Prayers

Please, please, please keep two moms who I simply know through their blogs in your prayers. Two moms miles away, but both facing the same nightmare. One is pregnant with her third child and one just had her fifth. Both amazing women have to have a tumor removed (one from her ovary and one from her thyroid) that may be malignant.

Please take some time out of your day to pause for a moment of silence and pray for them. Pray that God will keep them close as they face these next few days of surgery, recovery, and then just waiting to hear news about their future.

And finally, if you are a mom, make sure you thank God tonight for your own health and be sure to hug your kids a little tighter tonight. We never know what tomorrow will hold, but for tonight ENJOY your KIDS......I know I will.

Time to BE

On Monday, Hunter had no school so I decided to wake up, pack our lunches, and spend all day out doors enjoying the weather and each other. I had one of the best days with my kids EvER.

It started out as just another Beautiful day in Iowa

So we took a drive out to farm country, hopped on a hayride

And searched and searched for the perfect pumpkin

Then we spent some time playing on the huge bales of hay. Hunterbear jumped and climbed for quite some time

and was so proud that he made it to the top.

Kinley loves playing in the big pile of corn kernals. She giggled everytime her toes sank in the corn

While Hunter played some more on the park

Kinz took a nap under a shaded tree with the warmth of the sun and a cool breeze

And me....well, I just thanked God for two beautiful children and more importantly for allowing me so much time to just BE with my children and treasure small moments like today.

Better Health.....Better Future!

Attention EVERYONE who have been searching for an easy way to nourish your body and live a longer and healthier life. ....Attention all MOMs who have been searching for an easy way to get your kids to get the benefits of the reccommended servings for fruits and vegetables. STOP SEARCHING and READ about this INCREDIBLE JUICE!

I am So excited to share with all of my readers this new drink I started giving my family. A friend of mine introduced this drink and company to me over three years ago. I brushed it off at first as another one of those marketing scams. Now that I am a nurse, I just could not ignore the health benefits. I used my educated knowledge and research skills to further examine what all the hype is about this juice, and let me tell you it is NOT a scam. It works, and my first goal is to make sure everyone in my life that I care about starts drinking this juice.

It is called Mona Vie and it is a yummy blend of 19 remarkably healthy fruits including the renown acai berry found only in South America. The acai berry is most known for helping the body fight free radicals, which are formed during a process called oxidation and they can damage cells, accelerate aging, and have been shown to lead to certain ailments.

Right now there are 5 various bottles all including this acai berry along with additional benefits. For example, one bottle is called Pulse and I would recommend taking this drink if you have high cholesterol or blood pressure issues because it includes plant sterols and omega 3 fatty acids, which have been scientifically formulated to lower cholesterol.

My family (Hunter, Paul, and I) take Mona Vie Essential which is formulated to provide your body with the needed benefits to improve your overall health, joint function, and increase overall energy. Before I committed to this product, my friend let me try this bottle and we LOVED IT. Besides the delicious taste, I just felt rejuvenated. Now, you usually have to take this drink for 2-4 weeks before you feel the increase in energy, but I felt so good knowing my family was on the road to improved health and wellness. This is the first time in 5 years, I have not had to ask Hunter to eat or drink something healhy.....one sip and he was hooked. He takes 2 ounces in the morning with his breakfast and Paul and I take two ounces in the morning and night.....that's all it takes to benefit from the same antioxidant ability as 13 servings of fruits and vegetables...WOW:) There is also a bottle called Monavie, Mun, and it helps boost your immune system...you can bet my family will be taking this during the flu season.

Anyway, I am so excited that we have decided to invest in this product and this company. You can read about the product and the many incredible benefits it has to offer at my website

This is a relatively new company, so if you are at all interested in enjoying the health benefits and having the potential to make some extra cash, please email me because now is the best time to get involved. I would happy to go over this exciting opportunity with each and everyone of you.

***For those that live near me and want to come to a FREE tasting to try the product and hear more experienced distributers discuss the juice and the company please let me know. I would be happy to put together a small party for you and your loved ones. ***

Laughing Attack

Here is a Hysterical video showing some brotherly/sister love. Hunter came home from school yesterday and spent a good part of the evening trying to make his sister laugh. After a few attempts, he finally found a peekaboo 'skit' that was just so laughable...according to Kinz.

Hope this video puts a smile on your face

Life at Home

As I am writing this blog post, Miss Kinley Jane is rocking in her swing cooing and giggling....God, life is good. It has been such a change of pace around here since Hunter is at school all day. I love love love all his energy, but I have to admit it is nice to be able to just hang at home without having to entertain a five year old. And I am finally able to get all my chores done, and maybe even squeeze in a nap. I feel so recharged by the time I have to pick Hunter up so I am able to spend the afternoon enjoying him. I feel so blessed and I love my husband for working so hard so that I am able to stay home during the week.

I think you all are due for a Kinley update, so here it is.....

I have been treasuring every second I get to have with my baby girl...because as Hunter has showed me, time flies and I know pretty soon she will be crawling, then running (yeah, I have a feeling she will skip walking and go straight to running) all over the place. She is rolling over every chance she gets.

Some things we have learned about Miss Kinz is that she does not like to miss a party. She loves to be held, but she is definitely not a cuddler. She wants to be up and looking around. She is SO active and SO strong. When she is on her tummy, she is able to push herself all the way so she is resting on her hands. She still has the most beautiful, big, blue eyes I have ever seen. She always has a laughing attack when I give her zerberts (sp?) on her belly. Her giggle is so contagious. When she is tired, she just falls apart (I wander if this trait will stick). She is happiest right when she wakes up. She gets excited and starts shaking her arms and legs when she sees 'Big Brother'. She has her daddy's ears, and she wears them so well. And lastly, I know I am a bit biased, but I think she is just the most photogenic babe in the world.... So here are the many faces of Kinley.

I can NOT imagine my life without my beautiful little girl. She is such a wonderful addition to our little family. Paul, Hunter, and I have all enjoyed our own special time with Kinley, and let me tell you, she already has ALL of us wrapped around her little finger.

First Day

That's right, this handsome fella started his first day of Kindergarten. And let me tell you he was smiling like this all morning. He woke us up at 6:30 (school doesn't start until 8:40 and he usually wakes up at 7:30)....can you tell, he was VERY EXCITED. It was so cute, he woke up, made his bed, and came running into our room so excited to start 'big kid school'.

He was so cute that I just had to bite my tongue when I saw that the outfit he picked out was slightly dirty and did not match at all. I nicely asked why he wasn't wearing the clothes I picked out. He said because I picked them out myself....duh, why didn't I think of that. Luckily, he decided to at least wear the shirt I picked out and he picked out a clean pair of shorts. Who can argue with that!

After breakfast he ran outside and it was so fun to see all the neighborhood kids outside taking pictures and getting ready for the bus. And no, Hunter does not ride the bus...at least not at this moment. Sending my baby off to kindergarten was traumatic enough for one week...i am DEFINITELY NOT ready for him to ride the bus. No way, No sir.

Here he is with one of his friends down the street. It just so happened they have the same teacher, as well. SWEET! (that's what he said)

I was so not ready to let my Baby boy go, but seeing how excited he was that morning made the whole experience go much smoother.

He claims since he is old enough for school, he is old enough to hold Kinley on his own....I am not so sure she agrees.

So when we got to school, I begged for one more picture outside....

And then off he went......

*Well not really....of coarse we walked him in the building, and into his classroom. In fact, I didn't really want to leave. But we did, and he stayed! He had an absolute perfect first day and can't believe he gets to get up and do it all over again.

a letter to ME

If I could write a letter to ME

This blog post was inspired by my cousin-in-law Joey, who challenged all of her blog followers to post a letter to their 16-year old self. I thought this was rather interesting, so here is my attempt to advise my not so advisable self when I was a teenager.

If I could write a letter to ME, I would tell myself

....to stay away from all the drama teenage girls like to start because at the end of the day that is all it is...DRAMA. It doesn't have any meaning. Oh and FYI, the guy you will marry HATES drama.

....to treasure your relationships with your friends and family....some of these will last a lifetime...and in the end life really is all about the people you share it with.

....to stop drinking at every social outing because it really does NOT make you cool...

....to stick to playing sports because it is one of your passions in life, and it will keep you out of trouble (I REALLY wish I listened to this advice back then)

....to be nicer and more respectful to my mom and to trust her guidance. At 16, you have no idea how hard it is to be a mom and how lucky you am to have such a hard working, patient, and honest mom who loves me unconditionally.

AND MOST IMPORTANTLY

.... to stop stressing about the future because no matter what you envision as your future it will not turn out how you imagined, but more than you could ever ask for.

Oh my Lord, I could go on and on about what I should have done as a 16 year old that would have made my life a whole lot easier had I listened. However, all the mistakes and bad choices I made as a 16 year old helped pave the way to where I am right now.....and for that I guess I really can't have any regrets:)

*** This was a lot of fun...I challenge any of my own blog readers to post the same letter...comment and let me know you will be doing it so I can read your letter****