So it’s Labor Day and it’s the day of the first big reveal, but how to do it?

We decided to let Trinity (8) and Mercy (5) draw pictures to tell the news. They really got into it with storylines and everything. Grandparents LOVE grandchildren artwork so this was going to be fun watching the realization sink in!

So we had them stand beside each other and present their artwork. As they explained who each figure was, what they were holding, what they were saying, etc…

“What’s this?” while pointing at the funny bump and tiny person on picture-me’s belly.

“That’s the baby in Mommy’s tummy!”

“So you ARE pregnant!” This was not a question.

When is a surprise not a surprise?

*Sigh* when your squishy belly gives you away because it makes you queasy to hold it in and they’ve actually suspected/known for weeks…

Well, Happy Confirmation Day, then :-/

Fine, thin, lank, flat, flyaway…

These are just some ways to describe my hair.

It’s also about 26″ long, so volume is just a myth because even blow-drying my hair upside down only gives me about 1/2″ of height and then all the little flyaway baby hairs spread their wings and well, fly away.

My usual routine is to just wash at the roots and work the lather down as far as it will go, then the exact opposite with conditioner. I have to condition every time or else I might have to resort to scissors to get the knots out! Most often I will then let it air dry before I brush it because that’s just healthier all around for hair, especially long hair, especially-especially baby fine hair, but especially-especially-especially long baby fine hair.

But say there is a special occasion and I really want to try to get that 1/2″ of volume. If I’m going to blow-dry I have to use a heat-protecting spray because it could so easily get fried. Plus, I have to...

Ok, so I’m a day late, sorry about that! Better late than never, right? *nervous emoji*. 

So here is the start of a series for my blog I'm hoping to do called, “Adventures in Pregnancy”.

Because 1. as a mom of 3 I thought I might know a thing or two that new(er) mommas might like to know, too, without having to learn via trial by fire like I did (not trying to come off presumptuous *nervous emoji again*), and 2. *drumroll* the fact that I am 7 weeks along with #4!

I thought this would provide the perfect opportunity for you to really get to know me Keep reading and join me on “Adventures in Pregnancy”!

We didn’t find out until I was already 3+ weeks along. For the first half of my first trimester I felt great; no nausea, I had energy, everything was good. Then I made the mistake of pointing this out to Joshua.

With our girls I remember morning sickness that came and went all throughout the day, but not this one…did that mean baby...

The idea of “Woolly-Woollys” (TM Leslie Ford) came to me when we were not only out of dryer sheets, but low on funds to purchase more and even if we did have the funds, Joshua had the van for work and the laundry was a tad on the mountainous side.

        So I looked up alternatives to using dryer sheets. I found one claim that if you take three sheets of aluminum (about 1 foot each) and ball them up as tight as you can and throw them in with your wet laundry, then you will end up with soft and static free clothes without the harshness of the chemicals of typical dryer sheets. I tried it out and it did work, that is until I kept losing the ball that ended up becoming about the size of a golf ball after about a week.

        Then came the doubt as to the healthiness of such an idea. You may have heard or read about the connection aluminum has to alzheimer’s, and unfortunately it even runs in my family, so the fear weed started...

My mother ran her own daycare  for years while I was in elementary school. There are stories she’s told me about the number of times she had to battle lice- I’m talking several times in a year! It was a nightmare!

Fast forward 19 years and now I’ve got my own kids and I am the captain fighting the war on head lice.

My first (and so far only) battle just happened to begin ONE DAY before I went into labor with our third child, and they seemed to come out of nowhere. It was like they didn’t have them one day and then...

The itching and burning pain of pink eye can be mild if you’re able to catch it early, or it can turn you into a red-eyed gooey monster. Both suck, but I have a natural pink eye remedy that totally works!

*Lice and Pink Eye are two of the most common ailments of school-aged children and even homeschooling kids can’t escape!

We still venture out and try on hats or sunglasses at the store and push grocery carts with our bare hands. However they’re transferred, my point is everyone can get them and I have found a way to gently purge them without using harsh chemicals or avoiding overuse of antibiotics that has worked for us.

Young Living Essential Oils Pocket Reference

Not long ago I was that red-eyed gooey monster i mentioned earlier, so I went to the doctor and got the eye ointment and all was well that ended well. A few days later,...

Antibiotics. The doctor’s go-to for almost anything. But did you know that with prolonged use you can actually get more sick? Why not try a more gentle approach with absolutely no side effects? Lavender Essential Oil the Gentle Ear Infection Remedy. By using this oil, here are a few side effects from antibiotics you can avoid:

• Severe watery diarrhea and tummy (abdominal) cramps: signs of a serious bacterial infection
• Shortness of breath, hives, rash, swelling (of the lips, face, or tongue), fainting
• Vaginal itching or discharge
• White patches on the tongue
• Being sick (vomiting)

My eldest daughter has the misfortune of having very thick earwax.  To make matters worse, it tends to linger until she gets an ear infection or we have to go to the doctor to get her ears flushed out or both and no one likes that.Unfortunately, that’s what we had to do so we could clear up the infection. But before enlisting antibiotics I wanted to try a more gentle ear infection...