My New Camera

A wonderful gift from my thoughtful hubby. Just some random pictures taken with my new Nikon D5200.

Hubby had a hand in this one!

I just seen his pocket is hanging out. I love his eyes in this picture. 

I have been busy with the family just opened it last night. I have a thousand pieces that go to this camera I'm used to just point and click. I'm a simple person now I have to read to just point and click turn a setting to something it may take
me a little while to learn all of the features to find out how to use it completely. I love how clear the pictures are. I have been taking pictures for a little over a year going to school as a hobby. Now, I think I may try to profit with my pictures now that I have a great camera to take the pictures. I love when my hubby reads my mind this is by far the best Christmas gift ever.

My Christmas Flowers from my amazing hubby.

I love this picture of my Popsicle his eyes are so intense. I'm not sure who he looks more like but I think I'm going to say my hubby 100%. 

This is her new cat tower Santa left for her.




Tell me what you think of my photos? What kind of camera do you have?

Today & Yesterday

 Have you ever had one of those days? Today I guess was my day. Being a mom is always busy.Today was a lot of fun doing paperwork to get my passport to go to Niagara Falls dealing with Mr.Christopher who is in the post office yelling at the top of his very healthy lungs "Mommy!" over and over. Everyone and  their Momma was looking at me. Did I leave? Nope, I was there to get a passport. I was staying to finish it only to have the guy behind the counter tell me they don't do interviews on Mondays I would have to come back. 

I asked Christopher " Hey, son please use your inside voice please."

Christopher says laughing " NO, Mommy."

I ask him again "Why are you screaming?"

Christopher yells " I'm crazy!" Shaking his head and hands kind of like that kid in the commercial where they are all sitting around the table talking to the man in the suit asking questions. I couldn't help but laugh it was funny as can be. I didn't get mad at him he is a child unlike the lady who says to me " I wouldn't be seen with that kid. Just wait till he is older criminal." As she walks away.

Me laughing " I doubt my son will be a criminal because he is being crazy right now. He is two and by the way the line moved you lost your spot." As I yell " NO cuts!" All eyes on me I continue to fill out my paperwork and ask my questions about how to get our boys passports. Did you know that you have to have it okay by both parents before you leave the country? So with that note I have to wait till my hubby can come to sign the paperwork with me or have the paperwork the post office gave me to  notarized with my hubby signature. Then he doesn't have to be there for both kids. It's Canada! Who is going to run away to Canada  (Laughing) I don't know but because people have just like the warning notice on a hair dyer that says "Don't blow dry your hair while standing in the shower!" Who did that and why would you?(Laughing) 

We leave the post office to go grocery shopping well we walked into the aisle way to get tomatoes. Yup, You guess it Christopher started it all over again. I went and got the things I needed. Once we made it to the checkout he says" Mommy, I love you!" He has a very cute voice. He was having an off day. He is never like that.



He was quiet in the car on the way to the YMCA. He was sleeping that's why no complaints here gave me a rest. He loves to go play with the kids in the kids zone it's like a daycare while I workout. I ran for 30 minutes burned 350 calories then I worked my legs and back. I was exhausted by the end. I love this YMCA Justin can come workout with me. It's nice to spend time just the two of us. I took a brake from working my thighs to take a picture of him on the bike which he burned 13 calories. He was really excited showing me his muscles. I think we will continue this just like our Coffee Day Friday which is where we drink coffee but his is decaffeinated.

Have you ever had an off day like my two year old please tell me about it.

Mother's Day was the best ever we killed a snake. I hate snakes!

 I took a video which is on facebook thanks to my hubby we were saved from the snake getting into the house. I love the ocean but the creatures that live here I'm not sure about. 

We didn't do as much as I wanted to in the garden after the run in with the snake. My wonderful hubby and boys took me out for a late lunch/dinner at Chili's before we took our boys to see Iron Man 3.  It's been awhile since we went to the movies. It's something my hubby and I have always liked to do since we have been together. It was $54.00 for all of us to go with popcorn and pop. I was in shock like OMG! Are you kidding me? Wow, times have changed since last April. I think that was the last time we went. We still have date night at home. It's more entertaining at home. (laughing) We can do so much more than you can in a theater. Not that we haven't but that was when we were younger! (I kill me with the things I can freely talk about) That stuff is for another blog. 

I think this movie was AWESOME! Christopher did very well for his first time. 

This was at the start of the movie. He was really into it! He is growing up so fast I want to stop him. Both my boys. This won't be his last time going. I am very proud to be a mother to both my children. They are the reason I am who I am today. I love you guys. My hubby made it a special one just like any other day he always makes me feel like his Queen. I'm such a lucky lady to have people care about me like my family does. Have a bless day to anyone and everyone who is reading. 

House madness

I'm sitting outside getting my tan on. Watching my son play with the neighborhood  kids. Christopher is taking a nap in the stroller after our  four mile walk.
Yesterday we played with bubbles again. They seem to be a big hit in my house. I helped my hubby clean the garage. It's amazing what you can find packed away.

 Now we will set up for a garage sale for next week. I really don't have a need for a crib,car seat and play pen miscellaneous  baby stuff.  I was so excited to get mail but not what I thought mail from Marine Headquarters is not what I expected.
 My hubby has some phones calls to make in the morning.( Update Monday 3/18/13 on those phones calls seems to be what I expected. He is not retired anymore he is on active duty now. I think I will get sick now.) I may be having a heart attack for nothing. My handyman at work on our ceiling fan. We washed our car. Took a walk with Christopher in his hot rod. Took a nap, fix little things around the house, washed clothes, made dinner and watch the UFC fight with my hubby. This is the life I mean its nice to have a house again that we can make our home like back home. It has a lot of potential. How was your weekend?

105 years old

http://www.facebook.com/directrelief/app_313014592143358?sk=app_313014592143358&ref=ts

Go friend this wonderful woman on facebook who is 105 years old. I saw her today on Ellen which was a inspiration to me about how she lives her life.

Ellen asked her

         '' What is your secret ?"

Edythe replied

" I have a happy marriage. I'm a happy person and if something happens that I can't do anything about it I don't worry about it. "

I love that answer because that is how I live my life. I'm a very happy person in life in general about everything. I show my children daily that its more important  to be happy in life then what you can buy or have. For anyone who knows me "Being Happy" means more to me above anything else. It took my hubby awhile to learn to be happy and let go.  He has a childhood past no child should have. A childhood filled  with pain. A soldier  who has guilt .

He told me
     "That he never knew happiness until he meet me."
I'm grateful I was able to show him a better life then what he was living. He has changed so much over the seven years we have been together its amazing. I could tell a change the first week of getting to know him after we met two years before. A whole other side was to be uncovered that he showed me. I love my hubby with every fiber  of my being. He may have faults like everyone else but the difference is I accepted who he is not who he was. I think what has made our marriage so successful  is that we went though a similar childhood. We understood each other in a way that was meant for us. I have never told him " Life,Love,Marriage and kids would be easy. It would always be a challenging no matter who you are." It's how you decide to let the other person in. It's  will and how you fight for what you want that makes a difference.

There are things in life that you have no control over. When that happens you have to just let go. To be happy its doesn't come easy to some its becomes something you learn to do like riding a bike. If you can learn that then everything else will fall into place.

Tampa, Florida

Has there ever been a time where you took a step back to look around you? I did that today I can't believe we moved to Tampa. Florida is very different from my home back in Michigan. I lived on one acer of land a neighbor at the very end of the road with noone in between us. I don't like the snow which was a big deal with my family moving to Tampa. A week away from Thanksgiving and we are wearing shorts. The stores are playing Christmas music. We now have neighbors which is new considering no neighbors for five years. It's a huge change. I don't think I like it. Everyone here speaks Spanish. I get the chance to use what is natural to me.  Justin's friend doesn't speaks English at all. Watching him play and talk is neat. I guess teaching my son another language paid off when he was younger. I have to get use to highway driving which I hate. People here are very rude and always look unhappy. I mean it's Florida what do they have to been mad at? I mean at anytime you feel that bad you might want to think about changing something. It's just a thought. We have done so much to just be by the ocean which is amazing by the way. My hubby and I are chasing our dreams. My business is going very well I couldn't ask for more. Plans for our wedding has changed to another beach. There is just alot going on right now. The whole packing and unpacking is good but bad. We have stuff I haven't seen in years.  If you have ever moved you know what I mean.  My boys have enough stuff for two more kids. Which we are still deciding if we will try again to get pregnant.Once everything slows down we will talk about it. Well I will try to talk about it.My hubby is already set in wanting more. He wants another boy and girl. He is hoping for twins this time around. I  love that about my hubby.He is a great father. This is just another page in our family journey to staying happy. I love how my life has turned out not the way I thought it would be but better.

I choose to be me!

Have you ever had people tell you rude and hateful things? Of course you have it's called life. The only thing that matters are your thoughts. Just be you only you can make life what you want it to be. Don't let someone control your thoughts and feelings. You are the only one who can make or break your life in terms of your happiness. Enjoy the air you breathe the sun shinning on your face the wind in your hair. The hugs, kisses and laughter you share. You never know when it will be your last.

Life is only what you make it!

I just seen this on the newest blog I was checking out today. Thanks togetherfornature
I tell my son this daily no joke when he complains he has school work to do. We should all be happy GOD let us do this today and everyday he gives us. Make sure you smile and kiss your loved ones. You never know when it's time to be called back home.

Cherokee Indian Legend

http://eoneanother.blogspot.com/2012/06/cherokee-indian-legend.html

Do you know the legend of the Cherokee Indian youth's rite of passage?

His father takes him into the forest, blindfolds him and leaves him alone. He is required to sit on a stump the whole night and not remove the blindfold until the rays of the morning sun shine through it. He cannot cry out for help to anyone. Once he survives the night, he is a man. He cannot tell the other boys of this experience, because each lad must come into manhood on his own.

The boy is naturally terrified. He can hear all kinds of noises. Wild beasts must surely be all around him. Maybe even some human might do him harm. The wind blew the grass and earth, and shook his stump, but he sat stoically, never removing the blindfold. It would be the only way he could become a man! Finally, after a horrific night the sun appeared and he removed his blindfold. It was then that he discovered his father sitting on the stump next to him. He had been at watch the entire night, protecting his son from harm.

We, too, are never alone. Even when we don't know it, God is watching over us, sitting on the stump beside us. When trouble comes, all we have to do is reach out to Him. Just because you can't see God, doesn't mean He is not there. "For we walk by faith, not by sight."

Words I live by.

Laugh. Dance in the rain. Cherish the memories. Ignore the pain, love and learn, forget and forgive because you only have one life to live!

I came across this on facebook. Just thought it had a great meaning behind it.  If this was true in the world which it is not. No matter what you do in life there is always someone who will try to hurt you. I live by this as I teach my children the same no matter how evil a crazy person may be. In the end all that matters is how happy you are. Whatever they may say it doesn't matter what they think!

I seen this too on facebook on the crazy facts or it might have been drama something page. There are so many pages that pop up on my wall it's insane. I couldn't help but laugh this is so far from the truth. Yes, many women chose to show off what God has given them. Why, because they want to. Why hide them? As long as you are not showing off your chest at your son's school play with a nipple holding on for dear life to your shirt. I don't see anything wrong with it but a time and place ladies should be on your mind. There are many women who show their chest off like the top page just to get men to look at them because that is the only thing they have going for them is just that. The bottom picture doesn't show that you are happily married it shows that you are married to a controlling freak who is paranoid. I love when I have heard men say I would really like you to cover up because I should be the one the only one who sees you that way. It's all about power honey so don't take it as a sign of affection. Physically and emotional abuse follows shortly after that.  I have V-neck tops that show off a little bit of my chest like the middle picture. I will not wear a shirt that is like the bottom picture because I feel like I'm being suffocated by my clothes. I'm happily married to a great man who doesn't care what I wear as long as I'm comfy he could care less. We were going to go to a nude beach this weekend but we had the kids. Our friend Adam was going to go with us. (lol just something to knock off my bucket list)  We get compliments all the time from others. It just makes us laugh and boost up our ego that another man or woman finds each other attractive. We never get mad that would just be silly to do. I know just like my hubby knows that we are coming home to each other. I have lived by this saying since we have met "You can work up an appetite as long as you eat at home."  It's called human nature. Everyone is going to look at some point in time. If your man is constantly on your case about your clothes you should start to question him. I met you wearing this so what's the problem? A man should not care what you wear if he is confident in his relationship. I think a man who is your hubby(not your boy toy) should have a say if you are going to walk around the block in your mini skirt and heels as your child is riding their bike. To say maybe this is not the time to wear that. It should never be an order or only his choice. It's your body your choice. I'm glad I don't have to worry about what I wear. It's my choice to wear it. Like I said before I'm happily married and can walk around nude if I wanted to. My hubby wouldn't say a word as he would be the one to join me in freedom to bare all. What are your thoughts on this?

This is very true for many.

"I can't go back to yesterday - because I was a different person then." - Lewis Carroll -- Great Minds Quotes (@GreatestQuotes)

Gas

This is very cute. Thought I would share with everyone. I can remember paying only a dollar something for gas when I was in high school. I use to laugh when my boyfriend at the time would complain about gas prices. Oh, how time has changed things. Just yesterday I was rocking out with music from the 90's with my boys. It was funny to hear Justin ask "If this was music from back in the day." I had to laugh when I told him "Yes, honey this is music from when I was your age." God I feel old!

For every ten bottles of Rainbow Light vitamins sold, one bottle will be donated to Vitamin Angels. Please go pick up your bottle today.

One third of all childhood deaths are attributable to undernutrition. We can change that. For young children, essential nutrients help build the foundation for good health and the opportunity to lead meaningful and productive lives.

Vitamin Angel's mission is to mobilize and deploy private sector resources to advance availability, access and use of micronutrients, especially vitamin A, among at-risk populations in need. We focus on two main programs that ensure maximum impact:

Vitamin A.Worldwide, an estimated 190 million children under five suffer from vitamin A deficiency (VAD), a major underlying cause of child mortality and blindness around the world. However, with a simple, cost-effective vitamin A capsule every six months we can prevent VAD blindness and reduce under-five child mortality by about 24% in at-risk populations.

Multivitamins.Essential multiple micronutrients, or multivitamins, reduce the effects of undernutrition and malnutrition in children under five. Our program offers infants and children the nutrients they need to grow up healthy, increasing their potential for educational and economic achievements in life.

https://www.vitaminangels.org/about

I love my Life!

 I took the above picture from my deck. I guess all in all I will miss Michigan. I can still share a sunset with my hubby many states away.

What do you think?

"Loving a child who is not biologically yours is no different then choosing to love your spouse. Both relationships are choices, not a biological bond."

Someone had this on cafemom I read it a few times over and over unsure how to respond to this. I think if a stepmother/step dad choose to love her/his husband/wife child like her own it shouldn't be a problem unless she tries to over step her boundaries. The boundaries I'm referring to would be wanting the child to call her mom because she wants the child to. I think if a child wants to call their step parent mom/dad it should be on the child's terms.(ONLY) Their are a lot of families that are made up of a lot of different people who have no Biological bond at all. Sometimes those relationships are the best. I have never been in a situation like this one but knew a friend who was. The step parent didn't want the child to call her mom but the child understood who was mom and who was mommy. The father however didn't see anything wrong with it sadly this is why he no longer sees his child. The Biological mom took the child and left. Who knows where they are. I still talk to this couple and not once heard either of them mention the child in ten years. I guess it is what it is. Steve and I have talked about this when the time comes if the children come looking for me from my days as an egg donor. I guess I would be their Biological mom but I wouldn't have any connection with them but that. I will not be their mother that JOB is left to whoever raised them. Who went to school plays, basketball and soccer games. I will welcome them with open arms if they want to get to know me. I guess I will have to see if that ever happens. Other boundaries that another parent would cross would be disciplining a child that is not theirs. I don't promote spanking and I believe that should be left up to the parents with a little input from the step parent who spends just as much time with the child. It should be a strong unit with parents and step parents to be on the same page. It makes the child's life better to see everyone happy.

Here are some comments left by other on cafemom.


1.That is a great way to say it!

A biological bond is automatically unconditional love.

With a spouse, or spouses family, it is work to fall in love with him/her and their family. I can tell you it has taken me about 5 out of 7 years to enjoy one sister in laws company... and that is because she matured a lot the past couple of years!

2.The BM's jealousy makes sense, since it is actually her child. It wouldn't be surprising if it would hurt a mother to see her child love another "mother." Her feelings of jealousy would be normal and expected.

But the SM's jealousy of BM is different, because it's not "her child", it's someone else's child. So when she is jealous of the BM, the rightful mother, it's like loving a married man... meaning a man you can't have because he is taken already. The SM is choosing to love that child in the mother/child way, and really, that may not be a very good decision, if the BM is still around.

If the BM is out of the picture, of course it's a different story


3.I *kind of* agree with that statement.

How does it play a role in a blended family.....

well, for one thing, it could cause problems because if you choose to love a child that way, the child might not choose to love you back that way. And then you have an unrequited love... which as we all know, doesn't end well.

Secondly, if you choose to love a child in the parent-child sense, are you able to deal with the fact that the child's biological parent is still around, and the child still loves her? (if that applies).

Often we have SMs who fall in love with their stepchilren in the mother-child way, and it causes problems because the SM is jealous of the BM, who is still involved in the child's life.

So, overall I'd say it can cause all kinds of problems in steplife. If you want to compare it to "choosin to love your spouse," I'd say maybe it compares to falling in love with a married man who wont leave his wife.


Yes, loving someone is a choice people choose who they want to love and who they don't. Either way it's  an honor to love a child that is not yours. It's a shame that many children don't get the chance to love step parents because the real parents have issues they need to work out as adults. There should never be a jealously problem because it's okay for a child to love both. I believe the best thing to do if you are a step parent is to try to be the child's friend at any age. Let them know you are not their parent but a friend. You will not go against their real parent unless it is needed for safety reason. Some step parents step into the role of a parent in the absence of the real parent. I give a lot of credit to these people who take on this huge role. Sometimes it is in the best interest for the child. I wish you all luck. Tell me what you think.





                         I love this quote! Love is a choice not an Obligation.

As in for loving your spouse you love all of them the good the bad, past and the present the furture is what you are. Take it don't look back because the past is in the past. It can't be changed there is no time machine to change it. You let it go and don't look back. People try and hold you down for the choices you made as a woman,man,mother and father at that time you seen it as the best choice you had right or wrong it was your choice move on. Life is only what you make it so make it count.

                                          Love is a choice not an Obligation.

Life Quotes

                                          Make it a point to take at least one small leap
                                                     into the unknown today and
                                    challenge yourself to learn a bit more about yourself.

Moving

This has been a interesting challenge. We are moving out of Michigan. I love that we are going to trade in our winter coats for shorts. I can't wait to buy our new home in the land of no snow. Knock on wood. The boys are ecstatic about it! It was just going to be a family trip to Disney Land it has turned out to be much more. I love my hubby. He always surprises me when I least expect it. Since Christmas it has been up in the air. I love our house. I'm getting it to be just the way I want it. I guess I'm a little sad that we are moving. I will have to wait on my farm with chickens and ducks. I'm looking forward to walking on the beach hand in hand with my hubby. The boys already love the water they are like fish. There is so much to do still. I don't mind it. It's kind of fun packing with Steve. The boys have a lot of stuff.  I didn't realize how much. Just last month alone Steve and I have new jobs.We are starting a new adventure together with our boys. I can't wait for it to start. I'm not looking forward to the long drive with the kids. It will be my first time driving on the freeway. This is going to be a blast.

New Test Could Prevent Miscarriages

Forty-year-old Deborah Fischer is finally pregnant after years of trying, and she said it's because of a new type of genetic test called Array Competitive Genomic Hybridization, or Array CGH.

"I don't think that we would be pregnant without it," said Fischer.

"One of the biggest frustrations as a fertility specialist is our inability to determine which embryos that we have that are capable of becoming healthy babies," said Dr. Michael Alper, medical director at Boston IVF, a New England infertility treatment center.

Studies show that 10 to 25 percent of all pregnancies will end in miscarriage. But by using Array CGH, doctors can now see beyond the microscope to figure out why.

I think if they could narrow it down to which embryos were good it could save many couples money when they visit a infertility clinic. I know when Steve and I went to a clinic to help others that was a big concern of the couple who were receiving my eggs. They had to be a certain cementer before the doctor could retrieve them. I was a very good candidate for the donor program because I'm very fertility. I was called many times due to my profile. When a couple is looking for an egg donor they can almost play God in a sense. They look at pictures of women to choose what their son or daughter most likely will look like mix with their husband genes. I can't wrap my head around that their are children out their that have features like mind but are not mind. I'm glad I spent three years of my life to help others be able to have a child. I know that the couples who choose me did get pregnant. However that is all I know. Since it is soley up to them to let me know anything.

Hate in your heart

Throughout life people will make you mad,

disrespect you and treat you bad.

Let God deal with the things they do,

cause hate in your heart will consume you too.

- Will Smith

http://bestquotesfb.blogspot.com/

What about you? Are you one of the healthiest women in the world?

http://blogs.babycenter.com/mom_stories/im-one-of-the-worlds-healthiest-women/

After reading this article I guess I'm a healthy person. I cook all my meals for my family. We hardly ever eat out even when it would be easier to do on Justin's sport days and boy scouts days. I will cook with olive oil and make veggies. I try to incorporate all the food groups. I hate veggies just like Steve. Cooking meat has been a huge task for me lately. Every time I see any kind of meat it makes me want to yak. I don't know why. The boys are picky eaters. I think any child is at a point in time is. I know my nephew is the only kid who will eat tomatoes instead of a candy bar. I have been really working on losing the rest of my baby fat from Popsicle which is turning out to be very hard with my busy schedule. Word of advice don't try to do jumping jack holding a 15 month old. Your arms will ache the next day. I swear I'm getting too old for all this high demand to be fit. It was very easy after I had Justin. I think I have to give up driving break out the stroller to get the rest of the weight off. Steve laughs at me for the walks I still take to clear my head. Even if it is on the treadmill in the basement. I won't walk down my street people are crazy.  I think the whole idea of being healthy is to watch what you eat. Give yourself a cheat day and don't obsess about it. Steve and I workout together we make it fun. Sometimes it's a family event like running in the yard, ice skating, riding bikes, yoga. I even have Christopher doing baby yoga. It's adorable to see him do downward facing dog. I had to teach him how to do it so he would stop climbing on me. Tell me what you all think how do you stay fit?