Sometimes a break from your routine is the very thing you need

...and that's what I'm doing, taking a break, especially from blogging. I have been enjoying my family so much, and the beautiful weather that I couldn't imagine taking time away to blog, at least regularly. Now I'm not quitting, and I'll still be posting here and there, but I really want to focus on life in the now so I can have memories to post about.

I do want to share some Easter pictures though because it was such a wonderful day for us. It was so relaxing and it was finally a day where it was all about our little family of four. We woke up early, like usual, and I went downstairs first to make sure everything was perfect. Once Braxton and Ava were downstairs they got to rummage through their baskets. They each got a shirt, a book, some bunny ears, and a stuffed animal. Ava's basket had some little sunglasses and some organic toothpaste and little baby toothbrush. Her eggs were filled with cereal puffs. Braxton got some sidewalk chalk and different Easter chocolate because we opened up his new toothbrush and toothpaste early. I really try to keep things simple for them.

Yay, chocolate before 7 am.

After we had French toast for breakfast, I went out and hid some Easter eggs for Braxton around our yard. It was his first time hunting for eggs and he was a natural!

I had Ava in the sling during the Easter egg hunt but since it was so beautiful outside, and warm finally, we decided to stay outside and clean up our yard and play. We don't use the exersaucer much at all but she loved being outside in it for just a little while. 

Monday's Obsessions

We had a week with pretty decent weather so it was fun to get out a little more. On Saturday we went out to Syracuse to drop something off at one of Brian's friend's house and since we didn't have anything else to do, Brian took us out to dinner. I'm about to brag because BOTH OF MY CHILDREN were perfect. Usually Ava is fine because she's really interested in food but Braxton isn't the type to take out to dinner. It was the least stressful outing in a long time, I'm so proud of him! Starting today Braxton is on Spring break from school so I'm hoping we can get out a few times and do some fun stuff with him. I'm thinking the zoo and maybe a trip to see the Easter Bunny...

I did a little DIY wreath for Spring. It's simple, which is what I love. The wreath is from Salvation Army that I got for $2 and the floral accents are from Hobby Lobby. The vine of roses was under $4 and the peony was just about $5. Now if only Brian could paint the front door it would look perfect! That's a husband for you though haha 

I'm totally in love with everything from Jessica Alba last night at the MTV Movie Awards. Her outfit, hair, makeup, and that tan. Ugh, so many heart eyes for her. 

Baked Ravioli is a hit in our house. I've made it countless times and this time Ava got to have some, and loved it. For us, I add a pound of either ground hamburger or turkey meat and an extra jar of vegetable pasta sauce and it's perfect for my carnivorous family. (You kind of need the extra sauce if you add meat.)

The show Nashville on ABC has been my guilty pleasure since it first aired. I actually love some country music, and the show's soundtracks are great. Don't Put Dirt On My Grave Just Yet is one song that's always in my head. 

Tomorrow there's going to be a blood moon that will be visible in the US! There will actually be a few visible this year which is interesting. I'm hoping the weather is cooperative, and not cloudy so we can see it.

26 Words That Have A Totally Different Meaning When You're A Parent

Instead of dying Easter eggs this year, I think we'll be trying this with crayons. It seems less messy and we have loads of crayons to work with. 

For a little treat, I plan on making Rice Krispy Easter eggs. I love how they're dipped and sprinkled! 

Totally having a moment with H&M currently…I love this dress, for Ava's room these curtains would be perfect, and I always love wedges.


Here's to a good week xx 

Mother's Day gifts

Mother's Day is just a month away, on May 11th, and I wanted to share some fun gift ideas. My husband Brian needs some help with gifts at times…for example: my first Mother's Day, he got me a card and a car air freshener. Yeah, it wasn't what I had expected, but to be fair I kept telling him that I didn't want anything and he didn't have to get me anything. There are times when that's true, when I really don't want or need anything, but I would be lying if I said I didn't want to be celebrated on Mother's Day. It's a day that reminds me of all the changes I have gone through, and it's special to me. Now I have to say, Brian is much better and I don't think he will ever gift a air freshener again, but it can't ever hurt to drop some hints or give ideas for other moms out there...

Family Tree, Leopard print Vans, Candle Holder, Basket, Succulents, Metal Plant Container, Rayban aviators, Apron

With Spring here, I'm trying to spruce up the house and I would love little things to decorate with. H&M has great stuff for the home and it's all so affordable! Actually, the metal plant container is on sale for an amazing price and you can also use a coupon code (1418) for 25% off any one item online. Last week we bought a plant for the living room (I'm crossing my fingers that I don't kill it) and that container would look perfect for it. H&M also has curtains I want for Ava's bedroom but that's for another time haha I love the idea of having a family tree hung on the wall and Etsy has so many but the one I chose is perfect for keeping things simple.

I always tell Brian not to buy me a bouquet of flowers, instead buy me flowers we can plant outside. I love hanging flower baskets for the front porch and cute little annuals for our flower beds. I don't have a green thumb so he's always the one that's planting them but still…they last so much longer and they add some curb appeal so it's a win win. I have my eye on those succulents but also I like the idea of a lilac shrub somewhere…if only our yard was bigger.

For a little material-ness, I wanted to go with some Raybans because I really do need a new pair of sunglasses (I use prescription sunglasses because I'm that blind) and a pair of Vans. I don't think I'm too old for leopard print, right? I'm the kind of person that thinks leopard print is a neutral. The apron is something I should really use because I'm always messing up "nice" shirts of mine while I'm cooking. I have an apron that is almost too embarrassing to wear so a cute floral one would be hard not to put on.

Honestly, sure I would love all of the things I posted but the most important thing for me is to spend a day with Brian, Braxton, and Ava just relaxing. No cleaning or cooking for the day, because who wants to do that on Mother's Day? All I ask is that I get some carrot cake…

What's on your list for Mother's Day?

Why do I blog?

I have been thinking lately of the whole blogging thing...is there a point in it? When I started this blog, I mostly did it for myself, so I could stick to something and have a way to talk about things special and important to me. I don't care if I get crazy recognition and I'm also not trying to be something I'm not. Do I want people to read what I write? Obviously, but I'm not vying for attention. My life really isn't too interesting so I see that my blog isn't everyone's cup of tea and that's fine. I'm a  25 year old, stay at home mom of two little children, and I've been married for under 5 years...it's quite obvious I'm no expert on anything, why would anyone come to my blog to read what I have to say?

My "life" over on Instagram is fun, I enjoy sharing our little moments there and I enjoy the friendships I have made there even more. For years I have been private but since starting this blog I have made myself public, and I have let basically everyone in to our family life. I remember not caring about posting the perfect picture, all I wanted to do was share something funny that Braxton did, even if it was blurry or the lighting was off. Now it's about having the best shot and you don't just use the Instagram filters, no...you branch out and use different apps to filter the picture to make it "better" because that's what everyone does now. I get it, we are all visual people, but are we losing our realness? It's giving me a headache even thinking about because it's totally First World Problems and the social media world that we live in. I'm a recovering over-sharer on Instagram because of this blog. I have to consciously not post something there because "what if I want to post it on my blog? Am I going to annoy people with double pictures?" Ugh, who cares?!

Maybe I should have known this already but blogging/social media is no different than anything else...it helps to know someone, who knows someone. Is it wrong of me to be annoyed with that? I don't think I'm the only one. People don't want to follow someone unless they're already established, or there's an incentive. What's the deal with not following new stuff, are people really that shallow? I'm not scared, or embarrassed, to follow someone I don't know and it's not because I want to lurk or because I'm trying to be weird...it's because I have a genuine interest and I'm happy to make new "friends" over the internet. What happened to that community? The whole follow to unfollow thing is annoying and nobody likes that. Branch out, follow some new people, you might make some actual friends that way.

I like the idea of blogging and by no means am I hating on it. I love that I can write about Braxton's speech delay and have people tell me that they too know how it feels. It's fun writing my Monday's Obsessions...I always try to include music, food, and some clothes because that's what I enjoy. When I did the Freshly Picked giveaway it was because I genuinely LOVE the product and I actively participate in giveaways myself. I want this blog to be somewhere I can go to share our life, not so I can climb an invisible ladder for some status. To be completely honest, I didn't realize how much time goes into a real blog post...it's definitely not easy! I wish I could write more posts but I'm doing what I can, with the time that I have. I have to say though, I really love doing it so that's all the reason I need.

Monday's Obsessions

Monday, we meet again. I'm happy to say that we are all healthy again! The weather is starting to get better, which is making me want to venture out and explore. I wish that there were more fun things around here to do...there's really not much, especially for little kids. The playgrounds are super muddy from melted snow and I don't always want to drive an hour+ and pay money for simple entertainment. Oh well, at least the sun is shining more now!

I canceled my gym membership over the weekend because I haven't been in about a month and a half. First it was sickness, then vacation, and now I don't really have an excuse not to go besides genuinely not having the time at the moment. No sense in wasting the money though! As soon as Braxton and Ava were asleep that night, I brought out the springtime Oreos from their hiding place in the pantry. I celebrated canceling my gym membership by eating a bunch of cookies apparently haha 

I ran into the Dollar Tree on Saturday to see if they had plain white paper lanterns and while I was in there Braxton insisted on picking out little glittery Easter eggs on sticks. Once we got home we decorated the front lawn with them. He thought it was the coolest thing ever and the look on his face was priceless. Side note- I really can't wait until our lawn is pretty and green again! 

I heard Stay With Me by Sam Smith and ever since I just want to keep it on repeat. 

By no means am I knocking the top knot thing but if I did this top knot like Katie Holmes it wouldn't be chic. I love how they say "around-town-effortless-chic" which basically means "mom hair" but normal ladies don't get praise for it haha 

I want a patio dining set so bad for when we start grilling outside...we just don't have a patio area haha 

10 reasons you should always ask for the window seat

We really need some updated wall decor and I'm dying over the DIY honeycomb shelves at A Beautiful Mess.

I'm not a fan of the #nomakeupselfie to "support" breast cancer and this article sums it up perfectly. 

I read Snooki's blog post that was floating around Facebook about her second pregnancy and I have to say, good for her. I don't care about the whole Jersey Shore show or anything but it's sad how people can be so negative to someone just because of past mistakes. It's amazing how much someone can grow up when they become a mom, I'm proof there as well. 

These parmesan zucchini sticks sound/look so good. I will be making them this week!

Loving this peplum tank and this hooded denim jacket. 

Ava STILL needs a rug in her room but because I'm so indecisive I can't pick anything and stay with it. However, I'm really liking this one right now.


Here's to a good week xx

Hello my TEN month old

There's so much personality in this little girl now. Ten months with her in our life and it's still so much fun. Ava is the little girl I always wanted. She's the greatest little sister to Braxton and you should see the way she lights up when she sees her dad come home from work. It's the making of a daddy's girl, for sure. Time is flying by and I can't believe she's almost one. 

Since we were on vacation when Ava was nine months old, there was no post on here but no worries though because I made sure to get a monthly picture of her then; green bow and all for St. Paddy's Day haha This month I had to do a little Easter theme, of course. The onesie came from Kohl's and the headband is from Mina Loves Bows and they matched perfectly. I'm really looking forward to using these monthly pictures for her first birthday coming up...

This past month has been interesting. Ava got three new teeth which makes SEVEN total teeth! Some days with teething weren't so bad but there were others that were totally rough. I'm still on the fence with amber teething necklaces but after this month I'm starting to think that they work. I can kind of see a difference with her when it's on compared to when it's off. 

You can really see that she has grown both physically and mentally the past few weeks. She's just about 18 lbs now, and she's quickly catching up with her brother in height so there's that. Braxton is a little vertically challenged like me haha She's eating so. damn. much. I ask myself more often if I should cut her off or if I should keep feeding her, it's that much. I'm so grateful that she loves food though, and she isn't picky, because it really helps when you have another picky eater on your hands. 

Please excuse the mess haha

Ava is so mobile now, and she's into everything. Luckily the house is still baby proofed from Braxton however I really have to keep an eye on her because she's in the stage of putting everything in her mouth. AKA all of Braxton's toys. I have to admit something...the other day she ate an orange crayon. Thankfully they're nontoxic but she had orange all over her face and in her little teeth. Oopps? One thing that I love so much now is that she's really starting to play with Braxton. It's probably one of the sweetest things to see and I'm so grateful for their age difference. It's a little funny though because where Braxton used to never leave her alone, because he was so curious of the new baby, now she won't leave him alone...it's payback, kid. 

I have so much fun being her mom, and I'm grateful that I have two beautiful, healthy children. There are days where it's rough with the two of them but I wouldn't trade it for the world. Looking into her pretty blue eyes, seeing that silly toothy smile just makes my heart burst. How did I get this lucky? As much as I have loved this baby stage, and I know I'm going to miss it when it's over, I'm really looking forward to seeing Ava as a toddler. By no means am I rushing it but there's no denying that it's happening way sooner than I think. 

Ramblings of a mom

We went out to Ithaca today to a place called Mama Goose that buys and sells baby and kid stuff. It was my first time going and I loved it. I sold some of Ava's clothes to make room for new ones and we also came home with a pizza set for Braxton. I let him pick anything he wanted and he chose that. It's amazing how someone's "old" toy can bring so much happiness to another kid and today, that's my kid. He has been playing with it ever since we got home...three hours ago. 

Braxton can be tough at times so when I see that he's actually enjoying something, and really getting into it, I get so happy. The past couple of weeks I have really seen a little difference in him though. He's starting to listen better and he's definitely trying harder to actually say things. His attention span is still oh so small but hey, we can't have it all, right? Having a child with a delay is hard, and while it's not easy, it is rewarding as a parent to watch things start "clicking" more and seeing a little spark in them. 

I was never a patient person until I had Braxton and now it's probably one of my better traits. Don't get me wrong, I still have my moments, but I like to think that I handle things well. Parenting gives you a crash course in Patience 101 and you either pass or fail it. Recently Brian and I were talking about how when we go out with Braxton we have to kind of expect not to accomplish much. Hopefully it doesn't come across as wrong but it's the truth, and that's fine. If I take him grocery shopping with me I am already prepared for a tantrum of some sort, and if it doesn't happen I'm excited and so proud of him. We don't do mall trips where I expect to look at everything in the stores that I want either. No, usually an outing with Braxton is either a mission-where we go specifically for one or two things or it's an option of getting him out of the house to just explore, with little to no stopping because he's a go go go type of kid.

Lately I have noticed myself saying these two things to strangers when we're out: "We're working on our listening skills" and "He's still learning about personal space." I thought it was better than always apologizing for him, which I have been working on myself. The whole personal space thing is semi-awkward (but cute) because he will just go up to anyone and give them hugs, kisses...it's the worst when it's a girl his age or younger because I'm always waiting for the parents' reaction of "get your kid off of my kid, now." 

This isn't a complaining kind of post, and when I started writing, this wasn't even what I meant to write. Some people tell me that I need to be more stern with Braxton, that I need to force him to settle down and "behave" but all I can think of is at what cost? Do I want him to listen better? Of course. Do I want him to calm down and pay attention more? Sure I do. What I don't want though is to break his spirit because that little boy is amazing. He's a challenge but he's so sweet, and so loving. There are days where I tell Brian that I need a break but if I'm gone for more than an hour or so I actually miss them. There's no such thing as a "break" when you're a mom, especially when you're a stay at home mom. 

I absolutely love being a stay at home mom and you will never, ever hear me complain on Facebook or anything about it. It's a grueling job, and the hours can be intense, but it's so worth it. I know my children like the back of my hand and I love that. The last thing that I want, ten years from now, is to look back and be mad at myself for not enjoying them while they were this little. I will see some people post about just how bad their kids are, like literally complaining about them, and I just don't get it. Once or twice is one thing, we all have our moments, but when it's a constant subject I just feel bad for everyone in the situation. All I can say is take a deep breathe and know that everything will be okay.