Two cute faces

We got back from vacation on Sunday but I haven't had the time to blog about it yet or upload and edit my photos from the trip but I thought I would at least share these two adorable faces.

I love them to pieces. They are the cutest things ever. I am so blessed.

Virginia Beach here we come!

Well, it's 11pm and we leave in the morning for our vacation. It's going to be a LONG trip in the van with the kids but it will all be worth it once we get there.

I am already so exhausted and we haven't even left yet! I've been cleaning the house all day, did ALL the laundry in the house, folded and put away, organized, grocery shopped for our vacation and then packed for the kids and myself. Can I just say that packing for 2 kids for a week is a bit insane? Our van will be completely packed full, oh my!

Gracelyn came down with a cold on Tuesday (boo) and so I'm hoping she feels better soon and it doesn't turn into anything else. For the most part she's been herself, just a bit fussier at times. As of like an hour ago my throat is starting to feel a little sore. Boo again. I hope it's nothing and I'm not getting sick. That would really stink!

Well, I need to go to bed, still have some things to finish packing in the morning but need to get some sleep before Gracelyn wakes me up in a few hours wanting to nurse. Ha.

Please pray for safe travels for us and all my family that is going, we would appreciate it!

Ocean bound!
Momma Keri ♥

Love it!!

The results are in, I LOVE my new hair! I am so glad I decided to step out and try something fun and different because I think it suits me well. It's dark, but has some blond and reddish colors in it too to give me the perfect new look for fall ♥

My girlfriend did a fantastic job and it's always nice when you're getting your hair done and you don't hear gossip in the salon! I just go to her house and we love chatting gossip free and having some girl time. Moms need their girl time, it keeps us sane :) She was super excited to do my hair and I was excited to see it :)

Jeremy loves it. He said, "I think it looks awesome!" Thanks babe! I love the length too. I told her what I wanted and to put some layers in too and she really did a great job. Jeremy said it might just be his favorite cut I've ever had. I wish I would have tried something like this sooner - I just love my hair! Thanks Layne ♥

Here's a picture of the new look ♥

My first day watching Brady was great. I felt I managed the 3 kids pretty well and it's nice that they all nap ♥ Brady is a pretty happy baby and doesn't fuss much. The couple times he did fuss he just wanted to be held and snuggled or was tired. Can't wait for him to come back on Tuesday!

Ethan was so good with him, as I knew he would be. He was always so sweet and caring when Gracelyn was little too. When she dropped off Brady he was sleeping in his car seat and so I moved him into the play room and closed the doors. Ethan would go in there every 10 minutes and check on him and then come out and say to me, "Shhhh." So cute. He came up to me once and told me Brady had a "boo-boo". I laughed so hard. Not a boo-boo E, that's Brady's birth mark :) Once he woke up Ethan went to find him a toy and tried putting it in his hand. It was so sweet to watch him with a little "brother" around the house and did make me feel a bit sad thinking of the little one we lost. Of course we don't know if it was a boy, but I'll always wonder.

Gracelyn was very interested in Brady. She left him alone for the most part (although I didn't give her alone access with him - haha) and it hit me when I saw her looking at him and saying, "Baby" that she is growing up on me way too fast!! She is 15 months today actually. She looked so big compared to him even though I don't think they weigh much different. Ha. I think watching Brady will be so great for me and I'm thankful for the opportunity. Isn't he adorable?

We leave a week from tomorrow for vacation! Eeeek! I can't wait to start packing next week and getting ready for our fun trip :)

Just wanted to also say "Happy 4th Anniversary" to one of my good friends who now lives in Florida. (Insert sad feelings here) Your wedding was such a special day and I loved being such a big part of it! I hope you and Joel do something special today to celebrate. You know what I'm thinking ;) Can't believe how long we've known each other - love you my forever friend! ♥ I have always loved this one ♥


Stay Blessed,
Momma Keri ♥

Change

Change. Life has changed quite a bit for me in the past couple weeks. Going from being pregnant with our third to losing the baby to taking on a part time job - wow! Life can change so quickly. Change is good and while I don't always like it I'm feeling really good about this new little part time job I'm taking on.

Tomorrow I start watching Brady. I am really excited. I feel like the timing of this is just another way God has shown His love to me. I prayed about watching this little boy months back but then we got pregnant and I just felt it would be too much. She had someone else lined up and they fell through last minute and the day she asked me if I knew of anyone to watch him was the day we found out our baby was with Jesus. I immediately knew I wanted to watch him and that it would be a good thing for me. I just felt a peace about it and really excited about it right away.

I gave the exersaucer a good cleaning, washed the bouncy seat cover and have that ready to go and set up the pack n' play and bought new sheets and washed them - I am ready! It brings back memories of "Keri's Kidz" (my in home daycare I had a few years back for those who don't know) and it feels good. I've always had such a heart and passion for kids and we all know how much I love babies ♥ It will be fun to have a little one around again and also to make a little extra money.

I am already treating myself tomorrow night too with my earnings - Ha! One of my best girlfriends does hair and I've decided it's time for a change and I'm stepping out and getting brave and changing it up a bit. Gonna go with some new colors and cut my hair a bit too. So, it will be fun to hang with my girlfriend and talk for hours like we always do and get a bit pampered too ♥

What is new with the kids? Well, guess what Ethan did today?? He said, "Potty" and then went into the bathroom, got his little potty chair out and wanted to sit on it. I then told him if he went pee pee or poo poo he would get an m&m. He pushed as hard as he could (lol) and out came a few trickles of pee :) He was very proud of himself (as was his mommy) and we celebrated with not just one m&m but 2! He chose red and blue - he's really been into colors lately :) So, while we're not quite close to being potty trained yet it's at least a start and it excited me nonetheless :) He is getting so old and I am just soaking in these days with him. School started for a lot of my friends little ones today...kindergarten...and I was so glad that this wasn't me quite yet. I get him all to myself for a couple more years :)

And Gracelyn...what is new with Gracelyn. What a sweet and fiesty little one we have on our hands. She makes me laugh and is so sweet and yet is so stubborn, is developing a little tude' and gets into everything she shouldn't. Oh how I love her ♥ I love that she is confident in who she is and doesn't care what anyone thinks :) She has been getting me up in the night for hours the past 3 weeks or so. It's like having a newborn again. Ha. She is getting in FOUR molars....so you can imagine why she's been having a bit of a hard time. Teething tablets and Tylenol have been our best friend lately! I can't wait until they all come in and she is sleeping better for us at night.

Well, that's about all for now BUT I must share my husband gave me a good laugh earlier. We were taking a drive in the van, he was driving, when he suddenly starting freaking out because apparently a gigantic dragonfly was attacking him. Umm, baby, it was a leaf :) We laughed for awhile and he said to me, "You were freaking out too!" and I was like, "Umm, yeah because I thought you were getting attacked by something other than a leaf" I laughed so hard - it was just one of those things that you had to be there to really see how funny it was :)

Well, time to clean up the 48 crayons that are scattered across the living room floor and get the kids ready for bed. They have both been going to bed at 9pm and that's amazing for us so we've been trying to stick with it! More time for daddy and mommy - it's been quite nice :)

Will update on Thursday and let you know how my first day on the job was....and if I love my hair or hate it :) Wish me luck!

Mommma Keri ♥

Life

Last night I was reminded how life can change in a moment. We were on our way to my parents and right in front of their sub we witnessed a car accident. There were two teenage girls in one car and an older lady in the other. The girls were fine and hopped out immediately but the lady wasn't in as good condition. She didn't have a airbag (she had a old car) and her windshield was cracked and her head was leaned forward against the steering wheel not moving. I heard something say she was bleeding and of course not to move her. I jumped out quickly and ran to the girls. The girl that was driving was hysterical. I tried calming her down but she kept saying how she just got the car for her birthday and that her parents were going to kill her. I tried to remind her it was just a car, she walked away from it ok and that's what matters. She was just shaking, crying and really upset. It was madness. Probably 10 cars stepped out to help in any way they could. After a few minutes we decided to hop in the car and head over to my parents as another lady was sitting down with the girls, the medics were on their way and there were lots of witnesses and people helping. I told Jeremy how great it is to see people come together so quickly in a time of need.

My dad rode his bike up to the scene to check it out (this is so like my dad. Ha. I remember growing up we would see a bunch of fire trucks zoom by and he would be like, let's follow them! Ha. Apparently he was in the wrong profession) and Jeremy and I dropped the kids off because we were headed to the movies. By then it was all blocked off, cars were lined up and the ambulances and fire trucks were there.

My dad overheard it was the old lady's fault and sure enough the girls mom did handle the situation like she thought. I felt bad about that, I can't imagine my child being in a wreck and making any comments that you are upset about the car. I'm kinda glad I wasn't there when the mom came or I may have said something to her I shouldn't!

Anyhow, it just served as a reminder to me how fast life can change and how we should live every moment to the fullest. We shouldn't hold unforgiveness in our hearts towards anyone, we should tell those we love how much we love them, life can be very short and I want to live every moment to the fullest! The lady was taken to the hospital and my dad said they had to use the jaws of life to get her out of the vehicle. I'm praying she's ok.

Change of subject. Me. How am I doing? I've been getting lots of texts, emails and facebook messages asking how I'm doing and telling me I'm in their thoughts and that I'm prayed for. It's been so comforting to me and has really helped me heal to know how many people care.

It was a week ago today that I found out the baby had no heartbeat. It seems like forever ago but then it also feels like just yesterday. I feel like the Lord has given me a lot of peace. A peace that passes no understanding actually. I have felt His love in so many ways through this experience and I am so grateful.

The sadness and tears are still there, they come in waves. I'm thankful I have E and G to keep me busy most of the day because I don't even have time to think about everything a lot which is good because that is when I start to get really sad. Yesterday I did have some tearful moments. There are just things that happen that are inevitable that are reminders to me that I'm no longer pregnant. Pregnancy news from others. It's hard for me right now. I am the biggest baby lover you know so I love to hear when friends are pregnant. I still do - but it's hard for me right now, especially when I hear of March due dates. I also received in the mail yesterday the coming home outfit I ordered for the baby. I guess that's what I get for being such a planner. I'm really unsure right now if we will have another baby at some point so I've decided to just hang on to the outfits I've bought, the newborn diapers and the diaper bag.

I know there will be difficult days I face in the coming year. I have a couple friends/family that are due in March and I know it will be hard for me when I see their bellies starting to pop. When they have their ultrasound. And then of course when March comes around and I'll wonder when my baby would have been born.

I really do feel like God has given me so peace though through this. He is carrying me through it like He has in any other hard time in my life and I am so thankful.

Thanks again for all your prayers, messages, texts, cards, packages in the mail (such sweet friends I have!) - they truly have been so comforting to me.

Tomorrow I am having my third and last garage sale of the season. You would think I would have barely anything left but I still have a nice selection of stuff. My hubby's cousin's wife is doing it again with me also and she has loads of stuff so it should be a good sale. It's supposed to be windy and 63 tomorrow! Brrr! It's been raining the past few days so hopefully it won't tomorrow.

Tomorrow also kicks off Michigan Football Season! This is Jeremy's favorite time of year :) I have really grown to love fall. The warm cinnamon donuts at the cider mill, the crisp leaves, the cool and fresh smelling air, jeans and sweatshirts, it's becoming my favorite season actually!

2 weeks from today we are leaving for our vacation!! Woo Hoo! I am beyond excited and praying that Hurricane Earl is done with and doesn't mess with our vacation! I have been looking forward to it so much! We rented a condo on the ocean and 10 of us are going - it's going to be the best vacation ever! I just know it! Jeremy and I were just saying last night how he hasn't taken a week off work since Ethan was 6 months old when we went to Lake Ann so it is much needed for him also. Now try not to be jealous about what your eyes are about to see :) It's going to be wonderful ♥

Well, I start watching little Brady man on Wednesday, I can't wait! I'll be watching him just 2 days next week, then the 3 days from then on. Really excited about it and making a little extra money too.

Well, I hope everyone has a fun and safe holiday weekend. Ours will involve football, my garage sale and a BBQ at my parents on Monday with the fam so it should be fun.

Stay Blessed!
Momma Keri ♥