High Tech Toddlers

iPad, Smart Phones, tv, Leapfrog, laptops, tablets, you name it, and my 19 month old toddler will figure out how to use it in less than 2 minutes. I have to hide my laptop because she will get on it and play. Even my cell phone has a lock code on it now because she was taking selfies and video calling people. I also have lots of texts to friends from her. She will be a pain when she's a teen with a phone.

I swear, they put microchips in the prenatal vitamins so that kids come out and can use the newest Apple products. Of course, I said I wanted to be a parent who didn't rely on technology to help my child "learn" until she was older. Who are we kidding? We need to stop lying to ourselves and admit how much we now rely on technology and the latest gadgets to entertain our kids. I am not ashamed of this. I'm very selective about what she is aloud to watch, what she plays and how much of it all she gets and when.

Lately, when cartoons get turned off, she freaks. Full blown fit with flailing limbs and screaming. So I decided it was time for a break from electronics for her. Get her back to playing with her Duplo Blocks and grocery store.

This day was different though. I am both disappointed and amused at this. We were at my parents playing and she was playing on her toy smartphone (they bought it of course). She puts it up above her head, poses, and says, "Cheee". Pulls it down to look at "it" then raises it back up and says, "CHEEEEESE".

 

In the meantime, I will try my best to keep her little and laugh at how silly she is.

"Santa's Cookies" Plate

If you read yesterday's post, then you know Audrey and I went crazy with the Christmas crafts this past weekend. My house is decorated but not like my friend. Her house looks like what you'd see in a magazine. It's amazing.

 

I thought it would be fun for Audrey to have a plate she made for Santa to hold his yummy treats. I had one when I was a tiny monster myself. It was so special I thought because Santa knew they were from me, the plate said so. We wanted to make sure Santa came back every year and what's the fastest way to a man's heart? Right! Through his stomach!

 

To start off, you will need a couple of supplies:

Paint Brushes (craft store)

Acrylic Paints (craft store) or

Permanent Markers (any store)

Ceramic Plates (Dollar store)

Blue Painter's Tape Multi Surface (Walmart)

 

With her being so little still and not being able to write her name, I decided Mama would help her. I got my fine point brush and started off writing. I did all of the red first and let it dry for a few minutes before I added the green designs. When I was done, I set it in a cold oven and turned it on to 350 degrees. After I saw it had heated up, I set the timer for 30 minutes. Once the timer was off, I turned off the oven and cracked the door to let it cool down fully. After it was cool to the touch, I got my painter's tape and taped off what I had done.

Then I got out Audrey's paint brushes and the paint and let me go crazy. She had so much fun painting the plate. When she decided she was done, I took the paint off and repeated the process of baking it in the oven. I bake it to set it faster. You can let it sit to dry but it will take 21 days it says.

 

If you don't have acrylic paint or don't want to buy it, you can do the same thing with permanent markers. I used to use them but never got the same effect as I do with the paints. My favorite part, this is all washable. I put Audrey in paint clothes of course and watch her so she doesn't eat it or paint herself. Also, this stuff can be washed in a dishwasher, top rack.

 

 

I have decorated so much glassware with this for Fab Flares by Audrey's Mom. It is very easy to use and looks great. Ended up being a cheap and fun project for her and I to do together that we will use for many Christmas' to come.



 

Just Another Manic Monday

Remember when the weekend was exciting and you looked forward to it all week? Yea, that was a long time ago for me. Long before I even had a kid. It's kind of depressing to think about now. We get so busy and we're rushing and rushing. We just need some slow down time. It has gotten so bad in our home that I have barely spent anytime with Jake in the past 2 months. So I decided it was time for a change. We were going to have alone time away from the child. And start up with some family time.

Don't get me wrong, I do love Audrey, but we all need a break from our children. It's not healthy to devote every second to them and it's not healthy for them. They may get a little mad but trust me, kids get over things pretty fast. These past 2 weeks have been the worst. Jake has had such a whacky schedule and Audrey and I were terribly sick. Thursday, Audrey was just a monster. Everything was no, she was mad at me for everything and just wanted her dad. So Jake took me out on the town for a  very fun night.

 

We went to dinner at a restaurant on our bucket list, then went to a new bar for some drinks with some friends and home for a movie. It was so amazing to have an adult conversation with him and not worry about the kid. Cleared my head and helped me to relax. I even got dressed up, well dressed up for me. Which means I put on makeup and wore heeled boots. Hey, I was still one hot mama to him.

 

Friday, I decided was going to be a fun family day for us but Jake had to go help a buddy who had no heat, so I didn't mind. Audrey and I decorated for Christmas. Why not, I love Christmas and love the décor. Then we painted some pictures.

Audrey made her cookie plate for Santa and painted me a snowflake and a Christmas Countdown. While she made a huge mess, the fun we had was worth it. She made it the best day and then we made one of our favorite dinners for dad, sliders. Yum!

 

Saturday was fun. We spent the morning together and then caught up on Sons of Anarchy. Sunday is FOOTBALL! GO SEAHAWKS! Audrey and I also made some delicious sugar cookies.

 

Monday is here and I am not happy about it. Jake has another crazy schedule this week. I am going to do my best to make it easy on all of us so we can enjoy next weekend and do our family photos with a smile.

 

What do you do to make family time special?

 

 



Not Your Gramma's Apple Pie

We've all heard of moonshine and the old stories of bootlegging. I'm pretty sure most adults have seen a movie or two where they make it. There's even a show on Discovery Channel called "Moonshiners". But did you know how easy it is to make your own flavored liquor? It's actually pretty easy which is great since it's holiday season and we all need something to warm us up.

Now, we all know what apple pie is and that's what I am going to teach you how to make. This isn't your Gramma's Apple pie though. This is apple pie flavored liquor (yes, we're rednecks). I have seen people do it with Vodka but you truly need a flavorless alcohol to get the right taste. So we're using good ol' Everclear. If you know what Everclear is then you probably just cringed like I do. It's a grain alcohol that is illegal to sell/purchase in some states because the proof is so high. It's 95% alcohol, 190 proof. You know it's going to be strong when you see three separate warnings right on the front label.

 

We will be doing practically everything other than distilling the liquor. It's a very simple process but it does take a while to make it. Of course, if you want to get really fancy (like us rednecks) you can bottle your end product in mason jars.

 

What You Need:
2-3 Dozen small to medium tart apples.
2 cinnamon sticks
1 teaspoon all spice
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 large sheet of cheesecloth
Bakers twine (butchers at the grocery store can give you some)

6 Quart Mason Jars (for obvious reasons)

Large Pot

Water

Colander/Sieve

1/5th of 190 proof Everclear

1/2 Gallon Apple Juice

1/2 Gallon Cider

 

 

Making Cider: You can buy cider or apple juice to do this if you don't have the time or patience. I am making my own from the apples Jake picked me. You will want a tart apple. Rinse them off. To get the most flavor, slice them up. I have a large pot so I just filled as full as I could with apples. You will want at least 4 inches of water in the bottom of the pot. That took about 9 cups for me. Then take your cheesecloth and fold it up into a big square. Place two cinnamon sticks, cloves and all spice in it. Some will leak through on to your counter and that's alright. Roll it up and tie it shut with the twine. Then set it in with the apples. I wanted my cider to be dark and rich so I let it cook for an hour on medium low heat with the lid on. I didn't stir it either. Once it has cooked and your apples are soft, very carefully strain the liquid into another bowl. Don't press the apples or it will get pulp like applesauce.

 

Apple Pie Moonshine: I am the type of home cook who hates measuring. So for me, this was easy to do. Pour in the apple juice to the pot. Then fill up the same container with the cider and now you know you will have equal parts. SIMPLE. Next, add your full bottle of liquor. Take a swig first if you'd like. I won't tell. If you still have the cheesecloth full of spices, toss it back in, or start a new one if needed. Turn the heat on low and let it heat through. This will help blend and infuse all of the flavors together. After an hour, taste it and see what more it needs. It's hard for me to suggest what it may need because cider and apple juices all vary so much. Feel free to check it as much as needed. Once it tastes like you bit into a fresh apple pie, you know it's done.

 

After you have let it cool to room temperature, fill the mason jars and enjoy!

 

Cheers,

 

*Alyssa*

Sick Kid Meals

It's finally snot season. Yuck! I don't have an issue with any body fluid other than snot. Just thinking about it makes me gag.I'm sorry, Audrey, but when your nose runs, I want to run and hide from you because it's repulsive.

I can wipe a nasty butt any day, in fact, I have been lately. My little bug has come down with a bug. She has a phlehmy cough and she's practically lost her adorable voice. Like most people, appetite is an issue for her when she's sick. I pump her full of Powerade but have struggled to get her food.

Today she had terrible diarrhea. So bad, it stunk up the whole section of the pizza place we were at. I leaned across to my dad and asked him if he had just farted, he said no. I lean over to Audrey and bam, got punched hard in the face by the smell. A smell that you would think came straight from Hell! I ran her to the car and got her changed. Even worse, had to leave the diaper in my car for a bit because there was no where to dispose of it.

When we got home I realized that I know the BRAT diet (bananas, rice, applesauce, toast) for when you have nausea but no foods for diarrhea. So I turned to Google. It gave me some great ideas for meals when your munchkins are sick.

Audrey loves applesauce which is great since I just made about a dozen pints. Sprinkle a little cinnamon on it and she eats the whole bowl. Easy on the stomach and it helps with hydration. Once she started perking up again, it was time for some more filling substance. So we made up some tuna and mayo then served it on saltines. She devoured it.

Soup is not very easy to feed her just yet. But I do like to make up some chicken broth with garlic in it for her and a grilled cheese sandwich. Makes it go down easier. And of course, everything either gets Powerade or some orange juice with it for extra vitamin c and hydration.

Most importantly, play it by ear. Your little one will give you queues. Don't forget the cuddles of course and if it gets bad enough, call your child's pediatrician.

*Alyssa*

I'm having a heart attack, no, it's a stroke.

It's Saturday night, Audrey is going to bed because, well it's obviously bed time. Tara is rubbing her gross face on the carpet and spinning around like a monster. I am waiting on the water to boil so I can make some Kraft Mac & Cheese.

 

Suddenly, I get this pressure in my chest. Ouch, now it's getting extremely sharp. Slowly, it starts moving it's way up into my neck. I go in my room and lie down next to Audrey, who is watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, give her kisses and say, "Remember how you figured out how to call 911 on mom's phone? If I die, you need to do that. Mama loves you more than anything baby. You're the best thing that's ever happened to me."

 

I start trying to find my pulse in my neck and begin freaking out. I can't find it. I've taken so many first aid and cpr classes and I know not being able to feel it is bad. OH FUCK! I'M DYING! I'M HAVING A HEART ATTACK! No, no, I am fine. I'm not a doctor, it's all in my head. I will be okay.

 

I kiss Audrey again and get up and go to the living room. No way I'm going to die in front of my daughter. I decide to Google my symptoms like any other sane hypochondriac would do. As I'm searching, I begin to get a terrible headache. Nooooo! It's a blood clot moving to my brain!  I start singing "Do You Want To Build A Snowman?" to see if I'm getting the symptoms of a stroke. Still singing off key and my face isn't sagging yet, good sign. Arms can still flail around. I begin stretching and start some push ups. No clue why I thought starting an exercise routine while I'm dying would reverse it.

 

Well, if I am going to die, I am going to at least make that mac & cheese because I'm still really hungry. I began to finish it up and start tearing up a bit, not sure from the pain or fear. I don't want to die. I'm only 26. I know I drink a lot and eat way too many cheeseburgers but I still get some exercise and I am not as big as a house!

 

Did you know that mac & cheese can be gross? Well when you're upset because you think you're dying, it does. Some comfort food. I start drinking some milk with it. Suddenly my chest pain in dissipating. I just sit there and begin to talk with God. All of a sudden there is this ridiculous burn in my throat and I let out the biggest belch, one that would shame most men!

GAS! IT'S JUST INDIGESTION! I'M NOT DYING! Thank you, Jesus! Seriously, this is why you don't leave a hypochondriac alone for a weekend. If she doesn't die from a heart attack, she will probably die from the stress of thinking she's dying from a heart attack.

 

This has not changed my opinion on my drinking or eating habits. Nor do I plan on buying a million dollar work out plan. But I do think I may need to start taking some acid reflux medicine.

 

I'm going to celebrate surviving my fake heart attack with some low fat ice cream now.

 

*Alyssa*

Happy Halloween

Yay, it's Halloween, a day of fun for our little ones. They get to dress up and get some sugar filled candy. Sounds like fun to me.

I wanted to remind you to be safe and tell your kids the rules. I got the help of one of Audrey's favorite characters for this. Take it away Doc McStuffins.

 

Of course, have fun. Take lots of pictures and upload them for us to see! We love cutie's all dressed up.

 

 

*Alyssa* 

Mmmm... Did You Say Wine?

If you haven't guessed it yet from my title, I obviously like booze. I like to call myself a closet alcoholic. Well, I decided it was time to expand my pallet. I have been a white wine drinker since I got into wine and have never had a red I was really a fan of, until now!

I love Yellow Tail brand. It is very reasonable in price and absolutely delicious. I get mine from Safeway and Total Wine. It's usually around $6 a bottle. I had being seeing reviews and posts online about their newest wine. Finally, I made the plunge and am glad I did.

Let's give a big round of applause to  Big Bold Red. She is big in love, bold in flavor and the sexiest redhead I have ever met (sorry, Jessica Rabbit). On the label, it states that it has raspberry and strawberry flavors in it with spice. Well, you won't miss the spice. I'm having a hard time defining the berry taste to anything specific. The berries do help the spice from being too overpowering though.

When I think of spiced drinks, I think of the holidays. This wine would be great as a holiday get together drink. It does say to pair it with a nice steak and yes, it is perfect with steak. Mmm, now I think I need to make steak for dinner. Not that I need an excuse to drink.

I think if you're looking for a fun and wild red wine, this is a great choice. Hope you enjoy it as much as I have.

Cheers,

*Alyssa*

Last Minute Costume Ideas

Halloween is only a few days away. Kids will be dressed up in adorable little costumes and waddling up to our doors. Remember though, some kids may have motor issues still or speech impediments or maybe they are just terribly shy. Be kind and patient to each one. You never know their background.

Alright, on to the real issue here. When I was pregnant, my mother in law bought Audrey a cute little Minnie Mouse costume. I was going to use it this year for her costume because I was sure it was size 18 month. I went and get it out of the tub and instant hand to face. It is 6-12 month. So now I am scrambling to find an outfit to put her in.

I decided to call upon my blogging tribe for help. Lisa of www.lisakerr.net said to throw on cat ears and put her in clothes and jeans to match. Genius and super frugal. Ashley of www.smashleyashley.com suggested dressing her up like a gangsta baby with a bandana, simple and hilarious.

It all got me thinking about last minute ideas. I was seeing posts about kids who have already outgrown their costumes and now parents are struggling. So I came up with some ideas to help you.

Audrey has a Wonder Woman onesie and her skirt from the 4th of July, I could get her a gold crown and make simple gold cuffs and tada, she becomes Wonder Woman. We also have this adorable headband with a little witch hat on it. I could whip up a tutu and throw on a shirt and she could be the cutest little witch.

My friend was fortunate enough to find a Sully and pink poodle costume for her kids and got them for only $4 each. She was at Spokane Liquidations and they were $19.99 but they also had 80% off coupons she used. What!? Crazy! She's excited because they will be fun for dress up later.

If you're a sports fan, then why not dress them up like one too? Hockey players, football cheerleader or even a little baseball player.

There are so many ideas you can do. Pinterest.com will be an amazing site! What did you dress up your little munchkin as?

*Alyssa*

Oh My! Monday: You'll never have sex again... what?

*Note This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are my own and not influenced by others in any matter.*

 

This weekend we rented SEX TAPE. FUNNY! If you have not seen it, you should. I was rolling on the couch and cracking up. Jake and I kept looking at each other and laughing. It's easily relatable to anyone with kids because they were completely honest in it. They didn't try to add any Hollywood fluff.

 

It follows the story of Jay and Annie, they fall in love, have ridiculous amounts of sex, get pregnant, get married, have another kid and of course, they don't have sex anymore. When they announce their pregnancy to her parents, her father says well no more sex. Of course, every parent will laugh there. Again, easily relatable. They don't have sex and try to "schedule" it constantly. Finally the idea of making a sex tape comes up. Which the whole thing is hysterical and like typical movie stories, going to be a disastrous situation. Then it is the struggles of getting "back" the video after it's uploaded to the cloud. Hilarity over and over. 

 

For me, this was an amazing movie. Annie is a mommy blogger. She writes about her life and the real struggles. The movie starts out with her writing a blog post and asking, When was the first time your husband saw you naked? Then when was the second? Now do you remember the last time?

 

Before kids, sex is so easy and so natural. It's fun and there isn't any work in it. After kids, it's a whole new ball game. You have trouble feeling sexy, things don't look like they did before you got pregnant and where is the time? Any parent will tell you, it was hard to be intimate with their SO after kids came into the picture. You're too tired, the kid wakes up, or there is a kid in your bed. I know you're laughing and nodding your head in agreement with me.

 

Every romantic comedy has a grand epiphany with the moral. This one was that we, as parents, quite often forget about our significant other and devote all of our time and energy to our children. That's great but you can't forget about one another. Intimacy is something that we try to act like we don't need but we do. When I say intimacy, I don't mean just having sex. It can be, cuddling on the couch watching a movie. Back rubs for one another. A little flirting or even some fun texts.

I have made plenty of wise cracks about how we aren't even near intimate the amount we were before we were parents. That's ok. We flirt with each other constantly. We make jokes about sex and have fun with it. So, get a sitter, order in some food, and rent a movie. It will be worth it.

*Alyssa*

Mama's Apple Sauce

Oh me oh my,  I can't catch my breath! I have been a busy little bee around here. Orders have been coming in like crazy for the business. I have had a sick family (gross, hate when they're sick). Got invited to attend a big event as a vendor this weekend. Oh and I made applesauce. What? How did I handle it all? Elementary my dear, Watson. Okay, that's a lie. Wine and Sophia the First helped me, plus Jake was home in the morning this week.

Mmmm, back to the applesauce. Audrey loves it. She would eat it with every meal if we let her. When Jake was out hunting the family property, he picked me a bunch of apples. I agreed to make applesauce but was terrified at how hard it would be. Ha, it's so easy to do. Let me tell you about mama's applesauce.

I don't peel the skin, gets the nutrients out. Just core it and make slices. Takes about 24 medium sized apples to make 6 pints. Once cut up, put them in a very large pot with 2 cups of water, heat to boiling covered and then turn down to a simmer. Stir frequently. It takes between 25-35 minutes to get them all soft. Now here is the exhausting part. To save time and get the most out of your apples, use a food mill and add a little at a time. It will leave the peels in the mill as you crank so every once in a while you will need to empty it. Do be careful because it is all very hot.

Once you have put them all in the mill, you will see applesauce in the bowl. Place that in the pot again and add between 3/4 cup to 1.5 cups of sugar and heat to boiling. Sugar amount is dependent on the type of apples you used and taste preferences. We used tart apples so I added a cup. As it's heating up to a boil, make sure you are stirring it so the sugar melts and it doesn't burn. Once boiling, you're done. You have applesauce. Now canning it is a whole different game we will get into later. But enjoy it once cooled of course.

*Alyssa*

Oh My! Monday: Make them feel loved

I know majority of my readers are parents but for those of you who aren't,  this article is still for you.

Think, how long have you been in a relationship? Not just the married years but from day 1 of meeting your SO. What was it that first caught your eye to them? Did either of you play hard to get or was it just like a magnet to the fridge attraction? How soon did you feel the sparks?

Now jump ahead to now. What is it that causes you to still be so in love after all of this time? Is it the way they laugh at your cheesy jokes? The fact that they still flirt with you? Do you ever just look at them and smile for nothing? Have you started to appreciate their obnoxious habits?

In every relationship,  there comes a time where we think we're about to break and contemplate the end of it. Work, money, having kids, family events, a multitude of things can create this. Here is the thing though, true love will bring you back from that and remind you of the good. We all fight. If you say you've never fought with your SO, then you're not in an honest relationship. There are a lot of things that can make you fight and the worst part of fighting... we start to feel like we aren't loved like they used to.

I know I have been there a few times and I know that I have made him feel that way. I hate it. When I feel that way, I make myself sick. I question everything about myself from my physical appearance to my personality, the things I do and the things I don't do. I start questioning him and if fidelity will ever become an issue for either of us.

My parents have been great role models for me about how to handle everything that comes up in a relationship. I can talk to them about anything I know, just choose not to ask them on things pertaining to our sex life (for obvious awkward reasons). But here is the thing, if you don't feel like your partner is sexually attracted to you it will affect how you act everyday. It is a blow to your confidence. You are less affectionate and start to say I love you less. When we're fighting,  I don't want to be near him let alone sleep next to him snoring.

You need to show your SO that you love them. Show them that they are important to you. My parents still gross me out with how much they love each other. They kiss and cuddle up in their giant bean bag while watching their shows. Go, pat her butt when she walks past. Whistle when he bends over and gets a plumbers crack. Don't ever let them begin to think that you don't feel like you used to. I show Jake by meeting him at the door when he gets home with a kiss. When I walk past him I will kiss his forehead. I do little things that I think make him happy. One of the biggest reasons people cheat is their needs aren't being met at home. It starts with emotions and can lead to sex. Never let that happen.

Go on a date. Rent a movie. Cook dinner together. Play a card game. Find something that you can do together and start from there.

Remember, someone loves you.

*Alyssa*

Let your fears help you!

Fear, we all feel it. Some have serious phobias, others are silly. Me, I am scared of dolls, clowns, heights, flying and any body of water bigger than a pool.

But that's not all I'm scared of. I'm also scared of failure. Aren't most of us scared of that? Why? What is it that is so scary? Nothing honestly. Why? Because you can always change the course yourself! Sometimes failure can be a good thing. Fail at a relationship? Good, learn from it, maybe it wasn't a healthy one in the first place. Lose your job? You can always find another job if you look.

I was so scared to start my blog back up after it failed. Luckily, I had a group of amazing women who pushed me back into the saddle and made me try again. Now it is booming with readers. When I started Fab Flares by Audrey's Mom I stressed out about never making a sale. I began selling at a farmer's market and didn't make anything. I was mad that I failed. After licking my wounds, I started doing some research. I found new ways to market myself. Tweaked my products and added new stuff. It has been 2 months since that happened. Sales are great. I have been getting custom orders and been busy.

I channeled my fears and used them for success. I made them work for me. This is advice you can use in everyday life. Channel fears of parenting and use them for good. Become super parent instead of scared parent.

Stay strong and laugh in the face of fear!

*Alyssa*

October 15th: Rainbow Babies Are Still Babies

Sorry for the lack of posting yesterday, I was swamped with orders for the business and was purposely trying to keep myself busy and my mind off of today. For those of you that don't know, today, October 15th is National Miscarriage, Stillborn, SID awareness day. More than half a million pregnancies will end naturally before the child is even born. Chances are most of you have been affected by that in one way or another. Either it was yourself, your spouse, a friend or even a family member.

This is a very hard subject for me to speak about. I still tear up and will cry in private. On this day, in 2011, I woke up like it was any other day, got ready for my job, threw on my scrubs and headed to the office with my giant coffee and snacks. I was 8 weeks pregnant and 1 day. I had just announced my pregnancy to family and friends the day before. I was exhausted from all of the emotions of it and of course, creating a human in my belly. Work was going fine, helping people get their backs adjusted and feel better until suddenly, I got a terribly sharp pain in my lower abdomen. It kept coming back very fast and was buckling me over. I ran to the bathroom thinking I was going to lose my breakfast. I decided that like every other pregnant woman, it had been 20 minutes and I had to go pee again. When I did, I noticed an unsettling amount of blood. I went to tell my boss and she told me to call my doctor.

So I called Jake and he rushed home from work to meet me. As we headed to the doctors office I began to realize what was most likely happening. I was having a miscarriage. No, this can't be. I don't smoke or do drugs and I haven't been drinking. I've been very healthy, exercising, eating well and taking my vitamins. They called us back to get an ultrasound and when we didn't see anything on the monitor we both knew it was true but still weren't saying anything to one another. They took us back to an exam room to see our OB. She walked in the room and you could see the words written across her face. I held my breath and clenched Jake's hand very tight. She did an exam to confirm the ultrasound.

Dr. M stood up, cleaned her self and came over close to me. She said, "Alyssa, Jake, I hate that I have to tell you this but the baby has passed." She leaned in and hugged us both and started praying over us. Once I stopped hyperventilating, she began to tell us what would happen now as I finished the miscarriage. She explained both the physical and emotional pain that will be involved. I will feel pregnant for a week or two after as the hormones leave my body. After she consoled us for a while and cried herself, she left us to have some alone time.

We left and called my dad and told him and then Jake called and told his mom, so they could relay what happened for us. I didn't need to deal with the pity. I was angry. Fuming and red in the face. I hated myself, Jake, God, all of our doctors and nurses, family and the world. I thought it wasn't fair that I have two friends who are healthy and pregnant right now and I lost my baby. I was the one who wanted to have a baby and be the mom. Why did this have to happen to me?

It took me a bit to not cry every day but I got there. It was almost 2 weeks after and I was at my cousin's birthday party. Suddenly, I had felt like I had wet myself. So I went to the bathroom to check and what the hell!!! I'm bleeding like a horror movie! It's Saturday so none of the doctors are in the office. I call the on call doctor and he tells me I need to get into the ER and he will meet me there. My mother in law takes me down and comes to find out, that my body was having the miscarriage all over again. I was still producing an insane amount of pregnancy hormones and so my body stopped the miscarriage. Once it realized the baby was gone, it started all over again. So they had me come back on Monday, and wouldn't ya know, still happening. They decided for health reasons, they need to schedule me for a D&C, dilation and curettage. Having anything left over after the loss or end of a pregnancy can cause serious health issues and even cause cancer. I wasn't crying and was actually being really brave. My anger was now only directed at myself and God. I had the procedure and was very loopy. When I fully came to, I lost it. Bawling hysterically and very upset. The nurse asked if I was in any pain and I told her just sore but I was crying because I had just realized I had nothing left of my baby. I never had an ultrasound, never heard a heart beat. Just the sight of a positive pregnancy tests and the memories of Jake kissing my bloated tummy.

In our society, miscarriages and stillborn babies, have become a taboo conversation. It's as if it's secretly forbidden. People feel like they need to avoid someone after they lose a baby but you don't. Reach out to the family. Show your support. Pray for them. If they already have kids, offer to help take care of them or babysit so they can get some rest. It is a very exhausting time for all involved. I shut down for a while and was depressed. I didn't want to even be near Jake and forgot, he lost his child too. It was hard watching everyone around me have these healthy and beautiful babies. I was jealous of them all but I was still very happy for their families.

Jake and I have been blessed by the Lord again, because we have Audrey. She's healthy, so beautiful and absolutely perfect. God gave us sticky baby dust and said here, get fat and have stretch marks. This is one of the biggest reasons I am not embarrassed of my stretch marks. They are proof of the battles I have fought in order to achieve my dream of being a mom.

Don't give up!

*Alyssa*

Oh My Monday! Love me some FOOTBALL

In our home, we use our manners, say our prayers and cheer for the Seattle Seahawks! We wear our Seahawks gear every game and watch it as a family. We get loud and we yell. We are the 12th Family!

In honor of such an amazing football season so far, I've teamed up with Macey's Closet for a giveaway for your little cheerleader. One lucky reader will win a pair of football leggings, a custom team colors tutu and a team themed headband. To enter, just fill out the form below. Don't have a little girl? Enter for a friend or family member!  

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Going pro!!!

"I probably won't get read by anyone. This will just be for me. I should use every foul word each time I write just because I can!"

Those are just a couple of the things that I said when I decided to start a blog. I honestly never thought it would have this much success. It has been a whirlwind success! I owe it all to you,  my readers. It is amazing how much love I feel. I don't use every foul word because my mom is reading this and I really don't need a lecture on how I have a potty mouth, I already know it exists.

Yesterday I spoke about how important it is with any business to network and I need to reiterate that. It is extremely important! Your best marketing will be referrals. We always hear the bad on the news but who do we hear the good from? Friends and family. If someone truly loves something,  you're going to hear about it. I will always rave about a delicious cookie. I believe in honest reviews. I've received a lot of constructive criticism since I started my blog. I listened and took it all in to consideration. I have tweaked and revised posts many times before I hit publish and sometimes even after. I'm my worst critic.

A few months ago, my friend Joanna at Motherhood and Merlot, teamed up with Lauren at Twin Tested, Pin Approved to start our blogging tribe. We have women from all walks of life who have been writing for different amounts of time. It has been the best resource for all of my questions and concerns. We are all so supportive of one another in everything we do. There were times I was about to shut down my blog because I just couldn't take that it wasn't going anywhere but they pulled me away from that.

I wrote this post about getting back my confidence after having my daughter and a few of the members shared it. That's what I needed. They were so moved by my honesty and knew so many other women needed to read it. Emails began pouring in about how much it helped other women and my page views sky rocketed! It was amazing to watch.

Success should not be determined by comparison to others but by your own opinion of yourself. I know most people don't think getting a hundred plus page views per day is success but for me in this stage, it's absolutely huge! I love getting texts from friends and family saying they loved today's post. Believe or not but I am really a private person, even in my own family. So to share what I do about my life can be really challenging at times. Honesty is what I believe brings so many of you back.

I have finally made the leap to having a self hosted blog. I am working on writing professionally some day. So in the meantime, I will do my best to keep the laughs rolling and the crazy glass full.

*Alyssa*

Networking is the key to growth!

The other day, my friend posted a picture of her daughter online wearing a headband I had made her. That was what I needed. Everyone kept asking her where she got the headband and she told them it was from me. Message after message was popping up in my inbox for orders. It's amazing. One photo can be such a huge game changer for you. Even the right person finding you. Now I have a busy weekend ahead of me making a bunch of headbands to send out next week but it's worth it to me.

I just met another crafter a few nights ago. She's so great at what she does. Her company makes the cutest little headbands and my favorite part is she has Seahawks themed headbands! Only, she is so new to this and has no clue how to find business. Here little birdy, let me take you under my wing and help you. When I started, there was no one around who would help me. It was all so hush hush. People had the mentality that if they did all the work then why should they share the secrets? I didn't understand that. There is plenty of business to go around for everyone. This is why I was more than happy to share my secrets with others.

She was so surprised by the things I was telling her. She didn't realize about PayPal invoicing to hide her privacy or that there were so many free ways to market. If you get a minute, stop by her Facebook page and show her some love Macey's Closet.  We have teamed up for a fun little giveaway coming next week on the blog to help her gain exposure and gain more business.

One of the best ways to network is to just be friendly with other businesses. Like their Facebook pages and participate in conversations. Tweet with them. Love their Instagram photos. More often than not, these companies will return the love. There are also plenty of linkup parties online too. Just search business on Facebook and you will be shocked at how many resources you can find. It does take time to grow but the best companies have been around for a long time because they were patient!

Don't give up!

*Alyssa*

Oh My Monday: Let him have an affair...

Now I am not condoning him to go out and have an affair with another woman or cheat on you in any way. I believe in fidelity and monogamy. Ok, now that you are not freaking out and thinking what a b, read on.

 

We all know the term bromance but as women, do we truly know it's meaning? No, we don't. We never will. We should not either. You're probably asking me why the hell not? Why should we? Men don't understand the relationship we have with our bff's. It is called "bro"mance for a reason. It's guy love between two guys (not talking about the physically intimate). I used to get jealous of Jake and his best friend. They've been together since they were 2 years old. The fact that he felt comfortable talking about certain things with him but not me really hurt me. I felt as if he didn't trust me or even really care about me the same way I did. It was ridiculous. Shouldn't he be coming to me with his problems? NO! Listen ladies, we think we want to hear it all but then when we do we get upset! I'm not saying it's every single woman or every single time but yea, we just don't like it. We are made different than them. We think different than men. That's ok. It's good for us and for them.

 

Take a moment and think about this, what is something you talk about with your best friend but would never talk about with your man? Yea, my best friend is reading this and dying laughing because she and I both know what that one thing is because we talk about it almost daily. It's something that I can't talk about with Jake with out giggling like a little girl and blushing. With her, we laugh and say sorry, dude that seriously sucks. Just because he asked you what you did today, doesn't mean he wants to hear the extreme primping and pruning you did. That's left for our girlfriends. You don't want to hear him talk about scratching himself or how he almost suffocated from his own gas. No, that's not our thing. I don't care if you think you're "one of the guys" because you never will be because you're a woman. I get along great with all of Jake's friends. His best friend is a great friend of mine. I love the guy and his little family. I've hung out with the guy with out Jake before because, yea we are friends. I've known him as long as I've known Jake and he's been there for me so many times but I will never have the relationship with him that he has with Jake.

 

After almost ten years, I don't care if he says, "Hey, Dickie and I are going to go grab a beer." My answer is, cool have fun. They need to get out of the house and talk with them. If we get to complain about them to our girlfriends then they get to complain about us to their buddies. Want a great relationship with him? Then stop getting mad when he wants a night with his buddies. If he dedicates most of his time to you then he deserves a night with the guys. If he comes home and crawls in bed and gets all lovey, be grateful. It means he's proud of you. He probably brags about you to his buddies. Now go give him a smooch and tell him to go get his buddies together for some beers. You'll thank me late.

*Alyssa*

Toddler Tuesday: Keeping them busy when you're busy

Toddlers love to help us. They like feeling like big kids. Although, Audrey is only 18 months, she still has chores she does but to her, they're just games. She helps me load and unload the dishwasher. We fold laundry together. She loves doing laundry (makes one of us). I hand her dirty clothes and she throws them in the washing machine and then helps me swap them to the dryer. Audrey also knows how to pick up her toys and put them away, when she wants to. It's nice having her want to help right now. There are times though, that I really don't want her help with things and have to distract her.

We got a big shipping box in and I had so much to do. I just needed it done and didn't want her in the way so I grabbed the box and stripped off her clothes and tossed her in. Popped the lids off of some markers, gave them to her and let her make some art. She had a blast. Little fit even when it was time to get out. That box was gorgeous. She colored it and made me it her own art. The best part was how proud she was of it all. She kept showing it to me and smiling.

I am trying to avoid using the tv as a distraction/baby sitter but yea, it's convenient at moments. It does get hard to deal because she is so used to doing everything with me. Once in a while I have to take her to my parent's house for 2 or 3 hours so I can get some stuff done. Don't beat yourself up because you can't sit down right this second with them. Yes, chores can wait but when you have no clean dishes or undies, it can't. Try and find ways to get your little ones to help. Remember Mary Poppins, one of my favorite movies, she made it a game. I've tried snapping plenty of times,  still doesn't work.

You can do it!

*Alyssa*

Selling yourself... Yea, I'm my own PIMP

Read this whole post before you freak out and think I am Dolly running the best little whore house in Texas. Great movie, look it up.

Being a business owner means that you have to sell your self! You are your product. I don't mean that in a "Hey, check out the goods *flashes privates*" way. I mean it as in, your heart and soul. Your passion. Your life! No matter what the business type is, if you are truly proud then it will reflect. I have been around so many great business men and women in my life and learned a lot of the good, the bad and the ugly. It is a political war in itself at times. I don't say this to detour you from doing it but to prepare you.

One of the best pieces of advice I have been given is always be ready to give a business bio at any time. When someone asks me what I do for a living I explain that my main job is being a sahm but on the side I blog and run Fab Flares by Audrey's Mom which is my custom crafts business. It's neat how people are excitedly surprised by all of that. Yea, I'm busy. I love it though. It shows in all I do. Always have some business cards on your person. I keep a stack in my bag because I want that next sale.

Something that has really helped me is having photos of my products on my phone. I can show them my stuff and then they can look at it more detailed online. Reel them in! Even if i don't have a back order at the moment, I always act like I do. Not only will it make you more appealing to a potential customer but it will help your confidence. Extreme confidence will shine through.

Make sure you are proud and always show it. Now go strut your stuff and make some sales.

*Alyssa*