Post It Note Tuesday........

Just a few random thoughts today......

Song of the Day: P!nk - Glitter In The Air

"Breaking New Ground"

I couldn't be more thrilled to have Shandell from "Breaking New Ground" over for a visit; I love her blog & find her words & posts very inspiring.........not to mention her son Malakai is A-DORABLE!!!  I know that you will enjoy this post as much as I did when she sent it to me.......like I said she is VERY inspiring!

I can't believe it's been a month since the lovely Mitzi asked me to be a guest blogger here at The Goodson Family Journey. I had hoped to tap something out the following weekend, but we just moved into our new house and I was way busier than I ever anticipated. We are still in the midst of cleaning, unpacking, repairing and organizing but I was able to find a few quiet moments this past weekend to finally pick a topic and get my thoughts down.

{Ben, Shandell, + Malakai}

Recently we were spending some time with my in laws. There were about ten of us gathered in the living room after dinner. My son Malakai was scooting around playing with some new toys and his third cousin, 2-year-old Caleb was listening to a story. The room was all a chatter, but I happened to overhear one particular side conversation that picked up between Malakai's grandma Debbie and Caleb's grandma Dede. I'm fairly certain that were unaware of my listening in.

Their conversation was sparked by Debbie's recent scrap booking fetish. She has been taking all her old photo albums, putting the pictures in chronological order and embellishing them with stickers and captions. The books are super cute and it has been really nice to look through their old photos and pick out my husband Ben at a certain age and compare him to Malakai. They look SO much alike that it's almost like a glimpse into what my son will look like down the road.

As we were scanning through the photos of Ben, his siblings, and cousins when they were toddlers we kept coming back to how fast childhood goes by. It's the most true of any cliche I've ever heard.

Dede began to reflect on when her own children were toddlers and how amazed she is that she now has a 2 year old grandson. She lamented about what she wished she would have done differently and I began to listen more intently.

She said that she would have stopped to watch more. Just let the laundry and the dishes wait and watch her children as they grew. Chores would always be there, but their childhood will not.

I smiled to myself at how simple yet valuable her revelation was. A handful of parenting books could have told me this very same thing, but hearing it as a sincere wish from a seasoned parent instead of unsolicited advice really made me take it to heart.

Starting at that moment I began to watch Malakai more intently. I want to burn his childhood into my memory so I can reflect on each occasion with joy instead of regret. In my life this means putting down the computer whenever Malakai plays independently to just observe him more. It means not stressing about getting him down for a nap so I can clean, but enjoying this stage while he still lets me rock him to sleep, it means playing with him on the floor before he's running out the door.

I want to encourage and challenge all you young mom's out there to be sure and take in every moment of your little one's childhood before it's a distant memory.
Shan

I would like to ask anyone that would like to be a guest blogger for me to please contact me;

I really enjoy the insight that other women have on life, children, love, sex.......

just about anything really & would love to try & have a guest once a week if at all possible.

The "Big" Move!!

There is so much that I have to catch up on but the biggest things is our move; the move itself went really well BUT Brayden handled it better than I thought he ever would.  We started to take boxes over ourselves on Friday, April 2nd (since B was asleep I would load up one car & Lance would run that load over while I loaded up the other car...it sucked but we got a lot done that way) & then got up really early Saturday morning because the movers were going to be at the house at 8 so we had to get B up & moving & then Lance had to breakdown our bed down as well as B's crib!  We moved on Saturday, April 3rd which just so happened to be little man's 8 month birthday so in between car loads & runs from house to house I took pictures to mark the day........I didn't get to get his usual rocking chair one since it was on the trunk 1st which ment it came off last & by that time I was pooped & I don't think my brain was really functioning!  These were taken 1st thing Saturday morning & the poor little guy had a hard night with his 1st tooth the night before so he had bags under his eyes but he was pretty happy throughout the whole day......we really couldn't have asked for him to be any better!!

The move took longer than we thought it would & we had to break out B's nap nanny that afternoon for him to sleep in; he doesn't really fit it but it worked for that afternoon & he actually slept through the loud movers!

The movers left around 2 & the unpacking began........thank goodness Lance's mom was here to play with B because I don't think that we would have even been able to get our room & his room ready for bed that night!!  while Lance put little mans crib together I took more 8 month pictures in our NEW HOME :)

I don't know his height or weight but will at the end of this month since we will have his 9 month check up; but he is wearing 9-12 month clothes..........he is pretty long so he needs the length of the larger clothes even thought the waists are big on him & anything with feet in it is a thing of the past, his little toes were getting squished up in them!!  He still wears a size 4 diaper & is just now getting interested in crawling; he will get up on all 4's & rock but thats about it so far.  He prefers to stand & trys really hard to pull himself up but can't quite figure it out yet.  He loves his walker & loves to run around our new kitchen & torture our dogs while they are eating (by the way both Bella & Georgia are doing great in the new home).  He is currently working on tooth #2 (I think) & loves everything I put in front of him.........especially chicken & rice :)  It seems that he is slowly becoming a belly sleeper which shocks me because he used to hate tummy time with a passion............I mean my son would scream bloody murder & cry to the point of a full on breakdown when I would even attempt putting him on his belly!  He loves his school very much & gets so excited every morning when he sees Ms. Estelle!  He reaches out for people now & loves to be outside!  He hasn't said anything other than "baba" but I think "dada" is right around the corner!!

Brayden is the most beautful & loving little boy & he just smiles & melts our hearts all day everyday!!  We are very, very blessed!!!

We Finally Have Internet Back.............

Praise God!!!  Once I get little man down for the night I will begin updating from the last week & a half!!!

Clear & Critical......

Ladies I will finally have my internet back today; WOO HOO!  We decided to go with Clear & dump AT&T for everything except for Lance's IPhone.  I am keeping my fingers crossed that the speed & service are good; does anyone use them?

Having internet back at home means that this weekend I will be updating on a ton of stuff that has happened over the last week & a half; from the move to the new house, Easter & Brayden's 1st over night stay with JuJu & PaPa, Brayden's 8 month photos & stats & also my Q&A I did a while back (if anyone has any other questions for Lance & I ask away).  I am excited that I can finally upload all of the pictures for these occasions to our computer & to my blog!!

Now for the critical part; why do I pick myself apart in every way, shape & form all of the time....especially in pictures?  Here are a few more of the pictures Lance's sister took for us on Sunday & I hate the way I look in all of them!!  I hate my hair & the fact that my ear is sticking through it in most of these pictures, I hate how horrible my crows feet look when I smile not to mention I have bags under my eyes for some reason, I hate my outfit (which by the way I thought looked great when I put it on that morning), I hate my smile & my teeth.........I hate everything!!  I have picked these pictures apart a million different ways & just don't understand why I do that to myself & NEED to stop the insanity & in the future just look & them & NOT study them so closely.

Anyway........

Song of the Day: Billy Joel "She's Always A Woman"

I Think I Might Be Dying......

How do I go out on my lunch break to Target & TJ Maxx & find NOTHING; I truly must have some new found disease or something! I found a few cute things at Target but of course they didn't have my size so now I am going to have to stop at the one near my house because now I have to have this:

& this too.......

Mile-High Peanut Butter-Brownie Pie

I made this yummy & delicious pie over the weekend & all I can say is OMG!!  We were going over to some frinds house for dinner on Saturday night & thank god the leftovers stayed there :)

Ingredients

1 Pillsbury® refrigerated pie crust, softened as directed on box
1 box (15.5 oz) Pillsbury® Chocolate Chunk Brownie Mix
1/4 cup Reese's® peanut butter chips
1/3 cup Crisco® Pure Vegetable Oil
3 tablespoons water
1 EGGLAND'S BEST egg
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup Jif® Creamy Peanut Butter
1 cup powdered sugar
1 container (8 oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed
2 tablespoons Fisher® Party Peanuts, chopped
2 tablespoons Hershey's® mini chips semi-sweet chocolate

Directions
Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Unroll pie crust; place in ungreased 9-inch glass pie plate as directed on box for One-Crust Filled Pie; flute edge.

In medium bowl, stir brownie mix, peanut butter chips, oil, water and egg 50 strokes with spoon. Pour batter into crust-lined pie plate.  Bake 30 to 40 minutes, covering edge of crust with strips of foil after 15 to 20 minutes, until crust is golden brown and center of brownie is set. Cool slightly, about 20 minutes. Refrigerate 1 hour or until completely cooled.

In medium bowl, beat cream cheese, peanut butter and powdered sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Fold in whipped topping. Spread mixture over brownie. Sprinkle with peanuts and chocolate chips. Refrigerate 30 minutes before serving. Store covered in refrigerator.

Why Do Things Have To Be So Complicated??

Over the weekend we had to have AT&T come out for the second time to fix our phone lines & internet service & as I stated yesterday we still don't have internet service so as you can see they did not fix it & we actually might have to switch providers & the whole situation is just frustrating!!

I called AT&T a week before we moved to let them know that we were moving & that we needed our service transferred to our new house; the woman on the phone was very nice & took care of everything.......so I thought. We moved in & when I plugged the phones in there was no dial tone so I made the service call & out they came to get it all taken care of; we did have to schedule another appointment with them to get all of the wiring issues in order (I had to get Brayden from school so I didn't have the 2 hours that he needed that day). So the second guy comes out & he is supposed to make sure that all of the phone lines are up & running & he does HOWEVER he can't do our internet because in that neighborhood a modem is not necessary & they have to come out & do something to the phone jack in the office……I know that the AT&T service guy could tell that I was upset & he apologized for not being able to help me but unfortunately I didn’t really take the apology very well & got on the phone with AT&T again to set up our 3rd appointment & this is when I lost it!

The lady on the phone told me that our internet service was never put in the transfer order in their system & because the service guy had already come out that they would have to wait until that order was cleared out of their system before another service tech could come out & that would be about a week……….HUH??? I tried to stay calm (I mean it wasn’t her fault) but then she said oh wait the neighborhood that you moved into needs a different type of installation so hold on let me transfer you to another department (mind you I had already been transferred twice before this) so I said “Can you please stay on the line & help explain what is going on to the next department?”, she said sure & I was so happy she did stay on the line the next person that came on the line was going to charge me $99 to have someone come out & do the damn installation……..anyway we got everything taken care of & they were going to call today to set up the appointment for today since we had had so many issues.

I got off the phone with AT&T & called Lance to let him know what was going on & needless to say he was pissed & asked for the number so that he could call & make sure that they would really be able to do a same day appointment on Tuesday. Well, in the mist of his conversation with the lady she tells him that not only do we have to have the guy come out but the line is not a good/fast as it was when we were using their modem & to top it off it still cost the same amount to have the slower line installed………Lance told them to just cancel the damn internet all together & told them that we would probably be switching all of our services from them because of their incompetence! I know that sounds harsh but we talked to how many different people about what we needed & they never got it right & each time we called we were told another piece of the puzzle; it is all very frustrating & all I want to do is get on line from the comfort of my home but now I have to call & find out who else can provide us with internet service!!  I really only use the computer at home for bills, photos & blogging but those are things I enjoying doing when I do get "me time"; I have so much to catch up on here but everything I want to post I want to upload photos & can't get them off the damn computer............I haven't done my Q&A for weeks ago, I haven't posted B's 8 month pictures, Easter, not to mention I need to email photos to get my main page updated because Brayden has changed so much...........but I can't because the pictures are on the damn computer that I can't email from!!!

Sorry & thank you for letting me vent………here are some more of the photos Lance’s sister took on Sunday!!

This is little man & his Aunt Cindy (she took all the photos)

Biggest Most Beautiful Blue Eyes

B & His Daddy

Walking Like A Big Boy!

Song of the Day: Serena Ryder - All For Love Video

Ol' Blue Eyes......

We still have no internet so I am still unable to upload any photos I have taken but Lance's sister took this one yesterday......I know he is mine but he sure is a cutie!!!

Song of the Day: 3 Doors Down - Here Without You

Most of the Time I Feel Like a Single Mom.......

Let me start this by saying my husband is amazing; he is the most loving, caring & gentle man I have ever known & not only that but he is an unbelievable father to our son & 2 pups! That being said.....more often than not I feel like I am a single working mom & I hate it & even sometimes resent Lance for working so much. I find myself getting mad & frustrated with him for something that neither one of us can control & that is just not healthy for our marriage!

Nothing has changed with Lance's schedule or even with the amount of hours that he works; actually he works less hours where he is now than where he was when we first met HOWEVER our lives have changed & it seems that I have to manage our home all on my own most of the time. This is in no way Lance's fault but I am finding more & more that I am mad at him & don't know how to make myself stop feeling this way. Let me break down my typical day for you:

3:30 - Wake & get ready for work
4:30 - Feed & let dogs out & make B's lunch & bottles for the day (if I didn't make Lance & I's the night before I do ours as well)
5-5:30 - Brayden wakes up STARVING
5:30-6:20 - feed, dress, play with B & then we are out the door by 6:25
6:25 - wake Lance up before we leave (sometimes he gets up with us to play but that depends on how late he worked the night before)
6:30 - drop B off at school & head to work
7-4:15 - WORK, WORK, and WORK (run all errands at lunch)
4:15 - Leave to pick B up
5 - Arrive at B's school & see that smiling little boy & he again amazes me & melts my heart (this is the best part of my day!!)
5:15 - get home & B is STARVING
5:15-7 - Feed, bath, play, read & bottle for B
5:30 - Feed the pups & let them in & out to potty (we don't have a fence YET & putting them on their runners outside is very difficult while keeping an eye on B)
After 7 - Make dinner & lunches for Lance & I, play & love on the pups, clean up the house & laundry, if B's food is low make more (I try to do on Sunday's but sometimes B eats more & we run out), & try to have some ME time......but it never really happens
8:30 to whenever - Wait for Lance to get home to try & spend a few minutes with him before I pass out from exhaustion

After this very long day I am sure that a good nights sleep would probably help me not be so frustrated the next day but B is still not STTN & it has actually gotten worse since the move. He is not waking up really he is just crying until we go in there & give him his binky & then he is peaceful again but only until he realizes that he has lost his binky again........don't get me wrong I don't mind getting up but it just makes for a very tired mom the next day :)

I shouldn't complain really; I have a wonderful life & am blessed in so many ways but sometimes the sleep deprevation & stress get the best of me & I just can't seem to shake the fact that I feel alone but have no time alone........does that even make sence?? This past week has been the worst but only because of the stress of the move, getting settled & organized in the new house & getting the old house ready for the renters to move in tomorrow! I have talked to Lance about how I am feeling & we are going to sit down this weekend & get a schedule worked out for the mornings & days that he is off so that I can try to have a few minutes to myself & hopefully preserve what sanity I have left :)

For those ladies out there that are single moms.......you are amazing & strong women & I am in awww of what you do every day of your lives!!

Song of the Day: I'm Alive - Kenny Chesney with Dave Matthews

We Are All Moved In...Can I Get A Woo Hoo!!

Now we have to get it all organized & decorated which I am VERY excited about!! I took Monday & Tuesday off to get the boxes all unpacked & most of them have been emptied & everything has been put in it's place but there is still so much to do. I need at least 5 more hours in each dy these days!!

B did really well throughout the whole weekend & move; he spent most of Saturday with his JuJu holding him & then we were going to take him to see the Easter bunny on Sunday but the stupid mall was closed so now I have no picture of B & the bunny for his 1st Easter! Everyone kept saying that he wouldn't know the difference but the fact is I do & I should have done it before we got caught up in the move........MOM FAILED!!

Our phone lines are all messed up so AT&T has to come out & get the them in order on Saturday & once our internet is up & running I promise to post pictures of our fun filled moving weekend, B's 8 month day, Easter & the house! I hope that everyone had a very Happy & wonderful weekend & Easter & I can't wait to catch up on all my favorite blogs!!

Song of the Day: Ray LaMontagne - Trouble

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Blogger Buzz: Blogger integrates with Amazon Associates

Today Is "The" Day!!!

We are finally closing today at 2; I wish I had time to WOO HOO & celebrate but I don't. We are closing then coming home or going straight to get B depending on the time & then we are going back & forth all night with loads of stuff so that we are ready for the movers in the am. I am hoping & praying that the moving doesn't run too late so that we can relax with B on his 8 month birthday for a bit Saturday evening BUT once he is down for the night we begin the unpacking :). It is going to be a very long night tonight & day tomorrow but I can not wait to get into the house not to mention we will be staying there for the first time tomorrow night so we will have B's 1st Easter celebration there!! I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend & I will post pictures soon :)


Please excuse the food on his face; he LOVES peas..........can you tell??

Song of the Day: Linkin Park & Jay-Z - In The End\Izzo

We Are Never Going Close...........

Well, it is our scheduled closing day again & here I sit at work because it is once again NOT GOING TO HAPPEN!! I am so frustrated & tired of people telling us everything is "good to go" when apparently it isn't & they haven't done their job! We are now rescheduled again for this Friday morning & all I can say is it better happen or instead of Lance talking to them I will get involved & tell them exactly what their incompetence is causing & costing us. We are going to (hopefully) end up moving this weekend which means that we will be moving on Saturday which is B's 8 month birthday & then getting settled all day Sunday which is B's 1st Easter & he only gets one FIRST Easter!! I just feel like we are stuck in this holding pattern & stuck in a house of boxes & are never going to get out...........

Here is my little man making a face at mommy; I might add that this is him last night after he projectile vomited all over me!! I guess something just didn't sit right in there because he was just fine after he got it ALL out!

What a Weekend & Week To Come........

Everyone was right even though I couldn't see it last week I saw it Friday night when I was feeding B dinner; he has his first tooth coming in on the bottom & it is making my usually happy go lucky boy pretty fussy & have the worst poops ever. He would go from this (you can't tell from the picture but he is gnawing away on this paci)........

to this.......in a second flat! He would whine & cry for a few minutes & then he would get distracted by a toy & be fine again; I have to admit that I love that his teething has made him want to cuddle with his momma!!

B really was in a good mood even though I could tell that he was in pain & all in all we had a great weekend. We actually got to go for a walk outside both Saturday & Sunday & all I can say is B loves to be outside; he seemed to be taking it all in while we walked.


We sat in the backyard & play with the pups for a good while both days too!! The dogs loved that we came outside with them to play & Brayden loved to watch Bella run after the ball when I would throw it; he would giggle every time :)

In house news we are closing on the 31st at noon & I couldn't be more ready for it; I thought the house was a mess last week but this weekend we pulled everything out of the attic & put in in the garage & packed up almost everything that was left! There are boxes & decorations everywhere & I can't wait to start moving stuff over after we sign on Wednesday. I am going to start moving over what I can on Wednesday evening & all day Thursday while Lance is working & then the movers come on Friday for the big stuff........B's 8 month birthday is this Saturday & he will be waking up in our new house for the 1st time!!!



Song of the Day: Beth Hart - LA Song