Quarter of a Century..

Well folks, it's official. I'm old. Tomorrow is my 25th birthday. Although I realize I'm getting closer and closer to 30 (wow), I'm really not sad about it. First of all, it's way better than the alternative! And second, this season of life has been and hopefully will continue to be SO much fun!

John-John & I continue to learn more about each other and really grow together, Bailey Grace is just simply the joy of our lives, my relationship with Christ is headed in the right direction -- definitely not saying it's perfect or where it should be, but headed that way..-- and I'm super, super thankful for my family and friends! I'm just content. Content with life at 25.

Now typically I would think content meant you were okay where you are, therefore you don't strive for anything different. I'm not saying that. I do want to strive to be a better, kinder person, to have better and deeper relationships all around -- with God, John-John, friends, family and Bailey Grace as she grows! I want to strive to make more money to help my family (hence the new business venture!) and I for sure want to keep striving to have a healthier lifestyle. My friend and I were talking the other day about how we don't want to just "lose weight". We want to BE healthier! We want to be good, healthy role models for our kids so that they know how to make good choices when they're older.

I would love to do one of those posts about "all the things I've learned in my 25 years", but honestly I can't remember half of them to write them down, and plus -- most of the fun was figuring it out. Failing. Trying again. Falling. Getting back up. Being angry or hurt. Learning to forgive.

So, the best advice I can give is get out there and figure it out for yourself! Experience failure and experience success! Sometimes it will hurt, and sometimes it will feel like you'll never make it through. But, you will and you'll be so much better of a person for it!

**These family photos were taken by Juanita Pullen Photography. She does such an amazing job and I'm thrilled with how these turned out!! Check her out!!

NEWS!!!!

Hey y'all! So I can finally spill the beans!!

I have started a small business! It's called "Sew Obsessed with Monograms" and honestly, I am loving it!! I've got several applique designs so I can do cute little childrens shirts and onesies and really any other monogramming need anyone has! I've just gotten started and already have like 15 orders!! I am positively overjoyed with how well it's going!!

Here's my super fabulous logo, designed by Cory Jones @ Jones & Company in Unadilla. You can find him Here!

I've always loved monogrammed items for myself, and then after becoming pregnant with Bailey Grace -- you could forget it! If I was buying something, it was either smocked or monogrammed. End of story. Can't stand the cuteness!! And aside from this, it's such a good creative outlet for me. I've always loved crafts, drawing, etc. but have never really been good at any of it, HA! But with my handy dandy embroidery machine, I can do anything and still feel creative!!! Also, it's a great way to make a little mula on the side and take up some of my time when I used to be shopping or some other nonsense.

Here's my first completed item for a customer.

So stinkin' cute! I just love it! Okay, I'll quit gushing about my new business venture...but y'all go "like" me on facebook HERE!

And PS, sorry for skipping the "Wednesday Whatever" post this week!! Here are some "Thursday Tidbits" of what's been going on:

• hmm, I've been starting a business (see above)
• Bailey Grace is the cutest, sweetest baby in the world -- but duh, y'all probably already knew that.

• We celebrated John John's 26th birthday (old man!) this past Saturday and had so much fun! We rented a bus, had a DD and went to Macon to have dinner and go out for a bit with some friends. 

• We took family pictures on Sunday afternoon with my friend Juanita Pullen. She does a FABULOUS job and y'all should definitely check her out HERE. I can't wait to share some of my favorite pictures with you guys! 
• My mom came to visit this past Friday and left today :(. Big time sad face. We always have so much fun while she's here and hate to see her go. But, I guess we have to share her with everyone else too! :) 
• I'm getting my hair done today and I can't WAIT. Ugh you know when you just feel ick about your hair for those last couple weeks before getting it done again? That's where I'm at. Nice to meetcha! 
• I ordered this reeeeally cute pearl and leather bracelet off Etsy a few weeks ago and it finally came in the mail today. I can't tell you how much I love this thing! It will go with everything! You can find it Here.

                  

• Still loving Body by Vi! Don't know a weight update, but definitely still losing!! 

Although SO much has been going on lately.. that's all my brain can muster up to chat about. I hope everyone is having a great week and YAY tomorrow is Friday!! 

xoxo

Wednesday Whatevers & A Very Vague Celebration!!

Hey friends! So I've seen on several different blogs where they'll do "Midweek Randoms" or "Brain Dumps" to shine light on random happenings in their lives.. I've decided to call mine "Wednesday Whatevers"... you like? So here goes..

• I'm back on the Body by Vi kick and LOVING it! Honestly, it's like the easiest diet/weight loss thing I've ever done. It's regimented so I don't really have to do any deciding.. What I mean is, I picked a couple of the shake recipes that I love -- Cafe Latte' & Peanut Butter & Banana -- and that's what I have each day. Cafe Latte' for breakfast so I can get my coffee fix in, and Peanut Butter & Banana for lunch. I like it because I don't have to make the healthy choice. I know that sounds terrible, but I'm the type of person that if I go to a restaurant and there are all these yummy choices...9 times out of 10, I'm NOT going to make right/healthy choice. Now, if you like a lot of variety in your meals, there are TONS of different shake recipes so you can spice up your life! :) I haven't been real crazy about weighing myself, but I think I've lost about 2 or 3 pounds so far and I feel sooo much better already! PS I am by no means a sales rep for Body by Vi, just telling y'all about my personal experience with it! 
• There are WAY too many sites out there with "deals" for adorable kids clothes. I mean really...they need to stop. My bank account is suffering.
• We're going skiing in March with a group of friends and I don't think I could be any more excited!! I am a bit nervous since it will be my first time away from Bailey Grace overnight, but my mom is coming to keep her so I'm sure it will be fine! All I've got to say is thank God for FaceTime!! :) 
• If you've been reading this blog for very long at all, you know that I have a love for cooking. I just love being in the kitchen! However, I'm in a rut right now and SO tired of the daily question -- "what do you want for supper?" OVER it! Maybe I'll get out of this rut soon, especially considering supper is the only meal that I don't drink a Vi shake... I'm sure I'll get more excited about it soon, ha!
• John John & I got a Bowflex Treadclimber (used on Craigslist) for each other for our birthdays and we looovvveee it! I can get on there and do 25-30 minutes while surfing the web or reading a book and it's just grand! 
• I've been periodically thinking about things I'm enjoying about not being pregnant, and today I'm enjoying not having to go to the bathroom 97 trillion times a day. I just drank a whole bottle of water and I still don't have to go. It's a miracle I tell you!
• When I say I'm enjoying not being pregnant, I by no means am saying being pregnant wasn't worth it. Bailey Grace was worth EVERY ounce of pain, discomfort, annoyance I went through! Duh! 
• Bailey Grace... oh dear how I love that sweet baby girl. I mean really...she just lights up our lives! I don't know any other way to say it. We are best friends! :)

• Okay, enough of the riff-raff going through my brain. Now for the "Very Vague Celebration"!!!! There is something I'm working on that I am SOOOO excited about! I have to hash the details out before I can share my news here, but just know....It's gonna be big....and great!! And NO I'm not pregnant! So get ready for a big reveal sometime very soon! Then we can all have a little 30 second dance party like they do on Grey's Anatomy! 

Later peeps! 

Catching up on Holidays with Bailey Grace!

Hey friends! Well, this will be another one of those catch up posts.. got to get all my photos and stories posted of Bailey Grace so I'll be able to look back! :)

First up, Halloween. Tiny Tot was only 9 days old, so we didn't get out and trick-or-treat, but we did dress the part!

(please excuse the socks on her hands! her little hands were cold and most baby mittens just aren't very thick...therefore we use socks -- just when we're around the house ha!) 

I was rather disappointed..we only had 4 trick-or-treaters! Yes four! Needless to say, we had TONS of candy leftover!

Now, although Election Day isn't really a holiday, we were celebrating in HOPES that we would get the outcome we wanted... I guess neither our celebrations NOR our cute outfit pushed Romney over into the lead.. I digress.. BUT here's BG's cute outfit anyway! :)

Next up is Thanksgiving! We had a bit of a whirlwind day, but still somewhat relaxing and definitely enjoyed being around friends and family! Get ready for picture overload! Sorry, I'm not sorry! :)

 looking at Daddy!

 Four Generations!

Three Generations!

Best friends!

At the end of the day we were all worn out! Had to get the princess in her PJ's. 

I know Thanksgiving is supposed to be a time of being grateful, but honestly since Bailey Grace has come into the world, she's taught me to ALWAYS be grateful! I'm seriously thanking God every morning when I go in her room just that she's there and breathing. 

Okay, now that I'm off my soapbox, moving onto Christmas!! This year was seriously SO much fun just having Bailey Grace there! Kids make Christmas more magical for sure! I can't imagine how much fun it's going to be next year! Ahhh!! Okay, these are not just from Christmas Day, it's from alllll through December. We had lots of Christmas festivities going on! 

Okay, this was a BIG DAY! I think it was around the end of November (after Thanksgiving) when she started wearing her adorable Christmas onesies (from Mary Kate's Monograms) and...drumroll....she SMILED for the first time! I mean, she had been giving these little dreamy smiles when she was drifting off to sleep, but this was like I looked at her, said something goofy sounding I'm sure, and she lit up! :) So special!

 Favorite picture ever! 

 Apparently watching me wrap presents wore her out!

 Best friends went to see Santa together at Bass Pro Shop! 

 Santa stopped by Bailey Grace's house!!! 

 Helping carry Christmas presents!

 First time enjoying the tradition of watching Christmas Vacation at her Granddaddy's house

Wooo! Okay, those are in no particular order... just all of December jumbled together! We are SO thankful for all of our family and friends and especially for how much they all love Bailey Grace! She is one loved little girl for sure! :) 

Alright, that should have us caught up as far as holidays. I might go back and update on just random things that have happened, but maybe not. Still just proud of myself for doing three blog posts this week! Whoop! I hope y'all all have a fantastic Friday! 

xoxo