Bathroom reno stage #1

We have started something excitting!!! Renovations on the house!!!! SO... in 20 years not alot has been done to the house other then a coat of paint and new carpet once. Approx. 7 years ago the airport came through the whole neighborhood and put in new windows, outer doors, insulated the attic, put in a new furnace and installed central air( which was awesome that they did all that!).And now that my mother moved out and my family and I have moved in the house. We have been waiting and planning and visioning things we wanted to get done all year and it has finally started!! WOOhooo! First we had some plumbers come in and take out the laundry room floor and fix and the effed up pipe, they were fast did a great job and did it for a fair price. Now we have started with the bathroom, then kitchen and then were not sure about the order but every room is getting updated. But we started with the smallest to give us that jumpstart. I am sure there will be some bumps but it nevertherless is excitting and a fun and posative change! Thank goodness I have a handyman husband he's a jack of all trades master off nothing, lol But no seriously I am very thankful and I give him big props because not only is he mostly working on it by himself, with some help from a few very good friends, but he also has me to tend to recovering from surgery and working other side jobs to keep money in our pockets. And I am also so thankful I have two very well adjusted, extremely helpful and patient children, we love them to death!! We are doing it as a family and that is exactly how it should be, LOVE IT!!! I seriously plan on blogging through the whole thing, but I can not make any promises :(But so far i am off to a good start and at the moment determoned and enthused so here we go........ Bathroom demo... messy and probally the funnest part LOL..

Here is a general look of the before. I have always hated the wall paper and border. They were the furthest thing from matching or realted in any type of a theme.

The uglier wallpaper under the ugly wallpaper lmao

Wall behind toilet and medicine cabinet removed...

That aweful wallpaper coming down Thank goodness..

Wall across from toilet and sink with ugly tile wall gone gone gone...

Just plain old yucko, old toilet, old sink and vanity, mix matched uneven bad peel n stick floor , GOODBYE!

I know the picture is poor quality it was off a phone but here is a preview of the new toilet!!

Hubby getting new sink ready!!

Happy Tears

I have shed alot of tears over the last couple months over various things that may have been effecting me in one way or another. i am not usually a cry baby ever but the last few months it seemed as thow the tears came easily. Crying doesnt always have to be a bad thing. Today I have shed some tears, but not over anything that is effecting me in anything way other then love. They were tears of joy; I am surrounded by amazing people. My family.... I have a husband that has such a good heart he is helping a complete stranger have just a little bit of an easier life this winter. Him and I have had our differance and i wanna punch his lights out sometimes but he is a good man and has so much love to give. I have a 17 year old son that is still his mommas boy, he helps take care of me and waits on me hand and foot if he needs to , with no complaints, most 17 year olds only give a shit about their friends and partying. I have a 13 year old daughter that is more mature and responsable then most 30 year olds I know, she is your typical girly girl with her hair and make up and clothes and shoes and the mall OMG lol But thats one of the reasons I adore her. She like her father has a heart of gold and would bend over backwords for anyone, also like her brother she helps to take care of her momma and has become a very good cook in the process. I will brag all day about my family and I am sure complain too LOL I have a group of Ya -Ya's (aka friends) that are the most Loving, understanding, and giving people I have ever known. Then I have all these extended family members and friends that I dont get to see very often, but I know they are out there and the love is there no matter how near or far away. What more could I ask for. Everyday shoukd bring a new reason to be happy and so happy that it can bring a tear to your eye Look for it, it is there! Reminds me of a quote by a very wise man. Prof. A. Dumbledore, “ happiness can be found in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light”

Gracie

My daughter has been such a gift to me and I couldn't be more thankful. When I say gift I really mean it, she was born just a couple weeks after I lost my grandmother so I feel like my gramma sent this wonderful girl to me to help try and fill a void in my heart after she left this world. And my heart has been overflowing ever since. Before Grace came into this world she was already giving me a run for my money! At the later stages of  my pregnancy it became apparent that I had gestational diabetes. And via ultra sounds she seems to be growing very well. In the last month she was to big to tell how big she actually was anymore LOL! I was scheduled for a c section on a Monday morning. The Friday before that Grace decided she was not waiting those couple days and I was in labor. We went to the hospital about 6 and after all the prepping I was in the O.R. just after midnight. My hubby, her dad was with me and sat right by my head hold the puke bucket... poor guy lol. After what seemed like forever the Dr announces its a girl (which we already knew) and they cleaned her up and bundle her up and brought her to me. I couldn't hold her yet because I was still strapped down to the table but daddy held her and put her to my face so I could kiss her. she was a big baby almost 13 pounds!! One of the Drs even said "hurry up and weigh her, I gotta see this" and another Dr said " she was born with a spoon in her mouth". The nurses and every other person in the hospital couldn't get over her. She was so adorable. Came out bright eyed and a head full of black hair. She was taken to the nursery and I was taken to recover in my room. They had to run some extra test beyond the normal ones. She had apparently had a bowl movement while she was still in me, which can be dangerous if she ingested any of it. She was fine perfectly healthy. My mom and hubby left after we were settled in for what was left of the night. The next couple days we spent in the hospital and had visitors from family and hospital staff that had to come see this big baby they had heard all about.

Big brother came up and he was shy as usual and I dont think he knew what to think of her. Daddys friend Eric drove us home from the hospital. She was a good baby, very rarely got sick, and the 'terriable twos' wasnt terrible at all. She developed fast, never liked baby food, she wanted the real thing! She gave up the bottle and started walking before she turned a year old. One thing that stuck with her for a looooong time was her binky. I gave her one right away when she was born because she was sucking on her hands and I didnt want her to become a thumb sucker thinking it would be easier to break her of the binky then the thumb. Well she was really attached to that binky, I should have bought stock in binkys we went through so many. We always had to have a few back ups, god forbid we loose one! The binky lasted till she was almost 7! Yeah it got to the point were I would tell her 'if you want it you keep track of it' and she would too! She always made sure I had one in my purse when we went somewhere and even started to get embarrassed by it and would only have it when no one was around. Then one day after me suggesting for at least a year, she just decided she was done with it. So I put the last one in my jewelery box and there is were it still sits.

Grace is going to be 13 years old at the end of this month. And it seems like yesterday that she was born. I cant believe how time flys! She is still a good kid! She has an old soul. She gets along great with adults and is very mature for her age, she always has been. But she is not mature in a bad way like some of these 13 year olds are today out there. She is not 'fast'. She is not trying to grow up and act like an idiot and boy crazy and make up crazy and party crazy, ugh I dont know what I would do if she acted like a typical teenager. She has a very good head on her shoulders and I am so proud of the lil lady she is becoming.

Grace is a clothes and shoes alcoholic. She loves the mall and shopping! She has a great sense of style. Some styles dad doesnt like lol but she doesnt try to get away with anything over the top, and is respectful of his wishes. Grace is a daddys girl, she always has been.

I dont mind at all. I am happy they have the bond they do. Her and I also have a great bond, I love her dearly but we do but heads sometimes. Sometimes I wish she would just crawl up in my lap twirl my hair, cuddle and fall asleep like when she was little. I will always hold on to and cherish the memories of her like that. I look forward to the great memories that will come!

July

July: The heart of summer! Americas birthday! It is also 2 of the most important females in my life birthdays month; my mother & my daughter. It is also a bitter month as a reminder of when I lost my grandmother. This month in my blog I will feature all 3 of the above mentioned. They all have effected my life in such a way I dont know what i would do with out them. Although my gramma is on the other side she is still with me and the things she taught me while here still are certainly still with me! America the beutiful and we sure know how to celebrate it! Fireworks have seemily been none stop since before the 1st of the month and will continue for the next couple weeks. My poor pregnant dog is a nervous wreck which I am sure is not good for her in her condition. But we will comfort her as much as possiable. My cat I have to laugh at... He is 7 years old and has heard fireworks and storms ect several times. SO I dont understand while all the sudden while there are fireworks going on he is doing an army crawl from one room to the next like he is under attack! I feel bad that he is scared but at the same time its hillarious to watch him. My mother & daughter -

I hope everyone enjoys there summer!!

Coty

Today we are having a Birthday Party for my son Coty. He is turning 17! I am really having a hard time wrapping my head around this...my baby is 17, where the hell did the last 17 years go, serioulsy someone please tell me?????

I remember The days surrounding his birth like they were yesterday (just dont ask me what actually happened yesterday cuz that I dont remember(lol). The day before I went into full blown labor I new it was gonna happen any second. I had been having braxton hicks contractions all day, everywheere we went my husband brought a towel for under my butt incase my water broke. We were telling family and friends I was in labor. The next day that I actaully went into full blown labor was a Sunday morning, it was Mothers Day. I woke up to use the bathroom and get ready for the day. As soon as I sat up in bed, gush my water had broke or so I thought. My mother made me eat a quik breakfast before we left for the hospital knowing they wouldnt feed me untill after I gave birth. Once at the hospital they wanted to "check' me and come to find out my water wasnt actuall broke it was just my mucus plug. After walking around for an hour or so my water did actually break on its own. That was like opening a flood gate, I had ALOT of water!! Then in bed hooked to all kinds of wires is how I spent the remainder of the day. At some point during the day I was transferred to a very nice labor and delivery room it was very cozy and had plenty of room for all my visitors. My labor was thankfully very smooth. I was having good contractions but no pain. The Dr's and nurses kept asking in amazement was I sure i didnt need anything for pain. The kept saying 'wow your still smileing". Around dinner time the nurse brought in a beutiful dinner, I was starved and then I find out its not for me I cant have it! Daddy enjoyed it , jerk lol. I was still feeling pretty good going into the evening, I was dialated to a 6 only and they started giving me patosin to get me going faster. That was about the same time my sister scared me into getting an epidural. I am glad i did because the pain did start to come, boiy did it! Within a very short time of getting the patoson and epidural I started to feel the pressure and need to push. I told the nurse to please check and she said "no way i just did I am sure it hasnt changed", well she was wrong I was fully efaced and ready to push! At this point it got kinda crazy. The nurse and intern had me pushing pushing pushing and I was getting wore out fast. Plus I felt like i was on fire down below. I didnt know at the time but come to find out later, the reason for the "burning" was becasue of "ripping". I had my mom on one leg and my hubby holding the other leg. My sister was standing by my head. I wasnt suppossed to have that many people in there but we got away with it. After what seemed like forever and the hardest thing I ever had to do, he was out. They had to getting him going he wasnt breathing as good as they wanted him to, NICU had to come in put a tube down his throat and clear him up. in the meantime i am in screaming miserable pain getting sewed up from stem to stern! Finally i got to hold my precious baby boy. It was the most amazing thing ever! He was 9 pounds 10 ounces and 21 inches long born at 9 ish at night. Back then they still kept the babys in the nursery. So off he went and I got to get showered and cleaned up and settled in my room. They brought him to me one more time that night. My mom and hubby went out for a celebration beer and brought me back McDonalds. The next day at the hospital was busy busy busy. Coty was brought to me bright and early for feeding. I tried the breast feeding thing but it just wasnt working for me. There were all kinds of classes available. But I choose not to take any. I was perfectly content spending time alone with my baby in between having family and friends come to see him.

I could go on and on about my son. He has been such a joy and still is. I have so many stories about him. He was very sick when he was a baby and that was very scary, but we got through it and he was ok. He was always a quiet kid and he still is. He can be a comedian though really and often has us cracking up. He has always loved his animals, weather it was a hamster he was putting in a tonka truck and crashing it, or a bird in his pocket or a dog he thought would like to have a "fun ride" via hanging it from its leash around the swingset! He is mommas boy even if he wouldnt admit it. I have been told how much he looks like me, but I see his dad in him too.

I still cant beleive 17 years have passed!! I just dont know how I am ever gonna grasp it, and when 30 years have passed I still wont have been able to grasp it. Our babys grow up so fast.

He will always be my baby!

I love both my kids soooo much!!

Gratitude journal 3

5 Things I am grateful for today 1. My daughter being a great cook 2. And extra $20 spot when not expected 3. The sound of rain 4. My comfy pillows & blanket 5. Sleeping in

Gratitude journal 2

1. I am grateful for a decent Dr's appointment today 2. I am grateful for the smell of rain 3. I am grateful for my goofy dog 4. I am grateful for my mommy 5. I am grateful for health getting better