SBL: Go to Chicago/Memorial Day weekend

Go to Chicago

First on our list that we completed.

Why Chicago? Well we had a few things lined up that we wanted to do for memorial day weekend/ our day-cation. All of which fell thru; so Chicago it was!

Our plans were to go to the Shedd Aquarium.

But after a ridiculous 1.5 hours of sitting & only going 10 ft in line with quite a bit of line left we decided to go off & do the other things we had planned!

Shedd Aquarium 

the classic disappearing paci trick, its a favorite around here ;)

 It started as a very cold day, we were beginning to wonder what had happened! Not a typical Memorial Day weekend around here! It did end up warming up; thank goodness. & we walked over 30 blocks all around Chicago!

if you ask her, running up & down the hills was probably her favorite thing all day!

our attempt at a family picture. kensley was so tired, she would barely keep her eye open. See those swans? Kennedy wanted to swim with them. Im printing it anyways :P

love this one!

I LOVE food trucks. we have none around us! so of course we had to stop at these!

 Our first stop was the disney store. Our local one closed so its always a treat to get to go to one. Kennedy thinks we are AT Disney World every time haha

they could have spent hours in this castle, a princess appears in the mirror!

this was her pick! she picked {& was determined to carry} them out all by herself! they are cutest tea pots EVER!

bad as big as them!!

We walked several more blocks to eat dinner at the Rain Forest Cafe

Kennedys pick was this "punzal" doll! 

The Rain Forest Cafe overall was a great experience. I swear the girls barely ate a thing they couldn't stop smiling. The food, was horrible. Like horrible. Most the time I would be livid are our bill for such disgusting food, but the smiles on the girls faces & the experience,  is really what we paid for, so that made it ok for me.

Rainforest Cafe Chicago

We sat right next to a aquarium full of "dorys" & "nemos" she was THRILLED.

It was finally time to head home.

We stopped by the Married with Children fountain, which is what we like to call it. That thing is HUGE. 

The girls were out by this point. & it started raining. NO fun walk in. 

Overall, it was the best day-cation ever! it was just what needed. To get away for day & just spend time as family!

why do men always ruin pictures? he does not kiss like this, just HAD to be goofy.

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Toddler Learning: Name Recognition

I have had such good responses to these post, & have SO many to post. 

But somehow, I forget to take pictures to be able to do the post! 

Like for example this one, was from months ago; but I dug it up on Instagram!

 This is week is name recognition!

Things you will need:

-Paper

-Index Cards

-Tape/Glue

-Marker

Benefits:

-MATCHING: Colors & Letters. At first it will be the color, which is key to use more than one color for their name. This will help with problem solving as they start to notice, I have 2 blues, but one has a A and one has a B.

-RECOGNITION: Letters & Name. This is just getting your tot familiar with letters & their name. After a million times of playing this game, Kennedy can fully recognize her name when put in front of her. or finding something with her name on it.

-FINE MOTOR: Using those pinchers to pick up the small cards!

Read Below to find out how to make your game:

How To:

I had a extra long paper on hand, which was handy since she had a longer name.

I cut colored index colors into squares. I wrote {i did upper case but your can either or} the letters of her name twice on to the same colored squares.

Then took packing tape to tape down on the paper.

& there you have it easy peasy.

Show your tot how to do it first, as always.

They learn by example.

Say the letters out loud for them.

When my girl gets really excited she will try to put the pink E on the pink K not looking, & will look at me & I will give her a "nooo" & she will place it on the other.

After awhile they will get why that specific color is different then the other one that is the same color.

This is a really simple activity & has so many ways for that little brain to learn!

Click Below for the other Toddler Learning posts I have done:

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Summer Bucket List

Here in Indiana we didn't have a "bad winter" really, it was just LONG.

Lord, did we need some warmth in a bad way.

My mood needed it, & the girls need to RUN.

The past several weeks have been "summer warm" & we have taken full advantage.

We have spent from morning til evening outside.

My shoulders are a testament to that, they are FRIED.

There are so many good things about the warm weather around here:

Kennedy for one has a much better attitude, she is a different child after being able to run & play out all that energy she has built up!

Kensley loves it too, she really getting to experience it for the first time since she was a itty bitty last summer! Now that she is walking, she is constantly trying to keep up with her sister! & doing a great job trying!

& other plus' besides my mood & the girls' is also my house stays clean because we play outside all day, which really is a reason for us all to be happy ;)

That & I totally love summer clothes; dressing the girls every morning is so fun, but really when isn't it?

So since I am actually blogging & be consistent I give you our Summer Bucket List of 2013. Where I will be updating every time we cross one off! It is gonna look alot like last years, but its going to be alot easier now that Kensley is older!

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Car Seat Safety Week!

Its car seat safety week!

I am not getting into RF vs FF, cause well I am just not.

That is your choice & my choice until the law changes it one way or the other; or maybe it already has in your state! 

So breathe, this is not a debate you will find here!

But I felt the need to post a few things, mostly because I became crazy unaware after my friend just had a baby & she had NO clue how to properly belt put baby her in a car seat. No one had told her, not even the hospital!

I am not gonna sit here & lecture you. Whether you have a top rated car seat, or the one you could afford on your budget; properly putting your baby in that car seat if crucial.

I grew up that I was barely in a car seat, after my bucket seat; I was in a car seat with no belt just a bar that went over me. Heck I even rode in the front seat in that thing. I wasn't in that long, & I was carseatless. My mom has my girls alot, & car seat safety just hasn't been apart of her world for a long time. She will throw the girls in the car seats & not think about it, until we sat her down & showed her. You don't know unless someone shows you! & Now we have Kennedy remind her every time she puts her in her "ca-seat" she will say "safety first nana" :)

So I am showing you!

First the chest clip. Its called that for a reason.

Not to be far down on their belly! for their CHEST.

It needs to be armpit level.

Car Seat Safety- Chest Clip

 The side impact head rest should be at chin level, or I have heard below ears!

Car Seat Safety. Side impact head rest.

Also, the belt should not be able to be pinched. I don't encourage the two finger under rule!

I hope this will help maybe a mom to  be, or a mom that sees they are putting their child in improperly!

Carseat safety is just something you can't just be so so about. Each & every time you put them in the car it need to be done properly. & remind those that take your child places do they are also educated & you have a mind at ease knowing your child is safe. 

This is your child's life.

Take carseat safety seriously!

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Currently

Go link up with Harvesting Kale!

THIS WEEKS THEMES:

hoping, reading, wearing, making, planning 

Kennedy & Kensley are currently...

Hoping to go to the zoo, each of them. There is a rare morning that Kennedy doesn't wake up asking to see 

monkeys! Kensley joins right in "mon-ees" she tried to yell with her sister!

Reading right now the girls' favorite that gets brought to me thru out the day is "Bernstein Bears No More TV" & two Brooke Shields books, "Its the best day ever, ever' & "welcome to your world, baby" Kennedy thinks the illustrations of of the two girls are her & her sister! They are such fun books!

Wearing Kennedy as always, if on a non pants plan for life, luckily now that its warm enough, she can wear dresses everyday, & generally she does! She will yellow "momma NO PANTS today" Kensley may or may not mostly likely be wearing a matching to dress to her sister every day :)

Making so thankful. I love these two girls more & more every day.

Planning to go to the zoo of course! :) Hoping we can get there before the weekend!

I am currently...

Hoping I start to see more progress in my weight loss..I am getting discouraged!

Reading I am actually for once not "currently" reading something. My kindle died & I can't find the charger. But, I am half way thru "Sparkly Green Earrings" that so car has been amazing, just need to finish!

Wearing workout clothes, all day everyday. Well and when I am not in those, I am loving my new jersey knit maxi skirts from WALMART 12.99 yall. Amaze-balls.

Making a wreath for my front door! Excited to share!

Planning to miss my husband this weekend, he will be gone at the badlands! Girls weekend it is!

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Mothers Day

I think when I think about Mothers Day I imagined this day, of me relaxing in a clean a house & the children being taken care. Kind of a day not to be a momma, if you will.

The night before Mother Day we set up a huge bed in the middle of living room floor to have a Toy Story marathon. We only got thru about half of Toy Story but it was the perfect way to start off Mother Day.

We all kinda got to sleep in. Mostly becauase Kennedy was sick, we had  HUGE change in weather it from high 70s to high 40s & it got her nose all runny & coughy. Brandon made me breakfast in bed & I got cards from each my babies. I came downstairs & was appalled at the way the house looked. It was a wreck.

I started cleaning which is something I did not want to be doing. & boy did I let it be known, slamming things & huffing and puffing. Brandon takes over 40 mins {yeah, i don't get it either} to do the dishes & I cleaned the living room, & re organized & cleaned the playroom while taking care of the girls, giving back a toy & sippy to each one as the other took it away.

The girls napped & I went upstairs & laid in bed & cried. ONE day I wanted ONE day to not have to clean. I came downstairs & let the husband have it. I cried I didn't want to clean,i didn't want to break up fights, deal with the crying baby, I know he works hard too but he can go days with out having to clean, reprimand a child, or even change a diaper {not by choice but his work hours leave him leaving & coming home generally when they are sleeping} My days consist day of cleaning, feed, wipe butts & faces, clean, break up fights, clean, wipe, repeat.

Being a momma is tough work, that is no secret. I feel like I have had my share of genuine hard work & job, & this mom gig is truly the hardest thing ive ever done. ever.

Brandon apologized, gave me my gifts, & apologized some more. I felt better. I went upstairs to get ready to go out to eat & everything kind of hit me like a ton of bricks.

Some of you may have spent yesterday, being able to sit & just kinda be, having things handled. Or maybe you spent the day by yourself out & about all alone. I spent my Mothers Days being just that, a Mother, the one thing I pray & dreamt of, the one thing I love more than anything else in this world.

I am always learning new ways for me to be a better person, wife & momma. & while I was getting ready I figured out I need to be positive.

Yesterday I got breakfast in bed, beautiful cards, the dishes were done by someone else, I got to lay down by myself, I got showered with gifts which included a pandora braclet with charms for each of my babies, I got to go out to dinner & not cook, I got so many kisses & hugs & 'I love yous' from my girls & felt so much love & appreciation for what I do every day.

Today I am back to doing just what I was doing yesterday, without a extra hand, I am doing dishes myself & I will be cooking dinner not Olive Garden.

So really, friends, that made for the perfect Mothers Day.

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Coffee Date

This is my first coffee date link up with Rags to Stitches!

I thought it would be fun! 

Join in! 

The first half of the video is comical, so watch for a good laugh haha ;)

Some things I talk about:

-Kennedy going to preschool

-my adventure in taking care of wild rabbits

-my photography business

-warm weather

HAVE A GREAT MOTHERS DAY WEEKEND!!!

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It gets harder, but it gets eaiser

A huge question I get asked alot is how it is having two young children so close together.

When I had 2 under 2 most woman looked at me like I had 2 heads. 2 GIRLS less than 2 years apart? & you did it on purpose?

sniff, so small

I often hear "wow you have your hands full" which while we are here, lets just get this out to all of you; don't say that phrase just don't. I for one do not take it as any form of a compliment & while im juggling my 2 children, diaper bag, sippy cup, half eatten toddler apple & talking yelling  my husband cursing about his work hours for the millionth time trying to get the door open you just stand there with a smirk on your face & say "wow looks like you havey our hands full" just open the damn door for me, & shut up. I CLEARLY know I have my hand full, thankyouverymuch.

So back to what I was saying it a common question on how "hard" it is. & I am not quiet on how hard this mom gig is for me but the whole 2 under 2 {even tho we are past that now} get eaiser & it get harder.

How you ask? While Kensley got more independent, like playing with her sister which made it eaiser it also made it harder cause now they can fight over whose baby doll they want, hit each other & "she stole my juice, momma GIVE IT BACK SISSY" ahhh. & now that Kensleys walking, boy does that make thing easier. But that also makes things harder cause well..KENSLEYS WALKING.

So often I am asked this from mommas who are on the fence on adding a little nugget to their family & my biggest advice?

All the things that got better, or got harder really doesn't matter at the end of day. There is such bigger things that I think about when I lay down my head every night. Like how Kennedy kissed her sister for no reason or being told to do so yesterday or how Kensley tried fixing her sisters bow this morning.

You will never regret having another child, but you will regret not having one.

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All if fair in love &...sisters?

Do you ever get mom guilt?

If you have more than one child, do you ever get guilt for doing one thing with one & not the other?

Recently Kennedy got a brand new bike.

A day went by & it was eating me up inside, that Kennedy had gotten something & Kensley had not.

 

So I went out & got her one of those little people disney sets of Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs!

Do you ever do this?

Will I ever feel like "you don't have to get something just because your sister did"?
 

Make me feel better...  or worse?

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Mama Memoirs:Two Different Little Girls

It's no secret us as mommas, whether we mean to or not, whether we admit or not, we compare.

It a horrid thing we do. & while Ive gotten better now with having two, when Kennedy was born I was always comparing..Oh Cindy Loo is doing this, should she should too? ect.

When I say Ive gotten better, what I mean is to compare them others.

& a lesson Ive recently learned in the past year?

Don't compare them to each other. Each other meaning, their siblings.

When Kensley was born, she looked just like Kennedy. Seriously it was crazy.

But far from them being alike were they!

More frequently then I would like to admit I would say "Kennedy was doing {this} by then, why isn't Kensley?" or even "Wow Kensley is doing {this} way before Kennedy ever did"

The first few weeks I thought, Yup just like her sister. Sleeps 24/7 easy going baby.

Then everything changed.

Kensley was colicky baby with every sense of the word. Kennedy was the seriously easiest baby, it was almost odd, just how easy she was.

& now? with two TODDLERS {whoa thats weird}

Kensley is shy, conservative but so bubbly. She hates to be cuddled, she is all "let me be,mom". She will be so quite then BAM her personality come out full force. She is a total dork & brings SO much color in my life. She is such a {so far} easy toddler. Just goes with the flow. 

Kennedy? This child. Is the epitome of "terrible twos". This girl can throw a tantrum. like crazy tantrums. She is kinda like a sour patch kid. She can be sour but oh so sweet. She is my cuddler, asks to be held, will prompt me to "come aye wif me momma". She is either the sweetest child I've ever meet or the most crazy laying on the floor screaming!

It's something I am learning. Each of my children are different. They grow & do things at their own speeds. I love each of their personalities but how boring would it be to have one & not the other? Kensley brings that color to my life, & Kennedy warms my heart with warm hugs; I can't imagine my life with out one or the other. I almost defiantly wouldn't want them to be like each other. Each of them bring so much to our family.

They make my life so fun, & I love that they are each their own person. 

Perfect in every way.

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