Family | Beauty and The Boys

Dr. Seuss Baby Shower

October 12, 2014 - 13 Comments

My baby shower was this weekend! It was so amazing and was so much better than I imagined. We decided to have it early because in our family, we have a lot of birthdays in November and December, plus the holidays, we wanted to go ahead and do it while everyone was free and things weren’t so busy. I came across a Thing 1 and Thing 2 baby shower on Pinterest and that’s where the inspiration came from for my shower. I pinned a bunch of stuff I loved and then shared it with my mom, my cousin, and my sister in law who were throwing the shower with me. They did such an amazing job and I can’t thank them enough for putting such a beautiful and fun shower together for me!

The diaper cake my mom made for me! She crocheted everything on there and then put it all together! It’s so beautiful and I don’t even want to take it apart, but I definitely want the twins wearing all of that cuteness. There is a thing 1 and thing 2 hate. Booties. Mittens. Wash clothes. Rattles. Bottle warmers. Diapers and more! She did a beautiful job and is so talented! Thanks mom!

Isn’t everything beautiful?! There were blue and red streamers, blue and red polka dot balloons, blue and red candy, parfaits, big red and big blue, cheese and cracker trays, blue cupcakes, and a wonderful cake! I still can’t get over how perfect everything was! Here is a few pictures from the shower!

What do you think? Didn’t they do a fabulous job?!

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Why you should Thrive.

October 11, 2014 - 1 Comment

As most of you know, my back is messed up. I have two herniated discs, one of them being shot to hell and one that affects the nerve in my leg. Being in pain everyday for over a year now hasn’t exactly been fun, but it has given me a glimpse into what my mom has dealt with for many, many years now. Her back is much worse than mine, she has had multiple surgeries, been on different medicines, and even has a pain pump. She is in far worse pain everyday than I am, she has been dealing with it much longer than I have, and she is medically retired because of it. Watching your mom suffer with pain is one of the worst thing for a child. I’ve always hated that there was nothing I could do for her, there was nothing I could do to make the physical ailments less, and nothing I could do to fix her back. She is a strong woman though and embraces her pain the best way she can, I tried to understand what she was going through, but it wasn’t until my own back messed up, that I really understood what she went through on a daily basis.My mom’s friend introduced her to Thrive. She told her about all the benefits of using it, and how it could help her with her physical limitations. I was a little skeptical and I imagine she was too, because how was this going to help her physical limitations, help her be more energetic, and more; when her own pain doctor couldn’t find a remedy for that.

If you’ve been following my blog for any length of time you know that I spend a lot of time with my mom. She’s one of my best friends and such a wonderful grandmother to my boys and lucky for us, she doesn’t live far from me. Well, a couple days into using the Thrive products not only did she start to notice a different, but I noticed a difference in her. Especially today at my baby shower. You see, cold weather makes our back pain/physical limitations worse and today was a cold one. Not to mention she was throwing my shower so she was going to be entertaining guests and on her feet a lot. I was shocked by the fact that not only did she seem full of energy at the party, but by the end of the party she was still going, I on the other hand since I don’t use the products yet, was ready to just go home and sit down from how bad my back was hurting and how tired I was.

It’s truly helping her and I normally wouldn’t talk about something I haven’t personally tried, but seeing such a great result in her, I knew I had to help her spread the word, but all I can do is tell you what I’ve seen and it’s not just her not being having physical limitations as much, her energy has gone up, and she is getting tons of nutrition from it too! I’ll let her tell you more about it though… here is what my mom has to say about Thrive…

“When I was first introduced to Thrive by my best friend LaKeesha, I was extremely busy and drained getting ready for my daughter Cassie’s baby shower coming up and with my physical limitations I just didn’t feel the need to even try Thrive.

Once LaKeesha told me about all the nutrition in the product, that it helped with so many things, from inflammation, to concentration, energy etc. I wanted to try it. Now before I tell you about what this product has done for me, let me give you a little history about me.

I have not worked in 8 years due to my physical limitations from a back injury. I became depressed, withdrawn, and missed out on so many things. I was tired all the time, my concentration had gone out the window and I had no real desire to do much of anything. I quit hanging out with friends, couldn’t crochet anymore which I love to do, missed out on family functions etc. I was not much of a happy person to be around at all.

Fast forward to Sunday, when I finally started taking Thrive, my first day I noticed a little energy but not much more, the second day when I took it I noticed more energy, by the 3rd day I was feeling emotionally happy, and the energy I had was amazing. I cleaned my entire house and with my physical limitations normally doing that took all day with many breaks, and I would not be able to do much the next couple of days, when I woke up on the 4th day to my surprise I was up and at it again, not having to slow down much at all and my mood was extremely positive and happy and my concentration oh my goodness it has come back, no more brain fog etc. My husband even notices when he calls me how happy I sound since starting Thrive. I told him I didn’t know how to act after all this time, because I feel so much better mentally and physically.

My husband is 69 years old and would always come home tired and fall asleep in his recliner, he isn’t doing that anymore. He is up and doing things and feels really good.

I can honestly say that this has changed my life really and truly and for the better. I never thought I would ever feel like this again in my life due to my physical limitations. But here I am and my daughter Cassie can attest to this she has watched me suffer endlessly.

Here is the link to the sight, I ask anyone who wants to get healthier, feel better and live!! Please take a moment to see what this is all about. I have tried everything under the sun and nothing every helped. What I like most is it only takes 30 minutes in the morning and you are done!! No taking pills, throughout the day etc.

I will answer any questions you may have and even let you try it first to see how you will feel. I am including my website and my email so by all means ask away. I look forward to hearing from you all..:)

Have a beautiful day.

Sheila

Sheilam65.Le-Vel.com

thrivenwsheila@yahoo.com”

I have noticed a big difference in both of them and it makes me happy to see my mom happy and active. I’ll be trying the shakes soon to see if they help with my energy level. For now, it’s the only part of Thrive I can do until after the babies are born, but I can’t wait to try the patches which is what helps with the inflammation and pain. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to email my mom or if you are wanting to try Thrive out for yourself, visit her website.

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10 of my favorite vacation pictures

September 18, 2014 - 2 Comments

Wow! I’m finally back! I would say I’m sorry for my absence, but I’m totally not. We took our first family vacation and it was UH-MAZ-ING! Seriously, I wish I was still there. We’ve been planning this vacation since the beginning of summer and it was well worth the wait. We went to South Padre Island and it blew me away. The only ocean I’ve ever been to was Galveston and it was pretty, but South Padre was absolutely freaking amazing. We did so much and I have so much to share and talk about. It took me quite a few days to recover from vacation {that’s crazy huh lol}, but I blame it on the pregnancy. Before I launch into everything I want to share in upcoming blog posts. I’m going to do a photo dump of a few of my favorite pictures from the trip. I literally took sooooo many, I had a really hard time narrowing it down to 10 pictures to share in this post. Enjoy! I’ll be back Monday with an actual post!

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Happy 6th birthday Jay

April 13, 2014 - 7 Comments

Dear Jay,

You turn six years old today. How do I even begin to describe what you have done to my life these past six years? How do I even begin to describe the absolute joy you bring to my life? You made me a momma. I remember being so scared, I remember thinking that motherhood was going to be impossible. Sometimes it still is, but you make it all the more worth it. I thank God over and over that he blessed me with you. You are such an amazing little boy. You are growing up right before my very eyes and as I write this, I’m fighting back tears. It’s crazy how times flies. I feel like just yesterday I was holding you in my arms for the first time and all of a sudden I blinked and your six.

I want you to know I’m so proud of you, daddy and I both are. You are one of the best students in your class. Your teacher seriously brags about you all the time and it makes my heart swell. You have the sweetest soul I’ve ever seen. You believe in being nice and standing up to those who pick on you and others. You believe in peace above all else. Your love of God amazes me on a daily bases.

Your headstrong too. You and I but heads quite a bit, it’s not surprising and I kinda like it. It shows me that you know what you want and you will stand up for what you think is right or what you believe. You are a little storyteller. I love listening to you tell me whatever story has popped into your head. You have the funniest expressions and your eyes hold all of your emotions. Those beautiful blue/green eyes that holds depths of love. You are a wonderful big brother. You and Kage fight a bit, but at the end of the day, he’s your best friend and you would give anything for him and that is so amazing to see at six years old.

I could say so much more. Like how your laugh fills the room or how when you dance around the living room, energy radiates off of you like the sun. You bring joy wherever you go and it’s beautiful. I want you to always keep the important parts of you. Your selfless at six baffles me and I hope you hold onto it. Your sweetness, your honesty, your faith… hold onto it all. More than anything, hold onto the fact that you are beyond loved because love, it fills a person up and Jay, it flows out of you in waves. We love you so much and we are so proud of the wonderful boy you are.

We had your birthday party over the weekend and you had an absolute blast. We had a Disney planes theme birthday party. You were surrounded by friends and family that love you so much and I can’t wait to celebrate your birthday some more today!

I love you Jay, always and forever.

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Our St. Patrick’s Day + a handmade birthday gift

March 18, 2014 - Leave a Comment

I meant to share our St. Patrick’s Day on Tuesday, but I didn’t get around to writing a post, I was far too tired. I got maybe 4 hours of sleep the night before because I couldn’t sleep, my nerve was hurting me way too bad and then I had to get up at five thirty since it was the first day back to school for Jay after spring break and I never got around to taking a nap on Monday so, come Monday night I was in no mood to write a post. Anyways, on to how we spent our St. Patrick’s Day.

During the day while Jay was at school, Kage and I didn’t do a whole lot. I did get it into my head to do a last minute handmade birthday present for my mother in law because her birthday is on St. Patrick’s Day. So, I got to work! I finished about 98% of it before we had to go get Jay from school. We drive a little ways and then walk the rest of the way to pick him up and it was such a nice day outside, Kage and I totally soaked it up.

After we picked up Jay, we came home and I finished the birthday present and then I had to get ready and finish getting Kage ready since he was in long sleeves and he didn’t need long sleeves anymore. Afterwards, I put all of my mother in laws gifts in a bag and we headed out the door. As soon as we walked in, we said our hello’s to my momma in law and great grandma & great grandpa in law {they are in town} and then I handed her the gift bag. The first thing she pulled out was the handmade gift I made her. I have to say, it’s one of the best handmade gifts I’ve made so far.

{I made the print on the front completely in pic monkey, I love the way it turned out. Then I simply printed out the pictures I wanted to use and began arranging four to a page – two on the front and two on the back – and then wrote a quote about family on each page, front and back. I punched a hole at the top of each page and tied it with a white piece of yarn.}

She flipped through it and kept saying “Awe” every so often. She gave me a huge hug before she returned to going through her other gifts. We also got her a wind chime, some silly four leaf clover glasses {that the boys are rocking below}, and a St. Patrick’s day necklace. When my father in law woke up, he looked through the scrapbook too and he loved it and so did my aunt in law when she showed up. We were over there until about seven thirty. After we left, we grabbed dinner… ate… Jay did homework… the boys had baths and I did a little reading before bed, but we crashed pretty early.

It was a pretty low key St. Patrick’s Day this year and it was spent with family and any holiday spent with family is a damn good one in my book.

How did you spend your St. Patrick’s Day?

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A Sunday well spent

February 26, 2014 - Leave a Comment

Not this past weekend, but the weekend before that, we took the boys to the park. We have really been trying to get Jay to master riding his bike on his own without any help. The weather was absolutely beautiful and Hubby was off work so we decided to load the boys up with their bikes and head out. The boys were of course thrilled. There is just something about little kids and parks that turns them instantly into the happiest children that ever walked the planet. Anyways, we had them ride their bikes for a little bit, Jay rode a little without any help, but Hubby was right there to help him when he needed it. {Kage didn’t have a real bike at this point, he does now! Also, Jay pretty much mastered riding his bike slowly this weekend!} After that little bike ride they played all over the little playground. The weather was so beautiful that I told Hubby we should take a walk around the trail and that is exactly what we did. I snapped some beautiful pictures {that I can’t share with you yet because I have something in the works with them } and the boys enjoyed running up ahead, stopping to look at the creek and just enjoying being outside. Hubby and I held hands and walked a little ways behind them and stopped to read the little signs on the trail out loud to the boys. It was truly a Sunday well spent…

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How do you have hope without having too much?

February 1, 2014 - 3 Comments

If we were meeting for Coffee, I would ask you to meet me at Starbucks.. I would practically beg you. After the night I had, I would need to get out of the house, get some fresh air. It’s beautiful here in Texas, it’s supposed to be beautiful until the afternoon so I would suggest we take our coffee’s out on the Starbucks porch instead of sitting inside. After we settled in and got through the basic how are yous & how is life questions, I would tell you that I really need to talk. I would apologize in advance, I would even promise you a second cup of coffee that way you could get anything you wanted off your chest, but the plea in my eye would be real and I would hope you would nod your head and ask me what was wrong. Because this time I wouldn’t say it’s nothing or I’m fine. I wouldn’t brush it off with a careless wave of my hand, I would take a deep breath, let it out and tell you..

Last night my sister got out of jail. {read the story here} I had no intention of talking to her last night, as a matter of fact, I had no intention of talking to her for quite some time. I would explain how on impulse I got this urge to call her with every intention of giving her a piece of my mind. I tried so hard to shake it off, to ignore it, but I couldn’t and finally I was asking for the number where she was and dialing before I could stop myself. I still had every intention of being this cold hard bitch and then she answered the phone. Her voice came through and after they “Hey.” We exchanged, I said “How was jail.” There was a beat of silence and then she was like.. “CASSIE?!!” a laugh escaped her, “Oh my god I didn’t recognize your voice for a second, I haven’t heard it in so long.” I felt my cold hard shell break. She sounded happy. Truly happy for the first time in I don’t even know how long to hear me on the other end of the phone and not only did she sound happy, she sounded different.

She was in jail for thirty days, she has been sober for thirty days and I could hear that soberness in here. I chocked back a sob. I would tell you that I couldn’t tell you the last time I had a conversation with her when she was sober. The last time she sounded so damn happy to be talking to me. The last time I was actually talking to my sister and not my sister on drugs. We chatted for a few, breezy light conversation. She told me about jail and I told her about the newest update with my back since she asked. Then came the hard part and I’m fighting back tears once again, she talks about how she’s been reading the bible. How she knows, now that she’s sober, how bad she fucked up. How stupid she feels. She told me about the outpatient rehab she is going to go to and how she wants her family back and how she know the change has to start with her. As much as I wanted to be all, “Oh my god, that’s amazing and so wonderful.” I couldn’t. I did however tell her that I was happy she was out of jail, that I’m glad she is finding God {thank you all for your prayers, please keep praying} and then I had to say it.

I paused, took a deep breath and just let it out, “I want you to know I’m glad you are wanting to go down the right patch. I’m happy you are sober and wanting to change for the better. I’m always only a phone call away, I’m your sister and I’m here, but it’s not going to be easy. You hurt me and I can’t just trust you again.”

She understood, she agreed and she knew why I felt that way. I continued, “I hope you stay sober.” My voice hitched, “I hope you stay on this path.” My voice broke and the tears fell, “Because I just want my sister. That’s all I want. I don’t want to have to bury you.”By now she was in tears as well, telling me she didn’t want that life anymore, she wanted better and so on, “I was talking to a friend and she told me her brother went down a very similar path and they had to bury him.” My voice broke again and a fresh wave of tears rolled down my cheeks, “I don’t want that.” I barely got out. We dried our tears, had a little more conversation before we hung up. I immediately called my mom to tell her about the conversation and that resulted in even more tears. Worse than the tears before. My mom and I can always talk about anything, even if we get emotional or snappy with each other and I love that.

After those two conversations, I just feel defeated. I told myself I wasn’t going to be the fixer anymore and what did I do, I tried to be the fixer. The fixer is always the one that winds up in tears, it’s inevitable, whether they are happy tears or sad ones, it happens. I just, I want to believe she’s going to change. I want to believe she is going to do everything she says she’s going to do, but it’s so hard. It’s so hard to believe it, but I don’t want to just assume she is going to fail either because I don’t want her to fail. I desperately want her to make it, to have that good life that most people have. To never go down the path she did again and yet at the same time, I’m so scared to have too much hope because it will just crush me if it goes bad.

If we were meeting for coffee.. I would ask you what you would do? Do you have any advice for me? How does one stay strong is such a situation, how does one not have too much hope, but enough to let her know I believe in her? How do I just stop fucking crying every single time I think about it?

After I wiped my eyes and bought you another cup of coffee for listening to be cry, I would ask you how life is? How are your kids? {if you have any} Anything new and exciting going on? Anything you want to talk about? I’m all ears..

I’m linking up with Alissa for Coffee and Casey for on my heart.

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Our clothespin photo wall

January 29, 2014 - 5 Comments

I saw this beautiful idea on pinterest not too long ago and I knew I wanted to do it. Only problem was I suck at getting pictures printed. Literally the only pictures I had hanging in our house were ones from when the boys were 2 and younger and the ones I had ordered from Persnickety. I was in desperate need of a new printer, but I figured I wasn’t getting one anytime soon therefore said cute idea was just going to have to wait! One weekend, Hubs and I loaded up the boys to head to best buy because he was getting a new stereo for his car. Well, I decided to walk around and just happened to walk down the printer isle to see if they had any good ones at a good price. I’ll be damned if we didn’t go at the perfect time because they had a bunch that were on sale. #winning

I casually pushed the cart back over to Hubs after talking to one of the sales floor guys and mentioned that they had some really great printers and I was in desperate need of one and please, just pleaseeeeee! After he picked out his new radio we walked back over together so I could show him. Within a minute he was freaking sold and I squealed and we even let the sales floor guy take our picture with our new printer when he asked to take it “because sometimes they put it on there site.” Sure they do buddy, sure they do, but I didn’t care. Yes, I was that ridiculously excited. A couple of days after we got it I had to run to the dollar store and BOOM clothespins were staring me in the face. I grabbed a couple packages, I will totally be going back for more, and when I got home I went a little printing crazy.

I grabbed my clothespins, grabbed some thumbtacks, yarn, scissors and my freshly printed pictures and got to work. It took me a little while because while I obviously loved the one I saw, I wanted ours to look a bit different. We have the perfect wall for it and I knew just what to do.

It is now my absolute favorite wall in our house! I look at it several times a day and smile every single time. That wall just reminds me of how blessed we are with the life we were given. I also bought some frames that already have 8x10s in them and the wall you see to the right is going to be getting a makeover. The hallway to the left is going to my entryway collage wall and the wall you see in the last picture, well as you can tell I’m re-doing it and it’s going to kick so much ass.

It took me three years to hang a bunch of pictures in our home, but damn it was so worth it.

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She needs a miracle

January 10, 2014 - 20 Comments

As I sit here and type, the hunger games is playing quietly on my TV, the house is almost completey dark and the rain is falling slowly from the sky. I just got back from having breakfast with my mom. When I walked Jay into school today, the rain drops were softly hitting us on the head, his little hand was in mine and he looked up at me.

A smile lit his face, “Mommy, I know a song about rain.”
I couldn’t help but smile back, wondering if it was the same one running through my head, “You do? Let’s hear it!”
“Rain, rain, go away.” He started.
“Come again another day.” I continued with him.

We kept singing until we hit the doors and it was such a sweet little memory on a gloomy day. Afterwards, I decided to grab some good ol McDonalds breakfast and head to my mom’s house. We ate and talked and the conversation was somewhat heavy and a lot is weighing on my heart as I write this. It’s hard for me to share this, I never wanted to have to write about this on my blog. I’m not even sure I will be able to hit publish, but I have to get it out. I have to let it go.

So please, grab a cup of coffee and join me as I tell you about losing someone who is still alive.

Quote via Live.Laugh.L0ve. on Pinterest.

My heart often aches for her. Not in the way that I feel sorry for her, but in a way that she still means something to me and it kills me to see this happening to her. For most of my life I thought I knew who she was and around the time I was nineteen, pregnant with my first baby, she showed up to my baby shower on drugs. She didn’t even care enough about this special moment in my life to show up sober, she didn’t care enough to be there for me. Once I figured out who she really was and what she was doing, I wanted to help her. I love her, of course I wanted to help her, how could I not? And so it began. The talks, the pleading and the promises to get better. The lies, the heartache and the tears that were shed. I don’t think I’ve ever hurt so much and cried so much because of one person.

As I sit here and write this I think of all that could have been. The memories we were supposed to make as we continued to grow up together. The memories our children could have made growing up together. The bond she was supposed to share with my children. The bond I was supposed to share with hers. I’ve watched her go down this path for so long. I’ve pleaded, yelled and talked to her. I tried to fix our family more times than I can count when she went on one of her destroying rages. I’ve begged her to get help, I’ve begged her to talk to me, to lean on me and to let me be there for her. I’ve let her cry as I listened and I’ve cried with her. For years, I’ve watched her destroy her life and everything in it.

Quote via Live.Laugh.L0ve. on Pinterest

Now she’s finally spiraled out of control. I can’t count how many times I’ve tried to save her from herself. How many times I’ve told her to find God. How many tears I have shed from the pain that not only she has caused, but from the pain of watching her do this. From the pain of being utterly helpless. I’ve prayed and begged. My husband’s held me as I cried over this on more than one occasion. There was one day in particular, after the last time she had hurt me, hurt other people I love dearly. My husband sat on the couch and I was sitting on the floor. My legs were crossed, I was leaned forward, resting my head on my arms.

“I don’t know what to do anymore.” I admitted to him, “I’m supposed to be the fixer. I know God wants me to be because that’s what I’ve done for so long.” I paused, holding back tears before I went on, “I just don’t know if I have the strength to do it anymore.”
I’ll never forget what he said, “Cassie, honestly, how much can one person take? How many times can you keep doing this?”
I shook my head slowly, wanting so badly to deny that he was right and I couldn’t, “I can’t.” I whispered.
I saw the understanding in his eyes, “Then don’t.”

Quote via Live.Laugh.L0ve. on Pinterest.

It was in that moment that I decided this was no longer in my hands. I have tried everything in the book to help her and I have forgiven here countless times. I had to let her go. I had to lose someone I loved. I told my mom this morning, “I’m afraid we are really going to lose her. I don’t want to have to bury my sister.” A lump formed in my throat that I had to swallow.

If you have ever watched a loved one go down a destructive path, you understand the helplessness I’m feeling, that most of my family is feeling. What makes it even worse is she doesn’t even care. She doesn’t care how her life is turning out, she doesn’t care that she has burned every bridge, she doesn’t care that she has hurt all the people who were there for her and it kills me.

The only thing left to do is continue to pray for her and so, if we were meeting for coffee today, after I shared this story, I would ask. No, I would beg you to pray for her. Pray for a miracle to happen. She needs a miracle.

I’m linking up with Casey for on my heart & Alissa for coffee date.

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Snippets of our Christmas

December 30, 2013 - 1 Comment

These Christmas was one of new traditions. Of firsts. Of tons of laughter and so much family time. I wish I could share all of the pictures I took between Christmas Eve and Christmas day, but there is just way too many. I had to pick and choose which ones I really wanted to share on here and I still feel like it’s a lot. Both of the boys were sick on Christmas but that didn’t hold us back, better yet, our families wouldn’t let that hold us back.

We had two Christmas celebrations to attend on Christmas eve & two on Christmas day. It was chaotic, beautiful and wonderful. I have never been one to mind the rush and chaos of the Christmas season and even with two little sick ones, we embraced it.

Tell me, how was your Christmas? What was your favorite memory? What about favorite gift?

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