In lieu of a real blog post I give you the following random tidbits from our lives:
~Ada is cautiously walking and while I am excited for her it breaks my heart just a little bit. My baby is growing up. She also has enough hair for a little spout on top of her head. Picture is coming, don't worry!
~Yesterday when I was putting James down for his nap he was being so sweet and we had a great little talk and cuddle. Sometimes I focus way to much on the "loud" part of his personality and as I was tucking him in I got a great reminder of his softness. I also got a little glimpse of the gentleman he will become in time. It was such a wonderful little moment to have with him.
~Jacob is growing like a weed. An absolute WEED. He has moved up another clothes size which is a good thing. He and James don't look quite so "twinnish" now. UPDATE: As I wrote the rest of this post I kept thinking that I should measure the kids so finally I did. Alayna has crossed the 4 foot mark and gone an extra half inch for good measure. I can't believe MY daughter is the 78th percentile for her age! Jacob and James are almost the same percentiles (41 and 44 respectively) but there is finally a sizable difference between them. Jacob is just over 43 inches and James is just shy of 39. So there you have it! And no, I did not measure Ada because I get plenty of wrestling practice just keeping her diapered and clothed every day. She is a wiggly girl.
~Alayna woke up vomiting last night. That was fun. I think it was food related because she hasn't had a fever at all and she seemed fine today. She thoroughly enjoyed a day at home.
~The weather has been absolutely gorgeous and it's so nice to be able to send the kids outside to play and have them actually stay out for a while. They do go out when it is cold but come in fairly quickly. Today is rainy but the last few days have been wonderful.
~Ada has figured out how to come down the stairs. This is a wonderful development! A lot of her milestones are bittersweet for me but getting rid of the baby gate at the stairs was just pure joy! No more baby gates!!!
~After two trips to Texas this month we are just waiting to find out if/when Layne will have to go again. He probably will but we don't have any sort of timeline which is frustrating. I am so very grateful that he will be home this weekend though so I can't complain about that!
~People keep asking about our house hunt and the answer is that it's basically on hold. I do look at houses on the computer but with Layne traveling it just hasn't been realistic to move forward. I know I need to get on the ball but there are so many other things clamoring for my attention and I just don't feel a lot of motivation to go see homes without him. Also, there's not a lot to pick from right now and most of the sellers have unrealistic expectations - no wonder their houses languish on the market for months on end. I could go on and on about the market here but I won't...at least not in this post. We do have a pre-approval though so if we find something we want to jump on we can put in a good offer right away.
~I don't think it's fair that I have zits AND grey hairs. I really think that I should have one or the other - not BOTH!!! I thought I had figured out what was causing me to break-out but now I'm battling another breakout and I have no clue what caused it. Could it be...stress?!?!?
~Did I ever mention that we got a hamster? Her name is Rhino and she's a little bit crazy which is really quite appropriate for our house. The kids love her and I have to admit that I do too.
~I've been so overwhelmed and I've decided to cut several things from my "To Do" list. One of them is my 365. I love it and I may regret taking a break but it does take a fair amount of time and remembering to take a picture every day has become a chore for me. I do want to do something though so I've decided to do "Five on Friday." Basically every Friday I will (try to) take 5 picture and post them. This gives me a lot more flexibility but I'll still be recording memories weekly. I'm hoping that when I go back through January and February pictures I'll find some from the Fridays I've missed.
~On Saturday I hosted a baby shower for my friend Amy. It was a flower theme and I hope to post some pictures soon. I was so surprised to get a thank you card and a gift certificate for a pedicure from Amy - she is so sweet! I cannot wait to get my tootsies treated!
~Layne was out of town for our anniversary on Valentines Day but he hid a gift for me before he left. He also sent an Edible Arrangement to us. It had balloons and a teddy bear too. When James asked what it was and who it was from I had told him it was from Dad and decided to tell him that Layne had filled the bear up with hugs. (Of all the kids, James has the hardest time with Layne being gone.) James loved it and took quite a few hugs from the bear. When Alayna and Jacob got home from school/preschool they took their fair share of hugs too. We enjoyed the fruit after dinner and the kids decided to take turns taking the bear to bed. They rotated through the bear each night until Layne got home and then he got all the hugs instead of the bear. (Poor bear!) We did get to have a belated celebration when he got home. FYI - if you are local you want to check out Jin's Asian Bistro on Liberty Road. It was absolutely wonderful - great atmosphere, great service, great food! I have been looking for a good Chinese place since we moved here and it's finally here! They have Japanese, Chinese and Thai food. The sushi chefs were amazing. I was floored by the dishes I saw them sending out. Absolutely amazing!
~Layne's mom came for a visit at the beginning of the month and it was really nice but absolutely flew by! While she was here I went to Scentsy's "Spring Sprint" in Philadelphia which was a lot of fun. It was a LONG day but very exciting and motivational. I am really excited about all the new products that are coming out and all the opportunities that lie ahead. You'll hear more about all of that later. It was interesting to be away from the kids all day though. It resulted in some good talks between Layne and I about how much time I want to devote to this and what I want my goals to be. I LOVE Scentsy and the opportunities it provides but I love my family even more. They will always be my #1 priority! Layne was gone for most of "Grandma's" visit but when he got home we did manage to go on a date before she left. We had a gift-card to a restaurant from months ago so between that and free babysitting it was a really cheap date!
~We've been meaning to open college accounts for the kids but I just hadn't gotten around to it. Whenever the kids got money we would put it in our savings account and I kept a tally of how much belonged to each of them. My aunt Cathy has power of attorney for my Grandma Woodall and decided that it would be smart to start giving each great-grand child money for college now rather than waiting. The promise of a check from Grandma if we opened college funds finally lit a fire under my bum so the kids now have their accounts. Yippee! Next order of business is transferring their money from our savings into their ESAs. Thanks Cathy!
~Every time we've moved I try to cut down on our food shopping and eat the staples we have around the house. I've been doing that the last month or so and we're making good progress on clearing out the "grocery store" in the basement. It's actually been a good time to do it because it's the kind of food I cook when Layne is out of town anyway - lots of noodles and packaged foods. It's also tricky though because I am trying to slowly to move us towards a healthier diet so I'm trying to balance the staples with fresher foods. It's so much easier to cook a healthier meal when Layne is home because then I know at least 2 people will eat it without complaining. I think the kids are starting to notice a difference between junk/processed food and fresh food though because they really perked up when they saw one of the healthy meals I cooked this week and haven't been complaining about the healthier meals as much. They have started to gravitate towards healthier snacks too and it makes me so happy that they are making those decisions on their own.
~There have been a few times lately when there have only been one or two things under the table after a meal and it is so exciting! Feeding our brood can be a messy endeavor sometimes but I have noticed lately that they are all getting a lot neater and it is so nice. It's one of those little things that reminds me that the kids are growing up and that caring for them won't be as physically taxing in the years to come. Yes, I know new difficulties will arise...
~James and I spent about 30 minutes looking at birthday party ideas on the computer earlier today. He will be 4 (can you believe that?!?!?) so he gets a big party this year. I love spacing out their big celebrations because it means that I actually get really excited about them. He wants a Cars 2 party which is no surprise to me at all. I have some great ideas and I can't wait to put it all together. (If only we knew WHERE we would be having this party!)
~Confession: I am coveting something. I really want a Kindle. I've had an e-reader for about a year and a half and it just died. (We got if for $50 from Woot.com and it came with 150 free classics - awesome deal!) Luckily the library had the book I was reading available so I was able to pick up right where I left off without delay. I didn't think I would like reading from a device instead of a real book but now that I'm lugging Vanity Fair around I'm realizing that I've really gotten used to having my reader. Boo hoo!!!
~I am so glad that spring is coming. This winter was hard for me. I think that when I look back in years to come I will remember this winter as one of the hardest times for me personally. It wasn't just about Layne's travels...there is much more to it than that. It's just been hard - and no, I don't want to talk about it. That being said, the flowers are blooming, the sun is rising, and brighter days are ahead. Yippee!!!
Friday, February 24, 2012
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Scentsy Saturday!
Big news! A new catalog (and brand new product lines!) are coming which means that almost everything in the Fall/Winter catalog is on sale. Scentsy is giving you 10% off and I am giving an extra special surprise with every order! (Please read all the details at the bottom before ordering.)
This is Flutterby, the warmer of the month for February. It is so beautiful and absolutely perfect for spring. The butterfly cutouts cast beautiful shadows on the wall.
The scent of the month is Pixie and I love it! Please leave a comment if you'd like a sample. I have them ready to go and will be delivering them this week. I am more than happy to mail samples too!
Sasha, the charitable cause buddy will be retiring this month so this is your last chance to get her and support the Ronald McDonald house. I can't wait to here how much has been raised!
This is just one of the beautiful warmers on sale. We have Heirloom in our bedroom and it gives off a beautiful glow.
Snapshot is also on sale. My friend has a wonderful picture of her son in this warmer and it is so neat that the picture glows.
Another friend of mine has this beauty and I have to say I like it even better in person. It is so beautiful and elegant. Is it on sale? Of course!
Baby's Breath at 10% off is a beautiful way to welcome spring!
Cosmos, Cupcake and Graphite are all midsize warmers that are on sale this month. Aren't they great?
Are you ready for March Madness?
Contact me directly for a special deal on Full Court!
Plug-In warmers are on sale too!
Let me know if you'd like to welcome spring with this beautiful warmer.
A little birdie just might tell you about a great deal!
Of course warmers are nothing without wonderful Scentsy wax to warm! All wax is on sale as well - even the multipacks! Let me know if you'd like to smell my testers.
Buddies are on sale and would make a wonderful addition to any Easter basket!
All fragrance to go items are on sale as well including multipacks!
Our foam is an antimicrobial (alcohol-free!) hand sanitizer that smells wonderful!
Scent paks are great for closets, drawers, lockers - even cars!
Scent circles are a great way to scent your car or any other small space.
My friend hangs one under her sink where her trashcan is!
Room sprays are a great way to quickly freshen any space!
Travel tins go wherever you go and slide closed when you don't need them.
As you can see there is plenty to choose from - and I've only showcased a fraction of our products. Head on over to sarahbradley.scentsy.us and join the 10% off party!
If you are LOCAL please place your order through me by commenting, calling or emailing. I will add your surprise to your order and you will get free shipping. If you aren't local please contact me for details about the suprise - you will still get it! :) Also, we will be traveling to Georgia for Easter so if you are in Georgia and would like free shipping I can deliver your order then. Please contact me with any questions. Thanks!
Sale Exclusions: Charitable Items, Campus and Patriot Warmers and Packages $55 or more.
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Christmas in Athens
Well, now that I am finally sitting down to blog about the rest of our Christmas trip I'm realizing that I really didn't take that many pictures. We left Clayton on Christmas Eve after a yummy lunch and drove down to Athens. James and Ada (and I!) snoozed on the way. We arrived at the Bradley's and were so happy to see Grandma, Grandpa and Kyle. We got settled in and enjoyed some time together. Grammie and Poppa can over to say hello. We had fun making personal pizzas for dinner and we so happy that Steven, Shiree and Sandy came over too. Grandma was very creative with the dough so we got to pick from stars, trees and snowmen. We drove around the neighborhood before bedtime to look at lights. The big kids were very excited to share a room with Sandy. We were worried that it would take a long time for the four of them to fall asleep but it wasn't too bad. Once the kids were in bed the grown-ups visited a little more and got ready for Christmas morning.
Christmas morning we woke up and everyone headed to Grandma and Grandpa's room. We stole their bed while they went to check and make sure Santa came. They got a fire (and breakfast!) going and then let us out. The kids were so excited to see that Santa came! They were worried he might think we were in Maryland but I knew he was too clever for that. We opened our stockings then had breakfast. After breakfast we read Luke 2 and opened gifts while we were all together. The kids got new church clothes so they were able to put them to use right away. Church was from 10:00 to 11:00 and was very nice.
After church we went to Grammie and Poppas. We had a nice, light lunch of cheese, crackers and fresh fruit. We had presents with them and then some much needed quiet time. Grammie prepared a wonderful dinner that we shared around a very full and happy table.
Hanging out in Grandma & Grandpas room...
...waiting for stockings!
Santa came!
He filled our stockings!
Yippee!
Wahoo!
Balloons!
Yay for Christmas!
Yay for balloons!
Yay for cousins!
Apparently I completely forgot to take any pictures at Grammie and Poppas. I am very disappointed. I will blog about our other Georgia adventures soon. (Haha! Do you believe that?!?!?)
Ada at a Year
It's hard to believe a year has gone but I guess time flies when you are having fun! I started this post before Ada's birthday but for some reason I can't ever seem to post on time. There is something about finishing the first year that is a relief to me, not because I want it to be over but because I feel like they are so fragile and tender. Of course Ada is still fragile, they all are, but I guess I just feel safer after their first birthday and more certain that they will stay with us. Ada is such a wonderful child. She is so happy and easy-going. She was definitely meant to come to our family when she did. She compliments all of us so well and brings us such joy and excitement.
Stats:
Weight: 21lb 2 oz (48%)
~Gained just over 2 pounds in 3 months.~
Height: 29.75 in (74%)
~Up from 57% 3 months ago.~
Noggin: 46 cm (73%)
~Up 1 centimeter, down 5%.~
Things She's Doing:
~Jibber-jabbering all the live-long day. The words we have definitely heard are baba (bottle), no, Dada, bye, and wow. Words we think we've heard are Mama, nu-nus (noodles), caca (cracker), and something that sounded an awful lot like Jacob. I think she is on the verge of a word explosion and I'm excited to hear what she has to say.~Climbing UP anything and everything! Unfortunately she's still working on climbing DOWN so she often gets in a bind. She is very close to learning how to go down the stairs and that will be a big relief when it finally happens!
Things She Loves:
~Eating! She is having fun exploring new foods and learning to feed herself. Her favorite things to eat are pasta and fruit. She doesn't seem to be picky at all but she does get a rash after eating tomatoes. Alayna and Jacob had the same reaction as babies but can eat tomatoes fine now so I'm not too worried. ~Water! Ada loves to play in the water, whether it's washing her hands in the sink or taking a bath. We are officially in the "keep the toilet lids down and the bathroom doors closed" stage. Oh fun!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)