Cake.

April 22, 2013

It was confirmed long, long ago that I am a true sugar addict.

Perhaps it was when I was climbing  the counter tops at 5 years old to get cookies from the cookie jar, or when I would hide my Halloween candy under my bed and steal my brothers, one piece at time so that he would never notice. Or maybe when I would eat half gallons of frozen yogurt in high school just to see if I could without getting sick. (I never got sick once. I amaze even myself).

The problem is that pesky Weight Watchers hates sugar.  Apparently, eating food with no nutritional value is frowned upon in dieting. Imagine my horror!

I’ve been searching for a way to lose this baby weight that will allow me to eat a bag of jelly beans a day, but alas, it ain’t happening (much to my dismay).

Anyway, if you’ll remember my main squeezes in the sugar department are candy. Sure, I love desserts, cakes, pies, etc., buy my real jam is the pure sugar kinda candy. Oranges slices, jelly beans, skittles, you get the idea. Now, don’t get me wrong. I’ve never, and I mean never, turned down chocolate. It’s a very close second to gummy worms and other sugary substances.

But one exception to my love for candy is icing. Oh, how I love icing. I think I would take a can of icing over a pack of marshmallows. I say this with great reverence, as to not hurt the feelings of marshmallows everywhere. I still love you marshmallows! I do! And let’s face it, after I eat the icing I’ll be ready for you.

There is no end to my want/love/need for sugar. Believe me, I’ve tried to find the end, and it just doesn’t exist. I can eat, eat, eat it all.

This brings me to a very important subject. In my quest to eat large quantities of sugar and still lose weight I have gotten creative. You see, for years I have made pumpkin muffins using only Spice Cake Mix and a can of pumpkin. No other ingredients. They are awesome. I make them all the time. When I’m really trying to lose weight I will even lose the icing on top.

I’ve even used yellow cake mix and it is great too.

So, last week Zach was out of town for work….

(Can we just take a minute and acknowledge the fact that I took care of a 3 year old, a 22 month old and a newborn for a week without Zach and we all made it out alive…and even smiling. God’s grace is deep and wide friends). 

…And I hadn’t been to the grocery store in over a week. This means that I had demolished anything remotely resembling sugar. All I could find in the pantry, cabinets, and stockpile that I thought could possibly be made into something edible was a box of Devils Food Cake Mix and a can of pumpkin.

I was desperate.

So, I gave it a whirl.

And friends, I’m here to tell you, for a quantity of sugar over quality of sugar kinda gal like me, it was awesome.

They are like chocolate cupcakes, but much thicker and more muffin-like.

And…completely delicious.

Today I tried the pumpkin with Milk Chocolate Cake Mix and while it was still great, I think the darker the chocolate the better.  You honest to goodness can not taste the pumpkin. It’s like a miracle. You lose the oil and eggs and still get a chocolate cupcake!!!!!

If I were a great chef blogger I would have taken great pictures, but alas, you get what you get and you don’t pitch a fit around these parts.

It’s easy peasy.

1. Chocolate Cake Mix (again, Spice Cake Mix and Yellow Cake Mix gives you Pumpkin Muffins that are delicious).

2. Can of Pumpkin (NOT Pumpkin Pie Mix).

Directions: Mix them together until smooth. Spoon into greased muffin pan and make in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for 12ish minutes.

Voila!

Healthy(ish) chocolate cupcake/muffins!

Happy Monday Friends!

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By Molly 0 Comments » Categories: Crazycakes, food, Little Stories, Random., Weight Watchers

Love.Always.Wins.

April 19, 2013

It certainly seems like the world has gone crazy, eh?

I’m sure that many generations (if not all) have said the same thing. But friends, it seems a wee bit crazier now? Malls, movie theaters, marathons aren’t safe. I mean, what’s next? It honest to goodness make me never want to leave the house.

But friends, here’s the GOOD NEWS. Regardless of how nutzo this world is, I have a Forever Hope. A Hope that makes the world a bit more bearable, despite the craziness.

You see, I know that this world is not my home. My home is in Heaven with Jesus.

Now before you click off this blog thinking I’m a coo-koo radical, please know that I am, in fact, a radical. Not so much the gun carrying kind, or the political kind, or even the kind that wants to sell off everything I own and live off the land kind.

The Jesus kind.

In fact, the more I learn about the character of Jesus, the more I realize that really and truly, nothing else matters but L-O-V-E.

In fact, we have a brand spanking new family motto.

It’s “Love Always Wins.”

Like, always.

This is, of course, very hard to live out on a day to day basis. For example, the other day a car was behind me and honked at me several times. There were clearly cars coming, so I couldn’t pull out. My first, second and third (3 honks) instinct was to become frustrated and angry, because “Hello lady, can’t you see that I can’t go anywhere!!!” But, I’m trying to retrain my brain to love, love, love, love, love no matter what. So, after huffing and puffing at her I took the time and energy to think it through. Here’s a glimpse into what my “old” and “new” brain would be thinking during this incident. (Take in mind that while this conversation with myself is going I’m singing The B-I-B-L-E to my babies in their carsets while driving).

Old Molly: “I mean seriously lady, can’t you see that I can’t go. What’s your problem?!”

New Molly: “Deep Breath. I wonder what her day has been like to make her be in such a hurry? I hope that everything is okay.”

Old Molly: “Why does she think her time is more valuable than mine? I bet she doesn’t have a newborn screaming to the top of her lungs in her car like I do in mine. Freaking relax lady!”

New Molly: “Lord,  please surround her today with your LOVE and let her feel your presence all day long moving in her most tedious tasks.”

See? It’s quite a retraining isn’t? This is going on all day long in my head. From the most mundane task to the most challenging.

The hardest part? Loving those darn enemies. No silly, not the lady behind me in line is hardly my enemy. I’m talking about those pesky bombers in Boston. And the abortionist that murdered hundreds, if not thousands, of babies and did unspeakable acts to the innocent and the madmen that go into schools and kill children.

Yup, I count them my enemies.

That retraining is the hardest. But the bottom line is that God calls us to LOVE. Not just the easy to love, but even those who cause the worst sort of heartbreak.

I’m trying to imagine a life where I judge no one and love everyone. No blame, no negativity, no harsh words or attitudes, only LOVE.

Granted, I know that this is impossible. I am very far from perfect, but gosh darnit, I wanna try. I really do.

More than my retraining, I want to instill this forever love into my babies. I want their instinct to be love. Always to love.

So friend, maybe just for a minute, give it a shot. Rather than focusing on the negative, give that person the benefit of the doubt and LOVE.

There is plenty of hate friends. Let us love one another, because HE (the King of Kings and Lord of Lords) knows that loving first makes us better and more importantly, points people to the ultimate LOVE, Jesus.

Try it.

I dare you.

 

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By Molly 2 Comments » Categories: bitzy, Family., homemaking, Jesus, Little Stories, Positivity, Random.

New.

April 12, 2013

 New life is an amazing thing.

It offers fresh perspective and an appreciation of the miracle of life.

You see, my Nonny? She saved me from the misery of pregnancy and plunged me into wonderfulness of newborn baby bliss and has completely stolen my heart.

In fact, I’m completely enamored with her. So much so that I am finding it very difficult to put her down.

Like, ever.

Which is a good thing since she’s VERY addicted to me too.

Today Bitzy was at her Lolly’s, Brother was napping and I was snuggled with my new little lady. For the first time in a few hours I laid her down for a few minutes to change the laundry and do a few other chores. These things took me about 15 minutes to complete.

After those things I really could have mopped my floors, dusted, ebayed or done a bunch of other things, but I’m telling ya’ll, it’s like the child has a magnet attached to her. I seriously missed holding her and couldn’t stand to not hold her for one more minute!

As you can imagine when Bitzy and Brother are awake, it’s ummmm….how you say? Loud and crazy chaos. There’s lots of “MINE!” “NO!” “BOOK!” “MELMO!” “OUCH, BOO, HE HIT ME!”

You get the picture.

So, when I’m holding my baby, it’s more like protecting her from an overly enthusiastic 3 year old Bitzy who is in love with her new baby sister and would paw her to death if I’d let her. And Brother has a new hobby: Hitting, throwing books, toys, and even himself as he plunges himself on ground in utter despair. Apparently being 22 months old is like being on a roller coaster.

It’s like I’m in a zone defense with my tiny little fragile baby while these two little maniacs run circles around me needing everything from water to snacks to dresses to books to fixing.

Now that I’m 7 weeks in, I’ve dealt with double mastitis and a serious kidney infection that sent me to the ER and now, finally, finally, finally I’m feeling good and more like myself.

I’ve had an enormous amount of help from my Mama and Lolly (Zach’s mom), making our transition much easier. In fact, all of their help has allowed me to really appreciate my newest miracle.

To really revel in her ya know? To study her face. To notice how the little tiny dots on her nose change everyday.

And to appreciate this little life that God has entrusted to Zach and I.

And most of all to remember that in a heartbeat this tiny little thing will be a big girl that’s twirling around the living room like her big sissy.

Time just goes by too fast, ya know?

So for today, in this moment, I’m gonna soak every single bit of my sweetheart in.

Spit up, blowouts and all.

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By Molly 1 Comment » Categories: bitzy, brother, Confessions., Crazycakes, Family., Random.

Crazytown.

March 25, 2013

Hello friends, I have a big announcement.

I have moved from Louisville, KY to Crazytown, USA.

It’s a place where sippy cups and plastic plates abound and spit up is aplenty.

There is lots of yelling. Happy yelling, sad yelling, hurt yelling and yelling just because you feel like yelling.

There’s a whole lotta books, Goldfish and pacis here in Crazytown.

Well, and timeouts.

But you know what? This place I live is the best place in the whole wide world. 

These 3 little people that are 3 and under demand my every moment 24 hours a day, but they are so magical.

Truly, they are. Sure, they are exhausting and I am often baffled at the never ending question of “WHY ARE YOU CRYING AGAIN?” But the hugs, kisses and cuddles outweigh the craziness by a million miles.

The best part? With all of my heart I know that I was created to be a Mommy and a wife.

I know that God has crafted my Mommy heart to be exactly what my sweet ones need to grow and succeed and to light up the world.

And that truth is what makes my stay in Crazytown make sense.

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By Molly 1 Comment » Categories: bitzy, brother, Crazycakes, Family., Random.

Lefty.

March 23, 2013

The above picture was just taken in my bathroom. It has not been altered in any way.

Just in case you are not familiar with pumping milk from your postpartum breasts, let me help you out in understanding this picture.

You see, it’s the tale of two bottles. These two bottles were pumped in 7 minutes. One bottle contains the milk of Molly the Jersey Cow and the other, well, it contains the milk of the Molly Little Engine That Could.

It’s quite unfortunate that one of my breasts could feed a third world country and the other couldn’t keep a stray cat fed and happy.

I’m not sure why my supply feels the need to be OVERLY productive on the left and barely there on the right. It’s been this way with all three of my little miracles. Eventually I phase out my right breast completely and let my little lefty shine, shine, shine.

I’m not ashamed of this strange and wonderful fact about my body. It helps keep me humble. I get to identify with those who overproduce and those who under-produce.  It’s a gift, right?

Look me, all choosing joy! Ha!

(Was this too much information?).

Happy Weekend Everyone!

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By Molly 2 Comments » Categories: Confessions., Crazycakes, Family., Little Stories, Random.

Gymnastics.

March 21, 2013

First let me say that I know that I really and truly MUST write a post about how we’re doing around here as a family of 5. I know that in 20 years when I read all of these I’ll really need a reminder of the messy and magical chaos that is my life right now.

I know, I know, I know.

But for now, I simply must tell you this little story before I forget.

You see, my Bitzy is a little gymnast. Sure, she’s a space cadet gymnast who spends a lot of time staring at the ceiling rather than listening, but still yet, a tiny and perfect gymnast.

See? Here’s proof.

Precious, right?

Today she completed her second session and will begin her third next week.

Anyway, after her class as I was putting her down for a nap and rocking her (yes, she’s 3 and I still rock her before naps and bedtime, don’t judge me), I asked her if she was excited to see her friend Soley next week. Here’s how our conversation went.

Me: “Are you so excited to start your new class next week and see your friend Soley again?”

Bitzy: “Yes! Can we see her tomorrow?”

Me: “Well, our class isn’t until next week, but maybe when we see her we can ask if she wants to have a playdate with you.”

Bitzy: “Oh, that would be great. I would love that Mama! Actually, instead of class can we just have a playdate?”

Me: “No way! You don’t want miss your class do you? You can have class and a playdate.”

Bitzy: “Well Mama, I’m kinda scared of my class.”

Me: “Why in the world are you scared? You love gymnastics don’t you?”

Bitzy: “I’m scared of the trapeze and jumping off the balance beam, but I’m most scared of the crocodiles that live under the blocks. Also the monkeys are super scary.”

Me: “You silly girl, there are no animals that live at gymnastics!”

Bitzy: “Actually Mama, yes they do live there and I’m their favorite friend, but I really don’t want to live in the swamp like they ask me to. Do I have to live in the swamp?”

Me: “No baby, you live here. You never have to live in a swamp.”

Bitzy: “Oh good. I was really worried. Swamps are yucky and dark. I’ve been praying to Jesus every night to please not make me live in the swamp with the crocodiles!”

Me: “Jesus will never make you live with the crocodiles. Now that you know that you’re safe do you like gymnastics again?”

Bitzy: “Well, not really because now I have to pray that Jesus will save me from the polar bears that live under the trampolines. Do you think He will?”

Me: “I think so. Just pray really hard!”

Ah, my crazy and creative girl gets me every time.

 

 

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By Molly 0 Comments » Categories: bitzy, Crazycakes, Random.

Rocking.

February 28, 2013

Today my beautiful new Valentine is 2 weeks old. She’s brand new! Or “fresh from heaven” as Bitzy likes to say. She is proving to be a very good baby so far. Although she loves to be held 99% of the time and wants to eat constantly, she isn’t crying much so I’m a happy Mama.

As you may know, these newborn days are fleeting, so I’m trying with all my might to soak them up.

So today while Brother and Bitzy spent the day with their sweet Lolly, I rocked and rocked and rocked some more with this precious child.

Even though we do not have not a piece of fruit left in the house and I must go to the store.

Even though the chores are plenty all over the house from bills to pay to scrubbing toilets.

Even though my hair has really seen better days.

Even though _____________ (a zillion other things).

In light of all these chores and responsibilities, we rocked.

Why?

Because this poem rings in my ears and reminds me that rocking my baby is my most important job today.

Song for a Fifth Child

    by Ruth Hulburt Hamilton

Mother, oh Mother, come shake out your cloth,
Empty the dustpan, poison the moth,
Hang out the washing and butter the bread,
Sew on a button and make up a bed.
Where is the mother whose house is so shocking?
She’s up in the nursery, blissfully rocking.

Oh, I’ve grown shiftless as Little Boy Blue
(Lullaby, rockaby, lullaby loo).
Dishes are waiting and bills are past due
(Pat-a-cake, darling, and peek, peekaboo).
The shopping’s not done and there’s nothing for stew
And out in the yard there’s a hullabaloo
But I’m playing Kanga and this is my Roo.
Look! Aren’t her eyes the most wonderful hue?
(Lullaby, rockaby, lullaby loo).

The cleaning and scrubbing will wait till tomorrow,
For children grow up, as I’ve learned to my sorrow.
So quiet down, cobwebs. Dust go to sleep.
I’m rocking my baby and babies don’t keep.

So excuse me while I go rock some more.

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By Molly 1 Comment » Categories: Confessions., Family., homemaking, Little Stories, New Baby, Nonny, Positivity

Nonny.

February 19, 2013

My perfect Valentine joined the world on February 14, 2013 at 5:20pm.

I hope to write her birth story sooner than later and to share with you how our sweet Nonny is adjusting.

To say that we’re thrilled is quite the understatement.

Wanna see this beauty?

I cannot seem to stop staring at her.

Just like her Brother and Sister did at a mere 5 days old she wants to nurse every 1.5-2 hours. It seems to be a trend around here. She also hates to be laid down. Although just this morning I put her tiny little self in the swing and she seems to like it!!!! This is very good news!

Bitzy and Brother are doing great! Especially Brother. I was so worried that with him being so little (20 months) he would be very lost without all of Mommy’s attention, but he seems pretty untraumatized by it all. Bitzy on the other hand is showing a few signs of attention seeking, but nothing major. I’m hoping to take her on a “date” later to give her some one-on-one attention. I’m hoping that will help.

Am I tired? Um, yes. More like exhausted.

Am I happy? Overjoyed actually.

Am I blessed?  Beyond my wildest dreams.

Am I about to break out into hives thinking about next week when Zach goes back to work and my Mama leaves and I’m all alone for 10 hours a day? I’m shaking in my slippers over here. But we’ll save that anxiety attack for another day.

Am I gonna savor every precious moment with my Valentine? You better believe it.

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By Molly 2 Comments » Categories: bitzy, brother, Little Stories, New Baby, Nonny, Random., Zach.

Letter {nonny}.

February 11, 2013

My darling girl,

As I sit and feel you stretching and wiggling in my womb I wonder if I will miss you being inside of me once you are in my arms. I wonder if your hair will be “yellow or black” as Bitzy says. I wonder if you’ll be a good sleeper (like Brother) or a not-so-great sleeper (like Bitzy).

I wonder lots of things about your these days.

Mostly I wonder if you’ll ever know how much I love you.

I wonder if somehow the stress of this pregnancy and my caring for your brother and sister has somehow effected your little heart. I wonder if all my complaints about my back hurting and how uncomfortable I have been has somehow settled in your spirit. I hope not.

I hope that you know how cherished you are already. How amazed I am that our Creator God has been so carefully knitting you together, making you absolutely perfect in every single way.

Because darling, it is amazing. The miracle of you, I mean. You are amazing. Even before I meet you face to face I know that you are. Wanna know how I know?

Because God made you.

He made you perfectly perfect from His perfect hands. He made you lovely, beautiful, kind and good because you are made in His image. And HE is perfect.

But honey, never forgot that you are joining a family who is no where near perfect, but we are full of love. Full of laughter and most of all, full of faith. Faith in a loving God and the desire to honor Him.

So, I know that you’ll be just fine. We all will be.

I must admit that I’ve been very nervous about you joining our little clan. Having 3 babies close together in age is not for the faint of heart, but oh the joy it brings. Just today Bitzy and Brother sat in a rocking chair together “reading” a book and they giggled and giggled. In such a short time you’ll be joining them as well. My heart swells just to imagine the scene.

So baby girl, when you read this I want to you know beyond a shadow of a doubt how highly anticipated you have been. How treasured you are and mostly how loved you are already.

I just can’t wait to meet you.

Love you always and forever,

Mama

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By Molly 0 Comments » Categories: bitzy, brother, Family., Little Stories, New Baby, Random.

Capture.

February 4, 2013

From the very beginning of my journey into motherhood I have willingly tried to be present. As in, I don’t talk on the phone or do computer things when my babies are awake.  I don’t do major cleaning when they are awake. I don’t put them in a stroller and take them shopping with me for hours at time.  I just don’t. This doesn’t make me awesome or anything, but it’s my way. I truly believe that God has given me an urgency to be present and available to them. For me to grasp and understand that time is slippery and will pass right through our fingers without a nod unless we willfully and willingly  pay attention and cherish every moment.

I truly hope and pray that I respect the gift of our time together. This stay-at-home Mama gig is my dream come true after all.  Heaven forbid that I take it for granted.

However, this is easier said than done.  And admittedly, in this season of a strong willed 3 three year old, hoping to capture every moment isn’t exactly easy peasy. She’s a handful, that one. In fact, last month when everyone was sick and I was seriously struggling with pregnancy and managing a household full of sick people I probably would have thrown this computer out the window if someone suggested I “cherish” the moments.

Ain’t nobody got time to cherish the moments when the moments are full of crying and whining and time-outs!

But in the midst of the chaos that surrounds this house much of the time, I am in awe of our miraculous little lives. How incredible these little ones are and how blessed I am to witness it all, day in and day out.

Yesterday, Zach and I sat and watched in awe as Brother, who has been talking like crazy lately and it’s just downright adorable, began saying new words and putting together phrases. I love being with him every day to see how much he’s growing and changing. He even looked into Zach’s eyes and said, “I love you Daddy!” just as clear as day. It’s just precious.

Even as I try my hardest to be present, to take pictures, to be here, I still forget things.  There are so many moments that happen on a daily basis that I want to freeze, but alas, they pass by.

Moments like my Bitzy running around the house in her “Butterfly Dress” (her baby sister’s 6 month dress that barely covers her bottom), sporting her tiara and her “Clickedy Clack” dress-up Princess Aurora shoes, singing “THIS LITTLE LIGHT ON MINEY, I’M GONNA LET IT SHINY. THIS LITTLE LIGHT ON MINEY, I’M GONNA LET IT SHINY, LET IT SHINY, SHINY, SHINY!”

Or when Brother Bear is running around and I say, “Show me your funny face”, and he’ll flash me a great big smile and give me the cutest little silly face. Or when I say, “I need a cuddle!” and he’ll run up to me and throw his arms around my neck and plant a kiss on my lips.

These moments that happen throughout the day, everyday, I just want to freeze in time. They are fleeting unfortunately, and I know that.

It’s sad that regardless of my effort to capture/freeze/contain these precious little moments, time still steals them away.

But I’m going to keep trying. I’m going to solider on and try to remember every word, smile and bedtime snuggle. And try, try, try to remember that even when my sweet Bitzy gets overtaken by “The Crazy,” that someday, I’ll miss all this.

The greatest news of all? In 2 weeks or so, I get to start a new journey with a brand new little life.

And for that, I am beyond thankful.

Blessed indeed.

 

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By Molly 0 Comments » Categories: bitzy, brother, Crazycakes, Family., homemaking, Little Stories, New Baby, Random.

MiniVan.

January 29, 2013

Allow me to introduce you to my friend and yours, Black Betty Bambalam.

You see, this car is just a car like any other. It’s easily replaceable and still has a solid place in the “just stuff” category. However, let it be known that Zach and I LOVE this car. We bought it over 4 years ago and it was our first major purchase as a married couple. We truly have loved this vehicle and have held onto it as long as possible. She has beautifully accommodated our growing family and kept millions (perhaps billions) of Goldfish safe and sound, buried into the seats where no man has gone before. She’s also seen her fair share of half chewed chicken nuggies if we’re honest.

But now, seeing as how it’s an impossibility to put two convertible carseats and an infant seat into the backseat of Black Betty we’re bidding her goodbye.

Nothing like waiting ’til the last minute at 38 weeks pregnant! 

Now, we will welcome a new-to-us member of our family. Her name is yet to be determined. We’ve gotta get to know her first.

Yup, we’re joining the minivan club. Happily of course!

The Goldfish are pumped too.

To be honest, I have no qualms about driving a mini-van. I could care less how cool or uncool I look (clearly, since I’ve worn the same yoga pants every day for 3 months straight), but, I am so used to having my babies at arms length from me in the car. Now, they’ll be so far away from me! I don’t like that!

Any mini-van owners have any advice for how to transition best (for me and babies) from an SUV/car to a mini-van?  I know that I’ll love the roominess, I’m more concerned about  how to give Bitzy and Brother their water cups and snacks on the interstate without killing us all.

So there you have it.  I am a mini-van Mommy and I’m proud of it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

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By Molly 0 Comments » Categories: Family., Little Stories, Random.

Mixed Bag {review & giveaway}.

January 23, 2013

Congratulations Ashley and Rachel!!!! You are the winners!!!!! An email is coming your way!  (You may wanna go play Power Ball tonight since you’re lucky!).

Sometimes friends, luck is on our side.

And in my case, it certainly was when Mixed Bag Designs contacted yours truly to do a review and giveaway! I happily said yes, and I have been enjoying several products from this great company since.

The interesting thing about Mixed Bag Designs is not only are they an online retailer, but more importantly, they do school fundraisers! Wouldn’t you rather your kid sell things of use like bags, purses and cups than candles and fudge?

Here’s a great video that showcases one of their grocery bags. I LOVE MINE.

Pretty cool, eh?

Mixed Bag Designs was founded in 2008 by two mothers living in the San Francisco Bay Area who had a lot of experience with fundraising for their children’s schools. They had realized that most of the products out there for school fundraisers weren’t really useful in our day to day lives. How much cookie dough and wrapping paper can one person really need? They felt that if they could offer something that people would actually use, it would in turn help raise fundraising profits. Hence, they started with reusable grocery bags and it just took off from there.
Since they first entered the fundraising market, it has been the fastest growing part of the business. Mixed Bag Designs has helped thousands of organizations across the country meet their fundraising goals for their important causes while spreading colorful and fun style. This company is young enough to be refreshingly different, yet experienced enough to understand how to handle many different types of fundraising opportunities. They take pride in their commitment to make your fundraising experience successful and enjoyable.

Forget paper or plastic, these reusable bags are green and gorgeous! I truly love these products. The prints and colors make me happy. The fact that they are helping the environment makes me happy. Helping out local communities and fundraisers makes me happy.

See? Happiness.

Here are the items that I chose to review….

1. TL190 Pink Paisley Cold Tumbler 20oz

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. EB166 Navy/Green Flower Dry Erase Board

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have been writing our weekly memory verses on this board every week. It’s wonderful!

3. HE177 Pink/Green Swirl Hold Everything

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As you can see, the back of our SUV is a very stressful and messy place. Do not focus on the mess, but on the bag please.

4. TB100 Damask Big Travel Bag

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bitzy is a natural model, don’t ya think?!

5. NG100 Damask Insulated Grocery Store Bag

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LOVE these products!

6. WL212 Green Croc Zip Lunch Tote

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So, here’s the skinny: I LOVE THIS STUFF. The colors are bold and fabulous. Even though I’m not an environmental activist I still like to do my part to keep God’s creation as lovely as possible, so I love that these products are made from recycled material. And more than anything I love that schools can sell these products that are practical rather than crap that no one actually wants/uses.

Out of all of these products my most favorite is Number 5, the Damask Insulated Grocery Store Bag. I keep it in the trunk of the car and when I go to the store I put all of my cold/freezer items inside. Easy Peasy. It’s cute, fun and very practical!

Ya know what else is happy? Mixed Bag Designs is giving 2 lucky readers a $50 gift card to their online store! Amazing!!!!

Leaving a comment on this post is all you have to do to enter! Of course, for those over achievers, you can gain one extra entry by tweeting this:

Mixed Bag Designs is giving away 2 $50 gift cards! @littlestories http://littlestorieseverywhere.com/mixed-bag-review-giveaway/

Just tweet it and come back here to leave ONE ADDITIONAL comment on this post letting me know that you tweeted and what your twitter name is. Any comments that don’t follow these rules will be deleted.

This giveaway closes at 11:00pm EST WEDNESDAY JANUARY 30TH. The winner will be announced the next day.

Good luck!

Disclosure: Mixed Bag Designs has provided this package to me and is covering the cost of this giveaway today.  All opinions and words herein are my own.

 

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By Molly 38 Comments » Categories: Giveaway, Little Savings, Little Stories, Random.

Funkytown.

January 23, 2013

So today is my birthday. It’s true.

Another beautiful year has come and gone. As I’ve said so many times before, time is so tricky. So many things have happened since last year, but at the same time, it has flown by. I’m sure that most of you can identify with this.

There is just something about birthdays that feel like a fresh start. For me, my “new beginning” isn’t ever New Years.  I become much more reflective around my birthday.

For one thing, the older I get the more thankful I am for one more year.

I’m not lamenting my age at all, nope, not one bit.

I know how many people would have loved to have had another birthday, but they did not.

May I never, ever take one single day for granted.

Which leads me to a confession.

If you haven’t noticed, for the past month or two I’ve been to an awful place called, “Funkytown.” And not in a good way.

Pregnancy is hard, plus the mix of having 2 sick toddlers for 2 months has been very difficult.

These past couple months has seriously made me doubt myself as a Mama. I’ve been so tired and emotional that I just haven’t felt like myself at all.

In fact, a few weeks ago we went out with my in-laws to dinner. We have barely left the house in over a month because of sickness so it was truly a treat. While there, we ran into a friend.

She also has 2 little ones and is “in the trenches” as I am. I found myself complaining about the sickness and my exhaustion. I heard these negative words come out of my mouth and I barely recognized myself.

Thankfully over the past few weeks my sweet littles have returned to their normal hilarious selves. I just cannot express the difference between my sick little people and my healthy people.

On Facebook people talk about how much they love the cuddles of their sickies. Not so around here!!! My sweethearts do not cuddle when they’re sick. They just cry.

Like, all day. Everyday.

Until they are better.

Does this help explain why after 2 months of crying I was ready for the looney bin?

Granted, this is no excuse for my negativity. In fact, I’m quite ashamed of myself for becoming so beat down from the crying.

But now, the sunshine has returned.

Everyone is still challenging, but at least they are smiling.

Bitzy’s new thing is saying, “OKAY, OKAY, OKAY MAMA. MAMA, MAMA, MAMA. HERE’S YOUR CHANCE. YOU CAN LISTEN TO ME AND MAKE A GOOD CHOICE. I NEED YOU TO LISTEN.” Then she’ll proceed to tell me what “choices” she’s going to give me.

For example my “chance” tonight when I asked her what she wanted for dinner she replied, “MAMA, I NEED SOME CHOCOLATE BALL SOUP! WITH SOME SPRINKLES. OKAY MAMA? DOES THAT SOUND LIKE A GOOD CHANCE FOR A GOOD CHOICE?”

So basically, SHE’S BAAAAAAACCCCCCCCKKKKKK!!!!

HA!

And my sweet Brother Bear is too. Granted he’s still fussy and demanding and has started throwing toys like a normal 19 month old toddler boy, but at least (thank Jesus in heaven) he’s not crying 24 hours a day.

So friends, I’ve packed my bags from funkytown and I’m back to my happy self. In fact, I’m feeling really good. This little baby girl will join in 3-4 weeks and now I’m not totally panicky about that fact, but yet, excited.

Thanks for hanging in there with me.

May this next year be the the best yet!

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By Molly 0 Comments » Categories: bitzy, brother, Crazycakes, Family., Little Stories, Random.

Three {bitzy}.

January 19, 2013

This is your “Say Cheese” Smile!

Beautiful Bitzy,

You my darling girl turned three a few weeks ago and my oh my, what a celebration we have had! In fact, after 3 parties, the most sugar you’ve ever had in your life and ton of gifts, we are all partied out! You see, your Mama believes in celebrating life to the fullest and that every year should be greatly celebrated…so, we truly partied ’til we dropped!

In some ways, it feels like three years have flown by with you. But in others, I truly feel like you’ve been with me forever and ever. I barely remember life without you. Perhaps it’s because you’ve always been a part of me. A missing piece. Now, with you in my arms, I’m more complete.

You continue to amaze me with your creativity and brilliant mind. I know that I’m biased, as I should be, I’m your Mama afterall, but really and truly you do amaze me with your vocabulary and use of complex ideas.

Just yesterday you said, “TO TELL YOU THE TRUTH MAMA MY BABY IS A WILD MAN. HE’S SO ADORABLE AND PRECIOUS. BUT WHEN HE GRABS MY STUFF IT HURTS MY FEELINGS. CAN YOU JUST HOLD HIM AND MAKE HIM TAKE A BREAK FROM MY TOYS? I THINK HE NEEDS A BOOK. MAYBE PETER RABBIT. HE’S SO TINY, HE PROBABLY JUST NEEDS A BOOK AND SOME SNUGGLES FROM HIS MAMA WHILE I PLAY WITH MY STUFF. DON’T YA THINK MAMA? I REALLY WISH THAT HE COULD LEARN TO NEVER, EVER TOUCH MY STUFF AGAIN!”

I mean you turned 3 two seconds ago and you’ve already figured out how to convince me to keep your Brother away from you and your stuff while you play. You’re quite convincing actually. We call you the “great negotiator.” Your daddy claims that you get that honestly…from your Mama!

This is the first time you saw your princess cake for your party! You were amazed! Lolly made it just for you!

You are also playful. And energetic. And kind. And funny. And beautiful. And charming. And mine.

Mine.

My girl.

My firstborn.

You, my love, made me a Mama. And that will always be an incredible bond that we have.

I am so proud of you love. So proud!

We all dressed up for your “Royal Tea Party!” It was so much fun!

I never, ever want you to forget that every single day of your life, even when you were in my tummy and even before, when you were a mere dream in our hearts, that you have been prayed for. Every.Single.Day.

We thank God for you and pray you’ll continue to be playful, optimistic, gentle, kind, funny and mostly that you’ll learn to love God the most. More than anything else in all the lands, you’ll love Him best.

In fact, every day for as long as I can remember this is my prayer for you, “Jesus, thank you for my baby girl. I praise you because You made her so fearfully and wonderfully. I humbly ask that you’ll keep SIDS away. Please keep accident, injury, death and disease away. Please keep evil away and people that would harm her. But most of all, please let her love you the most. More than anything in the whole wide world, let her love, serve and follow you Lord.”

This simple prayer has been prayed over you and whispered in your ears everyday.

Because you sweetheart, are worth praying for. You are absolutely, in every way, loved by so many, but mostly by a God who truly does love you “the most.”

You are always moving so fast it’s hard to get a good picture! I hope that you will always be as carefree and playful as you are now!

Never, ever, ever forget that you, my beautiful, were bought at a price. Did you know that? Did you know that the King of King and Lord of Lords died so that you can LIVE. He sure did. This is something to cling to, to savor and to enjoy darling.

Happy Birthday Sweet Baby.

I love you more than you’ll ever know,

Mama

 

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By Molly 0 Comments » Categories: bitzy, Family., Little Stories, Random.

Weaning.

January 17, 2013

Only seconds after Brother was born I nursed him.

It you know me personally or have followed this blog for long you may already know that I’m an advocate for breastfeeding.

Of course I am.

Most everyone is.

Even if you don’t actually participate in the act of breastfeeding you still probably realize that “breast is best.”

It’s better for mommy and baby and I although I had a few bumps along the way with breastfeeding my babies, it’s been a magical experience.

You see, now for the first time in 3 years I am not breastfeeding any babies at all.

That’s right. My boobies have freedom.

Well, for about 4 weeks (give or take).

I know that 4 weeks doesn’t sound like long, but boy oh boy are we living it up while we can.

In fact, this weekend Zach and I are actually having an overnight date! We have only had one ever when Bitzy was 17 months and I wasn’t breastfeeding her overnight. Now that Brother is weaned at 19 months we can go again.

Are we wild and crazy or what? We will probably shake the town down with our craziness! (actually we’ll probably eat dinner at 6:00pm and be in bed at 9:00pm and sleep until 10:00am the next morning, but at least we’ll be alone!).

So just to break it down for you, I nursed Bitzy until she was a little over 3 years old and Brother until he was 19 months. I plan to nurse sweet baby Nonny (baby in belly) until she won’t let me anymore.

I am very proud that, together, we made it for as long as we did.

I have heard people say things like, “Oh gross! I can’t believe that you’re nursing your toddler!” And, “Will you nurse ’til she’s 12?” And my personal favorite, “You are doing them any favors by continuing to breastfeed. You’re doing it for you, not for them.”

Maybe you are one of these people.

And honestly, I ain’t mad at ya. When I hear people say things like this I immediately know that…

1. You have never experienced a similar breastfeeding relationship.

2. You have misinformation.

3. You are judging me based on what you do not understand.

I’m not the girl who is going to post articles on Facebook and Twitter about the benefits of extended breastfeeding. Why? Because just because it worked for my family doesn’t mean that I think you’re a bad person if you don’t do it. And I don’t expect you to “get it.”

In fact, I never planned to nurse Bitzy for 3 years. My goal was to never use formula (and by God’s grace formula has never touched the lips of my children) and to nurse them both for at least one year.

That’s it. That was my whole plan. I have no agenda. I’m not a member of the Le Leche League. Nope, I’m just a mommy who God has given a whole lotta milk to and I am able to feed my babies with it. I will never tell you that you’re a bad mommy if you don’t breastfeed. However, if you need support I will gladly help if I can.

Again, by God’s grace in addition to tandem nursing both Bitzy and Brother I was able to donate over 6,000 ounces of breastmilk to a national milk bank to help babies in the NICU.

Friends, that’s a lotta milk.

I’m proud of that. It wasn’t fun pumping like a mad woman. But I’m glad that I did and I hope to again.

Back to my original plan of nursing for only a year, when Bitzy was 9 months old, I got pregnant with Brother. I continued nursing and assumed that she would wean eventually in the pregnancy (like the other 75% of children do). Nope, as you know my girl isn’t a quitter!

Then when Brother was born my milk was like sweet nectar apparently and she was in milk drunk heaven.  She was so excited to have good old full fat milk back in her belly (in case you don’t know, in pregnancy milk production decreases significantly in pregnancy and for most women, it completely depletes until the new baby is born).

So, I tandem breastfed. It was tricky sometimes, but overall, it was totally doable. I would recommend trying it to anyone.

While I’m thankful for the break, I was planning on and hoping to tandem feed baby Nonny and Brother, but my little wild man weaned himself at 19 months. He was done and it was easy peasy to wean him.

Weaning Bitzy was much more challenging. You see, she was an addict. Not just to the milk, but to Mama. So, weaning was a much longer process. I tried for over 6 months to gently wean her and finally it clicked. But again, it was very gradual.

I’m nervous that when Nonny comes Bitzy will want to rejoin in the milk fun. Again, an addict is an addict. I’m going to stay strong and not let her nurse if she wants to because weaning her was so long and dramatic!

So, that’s my journey in a nutshell.

I love breastfeeding. I love extended breastfeeding. I’m excited to do it all over again.

I’ve had many women privately ask me about my journey and I have tried to offer support and advice, and I am still very willing to! As I said, each breastfeeding relationship is different and requires different approaches, methods and techniques. It’s not a cookie cutter act. So, if you are struggling please let me know and I will try to help. I am only an expert for my own children though! And YOU are the expert of your child. Don’t forget that!

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By Molly 2 Comments » Categories: bitzy, brother, Family., homemaking, Little Stories, New Baby

eBay {part 3}.

January 14, 2013

There have been countless numbers of you beautiful people who have shared with me that you too, have begun a journey with eBay to sell your junk and make extra cash.

Can I tell you how amazing that is? Can I tell you what joy that brings to me? I mean, seriously, I am so encouraged to know that maybe, just maybe, I was a small part of challenging you to simplify and earn extra money.

I am so extremely excited to tell you that over the past 3-4 months I’ve sold almost $2,000 worth of clothes and shoes from our closets. Most of it has been $.99-$5.99 at a time. There have been very few high dollar items ($40 or more). Little by little we have ticked away at cleaning out our closets and getting rid of stuff.

And honestly? We haven’t scratched the surface. We still have way too much stuff and even after donating bag after bag to Goodwill and selling so much on eBay we are still in need of simplifying further.

Are you?

If you are annoyed by your closet, your attic, basement, etc., I really encourage you to clean it out and donate your stuff or sell it. It’s such a wonderful feeling!

Here are a few tips from me, a normal Stay at Home Mama (not an eBay store) to help get rid of your crap.

1. Price your items low. Sometimes the thing that you think will sell for $10 will only go for $1.99 and you’ll be sad. Here’s some perspective. That “beloved” item has been in the back of your closet for 2 years. Even though you keep saying you’ll wear it, you never do. It’s better to have $1.99 in your pocket than have that piece crowding up your already too full closet.

2. Charge for Shipping. It’s true that “Free Shipping” items go faster. However, I pad my shipping fees just a bit to help offset the cost of the mailers and the eBay fees. For example, if I sell a kids shirt for $2.99 that weighs 6oz. That would cost me around $1.84 to ship. The mailer is around $.34 each. So, I’ll charge between $3.50-$3.99 for shipping. So, after eBay takes their “cut” I’ll make around $3.64 on a shirt that’s been in a box in the basement for a year. Not a bad deal.

3. eBay gives sellers 50 Free Listings Per Month. This means that you get to list 50 items of junk per month, for free. After you exceed 50 you have to pay “listing fees.” Those fees of $.25-$3.00 can get pricey. So, make it your goal this month to list up to 50 items. Anything from a baby onesie to a fancy purse that you were given 5 years ago are options.

4. There are a lot of crazy people out there. I’ve stuck with clothes and shoes as I said, but if you have anything that is a collectible and/or weird item, it’s very possible that some crazyhead will have to have it and it will sell. So, give it a shot! List it and see what happens! On the same note, not all eBay buyers are nice, in fact, some are quite rude. And, that’s OK. If you have any issues with a buyer who doesn’t like the item you sold them, won’t pay, etc., just “kill ‘em with kindness” and take the high road. That positive feedback percentage goes a long, long way.

5. Sell your best stuff and give the rest away. As I said, I have sold a ton of stuff on eBay, but I have given away a lot of stuff too. Stuff that’s in good shape, but not great. Donate it! Bless other people and get the tax write off while you’re at it! Either way, you are still getting rid of stuff!!!!

Anyway, as always, I’m here to answer questions and be your eBay cheerleader!!!! Go sell something people!!!!

 

By Molly 0 Comments » Categories: Little Savings, money, Random.

Behind.

January 11, 2013

Hello dear friends.

Hence the title, I’m behind on blogging.

And on cleaning.

And organizing.

And laundry.

And well, everything.

You see, I wasn’t prepared for the insanity of a 19 month old, a newly 3 year old and being one million months pregnant. Couple that with having a solid month of my sweet babies having the flu, pneumonia and now a double ear infection, it’s been rough.

Well, that and finishing a basement, creating a nursery, Christmas/New Years, buying a new car, ya know, just a few other small details that have contributed to the crazy.

I’m not gonna lie, I’m worn out.

I’ve learned over the past month that’s possible to be completely and insanely obsessed and in love with your children and still be completely exhausted by them.

I’ve cried at the end of the day that my patience wasn’t enough and I didn’t read enough books and instead put away too much laundry. I’ve cried that watching back-to-back Mickey Mouse Clubhouse isn’t the kind of Mama that I want to be. And even the fear that these 2 little people are testing me so much right now that bringing another tiny human into the chaos will be almost unbearable.

But then, we have a good, healthy day.

A day with no whining and crazy fussing. A day of fun and laughter and imagination.

And then, I wonder if on the bad days I’m being too hard on myself.

Regardless, I think I’ve learned so much through this pregnancy.

For one, I just don’t like being pregnant. At all. The ONLY thing I like is feeling this sweet little thing go bananas inside of me. That’s it.

Secondly, I expect too much. I expect for every day to be filled with total contentment and joy from my littles. That we can play games and craft all day and take walks and frolic in the sunlight. Ha, ha, ha, ha. The reality is that I have a creative and wild 3 year old that would rather play with a washcloth and a stick than do a craft. And a baby boy that likes to run around in circles and then begin bawling because he wants me to hold him and read him books.

Thirdly, I’ve learned that they are both high maintenance creatures. And that’s perfectly okay.

Fourth (or is it fourthly?), I’ve learned that while in my head I’ve always assumed that we would have a big family (4 or more kiddos), that maybe that’s not what’s God’s best is for us. I’m not saying that we’re finished having babies. But over the past 9 months it’s become clearer to both Zach and I that maybe, just maybe, 3 is the perfect number for us.

And finally that I have zero control over anything, ever. This sickness that has completely put our life on a complete halt will teach you that quicker than anything. I know that compared to many people dealing with chronic illness and very serious issues I’m a big fat baby, and I am, but honestly this month of sickness has been extremely challenging. In fact, I would dare say, it has been the hardest month of my life as a Mama.

But today, the sun is shining and everyone is happy. Tomorrow they may hate me and each other and scream all day long (this is completely likely), but today is wonderful. 

And for that, I am thankful.

By Molly 0 Comments » Categories: bitzy, brother, Crazycakes, Family., Little Savings, Random.

Reflect.

December 17, 2012

 

When my Bitzy was 17 months old she was plagued with an all night vomiting extravaganza. It was absolutely horrific. At the time I was very pregnant with Brother and we had recently moved into our new house. She was hysterical to say the least. And to be honest, I wasn’t much better. It’s very, very difficult to see my babies in pain.

Since then, my littles have had colds here and there, but never, ever anything that would resemble flu like symptoms.

So on Thursday morning the vomiting began with Brother Bear. He was covered in vomit from head to toe, which is clearly very unsettling. Then, he seemed totally fine. He ate great and acted fine all day. But then, the diarrhea began. Oh the mountains of disgusting diarrhea.  Again, very unsettling.

And then, one by one we have all been knocked down by this dreadful virus. It’s nasty folks.

So needless to say, on Friday when my Bitzy was literally vomiting every 15 minute and was clinging to me in terror and confusion, I hardly knew what was happening in Connecticut.

In fact, it wasn’t until my Zach called me to check on his sickies that I heard what had occurred. Even then, I was knee deep in vomit and poop so I didn’t really let the news sick in. I was in survival mode.

Hours later when my sweet ones were tucked safety and soundly into their beds I began to reflect on the days events, on the nightmare that so many were experiencing not so far away.

And I cried.

I cried for the children, the parents, the siblings, the teachers, the community, but mostly, I cried out in fear.

You see, I have no doubt that those sweet children were ushered into the arms on Jesus on Friday. They are free and loved and happy. They are safe.

But here? Movies theaters, malls, and even our schools are no longer safe.

And it makes me cry.

In fact, over the past few days I have cried so many times thinking about this horrible tragedy. Trying to grasp how the parents are coping. And I can’t. I just can’t. So I cry instead.

Because sometimes, there are no words. Just tears.

Tonight as my baby boy snuggled up close to me and drifted off to sleep I tried to imagine a world without him, and I can’t. He makes the world better.

He makes me better.

And then I prayed and cried out to God to protect my babies. For God to shield them with a supernatural force that will always keep them pure and safe and to let them feel so much love and protection that not only would they never be a victim of this kind of horror, but that they would never cause it.

Because friends, life is uncertain.

So, I pray.

Because sometimes that’s all you can do.

Will you pray with me?

Sweet Jesus, we, as a nation, are so ravaged with heartbreak for the terror that happened last Friday. We are terrified, angry and confused. Please calm our anxieties and let us lean on the promises of Your Word. That You will never, ever leave us or forsake us. We know that You are with us always. Help all of us Mamas and Daddy’s to cling to our babies with love, hope and joy, rather than fear. Help us to love as we have never loved before and to never, ever take one day with them for granted. Thank you for the blessing of our babies, they are gifts straight from Your hand. Even on the hard days, let us remember that they are gifts and You are the giver of all gifts. Be with those who are mourning and give them a peace that passes all understanding. We know that you are good. So very good even when tradegy leaves us speechless. In the sweet name of Jesus, Amen. 

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By Molly 0 Comments » Categories: bitzy, brother, Family., Jesus, Little Stories, Random.

Conversations {part 8}.

December 10, 2012

Bitzy: “MAMA! REMEMBER WHEN I WENT PEE PEE IN THE POTTY? CAN I HAVE A TREAT PLEASE?”

Mama: “Sure! How about one Indian Corn?”

Bitzy: “WEEELLL, I WAS THINKING MAYBE 4 INDIAN CORN WOULD BE BETTER. WHADDYA THINK MAMA? I THINK THAT’S A TERRIFIC IDEA!”

Mama: “Hmmm, well, I’m not so sure. How about 3?”

Bitzy: “ACTUALLY, I’M WONDERING IF 7 INDIAN CORN WOULD BE THE BEST CHOICE.”

Me: “7? Nah, that’s way too many. That would put a bunch of goop on your teeth.”

Bitzy: “DON’T WORRY MAMA, I’VE GOT IT UNDER CONTROL. I WILL BRUSH MY TOOFERS SO GREAT AND WON’T EVER NEED THE DENTIST. I PROMISE. IN FACT, HOW ABOUT 10 INDIAN CORN!”

Me: “Hmmm, wow, 10 is a whole lot. How about I give you 1? Is that a deal?”

Bitzy: “ONE?! MAMA, THAT’S A TERRIBLE IDEA! I’M THINKING THAT I NEED 2 AT LEAST!”

Me: “Okay, you win! 2 Indian Corn for your reward!”

Bitzy: “THANK YOU MAMA! I LOVE INDIAN CORN THE MOST OF ANYTHING EVER IN THE WORLD!”

My child? She’s a negotiator (as you see above). But, let’s face it, she gets this honestly. I may be a bit of a negotiator myself. Most days, it’s hilarious. I’m thinking she may need to be a lawyer like her Aunt Annie some day.

Love my baby girl!

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By Molly 1 Comment » Categories: bitzy, Family., Little Stories, Random.

Thanks.

November 27, 2012

Thanksgiving has come and gone and now Christmas is on the way.

I sure do love the holiday season! Isn’t it just magical?!

During our Thanksgiving feast at my amazing Mother and Father In-Laws home, my beloved Zach gave the most endearing and precious speech over the “Mommy look!” and “Be Careful!” and “I’m all done” signs of our Brother bear. But that’s just our life now. It’s totally beautiful, but completely chaotic.

We’re all comfortable with the pitt patter and Mommy see and do, so Zach went about his Thanksgiving speech in the most delightful way with a chorus of babies in the background. In this gloriously short and simple speech he gave thanks to God for our beautiful and bright babies. He thanked God for the miracle of a marriage that his parents have enjoyed for 35 faithful years. He thanked God for the life of his grandmother who will soon meet her Creator. And most meaningful to me, was he thanked God for me. In front of so many he told me how much he adored me and how he felt his most precious blessing on earth was found in me.

I was reminded again (as I often am) that besides accepting Christ, choosing the mate that is God’s best for you is the most important decision that you will ever make. In fact, after his precious speech, I said that I’m reminded again and again of how incredibly blessed I am to be married to a man who loves God first, me second and our children third. This is a gift that I surely do not give thanks for enough.

So today, although Thanksgiving is over, I will give Thanks.

Thanks to a faithful God that brought a boy named Zach into my life a full 10 years ago.

And gratitude that God gave me the good sense to marry him!

In conclusion, to all my unmarried readers (particularly my sisters), do not underestimate the importance of this decision. Marrying God’s VERY BEST for you is a decision that should not be made lightly. Go with your gut and pray as you’ve never prayed before.

And if you are married (whether you like it or not), thank God for your spouse. Marriage is a gift.

One to be truly thankful for.

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By Molly 1 Comment » Categories: bitzy, brother, Family., Little Stories, Random., Zach.

3rd{trimester}.

November 26, 2012

 

Can you believe that I’m almost 29 weeks pregnant?

Time is so tricky. In some ways I feel like I’ve been pregnant forever and ever, but in others, I feel like I just saw those 2 little pink lines on a stick.

Here’s another tricky (and painfully honest) truth. I absolutely, in every way, feel incredibly blessed to be pregnant. I truly do. It is not lost on me how many people would do just about anything to be pregnant. I know this.

But friends, I just don’t love it.

I love the part of pregnancy when you push a tiny baby out of your body and your heart swells and almost bursts with love. That is part that I’m addicted to. But pregnancy? Not so much.

Maybe I’m just burnt out on pregnancy. Here’s my rap sheet.

July-October 2008 (pregnant and miscarried).

January-October 2009 (Bitzy).

July 2010-May 2011 (Brother).

May 2012-Present (New Baby).

That’s a whole lotta being pregnant in a small span of time. Am I please allowed to be a little burnt out? Pretty please?

On the flip side (and slightly manic side), I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the kicks, movements and the miracle of a brand new life swimming around inside of me. It is absolutely magical. In fact, so far in my life, it is my favorite thing ever. The magic of creating a new person with my beloved and feeling her grow, get stronger and ultimately join us in the world, well, it’s just my favorite thing. There is nothing that humbles me more. The fact that the Creator God, has entrusted new life to Zach and I is a gift that is beyond my wildest dreams.

So basically throughout the day I vacillate between being incredibly uncomfortable and annoyed at being pregnant and being completely enthralled and overjoyed.

Told you I am manic.

As crazy as I am, I know that I’m blessed with another uneventful pregnancy so far. Around 25 weeks I always breath a sigh of relief at the “viability” stage. And another really big one at 30 weeks. And of course, the biggest one at 36 weeks. We’re getting there. Slowly, but surely.

There is also the weight gain factor. You see, there are two schools of thought on this. Some people like to really watch what they eat in pregnancy so they don’t have as much to lose afterward. And then, there are those who like to eat whatever they want, whenever they want and lose it all after the baby comes.

I would be in the latter category.

The only problem is that at the end of the pregnancy I am basically waddling around like a stuck pig. But still, I proudly stand by my fried chicken and ice cream. In non-pregnancy Weight Watcher land, the fried chicken and milkshakes are hard to come by, so I’m enjoying every last bite.

And thanks to my pal WW, I’ve managed to lose all the weight after every pregnancy, so I’m sticking to my eat everything in sight plan and will hop back on the WW train in March.

That is until all my maternity clothes get too small around 35 weeks and I’m basically wearing tents for the last few weeks. Oh well. I can’t have my cute shirts and my ice cream I suppose.

Totally worth it.

Anyway, there you have it. In 11 short weeks I’m going to meet my new baby girl and I’m so excited. Nervous, yes. Absolutely terrified, yes. But, overjoyed- in every single way.

Have a wonderful day friends!

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By Molly 1 Comment » Categories: Confessions., Crazycakes, Family., food, Little Stories, New Baby, Random., Weight Watchers

Shopping.

November 25, 2012

Some of you probably get a rush from Black Friday shopping, no? You love the people, the hustle and bustle of it all.

Not this cowgirl. Not even close.

I much prefer my sheets and blankets over getting a 2:00am lighting deal.

But you must know by now how much of a sucker I am for good deals. And you know I’ll get ‘em. Just not standing in line at the store.

One important part of my game of coupons/saving money is online shopping.

I’ve preached about shopathome.com/ebates.com/upromise.com for awhile now. If you’ve never listened before, please listen now.

You will save anywhere from 3%-15% more on your online shopping if you go through these sites. Additionally if you use a cash back credit card you’ll save even more.

Let me give you an example:

Before I make any online purchases I look at shopathome, ebates and upromise. Upromise almost always has 5% cash back, but depending on the promotions sometimes the other two beat out upromise (not usually, but sometimes).

{All the click through sites will send you a check in the mail. You always have the option on Upromise to put your cashback into a 529 savings account for your babies among other savings options. The savings isn’t instant like a coupon, so if you’re into instant gratification this is an exercise in patience}.

So let’s say that upromise has the highest cashback at 5%. If I use my upromise credit card I get another 5% back. So, automatically I’ve saved 10%.

Recently I’ve been shopping a lot at Lowes due to our ongoing basement remodel. Those details are a whole ‘nother Oprah. We’ve managed to save thousands of dollars by simply using coupons and going through click through sites (listed above).

For example, let’s say that I want to buy paint.

I need ceiling paint, primer and wall colors. So, I go to Lowes and pick out all my colors. I, then, go home use a click through site at 5% to get to Lowes.com through Shopathome.com. From there I put all the paint that I want into my cart. Then I use my cashback credit card in addition to using a 10% off coupon from Lowes (if you do not have any you can buy them for a few dollars apiece on ebay).

Let’s say my entire paint order is $500.

With the click through site I save $25.

With the Lowes coupon I save $50.

With my cash back credit card I save another $25.

In addition to saving a total of 20%, I can call Lowes and tell them I’ll pick up  my paint at a certain time and it will be ready for me when I arrive. With no waiting.

Not bad, eh.

So anyway, if you’re not using click through sites you are a crazy person. Seriously.

Please listen to me. I am a true shopper and a cheapskate at the exact same time!

Here are the links!

Shopathome.com

Ebates.com

Upromise.com

Over the past year I’ve literally gotten back over $500 from these sites just by going to the site first and clicking through to my internet destination. Easy Peasy!

Enjoy!

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By Molly 2 Comments » Categories: homemaking, Little Savings, Little Stories, Random.

Tough.

November 15, 2012

 

Up until a few months ago I would have said that this being a Mama thing is a breeze. It’s hard work of course, but it’s so joy filled and fun that the hardness doesn’t feel so hard.

But then, something shifted.

I know it’s just a phase, a test probably.

But friends, it’s been tough.

My sweet little innocent, consistently happy, hilarious and beautiful girl is in a new phase.

A hard phase. 

Of course, I blame sleep.

Or the lack of sleep rather.

You see, a few months ago we moved her to a toddler bed. We made a big deal about it. We painted her room, new bedding, a whole lotta new stuff. Her big girl room.

What we didn’t know is that big girl room would equal a lot less sleep.

She went from sleeping from 8:00pm-8:00pm every single night with a 2 hour nap every day, to sleeping from 7:30pm-6:00am each night with a 1.5 hour nap each day.

Granted, I know that it doesn’t seem like a lot of difference, but friends, in the heat of the crazy that overtakes my child, that 2.5 hours means everything.

Her crazy comes when she first wakes up and wanders down the stairs (she learned how to open the door 2.5 seconds after being in her big girl bed) and she demands, needs, believes it’s necessary to her survival to watch a show.

And good mommies would probably be fine with this, but I just really hate beginning our day with TV. But alas, when I’m bleary eyed and exhausted sometimes I give in and well, sometimes I don’t. If I don’t, the crazy comes.

The crazy rears it’s head in tears mainly. And whining. Never underestimate the power of the whine.

And honest to goodness it just drives me nuts.

Then, the crazy reappears right before and after naptime.

It’s these three times of day that my beautiful child becomes a demanding, crazy, crying, whining mess.

And somedays I’m full of love and patience and kindness and I sweetly discipline her with the “Happy Heart” Chair or Time Out. And then there are other days that I’m exhausted and annoyed and DONE with the crazy and don’t think I can take one more minute (there are most of the latter than the former).

Then, after lotsa tears and sobs and falling on the floor in utter dismay my beautiful girl reappears and is ready to play.

It’s the strangest thing.

Meanwhile, Brother is seriously the happiest baby that has ever lived and is still winning the gold medal in the best sleeping baby of all time category. However, he is still a baby and is sensitive to his sisters mood swings and the “NO BABY! DON’T YOU TOUCH MY STUFF!” nonsense, which sends him into a complete tailspin filled with crying, sobbing and throwing himself on the floor.

It’s lovely.

There is something about 2 toddlers screaming their heads off that makes me a little nuts. Sure, somedays I can laugh about the chaos of having children 18 months apart, and others, I want to cry along with them. And sometimes, I do.

Pregnancy really isn’t helping this scenario either. My patience is not what it once was and my lower back has been really bothering me, which again, doesn’t help in dealing with “the crazy.”

I was talking about this with a friend yesterday who is going through the exact same thing and is also weary and exhausted. It was so wonderful to hear that I’m not alone. That all of us Mama’s are fighting the good fight in our yoga pants uniforms and trying to enjoy every moment even when they are filled with crazy.

My fear is that I’ll let the crazy ruin our days. That I’ll allow this phase to make me more negative than positive and to allow Bitzy’s mood to determine mine.

Last night I was so upset about all this and Zach gave me the most encouraging words that may encourage you as well. He said, “You have the privilege of being with your babies all day, everyday. You have the gift of discipling them when they need it. You have the ability to mold their minds and attitudes to be more Christ-like. If it takes a month of 10 time-outs a day to get over this crazy then so be it. She’s only going to shake this with your consistency and help. Stay strong and consistent. Don’t let her crazy make you crazy. This is a gift!”

And in my sane moments I know he’s right. And I would rather be home with these little ones than anywhere else in the world, really I would. And I know in my heart that they need their Mama to discipline and direct their steps during the day help make the right choices.

But friends, it’s hard. And I’m here to admit it.

And then, when the crazy bids goodbye my absolute joy of a daughter will crawl into my lap, plant a kiss on my lip and proclaim that “YOU ARE THE SWEETEST MAMA IN ALL THE LAND. I LOVE YOU THE MOST OF ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING. WILL YOU BE MY SWEETIE PIE MAMA? PLEASE?”

And then, this Mama stuff just doesn’t seem so hard at all.

Roller Coaster.

 

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By Molly 2 Comments » Categories: bitzy, brother, Confessions., Crazycakes, Family., Little Stories

eBay {part 2}.

November 12, 2012

Hi, my name is Molly and I’m a baby addict.

Well, and a sugar addict.

And now, I’ve added a brand new addiction. eBay.

That’s right folks. Everything in this entire house is/could be/will be up for auction on eBay at some point or another.

Well, except for my babies of course. I think I’ll keep ‘em.

Speaking of, here’s a recent picture of Bitzy the Ballerina. She kills me with cuteness.

And here’s Brother Bear. Cutest little thing that I ever did see.

Anyway, onward with how to make you some money!

Do you have too many…

Clothes?

Shoes?

Baby stuff?

If I am the least bit wishy washy about my love for them, they are goners. Every single one of ‘em.

So in 45 days I’ve managed to sell $461.78 worth of stuff that I didn’t care one bit about. I’ve sold nothing that feels like a loss or sacrifice. Mind you, this isn’t fancy stuff. I’m not so much of a boutique shopper. It’s Gap, Old Navy, Children’s Place, etc. Just normal people stuff.

It’s a shirt I haven’t worn in 3 years, a pair of shoes that Bitzy wore once 2 years ago that I don’t care to pass on to our new baby girl. Ya know, just stuff. Stuff that’s clogging our closets and making me nuts.

Here’s the great part about having an eBay addition: IT’S EASY.

(and much healthier than candy).

Like, really easy.

Easy enough for a 26 week pregnant person to do after bedtime, easy.

Part of my easy factor is that I do all my shipping from home. Unstrapping 2 babies from carseats into a tiny post office isn’t really my idea of a good time, so I utilize eBay’s fabulous “Print Shipping Label” option. I have a food scale at home that I use to weigh the items. I also buy padded bubble envelopes on eBay for $18 for 50 envelopes of all sizes.

So here’s the way I work it.

I take the item into my well lit bathroom and take a picture.

Here’s an example:

Then, if you have an eBay account go to the top right corner and hit “Sell An Item.” If you don’t have an account, just open one. It’s easy.

Then, go back to “Sell.”

Type in a description. Something like, “Clark’s Size 8 Toddler Girl Shoes. Very Cute and Comfty!” eBay is so smart that they will find a description for you. It will look like this:

Now, hit “create your listing.”

Now, you’ll go to a page that you import more photos and fill our the description of your item. eBay makes this very straightforward and easy, just follow instructions.

You’ll see a page like this:

After you fill in all the specifics you hit “Next.”

Then, you’ll see this screen:

 Now, this is where it gets hard. In my limited experience I have learned that pricing low is much better. For example, even though this shoes are super cute and I paid around $30 for them, they are too small for my Bitzy. I really don’t love them enough to hang on to them for another 3.5 years so our new baby girl can wear them. So, my options are to get a lowball price and get them out of this house, or to have them taking up space. See? You have to be okay with not taking “what you think they’re worth.” They are worth what someone will pay.

So, for this item, I will start the bidding at $4.99 with $4.00 shipping (that the buyer pays, not me). This is a bit more than I would normally price toddler shoes, however, the brand is “Clarks” (which is a great brand), so they’ll hopefully go for around $10-$15.

I also normally do a 7 Day Auction. However, you can choose a 1, 3, 5, 7 or 10 day auction.

Then, hit “next.”

You’ll see a shipping page. I always do “Calculate Shipping Option.” This gives me the freedom to package my item and weigh it at home. I also print out the shipping label at home and tape it on the package. Then, if the item fits in my mailbox I put it in and if it doesn’t I schedule a pick up from USPS. It’s free and easy.

Here’s the link to the place I buy my bubble envelopes. The envelopes come in several sizes and they ship very quickly. They look like this:

Then, as I said, once the item sells I simply put the item in an envelope and weigh it on my food scale. Then, you’ll have the option to “Print Your Own Shipping Label.” Hit that button and you input the weight of your package, pick a service and you’re good to go. Drop in the mail and “Voila!” You have your very first eBay sell!

The money that you make will go directly into your Paypal Account. If you don’t have one, you need to make one.

It truly is easy and completely addicting!

I haven’t even scratched the surface of everything I’d like to sell and I’ve made almost $500!

Now, here’s the kicker. It’s no secret that I’m a crazy coupon lady (proudly). And friends, I’m happy to tell you that if you coupon/price match and you get out from under some of your stuff and sell it, you’ll be amazed at how much you are saving/making.

If I can do this, you can too!

Now go make and save some money!

Please leave your questions in the comments!

 

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By Molly 1 Comment » Categories: Family., homemaking, Little Savings, Little Stories, Random.

Coulda.Shoulda.Woulda-{part three}.

October 10, 2012

This is a continuation of series that I started a few months ago. To catch up go here and here. 

Let me also say that I didn’t get hitched right out of college like many of you did. So, my coulda, shouldas and wouldas are different from yours. I hope you enjoy nonetheless. 

Singing “My Heart Will Go On” On The Open Seas On A Cruise With My Friends!

Top Ten Things I Wish I  Would’ve Know Post-College 

One. This little Molly, is a very special time in your life. For the first time ever you are actually making your own money! (it may only been a tiny  bit of money, but still, you earned it!). And you’re living on your own! And you are making new friends! And you can eat cookies for breakfast, or pudding or pie, or whatever in the heck you want! You are officially an adult! Revel in this time. It truly is a unique time where you can move somewhere if you’d like, work or go back to school. Your options are literally limitless. Realize that and enjoy!

Two. At some point during this period of time, you should live alone. All alone. I know it’s expensive, but really, it is a coming of age experience. I lived alone for a year and looking back, it was a very precious time in my life. Living alone demands you to be self reliant and helps you to become an independent woman. Even as a extrovert I really enjoyed the quiet of my tiny apartment and knowing that it was mine. All mine.

Three.  Do not, under any circumstances use credit cards. But, that lamp? And that rug? And that patio table? And that light fixture? And that coat? Dress? Shirt? Shoes? DO NOT DO IT. Before you know it you’ll have lots of beautiful things for your amazing little apartment and a whopping credit card bill keeping you up at night. I know that you want nice things, we all do, but honey, it’s just stuff.  Later in life you’ll remember the times that you put your clothes in plastic boxes because you couldn’t afford a dresser. Or when you ate Ramen Noodles for every meal because you really, really, really wanted those fabulous shoes. Sometimes you just can’t have the dresser, shoes and nice food, ya know? And that, honey, is okay.

Four. Boys, boys, boys. This is the period of life that you can go out with whomever asks you. It’s just a date. And hopefully it’s free food. Just because they ask you out for lunch doesn’t equal a marriage proposal. It’s really, just a lunch. It’s tricky during this time in life to not get overwhelmed by the “what ifs.” What if he’s the one? What if he’s not? What if he doesn’t like me? What if he does? I know that I was certainly waiting for “the one” with baited breath during this time and it can become all consuming. If I had to over again, rather than being saddened and fearful of the unknown, I would pray. I would pray for my husband-to-be and pray that God would prepare me. Back then, I was fearful much of the time and praying very little about it. Now, looking back I think of how much time I wasted worrying that I would be ALL!ALONE!FOREVER!, rather than using the time to focus on the One who would provide a precious husband for me.

Sweatin’ like crazy in the Bahamas with my ladies!

Five. Lord knows I’m not a health fanatic, but during this period of time when you don’t have a family of your own, it’s a perfect time to get in shape and establish healthy eating and exercise practices. My friend Julie and I would walk/run almost daily and were able to get in shape together. It was wonderful to have a friend by my side to get healthy with. Not to mention it’s totally fun hanging out with one of your besties everyday while you exercise.

Six. There was a time when I had first moved away and I felt terribly lonely. I literally didn’t know one single person in the city besides my roommate who worked very long hours. I remember one day going for a walk by myself and feeling so lost. I really questioned my decision to move and what in the world I was doing with my life. And ya know what? Doing things that scare you to death are sometimes really great things. Moving was terrifying and completely amazing all at once. And being lonely isn’t always a bad thing. I learned so much about God and His goodness than I could have otherwise.

Seven. Travel. All the time people would encourage me to travel and go see the world before I got married. And I did. I enjoyed so many amazing places with friends that I wouldn’t have seen otherwise. It was amazing. It’s hard to understand how important travelling is before you get married and have kids. For me, I just didn’t understand how “homebound” having babies would be. This isn’t a bad thing of course, but it is a reality. When you’re single, do yourself a favor and go see the world. You will not regret it!

Eight. Be fancy. Wear high heels, throw dinner parties, eat Filet Mignon, and focus on becoming a woman little Molly. Someday you’ll look back on these precious times and be so thankful (since you’re now wearing yoga pants on a daily basis).

Nine. The Bible tells us that in all things there are seasons of life. This is a strange time when you’re not in college, but you don’t really feel like an adult yet, and that’s okay. You’re in a season of life that is unique and wonderful. Embrace it and ENJOY. Don’t sweat the marriage stuff, just relax and revel in your life post school. You can write this season of your life. Will you make it a depressing and lost season or one filled with hope, fun and excitement?

Ten. Enjoy this time with your parents. Whether you live close to home or not, you are now in a new chapter of life with them. You are now an adult(ish). Talk to them and get to know them in a new way!

So there you go Little Molly! Go and enjoy this time, it’s an incredibly special season in your life!

 

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By Molly 0 Comments » Categories: Friends, fun, Little Stories, Positivity, Random.
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