cooperates on Christmas day so that we will be able to put it together and she can jump on it even if it is freezing outside! Christmas is indeed my favorite time of year, and in the light of Thanksgiving tomorrow, I am so incredibly thankful for the Air Force. While it may be making me spend years thousands of miles away from my real home, it is paying our bills and providing us great benefits, and we are able to afford to give our girls a Christmas! I definitely know that that is not what Christmas is all about, but it really makes my heart happy to be able to give to my girls! :)

Happy Thanksgiving Y'all!

C'mon people!

Just a little rant! I am not a genius, and I can admit that. I am an intelligent person, though, and the misuse/misspelling/etc. of words and other grammar mistakes DRIVES ME CRAZY! If I am typing something, and I know I cannot spell the word or even question it, I look it up! Here's a little FYI on the words that drive me the most crazy!

THEN means soon after. I.e. I went shopping, and then I went home.
THAN is a word used after comparative adjectives and adverbs. I.e. She is shorter than I am.

YOUR is possessive. I.e. That is your ball.
YOU'RE means you are. I.e. You're the star of the show!

TO is a preposition. I.e. I am going to the store.
TOO means also. I.e. I am going too!

THERE means in or at a place. I.e. I am going to be there too.
THEIR is possesive. I.e. That is their house.
THEY'RE is a contraction for They are. I.e. They are having a party.

Oh and DEFINITELY is spelled that way <<< There is no A! :)

I feel better now!

Just say NO!

Here lately, I have been looking at my to do list and feeling ultra overwhelmed. Some days, I stay up until 1 or 2 in the morning just to get my homework done because I have had a constant list of things to do all day. Obviously this is not ideal since Elliot is waking up around 3 or 4 to eat, and then we're up for the day around 7 or 730. I know that I need to get more sleep in order to be a healthier person, and in order for that to happen, I really need to learn to say no every now and then.

I constantly put more and more projects on my plate knowing that it will make me up that much later at night, but I have the hardest time saying no! I am trying to lose about 15 pounds, and I know that sleep is a huge part of losing weight, and I definitely do not get enough of it with all of my projects floating around! I have to really start focusing on the end goal I have in mind and that is to get back to where I was in high school as far as weight goes. It kinds of sickens me to think that I am 15 pounds heavier than I was then, but let's face it. I had two babies within 17 months of each other, and Elliot is only 4 months old. I have to stop being so hard on myself about the way I look, but at the same time, I need to start really focusing on myself. At my current weight, I am a size 10, which really isn't bad at all, but I want to be back between a 6 and 8, which is where I was at my thinnest. I don't want to be any smaller than that because I would look sickly at 5'10 and as big boned as I am!

So, here's to a healthier me, learning to say no so that I can get more sleep, and a deep focus on losing weight. I have said several times now that I am going to get serious about losing weight, but I really need to be serious! 15 pounds is not that much, and I CAN do it! If you have any secrets, fill me in! :) And no diet pills! I am breastfeeding!

Now, Now!

Hey y'all! It's nearing midnight as I type this post, but I haven't updated in so long, I felt it was time! I have told myself for the last two weeks every day that I would go to bed at 1030, but that is just impossible if I want some time for myself. We put the girls to bed by 830, but after that, I have to pick up toys, the girls clothes, start some laundry, and most importantly my homework. Ick. Homework. Okay I am really stoked about being back in school because school really is important to me! However, In the second semester of my Junior year now, the classes are getting a lot more thorough! I enjoy that, but I really don't have time to write an 8 page paper every week, like my marriage and family class is requiring. I WILL survive. It's just getting to that point. ;)

In other news, it's election season, and all the crazies are coming out of the wood works! Seriously people, we are all entitled to our own opinions. That's what my husband and his co-workers, my friend's husbands, and even some of my friends fight for, now isn't it? Trust me, the military life isn't all glamour, so we better get something out of putting up with the crap! That something is freedom of speech! I get so sick of people saying "Stop posting your opinion on Facebook." Ummmm, the last I checked, this is still America, and that is THEIR Facebook page they are posting to! If you do not like it, do not read it, or remove them from your friends list! Also, if you are going to try and sound intelligent, PLEASE make sure you can spell the big word you think you are using correctly! I am not big into politics, but I know which of the two candidates that I feel is the lesser of two evils. I say this because I see huge flaws in both candidates. I do not see eye to eye on everything with either. I am just choosing the one who I feel will do the least damage in our current situation! :)

PS: CHECK OUT MY RAINBOW NAILS! Get yours HERE.

What a LONG Weekend!

This weekend was incredibly long and difficult in the Bellinger household! Elliot was ultra fussy all weekend and did not want to sleep at all making for one tired momma! Emma has been her usual spunky self, so no problems from her besides the occasional "mine" fit, which by the way, I STRONGLY dislike that "mine" word. It has become the most frequent word that she uses lately besides Sammy, of course. She really loves our little dog Sammy, and he usually always loves her! Thankfully!

Some good that came out of this super stressful weekend: I finally got the paint to refinish my kitchen table and chairs! Okay, don't be alarmed, but I am painting the table lime green and the chairs turquoise! I know, I know, FUNKY! But that is exactly what I am going for! :) Also, Aaron did some modifications to his motorcycle that were FREE! Yes, I said FREE! I don't usually get the joy out of his "projects" for his vehicles because they usually end up costing as four times as much as the $40 he claimed it would cost, so I am super stoked that he got some things done that he wanted and was able to use things lying around the house!

Another new thing: I started selling Jamberry Nails! Yeah! They are super cool nail shields that you heat and attach to your nails. They can last up to 6 weeks on your toes and 3 weeks on your fingers! Anyway, you can check them out here.

Here lately I have been really struggling with living in California. I know God has plans. I just have to keep reminding myself of that. Our good friends Ashleigh and Chris and their daughter Taylor are back now after Chris's deployment, so I am incredibly thankful to have them back! Ashleigh is one of the only people I'd trust to keep my kiddos, and it's nice to have that. She and Chris are the only couple that Aaron and I both get along with, so that's great as well! But, I still really dislike this place. I keep thinking about this being our third Christmas here, and I can't believe the time is flying that quickly. Hopefully the remainder of our time here (about three years) will go by quickly as well. I keep pressuring Aaron into volunteering to go to Korea for a year, but he really doesn't want to miss his girls for a year, and I really can't blame him. The plus for me would be that I could go home and stay with my grandparents for that time. I would LOVE to do that, but I also wouldn't want Aaron to be in Korea by himself. BUT we could save over $10k while he was gone. Oh, the pros and cons with everything in the military life. I wish there was just some manual that came with this lifestyle that says what to do if.... Ultimately the decision is up to him, of course, but if it were me, I would just volunteer and see what happens. It wouldn't be guaranteed that he would get it, but there is a good possibility. Another pro: we would be stationed somewhere else once he got back!

Isaac, and tigers, and mountain lions?!?! Oh MY!

Yep, I totally screwed that saying up on purpose! Why, you ask? Because there have been at least five mountain lion sitings in BASE HOUSING in the last month. Peoples' pets are missing, and this guy's hanging around town. I am not ok with that! There have been many people just brushing it off saying that it's no big deal, and mountain lions don't hurt people, etc. This is no situation to take lightly, in my opinion. I have to state "in my opinion" because obviously that is not the thought of everyone, even though it seems common sense to me. Oh, but common sense is something that really isn't common enough! Common sense tells us that even though mountain lions general avoid people, if they are hungry enough, they will venture into housing developments, etc. So this guy is obviously hungry! He can't find what he wants elsewhere, so he has to come out of his comfort zone and come our way! I don't know about you, but I do NOT want to be eaten for dinner by a wild animal, so I am keeping myself and my babies inside as much as possible!

Also, Hurricane Isaac is headed straight for Mississippi, my home! We have family all over Mississippi including the gulf coast, so I am saying a few prayers that the destruction is little and that it doesn't gain too much strength in the gulf before hitting land. What's eerie to me is that he is coming on Katrina's 7th anniversary. If you know what Katrina is, you know what it did to Mississippi. Yes, I say Mississippi. The EYE of the hurricane hit in Bay St. Louis/Waveland, MISSISSIPPI, not New Orleans or anywhere else. Despite what the media covered, Mississippi was devastated by that storm, and it cannot handle another major hurricane! Our families are not evacuating, so please keep them in your thoughts and prayers as Isaac hits early Wednesday morning!

I did it!

I did it people, I did it! I kept to my word. :) Only a month or so late, but the blog has a new look, and I am thrilled with it. Maybe it will inspire me to update more often!

Fail!

Okay, keeping with my track record, I have failed to update the look of my blog! Let's face it folks, I am BUSY! The weekend I was supposed to work on it, we had issue with the dog that lives behind us, and Security Forces was at our house for about three hours filling out paperwork. So, I have been working out the new design throughout the last two weeks, but it is not quite done yet! Aaron has been in exercise this week, and it has been really hard for the girls and I to adjust to not having him here. We have made it with only one day left, yahoo! We will survive. ;)

Anywho: Something that's been on my mind A LOT lately is car seat safety! First off, extended rearfacing! I wish more moms would consider keeping their children rearfacing after the age of one. It is 500 times safer! Please, watch this video! It's a little long, but totally worth it!

Another huge thing that bothers me is position of the car seat's chest clip. It is called a CHEST clip for a reason people. It's not a belly clip or a crotch clip. It needs to be level with your baby/toddler's ARMPITS!

Also, if the car seat didn't come with it, chances are it ISN'T safe! Those strap covers, toss 'em. That head support, toss it! Seriously! Nothing should between your child and the car seat. Not even a coat in cold weather!


Here is a great blog post about common mistakes made when using car seats!

Blog Design

I am excited to say that a total redesign of my blog is coming your way! I am hoping to have it completely finished by the end of the weekend! I have had the same design for way too long, and plus, I need to update to include both girls in my design. Yay for crafty things! :))

Oh, California

Lately, I've been pretty bummed about living in California. We've had a mountain of obstacles thrown at us, and it's been hard to not have the support of a family down the street. As you know, baby 2 was born. He turned out to be a SHE, and I couldn't have been happier! We kept the name Elliot and will call her Ellie. Upon her arrival, we noticed that she had a toe that was a little crazy, so naturally, we asked the pediatrician about it. After a few extra doctors appointments and a visit with a pediatric surgeon, we learned she will have to have a series of surgeries from the age of 1 until the age of 12 to fix it. Our dilemma here is that we are nearly 3000 miles from home, and we live in the middle of NOWHERE. The nearest pediatric surgeon is an hour and a half a way, and surgery on a tiny little one means at least one night in the hospital. This would be fine if we only had Ellie, but we have Emma as well! If you know me, you know I trust no one with my children. (Ok, I really need to do better about the anxiety.) This is a problem because now Emma and Aaron will have to be home while Ellie and I are at a hospital over an hour away. The Air Force won't move us because they say that we have adequate care here even though it's not convenient. This is our major struggle at this point. We have no chance of getting orders out of this place until Aaron is eligible for Base of Preference (BOP), which is January 2015! Emma will be FOUR! Yowza. That seems like such a long time to be here, but we will make it! I will know more about Elliot's surgeries once we meet with the new surgeon at Shriner's hospital. That appointment should be within the next month, and I will update then!

Finding Balance

Here lately, our life has been about finding balance. We have been taking more steps to become a more intentional and natural-living family and learning new things as we go. At the beginning of April, we took the plunge into clean eating! We cleared our cabinets almost completely and started basically from scratch! I am happy to say that while we are not 100% clean eaters, we are at about 90%, and we have never felt better! Aaron has lost about 10 pounds so far! Since I am pregnant, there is no real way to gauge my weight since I am gaining weekly from the pregnancy. (I can say though, at 36 weeks, I have only gained 18lbs!) My favorite thing about eating clean thus far has been the experimentation with new recipes, especially desserts! We have definitely found some favorites and some not so favorites so far, which I plan to start sharing! :) I am a little anxious about our eating with Elliot's arrival approaching quickly since we will be in the hospital for two days and then things will be incredibly hectic around here for a while, I'm sure! But, I am confident that we can FIND BALANCE!

Another balance issue we've been working with is discipline for Emma. I am anti spanking and want to practice gentle discipline for her. She is such a spit fire that it really is difficult at times to keep my cool with her. I have been doing really well with giving her words for her feelings when she is mad or upset and trying to redirect her when she is doing something that is not allowed. She has started to get "swats" for dangerous actions, like her new favorite of running into the street. But, that is the only thing I will swat for. Swatting/Spanking/etc. for hitting, biting, scratching is one of my biggest pet peeves. If a child hits, and you do not want him/her to hit, then what good is it for you to hit him/her back? No good. Basically you're saying, I can do this, but you can't. That may work when you're child is 16, but definitely not when they are toddlers. One thing we are struggling with is her hitting and scratching. She only does this to Aaron, and I haven't figured out why she always directs her frustrations towards him. Okay, well, he is REALLY aggravating at times, so I can see that. ;) But, what we have been doing is if we are holding her and she hits/scratches is putting her down and walking away. This really seems to work at home, but what do we do in public? At a restaurant or the park, etc? This is the struggle we are having lately. I have been reading a lot of gentle discipline articles on blogs and trying to get some guidance, so I will let you know what I come with!

Why, Hello Again!

Oh my! I just realized I haven't blogged since SEPTEMBER! Yikes! Needless to say, it has been a crazy, hectic 7 months since then! I am pretty sure September was the month we found out we were expecting again! Or maybe it was the beginning of October? Either way, geez that's been a long time! I am now 32 weeks 5 days along, and yes, that means I have 7ish weeks left! Thankfully because I have been over this pregnancy for a long time now! We have an exciting few months coming up, and that is why I decided to start blogging again. :) So, while I may not post daily like I used to, I hope to at least post once or twice a week!