Bags fo' sale.

While I was busy not eating meat, celebrating small things and getting over my Starbucks addiction, I dove face first into earning more dollars. Mostly so I can get Starbucks and not feel guilty. You know with the budget to consider.

Adam had gotten great opportunity this summer for an internship with the Attorney General, but with every great opportunity you go unpaid. We are excited, I used to say that with gritted teeth, but celebrating small things lets me see how happy he is and how much better this is for us in the long run, (2 years to be exact) But anyways… I will now be selling Thirty-One products. Now I know why?? When will you have time, aren’t you supposed to be saying no to things? Well, yes I am, but this is a way I can get little things for myself, make money, and organize! And you know I love organizing.

I don’t plan on driving the Thirty-One Cadillac—oh wait wrong one, but I do hope to do at least 2 parties a month, either in YOUR home or online. I hope to get my Pin Board all linked up and to make thing FABULOUS. It is really fun for me because I can get out and be social which meeting people and sharing stories is a pretty big part of who I am.

So if once a month you see a post on my little BIZ its ok, I’m just showing off, and hoping to brainwash you into ordering or having your own party. But if not here is my site, you can shop there anytime you wish. Go one you know you want to-- especially now when the outlet sale is going on.

Lent... we are getting deep here.

For the past few years I have not given anything up for Lent. I had stopped going to Catholic Church and have found myself learning and using more of my faith from a new church. When H was 16 months old we discovered HOPE. Even better, it is 3 minutes from our house, and on a Sunday morning with sleepy eyes you can’t beat that distance. You run out of the, “it’s all the way in Cary" excuses. This year, since I feel we have been so blessed to make it through the first year of law school, and law school budgets, giving something up seemed really important to me. I mean hello, when I think about God giving up his son, then I look at mine, it makes a much bigger impact.

I wanted to give up something I felt like I indulge in. Something I take for granted, it left me 3 things. 1. Starbucks, just 5 dollars wasted on a Sunday on my way to my nursery shift, or at lunch on a Target run. (Maybe next year I can give up Target). 2. Meat. I had dabbled in vegetarianism, right before H was born until I needed the iron from meat. Meat isn’t eaten much by the kids so why not. And 3. Celebrate the small things in my life. So often I find myself on the negative train and miss out on the small things.

I think Lent went great. Some people asked me why are you doing this if you are not a practicing Catholic anymore? But, right before the question was asked I read something. It said Lent wasn’t about giving up something, it was about when you are feeling weak in your 40 days and you seek God to give you the strength. And let me tell you when I saw my family eating seem Chick-Fil-A nuggets I prayed. HARD.

Since Lent is over I have had meat 2 times, both times it has made me sick. I am super excited to do some work at a Starbucks and drink a coffee. And, I see the light in my son’s eyes when he smiles, when B lays her head on my shoulder and when Adam tells me thank you.
Finally, I do feel restored in my faith.

So Lent. I liked it, and I can’t wait until next year.

Makeover!

Making over yourself and your habits is not an easy task. I do not feel as though I am a bad person, a hot mess or anything terrible. I do think there are things that I could tweak. Never to keep a New Year’s resolution, I figured it would be pointless to even make one. And as mentioned before, I love a challenge. I love a full plate. Overflowing plates are good too. I find that it helps my ADD and it helps my stress. Which with 2 little’s and Adam in law school, the stress release is the healthy way. So here is my little list of things I want to do and plan to do.
**Disclaimer: if I do not accomplish these things you cannot hold me accountable

1. Make hair clips. And sell them. Good ones.
2. Learn to sew. Hence clips.
3. Stay on top of sorting kids clothes. (up until Monday H would sometimes be wearing socks for a 12 month old)
4. Set up sewing machine and reclaim my bedroom as a crafty/peaceful place. (Maybe this should go before number 2)
5. Sell, sell, sell. Thoroughly go through the things I want to sell at consignment sales.
6. SAVE, cut back on the spending. I mean Law school is not going to pay for itself.
7. Learn to live with what I have and make it better.
8. Goal weight - only for 1 day. That’s all I ask. BUT, the work to get there is going to hurt.
9. Stop yelling. There. I said it. I yell - I want to stop - I doubt I can stop totally but limits are better.
10. Keep the phone or social media outlets off and away when the babes are around. They deserve all my time when I get the chance.

Those 10 things are a lot. Hopefully with prayer and work they can be accomplished. I feel like I have a good support system, which seems to be getting stronger every day, so I think I’m off to great start!

Blech...

*there will be no capitalization in this post because using the shift key is too much*

i am beat, i feel terrible. i am well rested, i am fed. whats the deal? i know in my mind that i am supposed to be running again, but for the life of me the motivation is nowhere to be found. which angers me because after i have choosen not to run i feel my body yelling, "yes shannon run!" i need to buck up and just do it. i feel bad leaving the house with adam and the babes, i feel bad not playing with them or worse of all, there isn't much playing to be had here after dinner, its mostly, baths, pjs, stories and bed.

and whats the deal with milk supply? can a girl get a break? i do not want to move to formula, it costs too much money and honestly i can't take the smell. i am thinking i have an issue with smells. (baby food?)any pointers or am i doing the right thing? and i go out of town for work in june, how much milk am i allowed to carry on a plane?

oh, and don't get me started on those blogs i've been reading of mom's of 10 fixing furniture, with amazing decorating, paint colors, and only spending 10 bucks on groceries. i really don't get that. i want the greatroom painted this summer and the hole filled in and can't pick a color and these women pretty much make their own paint. that will for sure make me feel worse.

and does the oven need to start breaking now? i mean, "hello expensive appliance, we are on a law school budget."

ok, sorry this wasn't the most thrilling of posts but i know adam is sick of hearing my complaints. :)

The Safety Dance...

look REAL close

Ok, so I am all about some safety. In fact I even envision danger lurking around every corner, slick floor, wet road, and flurries. But recently safety has taken over a new meaning in my home. It has left me speechless, annoyed, and crazed!

Let me backtrack. So H is 2, but during my pregnancy with him a friend handed me a bag full of home safety items. Known to most moms as "child proofing." Since, we live on a budget, who am I to deny freebies? Then one day after my mom came over to help out around the house we spotted them... OUTLET PLUGS! BEFORE THE KID WAS BORN. When Adam, and I asked her about the plugs now in our wall, she simply stated that it was to be safe. I accused Laurel, (our dog) of putting her paws in the sockets. In hind sight, it was well worth the annoying factor of having our outlets plugged during pregnancy, and the additional 7 months it took H to crawl because we became pros at getting those things out.

BUT the other day when I returned home, from work I saw that the outlet plugs have a new meaning...a plug was in an outlet in "The Hole." Now you are probably wonder, "what's the hole?" Well first of all I HATE it. It is the hole above the fireplace that people put their TV in. Yes, a plug was in the hole. Apparently while Adam and I are out, H & B, climb up there and put their fingers, knives, rattles, paci's and broccoli in this socket.

Either that, or mom sees a plug I have ripped out of the wall and just looks for an unplugged socket. But hey, it's all in the name of safety.

Who am I?

My life lately has been anything but normal. There are things going on here that I NEVER imagined would take place.

It seems my life is centered around milk. Which I find funny considering I hate milk and it makes me gag. Either, Adam is asking if milk in an ingredient in dinner (he is lactose intolerant) H, is demanding a cup of milk, and well B, thats all she eats putting me on a two hour rotation of providing milk.

Also, recently I had the opportunity to take a nap, but I found myself vacuuming first, because I knew after that was done I could relax better. This is something that scared me due do to the fact my mother will not go out of town until the house is vacuumed. (Actually in elementary school, she we couldn't leave for school or work until it was done.) It got worse when I saw a toy vacuum that actually vacuums and I wanted for the kids to have it.

Things have gotten extra interesting over here with my new love/obsession/passion/everything about cloth diapers. I have been reading and talking to friends about it for months but now it has come to life. THEY ARRIVE TUESDAY! I cannot wait, to use them. I decided to take the plunge for financial reasons mostly but B's sensitive skin sold the thought to Adam. Budgeting has been a big theme in our home since January 2010 and this will save us at least $1000. With cloth diapering I have decided I need to learn to sew. I intend to make wipes! So if you plan on having a baby, plan on me giving you wipes! HA!

Anyway, if you had told me 10 years ago that this is what I would be doing, running, vacuuming, cloth diapering, living around milk, I'd say, "Umm NO." But I am and I like it!

Does that make me sick? (oh pictures of my diapering station coming soon!)