tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-77161518782221400112024-02-21T02:48:26.466-08:00Blaine&ShannonFinleyBlaine and Shannon Finleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13553681592794142790noreply@blogger.comBlogger101125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7716151878222140011.post-66500784629556846872015-08-02T20:44:00.001-07:002015-08-02T20:44:25.242-07:00Everything happens for a reasonThis post has been floating around in my head for a while now and I just haven't been able to bring myself to write it or really comprehend it all. Over the last few months the phrase "Everything happens for a reason" has been reappearing in my life almost daily. And its not just little things or recent things I truly mean EVERYTHING! On May 14th my entire world was thrown into a tail spin when my father had a massive stroke. We were very fortunate that it did not take his life and for that I am grateful everyday but it has completely changed our lives. Instead of living my pretty relaxed stay at home mom life where I can focus on keeping my house, playing with my daughter, going to play dates and all that fun stuff that we so enjoyed, now I care for my father during the day so my mom can work as much as possible. Which means instead of an 8:30 wake up from my darling daughter I am dragging her out of bed into the car no later than 7am and some days as early as 6am. It means helping to take care of two households, doing most of the shopping for two households and cooking most meals for two households. Its a whole different world for us now but we have made the necessary adjustments and are now pretty comfortable with our new routine. But as I sit and think about how different my life is just in the last 2 months I look back at 10 years ago or 5 years ago and I can see the things that happened to prepare me for this exact moment in my journey of life. When I graduated high school I had all kinds of plans for my life... I didn't think i'd get married, I had no desire to be a mother... I had plans to go to college and get a degree with something to do in the medical field and have a wonderful career, that was the path I saw in front of me and I was happy with it. Then just a few months into my freshmen year I realized that i wasn't so sure about the degree i was going after and I had this overwhelming desire to become a teacher. So I changed my major and onto the next path I went... well then I got a job working in child care and went about my college path but things didn't pan out quite as I hoped and getting my teaching degree didn't happen but I had a new plan... I had a job I really enjoyed working at a good child care center and i was engaged to the man I loved and while it wasnt the plan I had dreamed of it was everything I could have asked for. Fast forward a year after we got married and baby fever began and another year after that we were pregnant and preparing for our beautiful daughter to be born. And I knew because of all my time in child care that I wanted to stay at home. I didn't want to go to work everyday to take care of other peoples babies while i paid someone to take care of mine. So I took the plunge and became a stay at home mom in September of 2012, fast forward to now... And I am so thankful that I am a stay at home mom because not only does it allow me to do all the things I want to do with my daughter and to teach her and love her all day everyday but it also allows me to now care for my dad. If I had that original career path that I had hoped for as a senior in highschool there is no way I could care for my dad the way I am now. And it would be a major stressor for my whole family because without me my mom would have to shoulder the entire burden. I have absolutely no doubt that God has been preparing me for this journey over the last 10 years or perhaps even longer. There are things I have learned from the jobs that I have had, the people i've known, being a mother, having medical professional as my in laws and so many more that I have used more in the last 2 months then I have ever before. Things that have made this transition easier and has allowed me to help my parents weed through all the nonsense that comes along with a major medical crisis and little to no insurance. I have been stretched far beyond anything I ever thought I could handle in these last two months and I know the only reason i have been able to do it is because of the preparations God has been doing in me my whole life. Another thing that has me remembering that all things happen for a reason is the adopting of my dads new kitty this last week. Now this may seem silly to most but for us pets are family so they are very special to us. Well my parents had a dog who was my dads buddy the whole time he was in the hospital and in rehab he couldn't wait to get home so he could have his buddy with him again. And when he did get home that dog helped his spirits so much... and then a couple weeks after getting to their temporary home (my aunts house) a terrible accident happened and my parents beloved dog drowned. It was devasting... On top of everything else we were dealing with that just made us feel broken and honestly it made me very angry at God. I just couldn't understand why he kept letting these bad things happen to us. I still really dont understand it but I know that he has a reason and that he isn't doing anything to hurt us. So we mourned the loss of our precious pet and dad of course began making plans to adopt a new dog once they were able to move back to their home. But he still missed his buddy everyday. he looked at her picture each day and wished she was there to snuggle like she always had. And I could see a drop in his spirits with each day that passed until one morning my mom went out front and noticed one of the neighborhood cats looking up a tree in the front yard and when she said something the cat ran off but mom thought it was odd that it was so intent at that tree so she went to investigate and found a young kitten just a few months old up in this tree. She coaxed it down and took it right inside to see dad. Now my parents are are definetly more dog people than cat people but really they are just animal people. Well at first they thought my aunt would just keep this kitten since she is definetly a cat person but that morning that sweet kitty jumped up into my dads lap and snuggled and slept and there was no going back. And now they are buddies. Dad says it easier for him to relax when the kitty snuggles with him and he just feel better having her there. And I know in my heart that God sent that sweet kitty to us. He knew exactly what my dad needed to lift his spirits and he put it right at our door. I think that is all i can put to words for tonight but I think i have more post in me as i work through this journey. Maybe somewhere along the way it'll help someone else.<br />
<br />Blaine and Shannon Finleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13553681592794142790noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7716151878222140011.post-29063204777612743052014-10-05T21:47:00.001-07:002014-10-05T21:47:28.154-07:00Sometimes you just gotta vent<div class="MsoNormal">
Sometimes we just need to vent. Even if what we vent about
is directly related to a decision we make and continue to make everyday… does
that mean that we have to be 100% happy all the time. NO! Sometimes we have bad
days, sometimes we are tired, sometimes we just need a little space and time to
ourselves, and yes sometimes we just need to vent! This came to my attention
this weekend when some well meaning family members tried to remind me that my
child would not be small for long and that there will come a day when I look
back and wish she was still at my feet constantly needing or wanting my
attention. And this I know is true and one day I’m sure I will look back and
say well they were right I wish she was still that little baby girl who needed
me for everything but right now in this moment I feel like I need a break and I
don’t feel like I should feel bad about that. I am with my daughter 24/7. I can
count the number of times I have left her for more than just a run to the
grocery store or just a lunch date with a friend while she was home with her
daddy. TWICE!! I have left my child overnight twice…. And probably only 4 or 5
others times for a few hours so my husband and I could have a date night. Other
than that I am with that precious little girl. Even if part of that time is
when she is sleeping I am still at the ready for when she needs me at all
times. And yes I chose to stay at home with her and I continue to choose that
everyday and I don’t regret that decision not even for a moment. But does that
mean that I am not entitled to a bad day… to wanting some time away. Now I have
to give credit to my hubby because he is amazing and he knows when I need to
just step away and have some time to myself even if most of the time that is
just me in our bedroom watching a movie and just being alone for a bit but
sometimes I need it. There are moments when its been a long week that I feel
like I’m suffocating. My daughter needs me, my husband needs me, my pets need
me, my family needs me, my friends need me, my house needs me…. It just all
feels so very suffocating sometimes and I know that is because many time I
choose to not give myself some time. I choose to not get a babysitter very
often, I choose to take my child with me everywhere I go instead of asking for
help. Yes I know that I make these decisions but sometimes I just need to vent.
Sometimes I just need to say “UGH she is driving me crazy!!” Does that make me
a bad mother?? Does that make me a horrible person? Does that mean I love my
daughter less than the picture perfect mom who never needs a moment away (does that
person exsist cause if they do… THEY ARE LYING)? I don’t think it does. I don’t
think it makes me those things I think it simply means that I am human!! I am a
stay at home mom with a husband who is in school to get a masters degree and my
daughter is 2 and into everything and needing of all attention in the word.
This is my life and I LOVE IT!!!! But as much as I love my life in the grand
scheme of things that does not mean I love every single second of every single
day. Am I thankful for it? YES! Every single moment. Because it molds me and it
shapes me and changes me for the better. It makes me stretch and grow in ways
that I never knew I could. Motherhood does that to you… hell Parenthood does
that to you because lets face it Fathers do a lot of changing and growing when
that baby comes into the world to. So yes I am thankful for every moment of my
life no matter what is going on or how frustrated I am or how suffocated I
feel. And I love my overall life. But somedays I just gotta vent and let it out
and know that I am not in this struggle alone. And if you are reading and you
know exactly what I’m feeling… You’re not alone either!!! <o:p></o:p></div>
Blaine and Shannon Finleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13553681592794142790noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7716151878222140011.post-34849556991594743942014-07-15T21:01:00.001-07:002014-07-15T21:01:17.213-07:00The WhySo this last week was Scentsy's Annual Family Reunion. I was unable to attend this year as much as I would have liked to but I have had the opporutunity to hear about it from several people and just that alone has recharged me for my business. August 1st I will celebrate 1 year with the Scentsy Family! I am proud to say that but I also look back on the last year and realize that there is so much more I could have done to build this business and so now I'm making a commitment to let go of what I could have done and move on to what I can do and work my business the way I know I can and should from this point forward. My Superstar director and several of our leadership are always talking about getting to the root of what you Why is or what your recruits Why is because that is the heart of the business and that is what is going to be the very best motivator. So tonight after a day filled with working my business and training myself to better work my business I decided that to keep the momentum I want and to get to the goals that I have set for myself I need to know exactly why my Why is and keep that in my mind as I go about working this business.<br />
I broke my Why down into 4 parts<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Family</li>
<li>Career</li>
<li>Giving</li>
<li>Community</li>
</ul>
<div>
<b><u>Family</u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> : You can ask almost anybody why they do what they do no matter what kind of job it is and while yes some will do you its because its their passion and they love it most will tell you its because of their Family. Its a way that they give their Family the things that they need and want. And I am no different. I did a direct sales business a few years back and it did not go well but the whole reason behind that business was so that one day I could have children and stay at home with them. Well before I started Scentsy I was already living that dream. I had my beautiful daughter and I was staying home with her and loving it but money was tight and there were sacarafices being made because I chose to stay at home with our daughter. Scentsy gives me the opportunity to do extra things and gain some of those things that we have sacraficed back and I'm still able to stay at home with my daughter! Which is really what I wanted to begin with. But i want to be able to give her more I want to be able to give her every opporunity to do the things that she loves and Scentsy gives me that chance.</span></b></div>
<div>
<b><u>Career </u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">: Not to say that being a stay at home mom is not something to be proud of I am very proud to be a SAHM and I wouldn't change it for the world. However there are moments when I think back on the 4 1/2 years I spent in college (of which I'm still paying for) and wonder what I have to show for it. And then I think about my children when they are older and how they will view me and if I am giving them something to strive for and be proud of or am I just mom. I love being Mom dont get me wrong but I want... no I need to be more than that. I never in my wildest dreams thought I would be a stay at home mom until I met and fell in love with my husband but that doesn't change my driven, goal oriented, competitive nature. Scentsy gives me an outlet so that I can have the best of both worlds. A Career to work and strive for and the ability to be a stay at home mom. And I need both! </span></b></div>
<div>
<b><u>Giving</u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> : Generosity has always been something that I like to think of myself as being although for much of my life I have had very extra to give. But I have always tried to be generous with my time and my love and with things as much as finances would allow. But I would like to be able to give more freely. I want to think about giving to mission work and charities and all of those things without having the pang of doubt or the thought of oh well maybe one day. And with Scentsy I have that opportunity. </span></b></div>
<div>
<b><u>Community</u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> : I am by no means a social butterfly. I am not someone who strikes up a conversations with anyone I meet and quite frankly I often feel like people see me as unapproachable. I guess I just dont have a very friendly demeanor which I'm just going through the motions of my day. But this is something I am trying to work on to change. But making friends for me is not easy I'm the type of person that most of the friends I have now were people I met made an instance connection with and that was that not another thought about it we are friends. But now that I'm older and not in school and not in a job the opportunities to make instant friends are few and far between and while I have my family which I love sometimes life gets a little lonely. But with Scentsy I have opportunities to make new friends to build new relationships and to flourish in a community that is supportive and uplifting and genuine! </span></b></div>
<div>
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div>
That is my Why and I am committing to remember it and work for it day in and day out. I feel like as I am sitting here writing this that I am standing in front of a door that is just waiting for me to open in and step into the future that is waiting. I'm ready to step in with both feet and see where this journey takes me!!! </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Do you have a Why? Do you know what is and how you can get to it? </div>
Blaine and Shannon Finleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13553681592794142790noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7716151878222140011.post-34161112919099111702014-07-10T06:28:00.002-07:002014-07-10T06:28:31.323-07:00When nothing feels like enoughWe all dream about the day when life will be easier. When I make this amount of money, or have this house, or get married, or whatever the one aspiration is that you think will make life complete and easy and perfect. But the truth is even when we reach that moment it just changes. There is a new aspiration or a snag in the plan that makes something just not enough and you once again feel like you just wish you could get to that one thing so life can be good. I've decided its just human condition to always want more and its not always a bad thing. We should always be working towards our goals and striving to make better for ourselves and generations to come but we need to be content in what we have in the meantime as well. Nothing will ever make life perfect there is always something around the corner to mess something up but you work through it and get over that hump and move on to the next goal or obstacle which ever comes first.<br />
I say all this because I feel like I am in one of those moments when nothing feels like enough and life will be better when... and I hate it! I dont want to be that person who is always wanting more but it seems I am human and I am that person. Not every day of course most days I am content with my life and even more so very happy with it because I know that I am blessed beyond description. But then we hit that snag and I hit a slump and nothing feels like enough. This week has felt like one snag after another and the stress is overwhelming. And then I have this bad tendency when I get into these slumps to overanalyze and critic every little section of my life and its just a slippery slope. Am I a good enough mother? Am I a good enough wife? Why dont I enjoy cleaning house? Why did I go to school for 4 years for a meaningless degree? Would I be happier working? Why can't I just loose the weight? Do I really want more children? Can I really make a career with Scentsy? The list of questions really just goes on and on and on. Ive been told more then once in my life that I second guess myself too much and I dont give myself enough credit and I know that this is true but I have yet to find a way to stop it from happening. Even when I dont indulge these second guesses they still pop up in the back of my mind. It just the way I am wired.<br />
I hope I am not the only one that feels this way. I am pretty sure that I am not and as odd as it sounds I find that comforting. I dont want to be the only one, I dont want to be alone in this battle. And this I remember that even if I am the only one that I am never alone in this battle. God gives me every blessing and weapon and tool that I need to overcome this day and move on to the next. He can take ever ounce of stress and doubt and second guess away from me if I just stop and give it all to him. So today this is what I will try to do and I hope those of you who read this who feel the same way will do the same. Its a daily battle and its a constant struggle but God will take it all away if we let him. It may not be instant but his plan is bigger than any of ours and it is perfect.<br />
<br />
This may seem completely random and our of left field since this blog A) hasnt been written on in months. and B) is usually just about me and the random happenings of my little family. But today I needed to just write. Get things out of my head and onto the screen. I hope it makes sense and is not a big jumbled mess but if it is thats ok because it was what I needed whether it makes sense to anyone else or not.Blaine and Shannon Finleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13553681592794142790noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7716151878222140011.post-83205218890436087492014-02-11T07:52:00.002-08:002014-02-11T07:52:52.447-08:00A lifelong struggleIts been a while since I've written on this blog and honestly I've probably written 10 different entries or at least partial ones and then decided they weren't finishing. But I've had an entry in the back of my mind for a while now and decided it was time to put my thoughts onto the screen. This post is going to be pretty personal and straight from my heart which I am not very good at expressing so we will see how this goes.<br />
I have struggled with self image issues as long as I can possibly remember and I have struggled with my weight for the same length of time. Although my mom tells me that I wasn't overweight as a child, there isn't really a time that I remember where I wasn't... or at least I didn't ever feel like I wasn't. Now this is for a number of reasons some of which are my own personal demons and some from certain family members that were not encouraging in the least and in fact were the exact opposite. So for as long as I can remember I have never truly felt good about myself. I would have a day here or there where I felt pretty but there was always something that I didnt like and most of the time that was to do with my weight. But this dislike with my body in itself was never enough to give me the motivation to do something about it. I tired this diet or that diet and I would exercise but really it would last a couple weeks max and then I would give up cause I didn't see results fast enough and then I would just feel sorry for myself. Its an evil cycle really. Well now here I am 26 years old a wife and a mother and still struggling with these same demons. But now it not only affects me and how I feel but it has crept its way into affecting my marriage and my family and this has become my last straw. So The weekend after Christmas I decided it was time to make a major change. But this time its just not for me its for my family and especially for my daughter. I know that more than likely at some point in her life she will struggle with self image issues, I think its something that all girls go through at some point. But I do not want it to be a constant struggle in her life like it has mine. And I know that she is only going to learn by example. I want her to see us eating healthy and exercising and taking care of ourselves so that she learns to do it too.<br />
So we returned from our christmas in Nebraska on the friday after christmas and that next day I started my new diet and exercise routine. Now I learned a long time ago that counting calories doesn't work for me. Its tedious and time consuming and I just get frustrated and quit. So instead I just make wise choices. I know about how much I should eat and I make better choices about what I am eating. I also cut out soda but also from past experiences I've learned that cutting it out completely makes me a little crazy so I allow myself I splurge every few weeks to keep my sanity. I am a huge believer in moderation and that is what I am a practicing. I also have an awesome husband that is right on board with this new change in our lives and is so supportive! I couldn't do it without him! And on top of the big diet change I am in the gym 3 to 4 times a week and working hard! I also have started a product called Plexus slim to help me curve my cravings and appetite and just jumpstart things for me so I dont discouraged and it has worked wonderfully!<br />
So here I am about 6 weeks later and I am down 13 lbs and for the first time in a very long I am starting to feel good about myself. I still have a LONG way to go because my overall goal is to loose 100lbs from my heaviest weight but I am taking it one day at a time and setting myself little goals along the way so I can celebrate my success and not be overwhelmed. And not only am I doing all of this but now I have started to take some time for myself every morning before my daughter wakes up. And this is a big step for me as well. For months now I have rolled out of bed when I hear her wake up and we go right into our routine. Most days we didn't get out of our Pajamas. I didn't feel good about myself and getting dressed was torturous most days because nothing fit like it should and I looked in the mirror and just wanted to cry because I only a fat ugly girl so I avoided it most days. But now my clothes fit like they should and some are even getting big! And I dont mind getting dressed and looking in the mirror so I wake up and do a few little exercises and I take the time to wash my face and get dressed and make myself presentable. I take the time for me and it makes my day that much better. I am more productive, I am more energetic, and I am just in general happier! I have never been one to really put much effort into my appearance and really its still not a ton but its more about just in general taking care of me and knowing that its ok and I'm worth it.<br />
I am still fighting my own demons everyday when it comes to this life long struggle but ever day I am winning the battle a little more and i see the finish line getting a little closer.<br />
I write this post not only because it just feels good to express myself about this more than I really ever have but also because I know there are lots of women that know exactly how I feel and are in the same struggle. So just maybe this will be encouraging to someone so that they can make a change and realize they are worth it to.Blaine and Shannon Finleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13553681592794142790noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7716151878222140011.post-3543318047016750902013-08-29T21:19:00.003-07:002013-08-29T21:19:52.799-07:00Past, Today and TomorrowSo tonight I went to a women's event at my church and it was amazing!! I will be completely honest in the fact that I was very much thinking about not going after my best friend told me she was going to a different campus for the event but I made myself go because I am trying to break out of my comfort zone and build new relationships with people and I really wanted to be in a massive worship experience like I knew it was going to be. Those were my favorite events when I was in youth group because it wasn't a normal church service, people aren't there because they feel obligated or they are checking their box for the week they are there because they want to be and they want to worship with every ounce of their soul and I just really wanted to be a part of that because I haven't been for a very long time. And I can say that tonight did not disappoint! I got nervous the moment I saw the number of women standing in the lobby waiting to get to their seats but I found a few familiar faces and I felt better. And the worship was amazing... it brought tears to my eyes... which worship often does. There is something about singing about the wonderful things that God has done for us and about our freedom in the lord that just always seems to bring me to tears. And then Kristine Cain spoke and it was AMAZING! I had never heard her before but now I want to read her book and I want to see her again because she was awesome! She was funny and engaging and real and transparent and just so truthful and passionate and it was just amazing. And of course as it usually goes when you attend a service like this you feel in one way or another that the speaker is speaking directly to you and today was no different. She spoke about how we let our pasts keep us from our tomorrows and gods plan for our lives. Hearing her talk about her story and her past and how much she has been through but still she was able to truly put her past behind her so that she can move on with her tomorrow and God's plan for her life. I have not dealt with half as much stuff as this woman has but I still carrying pieces of my past around with me everyday. I carry guilt and shame of my past sins with me everyday and I let it hold me back from my tomorrow. This all hit home with me from the beginning but when she started talking about if not for ourselves but for our children or future children it really hit me like a ton of bricks! I have a daughter that is going to be looking to me for example on how to get through struggles and sin and If I dont show her how to move on from that knowing and trusting that God has truly forgiven it all then I am hindering her tomorrow and god's plan for her life! Over and Over again in the last couple of weeks I have heard things that have made me pray for God to come and make a big change in my life and tonight was no different. I am on the edge of something amazing and I know that it is all in God's plan but I have to do some work too. And now I know I have to really start working on me and letting Go of my past to move on to my tomorrow.Blaine and Shannon Finleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13553681592794142790noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7716151878222140011.post-63389188592082483112013-08-27T21:13:00.000-07:002013-08-27T21:13:01.180-07:00Parenting is Hard!Ya know sometimes you just feel like you are failing as a parent... ok well maybe you don't feel that way but sometimes I sure do! Like today for instance when no matter how long and hard I tried I could not get my child to go to sleep for a nap! I dont know what it is but for me she just doesn't like to do it and heaven forbid I just put her in her bed so she can put herself to sleep. And please I really dont want to hear about how they have to learn and you need to let them cry it out or any of that other stuff because trust me I HAVE TRIED!! My child is just that MY child and just like her momma if she doesn't want to do something she's not going to do it! Unforunately my husband doesn't have a stubborn bone in his body so there is really no one else to blame but me and my entire side of the family. So after trying to put to sleep for a good half hour and then letting her cry it out for a good 20 minutes and then trying again to put her to sleep and once again letting her cry I finally gave up and just let her be up until her daddy came home a few minutes later and put her to bed with little to no problem... Do you know how frustrating that is?!?!?! He is the master at putting her to sleep and it makes me feel like a failure because I can try every trick in the book with no success and then he comes home and takes like five minutes and she's out! Lets see its tuesday and this has already happened twice this week... NOT OK! But on top of her just fighting nap tonight she was not having going to bed. She'd fall asleep until you put her down and then she'd scream. Blaine being the trooper that he is tried and tried but finally asked for back up because we all have a breaking point. So we gave her some medicine thinking her teeth may be bothering her and then she had some mommy cuddle time and then decided she was gonna try to play... HA I dont think so... so daddy went back to putting her to bed and finally after two hours of struggling with this child she is in her bed asleep! I see all these parents that just put their child to bed and VIOLA they go to sleep... and the fact that I can't do it makes me feel like a failure! I've tried, from the get go we tried, she has never been and I'm starting to believe never will be a just lay down and go to sleep child. Maybe when she's 20! LOL!! And this is really just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to all the hardships of parenting. I mean it starts before they even born and you have to decide on how to give birth, then you have to decide to breastfeed or not and for how long, then when to start solid food and how to start solid food and what toys to buy, daycare or no daycare, and it goes on and on and on and we haven't even made it to the one year mark yet! I already have days where I feel like a failure because I can't put my child to sleep I dont even wanna know how I'm gonna feel when I make the WRONG decision about something to do with my child! Its nerve wrecking and scary and hard!! But it is all so worth it! Just that one smile and hug makes all of it worth it. The way her eyes light up and she laughs when she sees me for the first time in the morning or when I pick her up from a sitter after being away from her. The way sometimes only I can comfort her because I am mommy! It makes all the worry, stress, failing feeling. It makes it all worth it and so much more!!Blaine and Shannon Finleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13553681592794142790noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7716151878222140011.post-58365507928495854462013-07-27T19:23:00.001-07:002013-07-27T19:23:32.349-07:00Bday prep<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I can't believe that my little baby girl is going to be a year old in a little over a month!! This time last year I was finishing up my nanny jobs and prepping for her arrival as patiently as possible and the days and weeks seemed to crawl by! But now the time just flys! The last 11 months have been wonderful and truly blessed but they have flown by so quickly there are so many time where I wish I could find the pause button, then again I think all parents feel that way at one point. However as we all know there is no pause button for our children growing up so we just have to roll with it do the very best we can to teach them and protect them and give them the best possible life that we know how and Pray to God for all the things that we feel like we can't do because he is able to fill in all the gaps for us! Isn't that just a wonderfully comforting feeling! </div>
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So while I am sad that my baby is going to be a year old before I blink my eyes again, I am also very excited to be planning her first birthday party! Now I know that first birthday parties are really for the parents and grandparents and not at all for the baby but that doesn't change the fact that I want her to have the best first birthday party ever!! And I want her to look back on her pictures one day and see all the time and effort and thought and love that went into planning her first birthday party so that even on those crummy days that we all have she knows that from day one she has had all the love in the world that we could give her! Plus I really enjoying being crafty these days and I am excited to plan a cute little party! But I also feel like its our chance to celebrate the year that we survived. I gave birth to a child and we have successfully raised that child for one whole year! And yes I consider it success but she is alive and healthy and happy and really what else can you ask for! So not only does this party celebrate her first year but it will be a way for us to celebrate our first year as parents! </div>
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Anyways enough about the emotions and what have you about planning her first party now to the fun part! All the crafting I've been doing and a few things I still have planned! </div>
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So of course I've been browsing pinterest for ideas and knew months ago that I wanted to go with the a "You are my sunshine" theme using pink yellow and teal for the colors. Now I have had big plans for months including an awesome cake ordered from the lady who made our wedding cake and paintings and lots of crafts and favors and all that good stuff however with furloughs in full swing from until well after her birthday my plans had to be scaled back a bit but its still going to be awesome! I was a little upset for a while and felt like I wasn't going to be able to give her the birthday I wanted to and the one I know she deserves but then I had to remind myself that no matter what I do its going to be great so I got over it and got crafting! </div>
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Working on the highchair decorations. I've seen lots of big fluffy highchair tutus but that was just a little too frilly for us so instead I used fabric in our party colors of course!</div>
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And here is the finished product! I was super happy with it!! Its perfect really!! You can't really tell in this picture but I did add a few pieces of tulle that I had left over from her outfit and it added just the right amount of girly fluff and sparkle :)</div>
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This is the beginnings of her bday outfit! Now this is officially the first tutu I have ever made and the first one she has ever had but I couldn't not make a tutu for her bday because they are just so cute!! I thought about ordering one but they didn't have the right colors anywhere plus it was sooo much cheaper to just make it myself and so easy! </div>
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This is the progress! One thing that was just a little annoying was how staticy the tulle was but it wasn't too bad. However static guard might help a little if I make more in the future. </div>
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And of course here is my little princess modeling her tutu! So cute!! It turned out a bit shorter than I originally wanted (i have a thing about short skirts on babies) but I'll find some bloomers that match and it'll be super cute!</div>
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Now it was on to the onesie to go with the tutu. I originally thought I'd buy one that is embroidered and has her name on it and all that good cute fancy stuff but then I realized people want upwards of 30 bucks for a onesie with all that stuff and I'm sorry I just can't bring myself to pay that kind of money for a ONESIE! So I decided I'd make it myself and thanks to the wonderful invention of Heat-Bond it was quick and easy! So I got online found the number template I liked best and printed it to size and then found a cute sun that I like to match our theme and printed it to size and we were off and running!</div>
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After I made my templates I just traced them on to the fabric, followed the instructions (sort of) on the heat-bond and POOF adorable bday onesie for my little sunshine! Now when I say sort of on following instructions its because I didn't read the instructions before I cut out my fabric pieces and infact your not supposed to cut out the shapes before you do the first step on the heat-bond so it was a little tricky and bit messier than it needed to be but I made it work! </div>
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Now how perfect is that outfit!! It came together so well and I love it!! Now I debated for a while about putting her name on the onesie with puff paint but I'm too afraid to mess it up plus I figure everyone knows her name! LOL! </div>
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Of course no party is complete without a party hat! But of course people like to charge way to much for those fancy things too so I decided i'd do it myself! I had fabric left over from her onesie and highchair skirt so I printed a template on cardstock, hot glued fabric to it and then add some feathery fluff! I'm still deciding what other decoration I want to add to the hat and I'll be sure to share a picture once I complete it! </div>
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All together and perfect! So excited to see my little sunshine happy on her big day in this outfit!</div>
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Now it was time for more decor so I got to work on the pennant banner for the mantle. This is the first one i've made and I originally would have liked to be able to make the pennants bigger but we have to go with the space we had to hang it but I think its super cute anyway!! </div>
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All done and ready to go! I love how it turned out! I figured I can use the happy birthday one again and again and I'm thinking i'll find somewhere to hang the one with her name. Maybe on her bedroom door! </div>
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It has been a busy couple of days with all my crafting but it has been fun and I am so excited how everything is coming together! Now I just have to decide wether or not its in the budget for me to make a painting, and I gotta make the tissue paper pom pom and finish up her hat once i decide what to do! Of course there are still invitations, food, the platters for the food and several other little things that I have to decide and figure out but a huge chunk is done and ready and I'm excited!!! Stay tuned in the coming weeks for more Birthday fun and of course the big finale after her party!! </div>
Blaine and Shannon Finleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13553681592794142790noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7716151878222140011.post-32088174910185446472013-05-13T14:25:00.002-07:002013-05-13T14:25:12.397-07:00Mother's Day<br />
This was my first official mothers day. Last year people wished me happy mothers day and such but we didn't really celebrate at all since I was still carrying Peyton at that point. But this year my hubby and little girl made my day so very special! My day started with breakfast in bed (well i guess restarted cause I fed peyton at like 6 and then went back to bed). Love my hubby for bringing me these gorgeous roses and my super sweet card! And I had to laugh at the fact that he had no shame in bringing home donuts instead of making breakfast himself and I can blame him! I have never seen him make breakfast so I dont know how it would have turned out had he tried. And he promptly said "I didn't just bring you donuts in a bag" LOL! Points for that!<br />
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Then after breakfast he brought me my present that he and Peyton made for me!! It was sooo sweet and I absolutely love it!! Plus I'm super proud of him for making it completely from scratch! He didn't buy a kit or anything!! He had some struggles getting the prints "perfect" and finally just decided they were good enough and I told him that they were "perfect"! None of us are perfect and I will remember how much trouble Peyton gave him while he was doing this and laugh! </div>
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Then we got ready and went to church and heard an awesome sermon and got to watch several families dedicate themselves to raising their children up with God! It is probably one of my favorite sundays because its like watching the future change right in front of your eyes! The children are our future and without God that future does not look good but to see so many people dedicate their lives to raising children of God so that our future may look bright gives me such a joy! Plus now I think back to just a few months ago when we did they same thing and it just makes me smile!<br />
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And then the rest of the afternoon was spent out in the yard and in the flowerbed. I took Peyton with me while I served at the 1 oclock service so that blaine could mow the lawn and then he went above and beyond and edged the yard as well! And when I got back me and my mom did some major work in the flower bed! Still has a lot of work left but its looking better and better all the time! And we even managed to get the yard fertilized with the turf builder! Last year we sucked it up at taking care of the yard and garden mainly cause its not blaines favorite thing to do and I was giant pregnant and it was WAY hot out! But this year I am determined to keep things looking nice... or at least as nice as we can once it gets WAY hot out again!!<br />
I just have to say that I had the most amazing Mothers day and I am so very blessed! Not only do I have an amazing Mother that I am so blessed with but I also have an awesome husband and the most beautiful daughter all of which I got to spend my day with! It really couldn't have been any better!!<br />
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Blaine and Shannon Finleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13553681592794142790noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7716151878222140011.post-77239667285991310162013-05-10T05:29:00.003-07:002013-05-10T05:29:40.048-07:00saying goodbye to childhoodOk so I fully understand that I am 25 years old and my childhood was gone a long time ago! But there are still little pieces and reminders of it everywhere for me and I like it that way! I grew up in the same house from the age of 3 until I moved out for College. My parents still live in the same house and I like it that way. Once while I was in junior my parents looked at buying another house and moving and I threw a FIT! I didn't want to move... this was my home and I didn't want to live anywhere else. Which is funny considering the other house would have been bigger but it didn't matter to me! Maybe this is why I dont deal well with big life changes (hmmm). Anyways, in the last few years slowly there have been little pieces of my childhood that have vanished one by one and without me even realizing the significance. But yesterday my mother informed me that they shut off their house phone since they hardly ever use it and it cost entirely too much money! Totally understandable and logical but dang it I could help but go WHAT! NO! I have had that same number my entire life! It was the first number I memorized heck its one of only like three numbers I have memorized now (thank you cell phones) and now its gone! In 30 days if I call that phone number I will have reached a completely different house and a different family! With my birthday coming up (which I'm in complete denial and have decided to just skip it and stay 25) I just realized how many little things have changed and happened in the last couple years that are all little memories and pieces of my childhood. Fact of life I guess but doesn't make me life it anymore!!Blaine and Shannon Finleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13553681592794142790noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7716151878222140011.post-32610834687891109512013-05-09T06:07:00.001-07:002013-05-09T06:07:21.116-07:00Where did the time go?My little bitty baby is 8 months old and I just can't figure out where the time went! It has flown by even faster than I could have ever imagined! I feel like it was just last month that we brought her home from the hospital and now she's crawling and sitting and eating (like her daddy!) and even has her first tooth and can say Mama and Dada! Its crazy!! At least once a day I look at blaine holding her and wanna cry because she is just soo big now! Ok really she's not that big compared to other babies her age but compared to how big she used to be she is huge! I love every minute of it all I just wish it would slow down just a little bit!<br />
I have been asked several times lately if I'm starting to get the baby fever again and I just have to laugh and say NO NO NO!! I never understood this whole concept before I had a baby and now I understand it a little better but nope still not for me! It's like I told my OB when we were talking about it at my last appt after Peyton was born. I know people get to that point cause they want a little baby again but for me I dont want another little baby I want her to be a little baby again! Adding another baby isn't going to fix that LOL!<br />
Things are about to get crazy busy here in the Finley household for the next couple of months but it is all going to be a lot of fun so we're excited! Although I am ready for July to be here so we can have a free lazy weekend! Oh well I guess its something to look forward to!Blaine and Shannon Finleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13553681592794142790noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7716151878222140011.post-49439644424838586342013-03-27T15:22:00.000-07:002013-03-27T15:22:09.631-07:00Day 5 and seeing a difference!I completed day 5 this morning and it felt great! Could tell that my endurance is gradually growing and just generally felt really good doing the whole workout! And I can already tell a difference in just these short five days. I doubt that anyone else can tell a difference yet but I wore a shirt today that I haven't been comfortable wearing since I've had Peyton and I felt great in it! And that to me is worth the world!! If this is the beginning of what is to come I am ready!!! Stay tuned!Blaine and Shannon Finleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13553681592794142790noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7716151878222140011.post-69130911571802495992013-03-25T09:30:00.000-07:002013-03-25T09:30:21.362-07:00Day 4... Not goodWell I completed day 4 but I do not feel good about it at all. I just felt very off through the whole workout. I had to stop a couple of times... my balance was off, I didn't feel like I was doing any of the moves right and just didn't feel right at all. I have felt fine all morning... pretty tired since I was up once in the middle night with Peyton and then up much earlier than normal with her as well but other than that I've felt ok but during that work out I just felt off. I felt weak and out of energy and just generally not right. I am proud of myself for finishing because there were several times when I was just going to quite and tell myself I'll try again later... knowing good and well I would not try again later! But I finished it... maybe not strong but I finished it. Maybe that day off screwed me up... maybe I haven't had enough water the last couple of days... I just dont know but I dont like it! These are the days that usually would get me down and make me think that I can't do it anymore. Or I would tell myself well I guess I'll take a break and try again some other time and that some other time wouldn't come till MONTHS down the road. But I'm not going to let that happen this time! I'm just having an off day but I'm not going to let it stop from completing this challenge! Tomorrow is a new day and I can do this! I'm going to try to get some rest today, drink lots of water, and eat better than I did over the weekend so I can start with a fresh start tomorrow!<br />
Now I know this is probably strange but I would like to ask you guys if you read my blog, leave a comment. Just a kind word or a story that motivates you. I need all the motivation I can get these days and it would really make my day to know I have people who are in my same shoes or that are rooting for me to succeed in this journey!Blaine and Shannon Finleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13553681592794142790noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7716151878222140011.post-22523629793973353492013-03-24T17:32:00.003-07:002013-03-24T17:32:55.701-07:00Sundays offWell I didn't work out today but I decided that Sundays are just a super busy day for us and that there is nothing wrong with taking one day off a week. I know the program is supposed to be 30 days straight but hey I am making it work for me and what works for me is one day off a week! I figure at this point I have gone from no workout to 6 days a week working out... this is definitely a big improvement LOL! But I will say that when I got dressed today I felt as if I could already see a bit of a difference. Now this may be my brain playing tricks on me but I just felt more comfortable in my clothes this morning and for me that is HUGE! Every since I had Peyton getting dressed has been a daily struggle... I don't like how anything looks, I try a billion things one before finally deciding on something and 9 times out of 10 it gets covered up with a hoodie anyway cause I'm still not really happy with my appearance. Well I ain't doing it no more folks! It is time that I enjoy getting dressed in the morning, time I look in the mirror and say hey this looks pretty good! And today was a step in the right direction and I like what the road ahead looks like. So I will be back tomorrow with an update on how day 4 goes but I'm pretty sure I'm going to rock it! Oh and the best part... I'm not nearly as sore today... so I guess you can work through it and it does actually get better! Woohoo!Blaine and Shannon Finleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13553681592794142790noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7716151878222140011.post-42502558383641210482013-03-23T17:59:00.000-07:002013-03-23T17:59:06.239-07:00It was actually a little easier!Day 3 complete! Hubby even did it with me which was fun! It wAs nice to see that he even struggled with it and he's in the gym five days a week! And I like that he can tell me if my form is correct so I know I'm doing it right! <br />
This morning when I woke up I was tired after a night of not great sleep and being up several times and my muscles were more sore than they have ever been in my entire life and I was not wanting to be friends with Jillian today! But Blaine said you can't have your reward if you don't finish the 30 days and I knew if I stopped I'd never finish! Now your probably wondering what reward... Well I don't know yet but I decided I needed to come up with something that I can look forward to that will help push me through these thirty days! When I decide what this thing will be I will let you know but for now the thought of anything was good enough! <br />
So we put Peyton Down for a nap and it was workout time! To my surprise once I got going the soreness faded away and I was able to a little more and push a little harder than the previous two days! I was amazed that I could actually feel a difference! So today I am excited about what's to come and proud of what I've done this far!Blaine and Shannon Finleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13553681592794142790noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7716151878222140011.post-52747772209143360952013-03-22T07:48:00.001-07:002013-03-23T05:53:10.402-07:00Dear Jillian!Dear Jillian you are the devil! Your so perky and cheery as you only actually do half the work out that you are coaching us through! As you talk about fighting through it and feeling the burn I kind of just wish that you were actually feeling the same burn because then maybe you wouldn't be so dang chipper about it! I may have had a few words for you today during my workout but I hung in there and I felt that burn (unlike you)! <br />
Sincerely, <br />
Shred victim! <br />
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Day 2 of 30 day shred is complete and as you may have guessed it was tough! But I finished! Paused a few less times than yesterday and still used modified moves but I like to think of the banner I found on Pinterest last night... Success is progress not perfection! That shall be the phrase that keeps me going! One step closer to a healthier me and some new clothes! Woot woot!Blaine and Shannon Finleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13553681592794142790noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7716151878222140011.post-5175063592285184962013-03-21T18:07:00.001-07:002013-03-21T18:07:16.211-07:00I am going to succeed!I use that title mainly because I need to say it as many times as possible so that I can always remember it and make it come true! Today I decided to give Jillian Micheals 30 day shred a shot. I watched the level 1 work out just to get a feel for it and decide if its was something that I felt like I could do without being discouraged. And I decided while I knew it was going to be challenging I felt like it was at least simple enough that I could do the work out without being discouraged by not picking up the moves quickly enough. So I went out and got me a set of hand weights and when Peyton went down for her last nap Blaine and I gave it go. I had Blaine do it with me so he could see what I will be doing so when I complain of being sore and tired he knows exactly why! Plus I wanted him to tell me if I was doing the moves properly! I am so proud of myself because I finished the whole thing! I did pause a couple times for a few seconds and I used the modified moves but gosh darnit I did it! I'm exhausted and I already know that I'm going to be feeling it in the morning but I DID IT!!! Let me give you a little back ground on my work out history... there isn't much but when I have tried videos and such I usually don't make it through the entire thing and then I'm discouraged that I don't try again! Once or twice I've tried for a couple days in a row but after a couple days and I still couldn't really finish it I just gave up. So the fact that I did the entire work out start to finish I am so so proud and it gives me the motivation I need to get up tomorrow and get to the work out! I'm going to do it! 30 days! I have decided to set a very small goal for this 30 days. I simply just want to fit into my prepregnancy jeans by the end of it! I bought one size bigger jeans so that I could actually have some but refuse to buy anymore! And now the size bigger is a little too big but the smaller size is still just not comfy (or very pretty) so if by the end of this 30 days I can proudly and comfortably fit into my prepregnancy jeans I will be SOOO HAPPY!! So follow along as I can tell you just how much I despise ms Jillian through this journey it is sure to be pretty entertaining! And please give me some support I can use all of it that I can get!!Blaine and Shannon Finleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13553681592794142790noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7716151878222140011.post-7324221967839521502013-03-16T14:14:00.000-07:002013-03-16T14:14:14.735-07:00Changes and some Adorable photos I know its been a little while since I'm posted and yes I realize my 20 day challenge that I was so excited about completely went to pot but thats life with a little one at home. Somedays she lets mommy be productive and somedays she doesn't but I wouldn't have it any other way. She turned 6 months old last week and I can't believe! It doesn't seem remotely possible that this precious little child has been in our lives for an entire 6 months but as the same time it doesn't seem possible that we've ever been without her. She is truly the light of our life! She is getting so active and fun these days and just constantly changing. She rolls all over the place and is so close to sitting up on her own its unreal! She has even began to make motions like she wants to crawl but just hasn't figured that out quiet yet! But man oh man does she have a little personality! Even the doctor noticed when we went this last week how active she was and how much personality she has! Peyton was all over the place trying to play with all the doctors instruments which then of course prompted the remark "well no wonder she's so tiny she never stops moving"! Finally the doctor is comfortable with her weight and has decided that she is just making her own curve! We decided that someone has to be the bottom number right? So our little princess is a perfect 12 lbs 4 oz and a lovely 25.75 in long! Long and Lean is this one! But she is growing steadily now! She of course had to have shots this time around but I can say that this was not nearly as traumatic as it has been in the past. She is a tough little girl! However the night after the shots and the following day were ROUGH in our house! It was a very long night snuggling with a tired and cranky child who only wanted to sleep while being held! The following day was pretty much the same until evening time rolled around and she finally started feeling better! Boy am I glad this is not a regular occurrence!<br />
Now to the adorable photos! We took her six month photos this morning with a good friend of ours in Downtown OKC. I could not be happier with the way these pictures turned out and I can't wait to get the rest of them to show everybody! They are absolutely precious and I know I will cherish them forever! A big shout out to Nick Rutledge at NicRutphotography for taking these awesome picture for us! You should check him out on his facebook or at NicRutphotography.com!<br />
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Look at that little sassy face! Yes she gets it from me... I can't deny it!</div>
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And those big blue eyes are straight from her daddy!!</div>
<br />Blaine and Shannon Finleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13553681592794142790noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7716151878222140011.post-91349915249467645632013-03-03T06:07:00.000-08:002013-03-03T06:07:01.557-08:00Weekend UpdateWell my challenge got postponed a couple days since little miss had a little cold and needed some extra cuddles thursday and friday but I am proud of myself because while I didn't get the tasks done for those two days I still kept with all the new habits I started in the previous days and I still kept up with all my laundry for those days! This in its self is an accomplishment for me! So Monday I'll continue on with day 4 and just go from there so it'll be more like a 22 day challenge than a 20 day challenge but oh well as long as I get it done thats all I car about!<br />
This weekend has been wonderful so far! Little Miss is feeling much better and we enjoyed a great day yesterday with family and friends! We started out the day having a good friend over for breakfast before we went out in search of a few photo props for Peyton's 6 month pictures. I made monkey bread for breakfast and it was delicious! I hadn't made it in such a long time I forgot how good it was! I also forgot how long it takes to roll all those little balls but it was totally worth it. It was fun for me to think about how in a couple of years Peyton will be sitting up on the counter helping me roll all the little balls! I just know we are going to have so may special memories in the kitchen together! After Breakfast we headed out to some thrift stores and some antique stores in search of an old wooden crate/basket or an old vintage suitcase! We only had to go to two stores before BINGO old vintage suitcase for only 10 bucks! It has a broken latch but since were only using it as a prop for pictures we didn't need it really to be fully functioning! Then later in the evening I checked out a basket my mom has and it will be perfect for a photo prop as well so winner! All props are taken care of and we just have to pick a date with good weather to get this pictures taken! So excited!<br />
After we returned from our shopping trip my wonderful and amazing friend came and stole me away and took me to get manicures and pedicures and it was just what this momma needed!! This is def. something that is just not in our budget these days but it def something that I wish was in the budget! Maybe one day! So for my friend to come steal me and way and treat me to a little pampering I am forever grateful! Being a stay at home mom and a mother who is still nursing there is very little time away from my little one and I think we can all agree that sometimes you just need a little you time! So after the pampering I came home and then it was off to my little cousins third bday party where we spent time with family and watch the kids be kids and just had a good time together! Then a visit a the Jones' to wrap up the evening before heading home! It was an awesome awesome saturday! Some saturdays I enjoy being lazy around the house... but there are days where I just want to get out and do things and see people and this was def. one of them so it was the perfect saturday!<br />
In store for today is grocery shopping, church, and dinner out with our life group! Sounds like a great Sunday hope everyone enjoys theres as much as I know I will!Blaine and Shannon Finleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13553681592794142790noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7716151878222140011.post-87107733071834206482013-02-28T15:08:00.000-08:002013-02-28T15:08:10.757-08:00Day 4 - postponedSo this morning started out great and very productive. Little Miss woke up at 6:00 nursed and went back to bed so I was able to enjoy a cup of coffee, start my daily load of laundry, eat breakfast, run the dishwasher and just relax all before waking her up! That is a great start to a day! Well then it all went down here when I woke little Miss up and she had dried snot all over her face! NO GOOD! Little Miss has her first cold complete with congestion, a slight cough, and a fever! Along with all these things came a little baby who wanted to do nothing but cuddle and not nap! The only nap she took (before the nap master of a husband came home) was about 30 minutes and in her bouncy seat! While I could totally complete the days task now since hubby is home I have lost all motivation! I'm tired and just generally done with today so my tasks will just have to be postponed until tomorrow!Blaine and Shannon Finleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13553681592794142790noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7716151878222140011.post-7016308619309828242013-02-27T14:08:00.000-08:002013-02-27T14:08:01.877-08:00Day 3 - LaundryI once again didn't take any pictures before and after. Lets be honest the before was a hot mess and well the baby was not a happy camper as I was finishing up so it was on to other things before there was a chance for photos. However today's tasks were accomplished quickly and efficiently! Today was all about the laundry. Now my laundry room is pretty small so there really isn't a lot to clean which made things easier but I gave everything a good wipe down and dusting and got the floor all swept and mopped and moved a few things that were just taking up space. The decluttering task was to declutter the laundry pile... Well that's still in progress! Laundry has always been a bit of battle for me so one day isn't going to fix it, however I have a game plan now. I plan to get a laundry sorter so that the dirty clothes are more organized which will make the task of laundry much easier not to mention on the day we tackle the closet i will have a heap of things for the goodwill. The organizing task was to create a laundry schedule that works for your family... Now I'm sure I may end up rearranging this schedule after I try it for a while but for now the schedule I came up with is as follows. <br />
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Monday - kitchen linens <br />
Tuesday - bed sheets <br />
Wednesday - whites <br />
Thursday - jeans <br />
Friday - colors <br />
Saturday - towels and couch cover <br />
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Now I didn't schedule when to wash Peyton's clothes because it really varies each week depending on what we have going on and how messy she is how often I need to do a load so just when I notice her basket full I throw them in. Also in my house since I use cloth diapers I have a load of diapers to wash each day. <br />
The five minute task today was to dust or polish two pieces of furniture. I don't really have two extra pieces that won't be covered in another rooms cleaning task and since I had a pretty fussy baby on my hands today I decided that I could just skip it! <br />
So there is my day three , it was a pretty easy day which worked out great considering my baby's mood lol but this is the day that i think and hope will help the most in my house cause laundry is always the thing I never catch up on but hopefully I can get my sorter soon and follow this schedule and actually be able to keep up! Happy cleaning! <br />
<br />Blaine and Shannon Finleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13553681592794142790noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7716151878222140011.post-51089507424515921822013-02-26T19:35:00.000-08:002013-02-26T19:35:08.779-08:00My baby food making adventure!When I got pregnant there were a few things that I knew I wanted to do once the baby arrived. I knew I would be using cloth diapers (I'll try and write a post about that adventure one of these days) and I knew I wanted to make my own baby food. I have friends who have played around with making their own baby food and I nannied for a family who made all their own baby food and I just knew it was something that I wanted to do. Now some people do it so that their child can eat all organic and while maybe I'll get to that point right now that is not why I do it nor do I buy all organic. I'm still researching on the things that should be bought organic versus those things that don't really matter either way but I am just not on the organic train yet, maybe one day. But instead I wanted to do it because a) I wanted to know exactly what my child was eating and b) it save a TON of money! This goes for the cloth diapering and breast feeding as well! And if you know me at all you know that I am all about saving money! Blaine and I knew when we decided to have a baby that there were a few sacrifices and concessions we would have to make in order to afford to keep the same lifestyle that we had before and I can gladly say that all of these things have been super easy and really are better for all of us anyway!<br />
So thats just a little about why I decided to make my own baby food now I'll share with you my method! Now I know that for alot of families especially those who both parents work outside the home it seems entirely to daunting and time consumng to make your own baby food but honestly its not difficult at all! It does require some time but if you could set aside one afternoon a month then you have all the time you need!<br />
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Here is my stash of produce for this month! I make baby food once a month and store it in the freezer. It stays fresh and is easy and quick to defrost and serve. I like doing it once a month because that way I can make a variety of fruits and vegetables and the thought of having to make stuff once a week or so is too daunting for me... once a month totally doable! This month I made Sweet potatoes, butternut squash, carrots, peas, apples, pears, and peaches. Peyton also eat bananas and avocado but those I mash up fresh since there is no need to cook them. I buy baby carrots because they are easy to just put in the steamer and walk away to let them cook. No need to peel and chop! Whatever makes things a little easier and saves some time I'm all about. Peas I use frozen and this is because there is just no way I'm going to cook and shuck a bunch of fresh peas. You shouldn't used can peas for this but frozen vegetables are frozen at peak freshness and they are just as fresh when you thaw them so essentially I'm getting the same quality with half the work! I used frozen peaches this time around for the same reason and also because peaches aren't really in season yet so the price for fresh peaches isn't very nice! this summer when peaches are in season and are on sale I will happily make them from fresh until then frozen is quick easy and just as good!<br />
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Now some things I boil, some things I steam, and some I bake. It all just depends on the veggie or fruit. For the most part though I steam all the fruits since they tend to get real soft I don't want then to break up in the water and then I would loose half my fruit. Steaming them gets them good and soft while still staying in tact. Carrots I also steam. I don't really have a particular reason for this except that its just easy! Carrots tend to take about 20 mins to steam nice and soft while most of the fruits only take about 10 to 15 minutes.<br />
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The squash I bake. 400 degree Oven for about an hour. I always start my squash first thing because I knew it takes the longest and I can just put it in and forget about it while I get other things going.</div>
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The sweet potatoes and the peas I boil. Some people will say to steam it all because it allows the veggies to retain more of the nutrients but I use some of the cooking water when I puree it so I figure I keep as much nutrients as possible. Plus I don't cook them to death so I they maintain plenty of nutrients!</div>
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Because I don't have a ton of big pots and only one steamer pot I have to do things in batches. Plus I only have so many ice cube trays so I have to freeze things in batches as well. Today I start the sweet potatoes, squash, and carrots all at once. While they were going I put Peyton for nap and began cleaning. When the carrots and potatoes were cooked through I turned them off and let the sit to cool down a bit before moving on to the next step. The squash stayed in the oven until I was done with my cleaning and ready to start pureeing things then it was done too and I was good to go! </div>
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So before now I was using this little itty bitty mini food processor to make her food which took me forever but I did it and I made it work. But now thanks to my wonder Mother in law I have a full size food processor to use which made things soooo much easier! I just load up one veggie or fruit at a time add a little of the cooking water and puree it up. Veggies seem to need a bit more water than the fruit. the fruits are just naturally juicy so they take much less water so keep that in mind otherwise your fruit with be super thin. I usually mix all the baby food with cereal when I'm getting ready to serve it so if it ends up a little thin I dont mind. I'm still learning as I go at this point. </div>
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Once I got it all puree and have made sure its all smooth I spoon it out into ice cube trays. Since my little one is just starting to eat food I still make it all completely smooth. But the great thing about making your own baby food is as your baby grows you can play with the texture of things and make it more or less chunky depending on how they like it! </div>
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Once the ice cube tray is all loaded I tap it gently on the counter to get all the air out and just to even it all out and place it in the freezer. I only have 7 ice cube trays so I have to make things in batches which works out cause I usually only get a few things done before little miss wakes up and wants to nurse or needs a diaper or just doesn't want to be playing alone anymore so I just let what I have finished get good in frozen while I tend to her and then come back to it.<br />
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Once the ice cube trays are completely frozen I transfer them into labeled freezer bags for storage! And there you have it! This pictures is missing apples and pears because they were still freezing when I took this picture but this is enough to last my little one an entire month! She eats two cube twice a day mixed with a little formula and cereal. Each cube is about an ounce of food! So far she has like all the food I've made for her! The peaches and peas are new this month so we shall see what she thinks of them when its time to try them out! </div>
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I hope some of you find this informative and perhaps even inspirational. I tend to lay everything out on the counter and just get to work. Between each fruit or veggie I rinse everything real good and then get it ready for the next round at the end I give it all a good wash or run it through the dishwasher and poof I'm done! I love only doing one set of dishes! It takes some time and a little prep work but the peace of mind the money you save is so worth it!! This month I spent approx. 15 dollars on the stuff to make her food for this month. Gerber step 1 costs approx 1.25 for two containers which is about 2.5 ounces so my child would eat two of those a day. Which would add up to over 30 dollars a month! That is a 50% savings!! Now I realize that some stores may have a special on the gerber or what have you but really it would have be a really good sale to make it not be a savings! And if you buy organic those jars run like 99 cents a piece! But not only am I saving money but I am also able to give her a variety of food and I know exactly what I am giving her and that makes it worth that extra bit of time it takes!!</div>
Blaine and Shannon Finleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13553681592794142790noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7716151878222140011.post-14648828311030482972013-02-26T18:54:00.001-08:002013-02-26T18:54:28.407-08:00Day 2 Another successful day on my journey through the 20 day challenge to a clean and organized home! Todays task was to clean the master bedroom. This room we tend to keep picked up and I had just cleared off my dresser this weekend so I already had a head start! But I got busy dusting, cleaning windows, washing bedding, and vacuuming. Since we don't keep a whole lot of knick nacks and things in this room either decluttering was an easy task as well today! (I guess my lack of decor is coming in handy) And the organizing task today was to organize the top drawers of the night stand. Well my night stand doesn't have a drawer so I organized blaine's which mostly just had old reciepts and things that needed thrown away so in no time I was all done! Then for the quick five minute task I gave our dining room chairs a good wipe down with some clorox wipes and I was good to go! I was able to complete everything plus make about half of my baby food batch (more on that in the next post) all while little Miss took her first nap of the day!<br />
I am feeling so accomplished and productive through this challenge and can't wait to get all the way through so each room in the house can be nice and organized! I have always been terrible about organizing and when I finally do it it never lasts long. And then I never want to do it again because the task is so overwhelming to me but this challenge breaks it down and makes it so easy and totally doable in the time that I have during the day. I'm so glad I found it! Tomorrow the Journey takes us to the Laundry room! Stay tuned!! I'll try and take pictures each day but today I forgot!Blaine and Shannon Finleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13553681592794142790noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7716151878222140011.post-66452426055522012572013-02-25T19:46:00.004-08:002013-02-25T19:46:26.639-08:0020 day Challenge : Day 1Well I have completed day 1 of my 20 day challenge to a clean and organized home and I am so excited about it. Blaine stayed home today in fear of getting stuck at work with the snow (that never really came) so he was able to help me out and it made it go by so quickly and we were really able to get it done well and even a little above and beyond what was on the list! So here the break down of what we did today along with a few after photos just to keep things a little more interesting. Today was the kitchen but it wasn't about going through all the cabinets or anything like that it was just a basic cleaning. Since we did our dishes last night I didn't have to worry about that so I started with wiping down all the cabinet doors while blaine cleaned the vents and the light fixtures. We wiped down all the walls, washed the windows, cleared off all the counters and wiped them down real good, gave the sink a good clean which it defintely needed, cleaned the microwave and dusted the inside and outside of the china cabinet. It sounds like a lot but with both of us on a mission to get it done while Peyton napped it only took about an hour and half!<br />
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The decluttering task for today was to declutter the countertops but my counter tops weren't cluttered. I keep a few things that I use regularly on my counters and a few pretties and thats it so there was no need for me to declutter! WIN!<br />
The organizing task for today was to organize underneath the kitchen sink... I have organized this several times before and it always ends up being a mess again and there are always things under there that don't really need to be there so it was about time to do this anyway and since I knew I was going to be starting this challenge I stocked up on a few little basket things at the dollar tree the other day so I was prepared!! So now its nice and organized and clean!!<br />
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And the final task for the day was the five minute task which was supposed to be tidying up a bookshelf. well lets just say that our office could be a 20 day challenge all on its own so since i didn't have a bookshelf put together for me to tidy Blaine and I took that time (and then some) to rearrange and clean up and attempt to hang a shelf (need some anchors) and put together our bookshelf instead. We got a good dent done so now I won't be so overwhelmed when the office comes around in my 20 day challenge!<br />
And on top of all those things I made dinner, vacuumed, did laundry, washed dishes, took car of peyton, and even got some relaxing time in front of the tv!! It was a very very productive day!! I am so excited to see how the rest of challenge goes and to see how much easier and simpler things are going to be to find and keep organized once its all said and done!! Hopefully my little adventure will give you some motivation to do a little spring cleaning yourselfs or just get your to do list done cause if your like me you have a to do list a mile long thats been building for months but the motivation just never found me but now it has and I am so excited! <br />
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Blaine and Shannon Finleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13553681592794142790noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7716151878222140011.post-85675795980558795362013-02-22T08:29:00.001-08:002013-02-22T08:29:13.368-08:00A time for changeWell as you could probably guess since I haven't been blogging much lately after my 2013 goals post that my goals have for lack of a better word... FAILED! I have every intention of picking them all back up and trying again though don't you worry! If I'm being completely honest I have been in a bit of a funk as of late and it has definitely affected my motivation to do much of anything other than those things are absolutely necessary. Maybe its the winter time and lack of sunshine, maybe its the whole not having a car for the past three months and counting, or maybe its just something that happens sometimes but no matter what is causing it I've had enough! I kept telling myself oh well when it gets nicer outside it'll be better or when I have a car again it'll be better, but enough is enough! No more excuses! Today is a new day and I fully intend to get out of this funk starting NOW! With that being said stay tuned for updates on the restart of my goals coming soon!<br />
In the process of coming out of this funk I've decided that I need to get better at this whole housekeeping thing! I have no excuses anymore about not having the time I mean lets get real yes I have a small child at home with me but she's pretty easy and sleep at least 3 hours out of the day so at the very least I could get 3 hours of housework done! Well as most of us our I'm a bit addicted to pinterest and as I was enjoying some quiet time with my coffee before Little Miss woke up this morning I came across a pin about a 20 day challenge to a clean and organized home... BINGO! This things is awesome and I'm so excited about it! Its a lady for australia who does this whole blog about organization and housekeeping and she has some awesome ideas! For me the daily tasks like laundry and dishes and vacuuming (yes with my dog it is DAILY) are not a problem yeah the laundry gets away from me now and again but who doesn't it! But its the organization and all the other that I just can't ever seem to really get a handle on so I think this challenge will be perfect to get me going, get some organization in the areas that we desperately need it and hopefully kick start me to continuing these tasks in order to stay that organized! Plus this lady is genius on how she breaks it all up and she does no major cleaning on weekends! Hello break and family time! Now that is my kind of woman! So this weekend I'm doing a few prep things and come Monday I am starting this challenge! And hopefully by the end of the 20 days (4 weeks since she doesn't do weekends) by home with be cleaning, more organized, and just generally better! So wish me luck and if any of you want to join in on the fun here is a link to the start of the challenge!!<br />
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http://theorganisedhousewife.com.au/organising/20-days-to-organise-and-clean-your-home-challenge-pre-challenge-task-1/<br />
<br />Blaine and Shannon Finleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13553681592794142790noreply@blogger.com0