Mommy Musings

As the girls have been getting older, we've been focusing more on what we can do for other people, especially with the holidays coming up.  Just last weekend the girls and I went through every toy in the house and filled three bags to donate to charity. This week we decided to brighten our neighbor's day and #SpreadCheer with Betty Crocker! They make it SO easy for me to be able to bring a smile to someone's face.  Baking with little ones, especially when my husband is working a double shift, can be tough!  But with these simple ingredients, it was so easy to do! The girls and I had so much fun making our sweet holiday treats .  And since I don't have a million ingredients lying around, I was free to step back and let the girls do most of the work! While we were waiting for the cookies to finish baking, we printed out the Betty Crocker cookie gift tags and picked out our favorite!  It really dressed up our cookies in such an easy, festive way! Then we popped over to o

In the blink of an eye, the past seven years have flown by.  Somehow my Emmy has gone from baby to girl. There's no baby-ness, toddler-ness, preschool-ness left in her.  She is all girl, young lady. Emmy, it has been such a joy to me to watch you grow each and every day these past years. I hope you never lose your sweetness, kind nature, love of math, art, and horses, and ability to overcome challenges. My life is so much brighter with you in in.  Happy 7th birthday pretty lady.  I love you, I love you more, I love you most.

Nothing like posting a Halloween update just before Thanksgiving.  Whoops!  Trying to get all caught up here. We had a few Halloween events this year.  Yes, sometimes I feel like holidays are getting a little out of control.  But my girls being able to wear their costumes a few times instead of just once is totally worth it! First up we attended our very first Trunk or Treat.  It was at our girls' school the weekend before Halloween.  Now honestly, things have been so crazy, that we didn't really plan a whole big theme or anything.  The girls wore their princess/cowgirl costumes...Skip and I dressed like Giants players....and the car we just bought a bunch of Halloween things at the Dollar Store.  But we all had a fabulous time! Then Emmy got to dress up for a girl scout meeting and her dance class.  Charlie got to dress up at school the Friday before Halloween. We also carved and decorated our pumpkins the night before! {squirrels will eat them if we put them out sooner} Of co

I'm so far behind on things I want to blog about, but all I can manage today is a few pictures of my sweet girls. A few weeks ago, we got Emmy's school picture sent home.  It was absolutely adorable as always. If you'll notice, we did not get one for Charlie.  Apparently she's very particular about who takes her picture, and wanted nothing to dow with it at school. I was a little sad to not have her sweet little face captured, so instead, I snapped a few pictures this morning.  First we got a few outtakes: But then she warmed up and I got a few keepers! Couldn't leave out big sis... And I absolutely love these ones!

IT IS THE SOLDIER It is the Soldier, not the minister Who has given us freedom of religion. It is the Soldier, not the reporter Who has given us freedom of the press. It is the Soldier, not the poet Who has given us freedom of speech. It is the Soldier, not the campus organizer Who has given us freedom to protest. It is the Soldier, not the lawyer Who has given us the right to a fair trial. It is the Soldier, not the politician Who has given us the right to vote. It is the Soldier who salutes the flag, Who serves beneath the flag, And whose coffin is draped by the flag, Who allows the protester to burn the flag.  by Charles M. Province Today....every day...we are honored and blessed that brave men and women still stand up and volunteer to keep us safe and free.  Thank you will never be enough.

It's been such a long time since I did a random post, I figured I was due! And what better way than by linking up with Shannon for her So What Wednesday! So what if: - I'm still mad at the refs from Sunday's Giants game.  That was the worst call ever and not fair that it led to our loss. - I feel victimized by Shonda Rhimes this week.  Can't any of the Grey's or Scandal characters have a happy ending? - I'm literally counting down the minutes until our floor remodel project is done. The guy was here before 7 this morning to do work.  Plus, we're still sleeping on the couch.  Plus, he's currently working on the stairs, so we can't go upstairs until bedtime. Takes some planning to bring down everything we might need for the day. It will all be worth it, but I'm just done. - I hope winter never comes.  It was 70* yesterday, and it was absolutely amazing.  I shutter thinking of snow and sub-freezing temperatures. - I can't stop stealing my kids&#

Today’s post is sponsored by Great Clips , by my love for their veterans campaign is all my own! At twenty-one, I said goodbye to my brand-new fiance as he headed off to war. As a Marine, he had volunteered to join the military and deploy, away from America, his family and friends, and the comforts we all take for granted, to keep the rest of us safe.  For me, that is the definition of selflessness. All of our veterans answer the call willingly, putting aside their safety, to make sure we all remain free.  It is an honor we can never fully repay. Besides my husband, I personally know several other veterans who have deployed.  And every Veteran's Day, I try to spoil them as best as possible.  I send cards, thanking them for their service.  I've had my kids make pictures and notes, telling them of the sacrificing these brave men and women have made for us.  We take my husband out to dinner to celebrate the fact that he has home with us, and thank him for his service. I can't