Kady Talk

"lopstick" means chapstick or lipstick.  It sounds like a nice combo of both.
"I just killing" translation  "I'm just kidding."
"Tina Rabbit" really stands for The Velveteen Rabbit.  Her current favorite movie.
"Andy doll" is what she wants for Christmas but she really means an Annie doll as in the Orphan Annie.
"Uh brah lelella" meaning Umbrella.
 "Bugs in der" is what she says when her ear is hurting.  Usually a sign of an ear infection.
"Farkly" is sparkly
"Sleg" translation "sled"

This kid is SMART!!  Not much else to share.  She ROCKS!!

Zoe Talk

"Mama"
"Dada"
"Uh-Oh"

She claps, she waves, she crawls, climbs, sits, stands, rolls...she's ALL over the place these days and the only way to hold her is in a football hold under your arm.  She's a spunky, determined little girl and a TOTAL workout.  I had to drop the crib 2 days ago because she was standing up in it.  I can't believe she's almost 10months.  No teeth to report yet.

Final Results are in.....

12 weeks and 20lbs later (more like 23 now and still dropping)  Here it is:


  before                                                after

I kind of can't believe I'm sharing this but I figure it's already out there for the world to see so why not share it on my personal blog.  I also still can't believe how well and how fast I saw results.  AMAZING!!  Another reason for sharing.  If I can do it, you can do it.  You just HAVE to do it.  It's been so much fun shopping in my own closet.  Wearing all my fabulous designer jeans that I haven't been able to fit in for 3 years....Ahhhh!!  Frankie B, I have missed you dearly.  Come Spring I'll have a whole new wardrobe without spending a dime.

So...check out the link below and feel free to browse around.  Pics of me are EVERYWHERE...Yikers! 

http://jaxbudde.com/

If you live in Las Vegas and are looking for your own personal trainer I highly recommend Jax.  See website and read my testimonial for all the reason why I you also should hire Jax.

Just another day with friends at Springs Preserve

Do you live in Las Vegas and are looking for the perfect holiday gift for kids, friends or family?  My suggestion is a season pass to Springs Preserve.  A whole year for the entire family is only $60 and kids under 5 are free.  I take my girls there at least once a week.  Each visit we spend a minimum of 2hrs and STILL don't seem to do everything we want to do.  It's fun, educational, interactive and just plain AWESOME!!!  I highly recommend you go and also be on the look out for their other fun events, such as Easter, Halloween, Ice Cream festival, Movie nights and Christmas.  There is ALWAYS something going on at Springs Preserve.


Some fun pictures of our day...

 Zoe in the garbage truck

 Kadence and her friend Lexie

 Me and the girls snapping photos in front of one of their holiday displays

Me being silly of course  :)

Santa Claus Is Coming To Town...

It took two trips, a TON of convincing and some motivation from dad to sit on Santa's lap, but she did it...finally!!  The first thing she told Santa..."look at my pretty dress.  My grandma give it for me!"  No joke.  I think she also told him she wanted a doll.

Scuba Santa was also there in the Silverton Casino's BIG HUGE fish tank.  The kids were able to talk back and forth with him through a microphone somehow.  It was pretty cool.  Kady dug it the first time around and wanted NOTHING to do with him the second....and who cares?  SHE SAT ON SANTA'S LAP...WooHoo!!

Two posts today....yes TWO!!!  Why??  Because what started off as a happy and hopeful day has turned into complete and udder CRAP!!!!!  So....I need to vent.   I feel like we've been treading water for over a year now just barely keeping our heads afloat.  It seems as if we're NEVER going to catch a break.  The amount of stress and uncertainty resting on our shoulders is EXHAUSTING and certainly more for my husband than myself.  Everything feels strained.  I guess we really needed some prayers to be answered today and they weren't.  I know that's how the lord works and I'm TRYING REAL HARD to trust in his greater plan for us and our family but DAMN....I'm tired of being tested.  Some sort of reassurance from him would be good about now.  All we need is for ONE thing, SOMEthing, ANYthing to go our way.

I guess all I can do is continue to pray and BELIEVE in the power of prayer.  Something has got to give eventually...it has to.

Today is the BIG day.  Dominic and his business partner go to court for the injunction.  Everything to this point has most certainly been a climb.  And not just business wise but life in general.  This song and these words ring true as one of my motto's in life..."It's not about how fast you get there or what's waiting on the other side. It's the journey."


The Climb

~by Miley Cyrus

I can almost see it
That dream I’m dreaming but
There’s a voice inside my head sayin,
You’ll never reach it,
Every step I’m taking,
Every move I make feels
Lost with no direction
My faith is shaking but I
Got to keep trying
Got to keep my head held high

There’s always going to be another mountain
I’m always going to want to make it move
Always going to be an uphill battle,
Sometimes you going to have to lose,
Ain’t about how fast I get there,
Ain’t about what’s waiting on the other side
It’s the climb

The struggles I’m facing,
The chances I’m taking
Sometimes they knock me down but
No I’m not breaking
The pain I’m knowing
But these are the moments that
I’m going to remember most yeah
Just got to keep going
And I,
I got to be strong
Just keep pushing on,

There’s always going to be another mountain
I’m always going to want to make it move
Always going to be an uphill battle,
Sometimes you going to have to lose,
Ain’t about how fast I get there,
Ain’t about what’s waiting on the other side
It’s the climb

There’s always going to be another mountain
I’m always going to want to make it move
Always going to be an uphill battle,
Sometimes you going to have to lose,
Ain’t about how fast I get there,
Ain’t about what’s waiting on the other side
It’s the climb

Keep on moving
Keep climbing
Keep the faith baby
It’s all about
It’s all about
The climb

Keep the faith
Keep your faith

This past Sunday, December 5th was my Rock N' Roll 1/2 Marathon.  I'm still hurting in case you were wondering!  I felt like it was a "bad" day running wise for me.  Side ache, numb foot, tensed shoulders, however it must not have been since I ran farther and faster than I'd ever ran before...yeah me!!  My one goal was to finish all 13.1 miles under 2:00:00 hours.  You'll never believe what my time was......

1:59:12

Can you believe it??  I BARELY made it  :)

The problem now is wanting to do another to set a personal record.  There is always room for improvement I'm just not sure my body is cut out for running.

At least I'm able to check this off my bucket list.

CONGRATS to all my girls who ran and finished with me!!  It was fun...kind of. Ha!

Reading this post, Not so bright and shiny , made my day today!  Many of you know I started following this blog over a year ago.  Since Conner passed I have continued reading of his mother's struggles praying for her continued strength, healing and peace of mind.  I feel like today was a day of which she received some.  It's wonderful seeing that after 7years Conner is able to take care of his mom the way she took care of him. I will continue to pray for Sarah and her family to have many, many more of these days.

Love, Love, Love

Currently listening 

to Kadence read 

to Zoe. 

I could listen to her read all day long...

What an imagination she has! 

'Tis the Season for Traditions

I'm super excited that Kady is old enough now to understand and participate in some of the Christmas Traditions.  It's always been super important to me to establish such memories my children can cherish forever and pass along to their children. 

Here are the traditions we will partake in this holiday season and for many seasons to come:

Serving:  Every year I volunteer to serve Thanksgiving Dinner to the homeless vets of Las Vegas.  It's always a humbling experience and I'm happy to see some of the same faces each year.  Last year was my first year volunteering at the children's Muscular Dystrophy Christmas luncheon.  This included buying and wrapping thousands of dollars worth of Christmas presents and serving lunch to the the kids and their families.  What a HEART warming experience it is to see the twinkle in their eyes as they take photos with Santa, open presents, participate in crafts and the local fire Dept. usually stops by with  a fire truck for the kids to see.  I'm excited to do this again this year on December 11th.  Although, neither of my girls are old enough to participate in such acts of charity at this point, they will be and I plan on making this a yearly tradition with the girls.

Giving to the less fortunate: So many ways to do this.  I almost never pass by a food bank without dropping off at least $10 worth of canned goods, which got a bit expensive this year.  The Las Vegas food banks are having a hard time staying full so there are donation drops EVERYWHERE!  I've also considered signing the family up to volunteer for the Salvation Army.  You know?  To be one of those jingle bell ringers outside the stores :)  We'll see....

One thing I have yet to accomplish but it's on the list is Operation Christmas Child .  It's easy and fairly inexpensive.  Kady I feel is old enough to help with this one.  I figure we can chose a child of her age and she can help pick the supplies to fill in the Christmas box.  The hard part will be convincing her it's not for her...this year anyways. 


Another thing I've been looking into is Project Rudolph. We have several military friends.  Some who are deployed, some who have just returned home from deployment and few who are stationed over seas in Germany (which is how I know of this).  Project Rudolph is a Germany based Organization and was created to give deployed and deploying service members a bit of holiday cheer. The goal is to provide gift bags for not only the military members transitioning through the airport on days leading up to Christmas, but also for active duty Air Force members who work round the clock to keep the airport running smoothly, injured troops at the hospital, injured warriors at transition barracks, deployed Army, Navy and Marines working in Germany, and  deployed troops downrange.  All they require is letters written to our service men and women, candy canes and ornaments.  Other than shipping, it doesn't get easier or cheaper than this.  I just hope we didn't miss the cut off deadline for this one this year.


Christmas Tree:  Growing up, our Christmas tree always went up Thanksgiving weekend and came down New Year's Day.  It's a tradition I have continued to carry out.  Being we have a fake Christmas tree because I'm allergic to real ones, we are able to do this.  This year was the first Kady got to really help me decorate.  It's kind of silly that I had to string lights on our pre-lit Christmas tree this year because half of them were out and I couldn't figure out how to fix it.  When I look at it I see a Christmas tree on steroids.  When the girls look at it they see TONS of blinking, twinkling lights.  Maybe we'll have better luck next year. 

Elf on the Shelf:  If you have younger kids, I highly recommend the Elf on the shelf Christmas tradition.  Like most children through the ages, they want to know how Santa really knows who is naughty and who is nice.  The answer comes in the form of a small Pixie-elf.  The first time the elf arrives, the children officially adopt him by giving him a name.  He usually arrives around Thanksgiving time.  His sole responsibility  is to watch the children's behavior and report it to Santa each night.  The next morning after the children awoke, they would discover the elf had returned form the North Pole and was now resting in a new and different place.  There are rules.  For example, to better preserve his mystique the children are not allowed to touch him but talking to him was okay.  He is also under strict orders not to talk to the children but he could talk to grown ups.  We we're given this Christmas tradition by my sister in law two Christmases ago.  Again, Kady is at the age of which I believe she'll REALLY "get it."  I think our elf will appear on December 1st and hopefully this year we'll be able to name him. 

Reindeer Food:  Just today I discovered Reindeer food.  I know Kady's going to really LOVE this one.  Being that her room is at the front of the house, she'll probably be peeking out her window all night long looking for the Reindeer.  

Christmas Eve:  One word....Church!! Christmas Eve will be spent in church at the candlelight service.  It only happens once a year at Christmas time.  My family did this every year as I grew up and my kids will also.  I also think it's time to start a new Christmas Eve tradition....everyone gets to open one gift.  I'm thinking a new pair of jammies each year.


With the hustle and bustle that comes with the Christmas season, it can sometimes be difficult to remember "The Reason for the Season."  It's important to me that my children grow up knowing the TRUE meaning of Christmas, the gift of giving and that not everyone is as fortunate as they are.  I want them to BELIEVE in the miracles of Christmas for as long as possible and realize just how magical this time of year can be.

"What an enormous magnifier is tradition! How a thing grows in the human memory and in the human imagination, when love, worship, and all that lies in the human heart, is there to encourage it."~Thomas Carlyle

Wishing you all a happy and joyful holiday season.....