Weekend Recap

Is it just me or did this month just seem to go by so fast? How in the world is it the last week of April? Anyways, I hope you all had a great weekend. It's been a while since I shared a weekend recap so I thought it'd be fun to share one today.

Friday

Friday was such a busy day. We took Michael to the Urgent Care, but luckily he is doing fine. He was even able to go back to school that same day. I had to make a lot of phone calls. If you know me, then you know that I hate talking on the phone. I made a few appointments, answered some emails, and got a ton of laundry done.

Saturday

It was such a gorgeous Saturday. It felt like Spring, and the weather was fantastic. There was no way that we were going to stay in the house. We finally went to the library after not going in the past month. Luckily, my boys always get to pick books from school to take home, so they still read. After we went to the library, we went to a playground that we hadn't gone to since Michael and Gabriel were babies. We are so lucky that we live in an area that has tons of cool playgrounds. This particular playground is a bit farther away from our home, but it's such a good one. There's lots of equipment for kids of all ages. Raphael is now big enough to fit on the baby swings, and he had such a blast playing in it.

Sunday

I had a slow start on Sunday, but that quickly changed once I had some coffee. Every Sunday morning, I read Post Secrets. It's one of my favorite Sunday rituals. After reading Post Secrets, I did a load of laundry and also baked some banana nut and chocolate chip bread. It was delicious! Then I put some bags that I need to donate in the trunk of my car.  I worked on some blog posts and also read some blogs. The boys had a lot of fun playing games, watching a couple of movies, and reading.

I also decided to meal prep, and now I have dinner for most of the week. I've been trying to work on meal planning. I don't know why it took me this long to pick a day and cook a big batch of food. I may start batch cooking every week. I'm going to save a lot of time and money by doing this.

Overall, we had a wonderful weekend. Here's to hoping that this week is a great one!

How was your weekend?

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time,

10 Things That Made Me Happy This Week

Happy Friday! Today I'm linking up with Charlotte, Lindsay, and Beth for their happy and grateful list link up.

1. Gabriel's school music performance

2. Talenti Layers Vanilla Fudge Cookie Ice Cream

3. Early Mother's Day gift

4. Making art

5. Naps

6. Instagram

7. Game of Thrones memes

8. Keebler Elfin Mix - Fudge Stripes Crunch

9. Deals at Payless

10. Learning about new-to-me artists (Thank you Instagram!)

What made you happy this week?

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time...

A Creative Evolution

I've just recently realized that I am going through a season of change and evolution. This is especially true with my art and writing. I've noticed these changes thanks to the current season of Get Messy. This month's theme is Season of Failure. I'm really enjoying this season and have slowly been working on some projects. I have not been creating every day. However, when I do, I have been gravitating towards techniques and items that I do not normally use. Honestly, it's been hard to try new things and use some of the products that I recently purchased. I wouldn't say that I'm a hoarder, but I've definitely been holding on to some art and craft supplies that were just too perfect to use.

This season of Get Messy has made me use those items and things that I probably wouldn't ever use. A few days ago, I made a layout using Crate Paper's latest collection, All Heart. The collection is gorgeous and is chock full of things that I don't normally use in my papercraft and journaling. If you've seen my layouts then you would know that I rarely use florals, pastels, and soft colors in my projects.  I tend to use bright and colorful products. But I decided to just let go and try a bunch of new stuff. Creativity takes courage.

Below is the layout that I made.

I used so many things that I rarely use in this layout. This was the first time that I used lace in a project. I also chose to use a kraft colored patterned paper from the All Heart 6x8 paper pad. There's also quite a bit of pink in this layout. I usually avoid using all of these things in my projects. I even used two selfies. If you know me then you know that I don't take a lot of selfies. In fact, I did not like how those two photos turned out. However, I decided to use them anyways.

As always, I added journaling and used my date stamp. I don't think that will ever change. It's just part of my style and is essential to my work.

The journaling says:

I am going through a season of change. I've been evolving especially when it comes to my art and writing. This evolution is good and so needed in my life, but it has been so intimidating. It's been somewhat difficult, but I'm so glad that I'm letting go and taking risks. It's been a learning experience and one that I don't regret.

I added a quote by Frida Kahlo. She is my favorite artist of all time. Lately, I've been so inspired by her work. Frida forever!


Have you ever noticed that you have been evolving? Have you ever gone through a season of change? Did you embrace it?

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time...

10 Things That Made Me Happy This Week

Happy Friday! Today I'm linking up with Charlotte, Lindsay, and Beth for their happy and grateful list link up.

1. Chocolate Chip Waffles

2. The weather

3. My boys

4. Raphael's doctor appointment

5. Getting stuff done early

6. Game of Thrones

7. Journaling

8. Celebrating my big brother's birthday

9. Ice Cream Cake

10. Sleeping in and naps

What made you happy this week?

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time...

10 Things That Made Me Happy This Week

Happy Friday! Today I'm linking up with Charlotte, Lindsay, and Beth for their happy and grateful list link up.

1. Celebrating Raphael's birthday

2. Ice Cream Cake

3. Completing my chiropractor treatment

4. Spring weather

5. Naps

6. Catching up on new-to-me shows

7. All. the. snacks!

8. Happy Mail

9. Con Calma by Daddy Yankee & Snow

10. The Vampire Diaries

What made you happy this week?

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time...

If You and I Had Coffee

If you and I had coffee...

We'd meet up at Target and get our coffee from the Starbucks that's located in the store. I'd order a Venti Triple Mocha and double-smoked bacon, cheddar, and egg sandwich. We'd walk around the store looking for new things to try.

If you and I had coffee...

I'd tell you that I still can't believe that my little prince is a year old! Time goes by so fast. I've learned so much during my son's first year of life and it's been a wild ride. I'm so grateful...so so grateful.

If you and I had coffee...

I'd tell you that this month is so much better than March. I'm feeling more peaceful and well rested. The weather has been really nice. The warmer weather has been a welcome change. The rain has also been so nice especially since it's been getting rid of the pollen. I'm looking forward to the rest of the month.

If you and I had coffee...

I'd tell you that I am loving Netflix. The funny thing is that I actually had to get Netflix for a college course. Our assignment was to watch a documentary or a film and write an essay on it. Once I completed the assignment, I canceled my subscription. I only watched that one film so I really didn't know what I was missing out on. Our cell phone provider currently gives customers the basic plan for free, but you can pay the difference for a premium plan. We decided to upgrade and get the premium plan. We absolutely love it. We barely even watch cable and are planning to cancel that soon.

If you and I had coffee...

I'd tell you that I am so excited about a couple of things that are in the works, but I probably won't share many details. I'm worried that if I speak too soon, I may jinx it or scare myself. I'm feeling hopeful and can't wait to see how everything turns out.

What would you tell me?

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time...

Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash

Raphael - 1 Year Old

Dear Raphael,

I can't believe that you are a year old. This year has gone by so fast. It's been a wild ride, but we are all so grateful. You complete us.

We had a few challenges, but we overcame them. We never expected that you would make your arrival at 35 weeks. You really gave us a scare when you arrived and when you had to stay in the NICU for a few days. My little prince, you are such a fighter. You are so strong.

You are the sweetest little boy. Everywhere we go, you have a smile on your face. Everyone loves it and always ask us if you are always so happy. Your laugh brings us so much joy. Your father and I love when your older brothers try to make you laugh.

Even though you are only a year old, I love that you and are your brothers are close. They love to play with you. I pray that you and your brothers are always close. I hope the bond that you boys have will always stay strong.

You are doing so well with your physical therapy. Your physical therapist is always surprised and happy when she sees how well you are doing. You're crawling, sitting up, and we can tell that you are going to start walking very soon.

I've been reflecting so much over the past few days. There's so much to look back on this past year. The beginning was an emotional time for me. I will admit that there were days when I cried. I was so worried because you came early. I thought I did something wrong even though the doctors said that I didn't. I felt like I failed to protect you. We took you to the doctor so many times that you might as well say that the doctor's office was our second home. Honestly, I think I was just worried because you were a preemie. This year was definitely a learning experience for me.

When I look back on this past year, I think about how much you've grown. I think about how much joy and love you have brought into our lives. We have made so many wonderful memories as a family. We have enjoyed watching you experience things for the first time. I think that may be one of my favorite things. Watching you experience things for the first time has been amazing. The way your eyes light up when you see something for the first time. Whether you're trying new foods, playing with a new toy, or exploring someplace new...I can't tell you how much it brings me joy that I get to watch you experience new things and make new memories.

It is truly an honor to be your mommy. I'm so glad that you are in our lives and I'm grateful that you are my son. I can't wait to celebrate more milestones and birthdays.

Happy birthday my wild boy, my sweet prince, my little man. We love you so much.

What I Read in March

Happy Monday! This post is going to be a bit different because I didn't finish reading my book in March. However, I did read a lot of blogs and articles. Since I did read a lot of amazing articles and posts, I thought I would still share them.

Blog Posts and Articles I Loved in March

How to deal with Postpartum Baby Bangs

Anne Butera's ideas on battling the winter blahs

This DIY Inspiration Notebook by Maggie Massey

Motherhood Around the World

This article about SAHMs sharing what their days look like

This simple coffee recipe

Austin Kleon's advice on how to read more

Lecy's piece on fear

Emma Chapman's Mango & Orange Quick Bread recipe

Every Hairdresser I've Ever Had: A Comprehensive Review by Julia Edelman

My Daily Routine: Jasper Newman, 8 Months Old by Teddy Wayne and Greg Wayne

Jennifer Craven's The '4th Trimester' Is A Real Thing (And It Can Be Rough)

What did you read in March?

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time...


Photo by Claudia on Unsplash

10 Things That Made Me Happy This Week

Happy Friday! Today I'm linking up with Charlotte, Lindsay, and Beth for their happy and grateful list link up.

1. New books

2. Journaling

3. Blogging

4. The weather

5. Boss Baby movie

6. Movie nights with my family

7. Feeling better

8. Easter goodies

9. Butterfinger candy

10. Vanilla ice cream cone from Chick-fil-A

What made you happy this week?

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time...

April Goals

Happy Wednesday! I mentioned a couple of days ago that March was a brutal month and I am so happy that it is April. This is going to be an exciting month filled with a lot of events. I'm looking forward to celebrating Raphael's first birthday. I can't believe that he is going to be one year old.

It's a new month and it's time for some new goals. Before we get to the new goals, let's recap March.

Recap of March Goals

• Read 1 book: This is a fail. I'm very disappointed that I didn't finish reading my book. I've said it before and I'll say it again, March was a terrible month. I felt so drained and didn't get much done. 

• Complete 1 class on Skillshare: This was a pass. I took Shantell Martin's class, Drawing on Everything. This was such a fun class and I enjoyed trying new techniques. I can't wait to take a new class this month.

• Work on Get Messy Art Journal - Season of Creativity: This was a pass. I did work on some of the prompts, but I didn't finish. I'm hoping I can finish my album this month. 

• Try 1 new recipe: This was a fail. I didn't try a new recipe, but I am very happy to report that I did cook a lot during March. I don't know why it's so hard for me to choose a recipe. I have a list of recipes that I want to try. I think I might write down the names of the recipes, place them in a jar, and then select one recipe to try. 

April Goals

• Read 2 books

• Complete 1 class on Skillshare

• Try 2 new recipes

• Finish Season of Creativity album

• Work on Get Messy Art Journal - Season of Failure

What are your goals for April?

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time...

Photo by Bookblock on Unsplash

Atlanta Area Moms Blog

Today I am over at the Atlanta Area Moms Blog with a new post. I'm sharing some Spring activities and family events in Smyrna and Marietta. Feel free to check out my post and let me know what you think.

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time...

The Ides of March

Happy Monday! Thank goodness that it is finally April because March was absolutely horrible. March is usually an incredibly emotional month for me. March is the month that we lost my baby brother. However, this month was just incredibly brutal. One bad thing after another kept happening.

This month I learned about the Ides of March. It just so happened that my worst week in March occurred during the week of the Ides of March. This year's Ides of March was on Friday, March 15. That day was the worst day of the month. I'm sure you might be curious about what caused that day to be horrible. I've decided to share a page from my journal about the day. Let's have a little recap.

Friday, March 15, 2019 - The Ides of March

This week has been the WORST WEEK EVER! But today just won the award for WORST DAY EVER! 

Poor Raphael has been sick since Tuesday so we made an appointment for him this morning. Mind you I've probably got about 3 hours of sleep last night.

I dropped Michael and Gabriel off at school. After Raphael and I got home, he finally fell asleep around 8 AM. About 5 minutes later, I got a call from the school. <insert silent scream> Apparently Gabriel was not feeling well. He seemed perfectly fine this morning. I would never send my kids to school if I knew they were sick. Anyways, I woke Raphael up. And he was PISSED!

We went to school and picked up Gabriel. And guess what? He seemed fine! I think he just played all of us!

So now we're on our way to Raphael's appointment. He obviously has a cold, but he also has pink eye. After the appointment, I told Gabriel to get in the car. As I'm taking Raphael out of his stroller, I started to feel raindrops and a second later, it starts to pour! I didn't even get the damn stroller in the trunk! So now I'm struggling to get the big ass jogger stroller in my trunk. I accepted defeat, but not before screaming in the parking lot.

You would think that it's over, but no...wait there's more! So I decided that I needed a pick-me-up and drove to Krispy Kreme. I wanted to get a dozen green glazed donuts for an early St. Patrick's Day celebration and to eat my feelings. So I arrived at Krispy Kreme and they told me "Sorry due to technical difficulties, we won't have the green glazed donuts until after 3". Until after 3? I told them "Ok. I'll come back later." But I didn't go because I just knew that something else would happen.

And all of this took place before 11 AM.

So there you have it. March 15 was the worst day ever. It might not have been as horrible as Julius Caesar's Ides of March, but it was still a rough day. After that day was over, I decided that I needed to take it easy for the rest of the month. Unfortunately, this meant that I wouldn't be able to blog as much as I would like. However, I'm feeling much better and more hopeful.

The last few days of March were some of the best days of the month. My family and I are starting to feel so much better. We were sick for most of the month which was not fun. So I'm very grateful that my boys are feeling better.

Usually, I try not to post anything negative on my blog, but I was amazed by how the day turned out. I just had to share that recap with all of you.

Here's to hoping that April is a better month than the last one and for better days.

How was your March?

Thanks for visiting!

Until next time.

Photo by Ales Krivec on Unsplash