Thursday, January 19, 2012

I Love Zulily!

Just thought i'd share that Svan Highchairs are on Zulily today! This is the chair we have for Stell (bought it on craigslist to upcycle) :) and we LOVE it! It's a huge space saver and cleans up so easily! It's also very sturdy and looks great! She loves it. I ordered an extra cushion, and i'm contemplating ordering the play table set for her birthday gift... we'll see. If your not already a zulily.com member, follow this link and we'll both get a credit! sweet!!



http://www.zulily.com/invite/jnorris214




I also ordered this to hang in her room, 


Happy Shopping!!

Monday, January 16, 2012

cloth diapers rock!!!

A friend of mine just started up a new blog all about cloth diapers and i'm loving it! I thought i'd give a quick shout out to Missy over at Divas, Diapers and Dudes, She has some great info and sure is posting new things quick!!! Head on over and take a gander, especially if your curious at all about cloth, we love our fluff!

pardon my cleanup

I'm working on taking all of our Christmas decor down around here but it's taking me longer than I'd hoped, so please bare with me. Stell has been napping somewhat sporadically, which means I'm hardly getting housework done, let alone any blogging done. Also, our pup Abby had a pretty big knee surgery on Friday morning, so she's cooped up in a kennel in our living room for the next 8 weeks, poor girl! She had the TTA surgery and we are so thankful for how things worked out, she actually qualified for a study that a local emergency and specialty vet is doing and we saved almost half the amount of the surgery! I cannot believe how lucky we were to have qualified, and also that the surgeon happens to be the best in Idaho and the surrounding area. Abby is on the mend now thankfully, her surgery went well, and her leg is nice and swollen and purple, but she already wants to be up and playing, it's amazing how much different she is from just a few days ago. She blew her ACL/CCL back in November and has been limping around in pain since, it was so sad, we were just trying to get through the holidays before having the surgery. So for now, we're holed up at home, baby not sleeping, Pup in pain, and only a few loads of laundry getting done a day, it's going to be a long few weeks around here, but we'll make it through :) I'll hopefully get the blog back to normal soon, but until then, enjoy the adorable photo card I posted for Stella's birthday below, she turns 1 is just a few weeks!!!!! EEEEKKK!!!

Stationery card

Big One Pink Birthday Invitation
Shutterfly has unique birthday invitations for every age and occasion.
View the entire collection of cards.

Thursday, January 12, 2012

10 months and growing!

Stella Jean,

You are 10 months today!! I actually cant believe i'm getting the chance to write you this letter on your monthly birthday! It's been a VERY busy few weeks, and you have grown so much! You are now using a push cart to assist with walking, and will stand on your own with no help from daddy or I, soon you will take steps and be on your way without us. I cannot believe you are almost walking! You're a pro at climbing, you love stairs, climbing daddy and I, up onto the bed or couch, all over Abby, even your highchair has had it's attempts! We are already talking about building a tree house for you to use in the near future... several years into the future. You are becoming more adventurous in everything lately, not just climbing, but with food, bath time, being away from mommy, and many other things!

Foods you love right now,
Beans!! LOVE LOVE LOVE beans, you devour them.
Puffs are still a top choice when you're just munchy hungry.
Raspberries
Blueberries
Olives, which is something new, you ate a ton from your daddy the other day and we had to stop giving them to you until we knew how you reacted, all's well with olives!
Bread, any kind of bread really, pizza crust is a big hit usually
Pasta, noodles are so much fun to eat and play with!
Pan Dulce, Mexican sweet breads are probably one of your favorites, they were actually the first thing you signed for ever! you asked for "more" pan dulce and I couldn't have been happier to give it to you!

Oh yea, that's another new thing, signing!! You ask for "more" now! Not always, but if you really want something you'll start hitting your fists together and smile when we give you what you're wanting, its so wonderful to know what you're asking for! I *think* I've seen you sign milk also, but i'm not quite sure, I do know that when I show you the sign you fling your head back towards my breast with mouth wide open, you know what you want! you are getting better at the few words you know, Da. Momma. Abs, kiggy, we hear them often now and I'm more sure that you know what you're saying. You wave hello and bye bye, it's adorable, and people get a kick out of it wherever we go, especially you're favorite bankers! You have a special friend at the bank actually, Carly, she adores you, and the other day hung out with you while mommy took care of some things, Carly crawled around with you and the next thing I knew, you were squealing with laughter!!! Sounds I had never heard you make! All over some silly pen on one of the girls desks, it was a wonderful sound to hear! I'm so thankful to have people all around us and everywhere we go who love and adore you!

You are becoming more independent every day little miss, and we cannot wait to see what else you learn this month! i'm sure your next months post will include highlights from you're learning to walk, more words, more signs, and playing! I cannot wait to explore more of this world with you, and to watch you absorb things through your big bright eyes!

Daddy and I love you baby girl, Keep smiling your big smile with those big bright eyes,
Love, Mommy

Thursday, January 5, 2012

9 months and growing

Stella Jean,

You are 9 months baby girl!! Well, you have been for a few weeks, but with the holidays and traveling, i'm a bit behind on this post. You have grown in leaps and bounds over the past few weeks! You are now literally into EVERYTHING! I had to re arrange the bathroom cabinets to make them baby friendly (i'm ok with you getting into things in certain rooms), and we've also had to stop keeping water in the house for Abby and Lil, you just seem to have a little honing beacon for that darn water bowl! You are *kind of* walking, with help, and a neat wooden cart that you got for Christmas from Abuela and Opa. It rolls a bit to fast for your little legs to keep up with, so we still have to hold on and slow it down, but you love to go! Always the mover, you're also now climbing everything... stairs, couches, out of the tub, the entertainment center... nothing seems to stop you. Going down on the other hand is still something you've yet to master, one day soon i'm sure.
Things you've mastered this month:
*taking your diaper off, you think it is hilarious to pull off your velcro diapers... and then leave them in your dust while you crawl down the hall naked.
*climbing, you're a pro! You can climb from the floor, onto the ottoman, up onto the back of the couch, you're going to love trees :)
* eating, you love food! You've had so many new foods this past month, More berries, blue and black along with your favorite raspberry; seasoned potatoes, pork, chicken, different breads, top pot donuts, barley biscuits,
* growing! You moved up to 12 month clothes and some 18 month pants!! you are so long! at your 9 month well baby check up you were 20.8lbs, and 30 inches long!! 75% for weight and 90th% for height :) We also moved you up to a convertible car seat! your head and feet were sticking out of your infant seat, so we thought it would be safer to move you to a Britax boulevard (taller back for tall babies) and you're pretty happy with it! You're never a fan of being put into either carseat, but once strapped safely in, you're content.
* Talking! Were pretty positive you've said your first words! You now say 'Dada' 'Ab' 'ma' and I think i've heard 'kiggy' aka kitty... but we're not sure on that last one, it may just be an excited squeal whenever you see Lilly.

You are doing so much these day Stell, and every day you look more and more like a big girl, a little human, you no long look like a baby, but more and more like a toddler! I cannot believe we are quickly approaching your 1st birthday! We love you baby girl!!! We cannot wait to see what these last few months bring!

Love, Mom and Dad

Resolutions

I've never been one to partake in actually writing down resolutions to hold myself accountable, but this year i'm feeling different. I feel strong, confident, and like I can accomplish anything (well, almost anything). So, I thought i'd put it all out there, write my resolution for 2012 so I would have people to hold me accountable. Will you help hold me accountable?? I'd also love to hear your resolutions if you have them, lets support and encourage one another to keep our goals, I think all big goals should be a group supported effort. 

My 2012 resolutions:

1. Get to my goal weight, which is my happy weight of 160lbs (yes I realize I just put my weight out there... or at least the weight I want to be) I've only got about 10lbs to lose thankfully, but they are those stubborn last few lbs that have held on tight to my body... I think it'll take some serious workout to get them off. and my happy weight is just exactly that, where I am happy, not too skinny (like I was when Brent and I were married and I was around 150lbs, my arms look scary thin!) but not too chunky (as in where my pants are so tight they leave marks... ouch!). I have already lost all of the baby weight I gained with Stella, plus about 8 more lbs! I am so thankful she is active, which keeps me on my feet most of the day, and also for Advocare's Meal Replacement shakes, which I drink EVERY morning with a scoop of Spark, yum! They have helped to boost my metabolism (like i'm a teenager again kinda metabolism!) and fill me up for breakfast, which has helped me drop the stubborn pounds my body is holding onto. If you are at all curious about Advocare products, send me an email, i'd love to give you more info on it! 

2. Get back into being active. I want to compete in a marathon, or two, or three. I was never a runner, my lungs cant take long runs ( I have sports induced asthma, lame) but I LOVE to speed walk and do intervals (jog, walk, jog, walk, sprint, walk, etc.) I think it would be a huge personal accomplishment to take part in a few marathons, start with a 5k walk, then do a 5k run, then maybe a 10k? I know Boise has a ton of events that span from April-October, I just need to find a few that sound fun and that I might be able to take Stella in the jogger with me, she'd love it. I also want to be able to hike with my husband again without gasping for air or having to have him pull me up lol, it's bad... he can go miles without getting tired, I can barely go a mile... yikes!

3. Organize. Everything. It's a constant work in progress around our home, organizational messes at their finest. We just have too much "stuff". Really, we need a bigger house haha, but since that wont be happening for awhile, I need to purge. We have 3 boxes of donations that need to go out, and many more half filled that are always on the to-do list. It's tough with Stella right now, she wants to pull everything out of the boxes that I put in them, which is fun, I let her do it because it's not a huge priority, but eventually I really need to hunker down and take those boxes out. I know I will be so much happier when my house doesn't feel so chaotic! 

4. Take a family vacation. Just the 3 of us. Brent and I haven't had a vacation alone for a long time, we usually meet up with family, which we love, but we were thinking this year it would be great to go on our own somewhere with Stella. Were not sure where yet, but were taking suggestions! Driving or flying doesn't matter, we just want to explore somewhere fun and new, and preferably with incredible food. 

5. Be successful with my business'. I sell Advocare and use the products and love them. I want to take it further, build a team, and travel to training classes throughout the year. Are you looking for an amazing company to work with, or to get healthy with world class products (Advocare is the only nutrition company found in every professional football locker room), why not join my team? I also sell bulk foods and candy for my mother in law's distribution company, which is so much fun! I love visiting customers around Idaho and attending shows to see new products (but I haven't done that in a few years and probably wont again for awhile). My goal for the candy biz is to have 10 new customers by June, and 10 more between June and December, bring on the coffee and sweet shops!! 

So those are my big goals. I know i'll come up with more later, or little goals that will hopefully lead to my accomplishing the big goals. It takes baby steps, or huge leaps, whatever you're comfortable with. I'll keep you all posted on my accomplishments, and I cant wait to hear your resolutions and goals for the year!!! Happy 2012!!! 

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

well i'm back

This month has been pretty busy, as you can probably gather from the crickets chirping on my page. I backed up 2 weeks ago and drove to Seattle for the holidays with Stella and our pup in tow. My sister was kind enough to fly over and drive with me, While Brent was headed the opposite direction to a jobsite in Wyoming. We were a week early to Seattle, but I was thankful for the extra time with family. We had such a wonderful time at home, It really makes me miss my family when we get back, but we'll probably never move back to that area, too many people, and Boise is just too wonderful to leave for now. I thought i'd share a few highlights from our trip, it was pretty great;

~ Stella mastered going up stairs, and even tried to go down a few without falling, this one will be a work in progress for awhile. 

~ I got a chance to catch up and spend some much needed time one on one with many friends and family, including a day of baking with my grandma, who also taught me a few more crochet stitches and how to read patterns. I'm working on my first pair of slippers :) 

~ One of my Christmas gifts from my dad was a new laptop!! a Dell something... i'm still figuring it all out... and it's bigger than my old one, so i'm relearning to type lol. bare with my typos if I miss them. I'm so excited to have a windows 7 computer! Now I can have the blogger dashboard on my hard drive to upload and design new blog posts.

~ I also got a new handbag from my mom and sister, i'll post a pic, but it's this Chloe bag, i'm in love!! 

~ Stella has become a bit more confident with walking!!! I'll post more about that in a catch up 9 month post...

~ Brent and I got to take a quick lunch date one afternoon while Stella napped and my sister watched her, we didn't get to do what we had originally planned, but it was still great to just have some alone time with him, we need to find a sitter here to allow us that more often, I miss dates with my hubby. 

~ I also got to spend some alone time at the spa with my sister, mom and a friend. We booked massages and pedi's at the downtown Gene Juarez salon and spa, it's amazing. I havent felt so relaxed in months, We plan to do it again at Easter, but hopefully this time I wont be away from Stella for 5+ hours. 

~ I made Advisor status with Advocare while away!!! I'm SO EXCITED!!! If you havent checked out my Advocare link on my sidebar yet, do it! You owe it to your health to check out these products! And, the 24 Day Challenge is on sale now, this NEVER happens! order through the banner on the main shop page to get the discount. I'm currently doing the Herbal Cleanse and have lost 4 lbs, and I feel incredible! So much more energy, and I just feel great! 

We had so much fun while home, Brent got to spend some time fishing with his dad and brother, and his aunt, uncle and cousins flew up from California for the week, it was so wonderful to spend time with them! We spent a fun day in Seattle, chowing on Hom Bow and other yummy foods at the market, I wish I could order hot hom bow to Boise whenever I wanted it... like right now. 

We'll be home for awhile now thankfully, no trips planned, and no visitors for a few weeks I believe. It'll be nice to stay home and get things back in order, our house is a mess!! I did a huge shopping trip yesterday to make sure we had food again, lol, coming home to an empty fridge on new years day with no delivery nearby is not fun. 

I hope you all had a wonderful 2011, I know we did!! Here's to an even more fantastic 2012!!!

Christmas morning, 2011

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