How I became a SAHM..

I remember growing up and dreaming about what life would be like as a mommy. In my dreams, I had the perfect house, best behaved kids and Marky Mark as my husband.. {dreaming big!}

Well, when the time came and we found out that we were going to have a baby, I freaked! I was so excited to become a mommy, but was so scared since Hubs and I had only been dating 4 months. I had always wanted Marriage, House and then Family. Well, I guess I was destined to do it all backwards..

After I had DJ, I went back to work at the daycare and was there for about a month before finally quitting. It was great that I could take DJ with me, but the pay was going to gas and I was only part time. I got another job as a CSR at a Temp Agency and had to put DJ into daycare. It killed me to know that someone else would be seeing all of his firsts and loving him.

I was at that job for about three months and then the day came..

I got fired.

It was a lousy excuse on their part, but I was still hurt. I had never been fired from a job, EVER! I hated making cold calls, but I still did them. When I got home, Dave said that it would be easier and would save us money if I just stayed home. He also said that he would prefer me to stay home, since he grew up in a home with a sahm. I was a little taken back by it, but agreed.

For the first few weeks, It was great! I loved playing with my baby boy and not having to get up crazy early.. But then it got so boring. {Don't get me wrong, I love my kids} I was so excited when Dave got home from work because I would be able to have an adult conversation. I never really thought I would have been like that. It made me see how much I took my job outside of my home for granted.

Now with three kids, I don't have time for anything.. haha! Dave said that when they are all in school, I can go back to school or get a job. I told Dave to not hold his breath about it though. I love staying home with my kids, but I cherish those adult convos and adult interaction.

Dave said one of the best things ever a few weeks ago:

"I honestly have no idea how you do it! I would have gone crazy!"

Hahahaha Amateur!

Off to make breakfast for the three munchkins..

He can't eat WHAT?!

Since Allen is Lactose Intolerant, I looked up everything he can and cannot have..
This poor little guy can't have anything fun. I really hope he grows out of it!

Yesterday, I made grilled cheese and when he was done, he had red splotches around his mouth :( I felt so bad.. I gave him some benadryl and it cleared up..

So here is the long list of Good Foods & Bad Foods...

DAIRY

*No Lactose: You may eat or drink these lactose free dairy foods any time.
Canned nutrition drinks made with soy instead of milk, such as Ensure™
Lactose free milk
Non-dairy creamers (read labels to be sure)
Rice milk drinks
Soy milks

*Do not eat or drink the following dairy foods because they contain lactose.
Some cheeses - generally aged cheese contains less lactose, soft and processed cheeses contain higher levels of lactose
Buttermilk
Cheese spreads and cheese foods
Cottage and ricotta cheese
Cream
Evaporated & condensed milk
Hot chocolate mixes
Ice cream
Kefir cultured milk drink
Malted milk
Milk (Skim, 1%, 2%, whole)
Processed and natural cheeses
Reduced lactose milk
Sherbet
Sour cream
Sweet acidophilus or lactobacillus milk
Whey
Yogurt with or without live cultures

BREADS & STARCHES

*No Lactose: You may eat or these lactose free breads and starches any time.
Breads made without milk, such as Italian & French breads
Cereals made without milk
Pasta, noodles, macaroni
Potatoes, rice, barley, other cooked grains
Rice cakes without cheese topping
Saltines and whole grain crackers

*Do not eat the following bread and starch foods because they contain lactose.
Dry cereal with milk
Frozen potato foods with milk or lactose
Instant mashed potato mixes
Prepared breads, muffins, biscuits, or rolls made with milk
Pancakes or waffles made with milk products

FATS

*No Lactose: You may eat or drink these lactose free fats any time.
Margarine without butter or milk (check labels)
Non-dairy creamers (check labels)
Oils
Shortenings
Some salad dressings (check labels)
*Do not eat or drink the following fats because they contain lactose.
Butter
Cream cheese
Margarines with butter or milk
Party dips

FRUITS & VEGETABLES

*No Lactose: You may eat or drink these lactose free fruits and vegetables any time.
All fresh fruits & vegetables
Cooked or baked fruits & vegetables made without milk products
Fruit & vegetable juices

*Do not eat or drink the following fruit and vegetable foods because they contain lactose.
Creamed vegetables
Fruit smoothies made with yogurt
Fruits or vegetables processed with lactose
Vegetables coated in batter

MEATS & MEAT SUBSTITUTES

*No Lactose: You may eat these lactose free meats and meat substitutes any time.
All fresh cooked, plain meats, fish, & poultry
Cooked dried peas & beans
Eggs cooked without milk
Peanut butter, nuts, & seeds
Soy cheeses
Soybean & tofu products

*Do not eat the following meats and meat substitutes because they contain lactose.
Breaded or batter-dipped meat, fish, or poultry
Main dishes with cheese such as pizza, burritos, tacos, or casseroles
Meats in cream sauces
Omelets or souffles with milk
Processed meats with milk or lactose (hot dogs, cold cuts, deli meats)

SOUPS, SAUCES, & SEASONINGS

*No Lactose: You may eat or drink these lactose free soups, sauces, and seasonings any time.
Broth, bouillon, consommé
Gravies made with water
Plain herbs & spices
Vegetable or meat soups without milk

*Do not eat the following soups, sauces, and seasonings because they contain lactose.
Chowders
Cream soups
Soup mixes with milk products
Whipped cream
White sauces & gravies

SWEETS & DESSERTS:

*No Lactose: You may eat or drink these lactose free sweets and desserts any time.
Angel food cake
Dairy-free frozen desserts made with rice or soy
Frozen pureed fruit bars
Fruit ices & sorbets
Gelatin desserts without milk or whipped cream
Honey, sugar, syrups, molasses, & powdered sweeteners
Jellies, jams, preserves
Pies, cakes, other baked foods without milk
*Do not eat or drink the following sweets & desserts because they contain lactose.
Cookies, cakes, pies, pastries, desserts with milk
Cream or cheese filled pastries
Fudge, coated candies, & chocolates
Pudding & custard
Sherbet, ice milk, ice cream
Toffee, butterscotch, or caramels
Whipped cream

FOOD INGREDIENTS THAT OFTEN CONTAIN LACTOSE

Milk powder
Milk protein
Milk solids
Nonfat dry milk
Whey
Whey solids or protein

{via}

My Big T-Baller!!

How is it possible that my first born is already old enough for team sports?!?

This afternoon, the kids and I headed to the park to register DJ for T-Ball!! I am so freaking excited!! And the best part, It was FREE!! This was the first year that they brought back Free T-Ball for Sunrise Little League. Plus they get the usual Jersey and Hat too! We just have to purchase the pants, socks, cleats, helmet and bat.

Dave is a little bummed that his 1st team sport isn't soccer, but I am! {I secretly dislike soccer} Dave has been playing soccer for 20+ years. I already have a list of things to get. Oh and me being the crazy whack job that I am, I signed up to be a Team Parent and Fundraising.. Lord help me!

After he was registered, I let the kids play on the playground at the park for a little bit. When it was time to leave, DJ got a little frustrated because he thought we were there so he could play. There were tryouts going on for the older kids. I told him that they were for the older kids and that he was going to play in a few weeks. I let him watch the tryouts for about 10 minutes and then we headed to the car.

He was so sad that he didn't get to play today, but is really excited to go shopping for all of his goodies! Picture day is on 3/3 and his First Game is on 3/10!! Dave is going to do everything in his power to be at his first game {he works on Saturdays}. I have already sent out a mass text to all the family, inviting them to the game! He is going to have the biggest cheering crowd!

Oh, I am definitely getting one of these shirts!!!

{source}



I now want to get Reagan into something fun.. I wanted to do Girl Scouts, but she has to be 5 years old. So far, here are the suggestions I have for her:

- Gymnastics
- Ballet
- Tap
- Cheer/Dance
- ?

She is so tiny and not very coordinated, so we will see.. ;)

Have a great Saturday!

Mommy, You paint my nail?!

I'm linking up with Tara at Fabulous but Evil this afternoon for

Today I am wearing -

Secret Admirer

By

Sinful Color

Even though its black, I love this color because of the sparkle!

A certain 3 year old is now begging me to paint her nails :)

I love my girly girl!

xo

Tag, I'm it!

The Rules


1. You must post the rules and link back to who tagged you.
2. Post eleven fun facts about yourself in your blog post.
3. Answer the questions set for you, and then create eleven new questions to ask the people you tag.
4. Tag however many people you want.
5. Let them know you've tagged them!

Eleven Facts About Me:

1. I am the oldest of three girls.
2. Dave and I had only been dating 4 months when we found out we were pregnant with DJ... Eeek!
3. I am determined to go sky diving this summer!
4. I love scary movies, but get completely freaked out and let my mind wander too far..
5. All three of our kids were "Surprises!"
6. I love planning parties.. I already have DJ & Regs party lined up and I am paying for it next week. (party is not until June/July..)
7. I had blond hair until I hit my 20's and then it turned brown..
8. My biggest pet peeve is people who chew with their mouths open. It drives me freaking crazy!
9. I have my dream house picked out already, I just need to win the lottery ;)
10. I am the worst at saving money..
11. It took me forever to think of these...

Eleven Questions Asked By Kerri for Me:

1. What kinds of things do you do every single day, without fail?
Uuummm... take the kids to school, Dave to work, drink water... oh and do laundry *bleh

2. When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I wanted to be an EMT Paramedic or a Labor and Delivery Nurse...

3. Aside from immediate family, who would you like to be stranded on a desert island with?
Tough one... Probably Shannon, Sassy's or Snarks ;)

4. Who would play you in a movie?
I would love for either Reese Witherspoon or Rachel McAdams :)

5. What are your top 3 favourite television shows?
- Secret Life. {don't hate!!}
- Las Vegas {reruns}
- Storage Wars

6. What is your most favourite meal?
Sushi, Lobster or a nice piece of Steak..

7. Do you have an annoying/bad habit?
Yes...

8. What 3 destinations do you dream of visiting one day?
- Hawaii
- Paris
- Australia

9. When was the last time you swam in the ocean?
I would have to say, Summer of 2002 in Maine.

10. What do you need to do more of?
Keep a set schedule and make better use of my time...

11. What was the last book you read?
I'm pretty sure it was the Lauren Conrad's LA Candy Series.. haha



My Questions For You:
{Since Kerri's q's were so great, I thought I would share some of them with you!}
1. What kinds of things do you do every single day, without fail?

2. When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
3. Aside from immediate family, who would you like to be stranded on a desert island with?
4. Who would play you in a movie?
5. What are your top 3 favourite television shows?
6. What is your most favorite meal?
7. Do you have an annoying/bad habit?
8. What 3 destinations do you dream of visiting one day?
9. What is the number one thing you need when you are sick {minus meds}?
10. What do you need to do more of?
11. What would you do if you won the lottery?

Have Fun Lovelies!!

Jess @ Here Comes The Sun
Bunnie @ My Life Comes With Fine Print
Bethany @ Growing Each Day
Tara @ Our Journey
Karli @ California Dreamin'

Lactose Free, Please!

When we started making the transition from formula to cows milk with Allen around 11 months old, I noticed that he would get horrible diarrhea and gas pains. {nice way to start a post, right?!}

So we we started mixing 1/2 formula and 1/2 milk, thinking that he is getting too much or his tummy is just trying to adjust to a new change. That lasted about a week and the diarrhea and gas pains were back :( I felt so bad because he was in so much pain. It finally subsided for a few weeks and I thought his tummy was finally liking the cows milk..

boy was i wrong...

Everything mentioned above came back and they brought a diaper rash with it. Allen's poor bottom was so bad, we had to use 2 types of cream. I decided to pick up some Lactose Free milk from the store the other day  hoping that it was just a lactose Intolerant thing..

oh.my.goodness.

My little boy is happy again!! Everything is going away and he is finally sleeping at night again {minus the once a night whimper}. It amazes me how one little thing can change the way your body feels and make you feel so horrible. He has been on Lactose Free milk for 5 days and is doing fabulous!

All three kids were on special formula as infants.. DJ was on Gentlease, Reagan was on Nutramigen and Allen was on Soy for 2 months. Lets hope that he will eventually grow out of this and be able to drink regular milk!!

I have a few Fun Posts in the works for the next two weeks!!

- Review & Giveaway Announcement!!

- How I became a SAHM..

- Free Printables Post!

- How I survived Colic..

- Ask Me Anything Post!

- And many more!!!

Hope you all have a fabulous Friday!!!

It's Ok, Thursday..

Today I am linking up with Amber...

It's Ok...

- That I have a huge mound of clean clothes on my bed waiting to be folded, hung and put away and I probably won't get to it for another 4+ hours..

- If I need at least 3 pieces of paper under the piece I am writing on..

- If my house is a disaster until the kids either take a nap or go to bed.. Whats the point in cleaning if its going to get thrashed within 8.2 seconds?!

- To have Mommy Time and not feel guilty... We need our sanity back..

- That this is the first time I am linking up for It's Ok, Thursday!!

What's Ok With You Today?!

Go link up!

What I'm Loving Wednesday...

Linking up for WILW but I thought I would switch it up and make it

What My Kids Are Loving, Wednesday!

DJ is loving....

Mack Hauler with Shake n' Go Lightning Mcqueen - Cars & Cars 2 are favorites in this house, so of course this would be one of his favorite toys!

Just Dance Nickelodeon - My child is a video game junkie. No Lie! If I let him, he would be playing wii 24/7. He is great at a lot of games and if you know my son, he is a dancing fool!

Reagan is loving....

Memory Fish Bath Game - This game is super fun! Reagan will stay in the bath for hours if I let her. This game is great for learning!

Tea Set - I honestly have never been to so many tea parties in my life ;) Reagan loves to have tea parties. If I can't play at the moment, she will line up all of her favorite stuffed animals and have her own tea party! She is amazing at pretend play!

Allen is loving....

Crayola Beginnings - Baby Jumbles - This is an amazing sensory product and they are so easy to link together. Allen loves to make them bounce. 

Crazy Legs Learning Bug - He thinks its the funniest thing when he pushes in the bee and the shapes all fly out..

And Moi:

I am loving my 47lb weight loss so far!! If you want to see more pictures or follow my weight loss journey, come on over to my weight loss blog!!

Have a great Wednesday!!!!

Don't forget to link up!

Week 3: Birthday Recap!!

Oh.My.Goodness....

This past 4 days have been completely chaotic, to say the least..

Allen's birthday party was sunday and I felt like I was running around like a mad woman.. I had so much to do but just not enough time to do it all.. I was sad that I didn't get to do a few things, so that kinda put me in a funk.. Not to mention the husband barely helped me.. He saw how stressed I was getting and I was asking him for help, so he would do the bare minimum and then go sit back down and play the wii with the kids.. Grrr!

Anyways..

The party was great and everyone had a lot of fun, especially the Birthday Boy! He had no idea what was going on and was just excited that everyone was around him. He got lots of goodies and we are so thankfull for our family and friends!!

{The Birthday Boy!! He was so excited when he saw that his friend Ava came :)}

{And this beauty right here is Miss. Ava! I absolutely adore her! I got a few ideas for Allen's party from her party! It was super cute!!}

{Cousins playing... Reagan is basically Courtney's shadow. Whatever C does, Regs has to do right after her!}

{Some of the peeps watching the football game!}

{So Allen brought two juices over and gave the berry one to Ava.. Well, Ava didn't want that one, so she tossed it on the floor and tried to take Allens... hahaha! So Allen picked them both up and walked away! }

{Allen got lots of jammies! He needed them badly! I love that he sat in my lap the whole time and did not want to open a single present.. Until we got to a certain present a few pics down!}

{Looking at his new plates!! DJ insisted on helping and would not let me touch the bags.. lol He loved helping Allen open the presents too! }

{He now has his own set of blocks!! DJ and Reagan don't like letting Allen play with theirs because he will chew on them.. LOL Now he has his own and the older two want to play with his..}

{Just Chillin...}

{My Beautiful Baby Girl!! I love her so much!!}

{You see that fork in his hand... That my friend, is the only thing he wanted to play with. Out of all his toys and clothes, that is what he chose.. lol stinker! Also, he got a Cardboard Rocketship! My Sister In Law and Brother In Law get the kids the most unique gifts! I love it!!}

{There is that fork again... }

{Singing happy birthday to him.. He wasn't that amused with our singing, but who can blame him.. hahaha}

{Digging In!!!! He loved it!!}

{As you can tell...}

{My Sweets Table! It had Cupcakes, Licorice, Ring Pops, Hershey Kisses, Sugar Cookies, Triple Double Oreos dipped in white & milk chocolate, Lollipops, Juice, Chocolate Milk and Raisins. Yummy!!}

Saturday was my dads birthday.. I saw a fun fathers day candy card on pinterest and switched it up for a birthday card! My dad loved it and thought it was so creative! I had so much fun making it!!

Happy Tuesday!!!

Almost Party Time...

Things are coming together for Allen's party this weekend! I am so excited!

Last night I was showing Dave all of the decorations and things I made for Allen's party, and he says "Why didn't you do any of this for DJ & Reagan?" I said "Because Pinterest didn't exist 3+ years ago!" hahahaha

Here are some of the goodies that keep cramping my hands...

{Thank You's for the candy bags}

{Thank You List}

{Food Labels}

{Cupcake Toppers}

{Water Bottle Wraps}

{Allen's Time Capsule!}

Hope you all have a great thursday!!

Oh, How Pinteresting..

Linking up today :)

Source: etsy.com via Breanna on Pinterest

Source: pinterest.com via Breanna on Pinterest

Source: Uploaded by user via Breanna on Pinterest

Source: blog.bitsofeverything.com via Breanna on Pinterest

Source: homeiswithyou.com via Breanna on Pinterest

Happy Wednesday!!!