July....and some June too.

The Fourth of July this year was a strange one. It didn't seem like the amazing, fully celebrated holiday that I host to the fullest each and every year. It's no secret that it's my favorite holiday ever. Or that I love to host parties. This party-loving girl usually throws a big bash with lots of food, drinks and red, white and blue attire AND drinks. I can't say that this summer has been my favorite. Pretty dull for this adventure seeker.
This year we didn't do much for the 4th of July. We just had a small cookout by ourselves. Our favorite dishes, of course. We hung out by the pool and it was just a quiet 4th. I took a nap by the pool if that tells you anything. Ha ha. Ty did take the kids to go buy fireworks and we made our own little display in the front yard. Our neighborhood puts on quite the display as well! No firework laws in good ole Texas! Seaworld is also not far from our house so we can see those fireworks every single evening. The kids loved the sparklers and roman candles. Some neighbors joined us and we had a fun little evening despite it being low-key. The kids were smiling so in my eyes, that was enough.

Guys, the itch to go away has been REAL! If you know me at all, you know staying in one place too long makes me crazy. Especially if that place is this tiny rental house that we have been living in for the past year! Last year we took SO many trips and vacations. We explored and saw so many cool and exciting things! This year, not-a-one vacation! There's been a lot going on with the building of our house and then me getting pregnant and being sick...nonstop. I feel like this summer was a bust. I didn't do much with the kids and I feel guilty about that. I know they probably don't even think twice about it but I still do. When I see that quote going around FB and Insta, "You only have 18 delicious summers with your kids...." it makes me sad. First off, I don't like this quote because most people have to work and therefore don't really get much of the summer with their kids. So it could make a lot of people feel pretty crumby. And secondly, on top of working full time, I just have been way too sick to even do a thing with my kids. I took one day off this summer to bring them to the pool and have a picnic with friends and I ended up getting sick with a nasty virus that day. Of course. So we ended up leaving the pool early and the super fun kids day  I had in mind....was not so much. I've been thinking that I need to start planning a little trip for us as a family. Even if it's not for another few months...it would give us something to look forward to. We have the move coming up, school starting and a few other things that would make it impossible for us to even think about going away now, but I do think a trip before the baby comes is in order!! And I've got my heart set on California! But we'll see. I feel like once this move happens and school starts, time is going to start fast-forwarding. We are headed back to Mass in October and then when we return, it's Thanksgiving and Christmas and.....New Year's oh my! Then, baby prep time. So let's hope we can squeeze in a little Babymoon before baby girl comes.

I've just been trying to be at peace with this stage of life. I'm learning to be patient (not my best quality) with the fact that I need to rest. Sometimes you have to take a step back and breathe....slow down before you can move full speed ahead. So July, and this summer in general, was mostly me resting and trying to recoup for what I hope will be a very exciting Fall!

The Caboose.

I just traded in the good ole' Buick for a sporty Jaguar F-Pace about 5 months ago. The kids were growing out of car seats and the room just wasn't needed. I was ready for something a little more fun to drive.
When I went back to NY to pack up the rest of our belongings in preparation to sell one of our houses,  I gave away ALL of my baby items. And by ALL, I mean even the things I had saved just in case for the last 4 years. I decided I just didn't need the baby things anymore. It was time to part with them. What I didn't give away, I sold. I said goodbye to all the strollers, baby toys and high chairs.

It was becoming very clear to me that my baby days were fading away and I just had one more year of Maxwell in preschool before he headed off to Kindergarten!
I was ok with it. Ty and I had some projects that we were thinking about beginning and I started to be at peace knowing that our family was complete with 2 kids and 2 dogs. I was looking forward to an adult-only trip or two in the future.

Life sometimes just has other plans.
The second I did all of these things, SURPRISE....of a lifetime might I add!! I felt a little off and just thought, hmm, the last time I felt like this.... 
I dug anxiously through an old box under the sink until I found what I was searching for. In my hand I held an unopened pregnancy test, leftover from a 2-pack that I bought when I found out I was pregnant with Maxwell. The expiration date read, "3-19". I shrugged and thought, hopefully this thing works 5 years later and expired lol. This is how in tune with my body I am. In my life, I have only ever taken 3 pregnancy tests....and they were ALL positive. Yes, that stick lit up PREGNANT in less time than it took to turn it over to read it. I kind of stood there in shock...(even though I already knew this would be the answer-I know my body too well). With Scarlett, we knew there was that one time that we should have been more careful. With Maxwell we knew we wanted another and weren't preventing it but weren't actively trying. So we weren't shocked when we found out about him....but this time. I was a little bit completely in shock.

After that, my mind did a bit of surging as I connected a hundred different scenarios of how this could be good or bad. I just got rid of every single baby thing I have, my car is NOT baby friendly, we are moving in 2 months, we just got 2 dogs!! I guess it was fate. I thought my baby days were over! A baby!? Oh man, I can't even think about this right now! I need a drink....S*#!,  I can't even drink!! lol...And then, all of a sudden, I just put down the test and this euphoric feeling came over me. And just like that, I was thrilled to have a little surprise caboose baby. I guess if I'm being honest, I always suppressed this inkling of a feeling that maybe, just maybe I wanted one more. I just didn't think it would actually ever happen. Ty and I talked about it a few times. It always started with me asking him if he really wanted any more and with him saying, "If it's meant to be, it will be". And then my sarcastic remark,  "Ok, Florida Georgia Line...."
And then I would end the conversation with the final thought, I think we are complete with the four of us. I like my sleep too much! And Ty would nod in agreement.

But life has a way of unraveling and surprising us, with every turn. Despite the timing, it is meant to be. This is our last baby. Our TRUE last baby. (We are making sure of that this time around lol) And I am savoring this last run-through. I know how quickly it goes and I will never again get to experience this. It IS a blessing in so many ways. So, despite being sick in bed for DAYS! (The most sick I have ever been during a pregnancy might I add). And hating every morning when I have to wake up and puke before trying to smell every disgusting smell that crossed my nose, being so exhausted that I can't even stay awake past 5pm let alone workout and feeling like I have the worst hangover of my life for 2 months straight.....I am greatly looking forward to adding one last baby to our family.
Wow, it sounds crazy to say!!! This time around I am less scared but more impatient. With both past pregnancies I was sick for the first 3-4 months. And low and behold this one is no different. I was actually more sick this time around than I was with the last 2. I was just eager for the sick stage to pass.

I was so far off of my norm for a while and by the absence on social media, here and just contact with humans in general,  I'm sure you could tell. I was survival mode. My eating was so bad. I couldn't stand vegetables or fruits and everything I used to eat made me want to puke. I found myself eyeing oreos in the cookie aisle (what!?!?), wanting pasta and bread every day and to scarf down bananas by the bucket. The cravings were real and changed often! And it seems the only thing to make the nausea subside was to snack all day. If I'm 300 lbs at the end of this pregnancy, I won't be shocked lol. I've been MIA because the tiniest bit of energy that I've had has been used to workout or spend time with the kids. Priorities. And social media just wasn't one. Even if it was a 10 min workout, I got it in at least 4-5 times a week because between me not eating the normal healthy food that I normally eat and just the regular first trimester horribleness that I experience, I was not a pretty sight. Lots of days of feeling really down and defeated. I'm not a sit around kinda girl. To be out of commision and stuck in the house 24/7 was really depressing for me.  Working out gave me a little bit of joy and so I pushed through them. They say that working out in the first trimester can actually help give you more energy too. That wasn't really the case for me but it did give me some sanity! I had to stop working out about 2 weeks ago though. I got really sick with some nasty virus. Fever, sore throat, chills, sinus pain...the whole nine yards.  I was coughing so badly and for so long that I threw out my neck/shoulder and was in a lot of pain for quite some time. Of course, not much I could take. That led to me not being able to work out. I'm still getting over the coughing and the fact that I never have to go through another first trimester is TOTALLY ok with me.

The next question always is, besides healthy,  do you want a boy or a girl? Well, when I was pregnant with Scarlett, I wanted NOTHING but a girl. I wanted a girl so badly that I would cry because everyone was guessing it was a boy by the way I carried.  But the week before my ultrasound, I had a dream that it was a girl. And I just knew from that moment on that it was going to be a girl. Sure enough, Scarlett.  Then, with Maxwell, I wanted a boy in the worst way! I guess because I already had a girl. But boys were not that common in my family so I assumed it was a girl. Again, a week before my ultrasound, I had a dream it was a boy. And low and behold, Maxwell! So I'm just waiting for my dream to tell me what I am having this time.  Has this ever happened to anyone else with the dreams?!?
I honestly have ZERO preference this time around. I have a boy and a girl and so whatever God wants to give me, is fine with me. He seems to have a pretty good track record with giving me amazing little people no matter the gender. The kids were SO over the moon to find out that a new baby is coming. I wasn't sure what Maxwell's reaction would be. First he asked me if it's a boy. Then he asked me if it's going to "come out of my butt" and then he ran to collect some old toys for the baby. In ture Scarlett fashion, she shrieked with delight and then wanted to know if it can sleep in her room so she can take care of it.

As I start into the second trimester, the symptoms are fading and I'm on the mend from the sickness that I had.  I've started to plan my workouts and thank God I'm finally craving the healthy foods that I used to eat. I want to share a lot of this pregnancy with you and what I will be eating, workouts I will be doing and anything else I can that might be helpful. I know not everyone has a hard first trimester, but for those of you who do, gosh I feel for you!! I've been there and it sucks. Just do the best you can. That's all you can do. Do what makes your body feel better, eat what you can and hang in there!! Sometimes nothing helps and in my case, this was true. None of the remedies or meds...nothing. I just had to ride it out! B6 did help me with nausea a little bit. Just try different things and see what works for you.

I had a lot of emotions about this pregnancy. Panic. lol, Sheer happiness. The blues. Guilt. The panic and happiness is pretty much expected. The blues were probably a combination of the hormones and just not being able to eat/workout like I used to. There was a long period of time that I just felt down. Mentally, not in a good place.  I want to say THANK YOU to all of you who reached out to me after noticing I've been MIA or just asking "Is everything ok?" It means the world to me that you would care and I won't forget the ones that have been there, asked how I was or just listened to me complain when I needed to. In the hardest times of your life, that's when you know who will be down for you. Thank you to the ones who were there. <3  It's also helped me to see things a little differently and I have a alternative outlook on what's important and what truly matters. (that's for another post). And then there was the guilt. Apprehensive to tell people because I personally know quite a few people that are trying for a baby or have had miscarriages and I can imagine whenever they hear this news from someone else, it is just another sting. And my heart hurts for them. Still, they smile and say congrats and are happy for me. So I admire their strong spirits and pray that good things are in the future for them. xoxo.

Anyhow, that is my news. I look back over the last 10 years and it amazes me how far I've come. How different my life looks. I've added a lot of meaning to my train over the years. Self-worth, pain, growth, knowledge, love, heartache, 2 humans, respect, confidence, adventure, a couple doggies, memories galore....the list goes on. And now, the next thing to add to my train is our little caboose baby who will arrive early in 2020. We will find out the gender this week!!!! Stay tuned...

Scarlett & Maxwell Take 7

Scarlett: Rolling Stones Sweater & boots from Zara 

Maxwell: Tee and jeans from Target 

Scarlett: Skirt from Target, Sequin Sweater from H&M

Maxwell: Sweater and dress shirt from Carter's, shoes from Gap

Scarlett: Horse sweater & polka dot pants from H&M, shoes are Toms. 

Maxwell: Sweatshirt & pants from H&M and Banana print shoes from Old Navy

Scarlett: Whole outfit is from Zara

Maxwell: Whole outfit is from Target 

Ok guys, there's no denying how adorable they both are!!!! Like, seriously. How did I get so darn lucky!? I love picking clothes for these 2 lately. Scarlett likes comfort over anything. But she does have a great sense of style. I will ask her opinion over Ty's for fashion advice. Ha ha. Maxwell is my little stylish guy who gets SO excited when I get him new shoes. We all know who he takes after lol. Let's talk about what these two are up to here in 2019.

Scarlett, just had her 8th birthday. Horses again. Although she informed me that next year she is going to switch up the horses. She is just as wild and independent, headstrong and free-spirited as she has always been! She is starting to enjoy creating her own style now with clothes and accessories. Something that she never much cared about. Friends come so easy to her. That is nothing new. Everyone is attracted to her little light that shines so brightly, drawing us all in. Her award in school this year was "Life of The Party" which suits her well.
Her favorite foods lately are coconut yogurts with dark chocolate chia seeds sprinkled on top, peaches & plums, clean eating tacos, cauliflower-raw, peppers and the occasional....junkable (lunchable). She hates avocado. She loves writing books lately. Reading books and writing books goes on a lot. She has even have written a few narratives. I love this about her!! A mini Lauren shines in those moments. She is super sweet most of the time and once in awhile some 8 year old attitude comes out. She wouldn't be my child if it didn't ;)

Maxwell, he is turning into such a boy! No more toddler. (Excuse me while I sob) He dresses himself every morning now. And he is ALWAYS so excited when I order new clothes or shoes for him. Boxes come in the mail and Scarlett rolls her eyes as Maxwell and I open them with wide eyes!  He tries them all on right away and then folds them and puts them away. He is a lot more reserved when it comes to friends. He has a few close friends and he is content with that. Anytime he moves into a new class or there is a teacher change, Maxwell goes into his shell and feels the situation out before letting loose. Each new teacher asks me, "Does he talk much at home?" To which I laugh....and then reply, "Give it a couple weeks." Sure enough, every time they tell me that he is coming out of his shell and participating more after a bit of time. He loves waffles, donuts, raw broccoli and blueberries right now. He hates cooked veggies. He is beginning to write his name pretty well now. He has been having a phase of tantrums lately. I never understood the whole "Terrible Twos" phrase as neither of my kids misbehaved at 2. It wasn't until almost 4 that they both went through a bit of a stage where tantrums seemed to be a daily thing. But I know this is just a phase and soon my sweet boy will be back. So we love him through the hard stages. His favorite toys are trucks & diggers, PJ Masks, Paw Patrol, Transformers and matchbox cars.


These two kids are such a joy to have in life. In the small moments that they don't think I'm watching, is when I see their true hearts come out. When Maxwell says, "Sissy, I will share with you." after getting birthday presents and realizing his sister has none. Or when Scarlett hugs her brother tight when he's scared of the loud booms from the fireworks. Those are the moments that I stop and think, ...I'm doing okay. They are good little humans thus far. 

Weekend Vibes: Pizza!!!

We took a trip awhile back to Playland Pizza in downtown San Antonio. It had just opened and we wanted to try it out! I wish I had taken a few photos of the inside of the place because it was a super cool atmosphere. The pizza was pretty delicious also! We don't eat regular pizza very often. When we are craving pizza, we generally make our own at home. This is my favorite recipe HERE. It is SO delicious. The kids don't like it as much as Ty and I so we let them make their own pizzas. But if you are ever in SA, this place is a fun little spot!

My Fitness Routine Lately.

I haven't been sharing as much about working out lately and I should because it's a huge part of my week. I spend 4-5 days a week working out and walk/jog (ok more walking than jogging lately)  probably 5 days a week also. I feel like right now, I'm in the best shape that I've ever been in. Yes, even better than before I had kids.  After I had Scarlett, I didn't really have to do much to get back in shape. I was younger and my body just kind of bounced back which I did NOT expect. It seems breastfeeding was all I did to get back to my normal size in less than a month. But after Maxwell, boy the baby gave me cravings, I gained a bit more weight and it def took longer to come off. Which, I DID NOT expect. I also stayed working out throughout my entire pregnancy with Maxwell, which I didn't with Scarlett so it was interesting to me. It shows that every pregnancy is different and every post baby body heals in it's own time and in different ways. I really started to get serious about eating after Maxwell was born and that made all the difference! And now, I can say that here I am 4 years later, in the best shape of my life!! I wouldn't say it took me 4 years to get there but I would say that it took me that long to figure out what good, clean eating was. I also started working out more consistently and changing how I worked out. I didn't have time to do long workouts that often got skipped because I was exhausted raising 2 kids and working full-time. So I started getting in 15-30 min workouts religiously and that seemed to be even more effective since I was consistent! Now, working out is a routine for me. It's like eating lunch and when I miss a workout it's just like missing a meal, I get hangry....lol. Habit is hard to start but worth it once it's established. You have to push through that first month and then it gets easier. 

Lately I've been working on gaining a little more shape. A little more curve in the booty and defining the arms/back. I like to set little goals that lead to big goals. When I work-out, I like to focus on just one body part a day. So just abs, or just booty or just back etc. Sometimes I will combine them if I'm doing a Tone It Up workout that involves more than one but I prefer to do one body part at a time. That way I can control the body part I am working on the most. For awhile I was working on abs and doing that 3 days a week. Now I've been trying to do booty 3x a week with heavier weights.  I cannot wait until the house is complete so that I can have a REAL home gym!! It's been awhile since I've worked out in a gym of any kind. For the last year or so I've been working out in my living room with weights, booty bands, and other types of exercise equipment that doesn't take up much room. But I'm really excited to have some bigger equipment to do more "gym" routines. 

My biggest motivation lately is seeing progress. For awhile I was working out but not really seeing much of a change. Once I started doing one body part 3x a week and the rest of the body the other times of the week, it seems the area I focused on changed quickly. Everything worth it takes time and hard work. So sending anyone out there who is looking for a little motivation to get working on their goals, my 3 pieces of advice: 1. Consistently over duration. It's better to consistently get in a good 15 or 25 min workout than to do a long workout every once in awhile. I work full time and have 2 kids and 2 dogs, life gets crazy but if you can squeeze in even a workout in your living-room with some weights, a booty band or some sliders, do it! 2. Stick to it! Force yourself to stick to it for a month and see how much easier it becomes. Habit is a strong thing once established. 3. Small things lead to big things. Do what you can. Any small choice leads to something bigger. If you make small choices to eat better things or workout more, those small choices will lead you to success. Trade in your reg sugar filled coffee for a healthier option, take that walk instead of sitting in front of the tv. Things like that. But if you make small choices to in the other direction...you know where that will lead. 

Anyhow, that's my 2 cents on that and just a little insight on what's been going on with my fitness routine lately. Still highly recommend Tone It Up app for busy mothers. It makes it so much easier to get workouts in! 

Life Lately: What month is it???

What month is it? Oh yes, May!! Life has been EXTREMELY busy lately. Like, more than normal. I rarely get time to write anymore and I hate that. So I'm taking some time tonight to get a few blog posts out. It's been so long since I had a wordy post that I don't even know what to say! I miss just writing in general. I started a book last year. Well I started a couple over the years. Scarlett has been writing book after book. Some picture books and some chapter books. She staples them together and reads them to Ty and I 30 times. She reminds me so much of myself when I was younger. I was so passionate about writing! I have written a couple books. But never finished them. I want to go back to writing one of them. Maybe I should. Maybe I will. I just have to find the time....

Time. 

Always against us. 

The kids have been well. They are finishing up school. Summer starts the end of May here in Texas. So summer will be in full swing. We got a new puppy. Don't ask how that happened. I will tell you, it WAS NOT my idea or my doing. But regardless, we now own TWO mini goldendoodles. The new fiesty red head is much different than Cubby. I named her Basil. And she has a mind of her own. Cubby rarely barks. He rings the doggy doorbell if he wants to be let out and he is content in pleasing us. Basil barks anytime she doesn't get exactly what she wants. She won't touch the doggy doorbell and has mind of her own. Still, she doesn't fool me. She is a smart cookie, she just needs someone to put her in her place and spend some time with her. She is getting better everyday. Work is busy for me. It's busy season in real estate. Spring Market. And the kids always have something going on. I could dedicate an entire calendar to things they have going on. Lessons, school photos, fun runs, Teacher Appreciation this or build something for that, Muffins with Moms on this day and Breakfast with Mom on that day. Appts and errands, never ending laundry, groceries..... it gets exhausting. You parents out there get me. Especially for a wild spirit like me. In case you have NO IDEA about me or who I am, I tend to get bored of repetition and the mundane. Hence why you will find me traveling often. (Although, not this year since we don't have the time and have quite a few other things going on). You will see me mixing things up in life quite often. I just crave new experiences and fun in my life. 

But it can't always be a party and I try to accept that. I guess. lol. I've learned that you need balance with everything. 

The house is coming along. It's being framed and walls are going up. It should be done in a couple months. So weird to see something that was only a drawing come to life! First time building for me so I'm fascinated by it. The kids love stopping by every week to see the progress. I went back to NY last month to take care of some property stuff there and I squeezed in a bit of time with some family and friends. We had another Pod delivered here to TX and now our garage is like one ginormous storage unit. We literally can't fit in this house we are staying in much longer! 

I got a new SUV. As some of you may have seen on Instagram it was a process and a half getting it. I ordered one and it took FOREVER to get in. Broke down on a truck, the truck that picked it up then broke down....and then once they got it in it was failing the inspections they perform on new cars before sending them out. So they had to address that. I finally got it though and I must say it was worth the wait. It's OH so pretty, fast and fun to drive. I got the Jaguar F Pace. I loved my good ole Buick but my lease was up and it was time for a change. My kids aren't babies anymore so I figure I could get something a little more sporty. Ty got to drive some fun cars when we were picking out my car at the car dealership.  

One thing I HAVE been making time for as always, is working out. It is something that I have incorporated so long that it is just habit now. I feel grumpy and moody when I don't get a workout in. So it happens most days. And we've been kicking up our eating habits a notch too. We have been eating pretty healthy for he most part but I've been really incorporating healing foods into our everyday eating. I've got the kids drinking dragonfruit smoothies and eating lots of raw fruits and veggies. I've found that with Maxwell, I have to make it a game. So lately I've been telling him, "Maxwell, do you want to eat a healing orange? It's an orange that heals your body and helps you grow strong like Superman." or "Maxwell, try this Flash smoothie, it makes you fast like Flash!" Yes, it works for this boy. I can deal with him running around the house at top speed after he drinks his smoothies if it means he is getting some nutrients.  I've started cracking down on the amount of sugar that that boy eats as well. It can get out of hand if I let it.

Right now, I'm really looking forward to moving onto the next stage of life. I'm so over this tiny rental that we have been living in for over a year. I want to have organization and just enjoy the small perks of being in a house that fits us better. Until then, I'm looking forward to doing some fun things this summer with the kids and these 2 teddy bear doggies. No big summer plans this year, just a few weekend adventures. 

Scarlett's 8th Birthday: Horses....again.

I don't know how many horse parties we've had so far. I think it's been 3 or 4. But this girl loves her horses. So we did her party at Diamond C Stables here in Texas.  As you can see, she had a wonderful day. For decor this year, I used a lot of the stuff that I had saved from this party HERE when she turned 4. I just added some pretty florals and greens. The inspiration were the cute plates that I found on Zazzle.com. I got some coral flowers at Michael's and we did mini pies and horse bracelets to take home for the favors. We found these cute bracelets HERE that are super cute and good quality for the price! We bought some little horseshoe baggies off of Etsy to gift them in.

If any of you know Scarlett, you know that she dislikes any cakes, cupcakes or frosting. A friend suggest a Bundt cake place here and we got some mini bundtkin cakes from Nothing Bundt Cakes. Scarlett seemed to like those in chocolate. The pumpkin pie that I made for her birthday dinner the night before was her real favorite. I stuck some horse toothpicks in the Bundtkins that I found for $4 at Michael's. Super affordable this year with the decor. Scarlett had plenty of horse things to decorate with which made it easier. 

The party included face painting, a horseshoe craft, learning how to lasso a bull, riding horses (of course) and then they each got to handprint the horse with paint at the end. I think they all thought that was the best part. I can't believe my Scarlett is 8 years old!! I say this every year but them turning another year older hits me harder than any birthday of mine. I'm thankful for another year with this bright light of mine. I am so proud of the wonderful, kind and loving soul that she is and always has been. Cheers to another year with you Scarlett!! We love you....