Love, Lattes & Lullabies

Three Things I'm Loving Right Now

2016-05-31T11:06:00.001-04:00

1. Hamilton: An American Musical.

Yep, we've jumped on the Hamilton bandwagon. And believe it or not, my husband started it. The man who historically hates musicals. We saw the cast perform the opening number on an awards show and we both had to hear more. Now we own the soundtrack and the book, we follow Lin-Manuel Miranda and the other performers on Twitter... we're Helpless (Hamilton joke, hehe). Will we ever get to see it? Probably not anytime soon, because we don't have a lot of money laying around. Maybe we should start a GoFundMe. Ha!

2. Alexander Hamsterton, our newest family member.

See #1. Hamsterton, or "Hammy," is a winter white dwarf hamster. He's really Colin's pet, but I'm the only one who can hold him without getting bit or pooped on. I guess he likes me. :) Colin is often disappointed that Hammy is nocturnal and doesn't wake up until it's almost bedtime, but when he is awake, he's lots of fun. He runs on his little wheel, explores the living room in his ball, and makes the cutest little faces when he nibbles on a teeny tiny piece of watermelon or grape.

3. Mary Kay cosmetics.

I recently took the plunge and became an Independent Beauty Consultant with Mary Kay. If you have questions, want to snag some great products or want to try a sample, please let me know! Feel free to drop me a line at katievaughan at marykay dot com. Oh, and if you want to subscribe to updates, just "like" my Facebook page HERE! :)

More to come!

WOWBUTTER Giveaway!

2016-04-18T09:58:00.003-04:00

If you're anything like me, you often reach for nuts or peanut butter for a quick source of protein. Toast with peanut butter is a pretty common breakfast for me. Recently, though, two things happened that made me think about looking for an alternative:

1. We learned that a close friend has a severe nut allergy.

2. We realized that it is becoming increasingly common for schools to ban peanut products.

And for good reason. Nut allergies are no joke! Our friend has to keep an epi pen close by just in case. Can you imagine? Whenever he's around, we are careful to read the labels of any snacks we bring out, and obviously the peanut butter and nuts stay in the pantry.

"But Katie, I've tried peanut butter alternatives and they're gross."

To be completely honest, I've had the same experience before. But when I received some WOWBUTTER to try, I tasted it and was pleasantly surprised. It tastes like.... peanut butter! Then, I performed the ultimate taste test. I gave it to my kids. Guess what? They couldn't tell the difference!

WOWBUTTER really does taste just like creamy peanut butter, and because it's made in a dedicated 100% peanut free, tree nut free, gluten free, dairy free and egg free facility, it's safe for people with food allergies. It's also made with soy, and is a complete protein, meaning it contains all 9 essential amino acids (just like eggs, dairy and meat). Plus, your peanut butter loving kids will rejoice, because it's safe to bring to school! The jar even comes with little labels to stick on sandwich bags to identify it. Pretty cool!

The awesome people at WOWBUTTER want to give a CASE away to one of my readers! You can enter using the widget below. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Do You Know Where Your Chocolate Comes From?

2016-03-21T13:29:00.000-04:00

Spring is here, and that means Easter is just around the corner! Since many of us will be stocking up on goodies for our little ones' Easter baskets this week, I wanted to take a minute to talk about chocolate. We all indulge every once in a while, but do we ever think about where our chocolate comes from? If we're being honest, I didn't until recently. Did you know that most big chocolate companies get their cacao from questionable sources, many of which pay their farmers very little and often rely on child slave labor? Only about 5% of chocolate is fairly traded. Here's a short video to help explain:

Equal Exchange was kind enough to send me two adorable little packages of fair trade dark chocolate Easter eggs. My sons are little weirdos who are always sneaking semi-sweet chocolate chips when I'm baking cookies, so I think they'll appreciate these yummy treats. (Mom and Dad may have to sneak a few, too!)

As you may have noticed, I don't make a habit out of promoting products or companies here on my blog unless it's something I think you'll love, or in this case, something that needs to be said. Maya Angelou once said, "Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better." Now that I know better, I am going to make a conscious effort, whenever possible, to purchase fairly traded goods. It may seem like a small thing, but if this message is shared, we can help make a difference.

So please, help me in getting the word out, and join me in keeping an eye out for fairly traded products. I wish you and your family a blessed Easter. Grace and peace. ♥

I received the products pictured for the purpose of writing this review.

New Frontiers

2016-03-01T16:18:00.002-05:00

Well, we've done it. We've officially registered Colin for kindergarten. In his honor, Daddy and I took the day off from work and went with him to meet his new principal and to tour the school he'll be attending. It was a very positive experience for all of us. Surreal, but good. After that, we went to Chick Fil A to eat and play. Colin also got to help vacuum the car at the local car wash, indulge in some celebratory donuts at Krispy Kreme, and visit Daddy's orthodontist, where they have "the best train track ever" in the waiting room. It was a pretty great day!

Kindergarten won't start until August, but that's not all. We've also signed him up for tee-ball through our local parks and rec department! He had to miss the first practice, but will be joining the team this Saturday for his first one. This week, we bought him some baseball pants and his first pair of cleats. My heart might explode when I see him in his little uniform for the very first time!

It seems like just yesterday he was crawling around on the floor and drooling everywhere. Why do they grow up so fast?

More to come!

Three and Five

2016-01-05T15:05:00.000-05:00

You guys. Reid is officially a three year old, and Colin is turning five in less than two weeks. How did this happen? Weren't they itty bitty, like, yesterday?

Here's a little update on what's going on with my little men these days.

Colin, at (almost) 5 years old:

is doing well in his 4K preschool class
loves music and is quite the little singer
likes Paw Patrol, Blaze and the Monster Machines, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
can play Daddy's college football PS4 game and asks to play nearly every day
is enrolled in an after-school Taekwondo program
is getting so tall that his 5T pants are too short. We've officially moved out of the toddler section and into boys sizes!
is definitely left-handed, although he swings a bat like a righty
loves to be involved with physical activities like sports, riding his bike, and climbing
completely loves our dog, Ellie, and cuddles with her pretty regularly
is a momma's boy who still comes to my side of the bed in the middle of the night and is usually still sleeping there as I'm getting ready for work.

Reid, at 3 years old:

has curly hair like his brother, but it's a much finer texture
is in a major dinosaur phase and often pretends to be a T-Rex
has suddenly developed a sassy side and has learned to talk back (yikes!)
is transitioning into a big boy bed... and as a result, not sleeping very well... which means I'm not sleeping very well. (yawn)
is a bit of a picky eater, avoiding most fruits and veggies, but LOVES Greek yogurt
asks for coffee when he sees me drinking it... little weirdo.
has recently had his second set of ear tubes fall out, and will be going back to the ENT next week because without the tubes, he's been getting ear infections again. :(
like Colin, loves to be physical but is always getting bumps and bruises because he's a little on the clumsy side. haha, poor kid.
loves "The Gruffalo" and "The Gruffalo's Child" and asks to watch them regularly
was BFFs with Santa when we went to see him, and gave him a big hug
enjoys his preschool class, and is learning a lot
loves to sing and to have spontaneous dance parties.

These boys, I tell ya. They know how to push my buttons, but they absolutely have my heart.

"I don't know how you do it."

2015-11-11T13:40:00.000-05:00

Whenever I meet someone and strike up a conversation, the fact that I'm a working mom with two little boys always comes up. They'll ask how old my kids are, and I'll answer "2 and 4." The other person will say something like, "Oh, wow!" or "That's crazy!" or "Time flies" or "Are you going to try for a girl next?" (ugh) But more times than I can count, the response has been, "I don't know how you do it."

Can I let you in on a little secret? Neither do I.

I could say something clever, like, "With a little bit of coffee and a whole lot of Jesus." Which is true.

But if we're being real, there are a few little tricks that have helped me to cope with working a full time job outside the home, keeping the spark alive in my marriage and raising two man-cubs.

I have made expectations more realistic.

I used to get all bent out of shape because our house is never clean. Well, you know what? I have decided not to care about it anymore. There are so many other things I could be doing on a week night than picking up toys (which will only end up in the same spot mere hours later) or dusting the TV stand (that no one will see except us). Things like playing with trains on the floor with my boys, or being a customer in an imaginary restaurant or a passenger on a train. The cleaning can wait.

I have minimized my morning routine.

Don't get me wrong; I'm a girl who enjoys getting dressed up and going out once in a while. But who has time for a full hair and makeup routine every day? Not me. I do put on makeup for work, but I stick with the essentials: BB Cream, concealer, pressed powder, blush, a touch of eye shadow and mascara. The whole process takes like six minutes. As for my hair, I either wear it up in a clip or bun or wash and dry it the night before and touch it up with a flat iron in the morning.

I have reminded myself to be silly.

Busy people often have a bad habit of taking life too seriously. Some days, I feel like all I've done is work, worry, and discipline the kids. Why not do something silly and unexpected to break up the monotony? There's nothing like a good family dance party to lighten everyone's mood! Or sometimes we will all take turns telling knock-knock jokes (most of which don't make any sense and make us laugh even harder). Our kids also love to be tickled. And I do not. Which they, of course, take FULL advantage of.

I have made more of an effort to plan out our meals and shop accordingly.

Okay, so I am certainly not perfect in this area, but we've come a long way from eating fast food 3 or 4 times a week. Throughout the work week, as I have time, I use Pinterest and AllRecipes.com for meal inspiration and I make a rough menu for the week. Next, starting with the ingredients for the menu items and finally adding snacks, paper products, and whatever else we need, I write out a grocery list in order of where things are located in the store. (This may sound tedious, but it doesn't take much longer and it saves me so much time in the grocery store.) I usually get my shopping done on Saturday, either first thing in the morning or during nap time, while Justin stays home with the kids. About once a month, due to a severe lapse in judgment, we'll go shopping as a family and then swear to never do it again.. but inevitably, a month later, we'll try again.

I should note that we don't plan a meal for every single day of the week. We like to be flexible, so a couple days are left open for pizza, or cold-cut sandwiches, or whatever we're in the mood for.

I have prioritized my marriage.

Mignon McLaughlin once said, "A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person." Marriage is hard. Marriage with children is really hard. Marriage with children and two full-time jobs is crazy hard. Yes, there are days when we snap at each other for no good reason. There are days when we barely have the chance to talk until it's time for bed, and by then we're too tired. But because we love each other and want to make it work, we put in the effort. We fight to keep our love alive. Sometimes that means finding someone to watch the kids and sneaking away for a much-needed date. Sometimes, it means tucking the kids into their beds and cuddling on the couch as we watch some DVR'd episodes of our favorite TV shows. Sometimes, it's unloading the dishwasher together.

The point is, we know that our marriage is the foundation of our family. That if our relationship is stable and we're working together as a team, rather than against each other, our kids will see it and they will notice.

I have prayed.

Sometimes I'm so tired or frustrated that all I can do is sit in silence at the end of the day and pray for contentment. Our marriage is the foundation of our family, and God is the foundation of our marriage. See how that works? Faith is the glue that holds it all together. In those moments that I feel lost or fed up or I just don't know what to do, I pray. And God listens.

I am so blessed, and so thankful.

That's how I do it.

A few things this working mom wants you to know

2015-09-22T10:08:00.001-04:00

Hi there. I'm Katie. Devoted wife and mother of dragons (well, two little boys, but that's basically the same thing). My husband and I both work full-time outside the home.

Lately it feels like there aren't a whole lot of people in our inner circle who are in the same situation as we are. Many of our friends either don't have kids yet, or have one parent who is able to stay home with the little ones.

Here are some things I'd like those friends to know:

1. Even though it may not seem like it, I really DO want to spend time with you. It's just that my daily life is so hectic that I'm not left with much free time at all. This is how I spend a typical week day:

That's about 6.5 hours of sleep, 8.5 hours at work, 1.5 hours commuting, 1 hour for meals, 3.5 hours as a family, half an hour for housework, and about 2.5 "free" hours to spend with my husband. This doesn't include the time it takes to shower, pick out the kids' clothes, change a diaper, or any of those other little things that may come up.

2. If you want to make plans with both my hubby and me, we will probably try to include the kids. See #1. Simply put, we're away from them all day Monday through Friday, so we miss them and want to keep them close through the weekend.

3. I'm so tired. Getting up around 5:30 every morning to dress and feed sleepy children (and with any luck, myself), getting them to school by 7 and ourselves to work by 8 is exhausting.

4. Our house is often messy. Once upon a time, we tried to keep it tidy. Now and then we still do. But when we've worked all day and the kids are begging us to come outside and play... the house can wait.

5. I've pinned so many awesome recipes on Pinterest that will I will probably never make. I have such good intentions when it comes to feeding my family home-cooked meals and doing cutesy crafts with the kiddos, but once again, there's just no time. We have so few waking hours together as a family each day, and #sorrynotsorry, but I don't want to spend half of that time cleaning the kitchen. Meals in our house have to be quick, easy, and require as few pots and pans as possible.

6. I'm thankful for you. Yes, you. Church acquaintance, fellow daycare mom, colleague, family member, lifelong friend. I see you, and I know that we're all in this together. When I'm feeling burned out and like there just isn't enough of me to go around, you're still there for me. You don't judge me for feeding my family Taco Bell on a Thursday night when I just can't even. You see me smile at church through gritted teeth as one of my kids pulls my shirt down and the other soaks himself at the drinking fountain, and you give me a hug and a knowing smile back. You don't say anything when I wear the same pants two days in a row because I forgot to put the laundry in the dryer. You see me, and you show me grace. So thank you.

Just Some Thoughts

2014-11-11T15:44:00.003-05:00

I've always been an idealist. Growing up, I thought a lot about the future. About my life as a wife and a mother. I pictured myself snuggling babies, cooking beautiful meals, going on dates with my husband, raising obedient children. Basically having it all together.

It's funny how reality can pull the rug right out from under us sometimes.

The truth is, my babies do like to snuggle, but it's usually when I'm in the middle of doing something. Or they both want to snuggle me at once and it's all fun and games until someone pulls my hair, stretches out my clothing or smears food on me.

I do cook the occasional meal, but not very often. My full time job doesn't allow for a whole lot of time to prepare fancy breakfasts and dinners (and clean up after them!). My kids eat fast food more than I'd like to admit.

My husband and I do go out on dates every now and then, but they're usually quick and in the middle of the day, because that's when we're able to get someone to watch the kids.

Oh, and the part about the obedient children? HA! I had two boys in two years. "Obedience" is not yet a part of their vocabulary. I say jump, they say "why?"

It was really, really hard having a two year old and a newborn, but it's also really, really hard having an almost-four year old and an almost-two year old. It's just hard in different ways. Colin fits the "threenager" stereotype perfectly. One minute he's the sweetest boy ever, kissing my cheek and telling me I look like a princess, and the next he's shoving his brother and telling me to "stop it" for no good reason and putting smeary fingerprints all over the TV just because he can.

Reid, of course, is learning from his big brother, and from the kids at daycare. He's so adorable and so smart that sometimes I almost forget to discipline rather than chuckling at his toddler tantrums. But discipline I must.

To add to the craziness, Colin broke his arm in October. It happened at preschool. He was apparently getting ready to go down a pretty steep slide on his belly when another boy pushed him, causing him to go down so quickly that he put out his arm to catch himself and, bam - he fractured his humerus, right at the top of his arm, below his shoulder. Thankfully we missed the growth plates and there won't be any permanent damage, but he has had to wear a tiny sling for a month and has had to keep his feet on the floor which is NOT easy for a three year old, very active boy. He even had to wear his sling over his Spider-Man costume on Halloween.

In other news, I celebrated my 29th birthday last week. (Ummm, what? Am I seriously this close to 30?) My parents came down from Michigan for a quick visit and we were all able to go out for a birthday dinner at our favorite Mexican restaurant, which was nice. I have also enjoyed redeeming some birthday freebies at Moe's, Starbucks and Arby's. Have I ever mentioned that I'm a sucker for coupons and free stuff? I mean, who isn't, but I think I get more joy over something free than the average person.

And speaking of joy, I am extremely excited for the upcoming holiday season. Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Eve are my favorite, favorite holidays. As hectic as my life is right now, there is so much to be thankful for, and I am always especially reminded of the blessings this time of year. We have our health (well, sort of... the hubs tested positive for strep AND the flu this week..), our home, our jobs, and the love of friends and family. Looking at the big picture, our lives are pretty great.

However... if anyone wants to volunteer to help clean my house, stock my pantry or babysit the kids for about a week while Justin and I fly far, far away... just let me know. ;)

More to come.

I'm still here!

2014-07-16T08:57:00.003-04:00

Hi there. :) It's been a while; sorry about that. This blog has pretty much been a giant roller coaster for me. I'll hit a peak and feel inspired to write and document everything for a bit, and then I'll come to a valley where I'm not feeling quite as inspired, and I'd rather not write anything than write "fluff." Although I'm afraid there won't be anything inspiring about this post, so I guess in a way I'm contradicting myself, aren't I? Regardless, I just wanted to let you know that I'm still here.

Because I work at a University, in years past I've been bored to tears over the summer, but this year is different. I've gained new and different responsibilities, and we've had a pretty sizable turnover in staffing, so I've also been training and helping out wherever I can. That has kept me busy, and I'm not complaining, but it certainly makes it harder to think about much else during the work week.

Colin and Reid are, as expected, growing by leaps and bounds. At 3 1/2, Colin is as strong willed as he's ever been, but we see more and more glimpses that he's growing up. He is such a helper with his little brother, which is an incredibly sweet thing to witness. Reid is loving, sensitive, and very much a Momma's boy. They both are, really, but Reid still wants to be held and cuddled quite a bit. And who am I to say no to that?!

Until I find the time - or until inspiration strikes - here's a little peek into our world.

Things I don't want to forget

2014-05-27T14:10:00.001-04:00

Let’s be honest. As parents, there are moments we’d rather not remember. Like the times our kids have thrown up on us, or the bumps and bruises they’ve had, or teething, or the long, sleepless nights. But there are so many little moments that whiz by when your kids are young, and as precious as they are, many of those moments pass by so quickly that we forget about them. Here are a few of the things I don’t ever want to forget.

The curls. Oh, the curls.

The way Reid snuggles his blankie (“bay-bwee”), plays with the tag and sucks his thumb when he’s sleepy.
Colin’s crazy prayer requests. When I asked Colin what we should pray for the other night, his answer was, “that baby Reid won’t take my stuff. It’s MY stuff.”
The way both kids eat a donut like it’s the last one they’ll ever eat (and then ask for more with their mouths still full).
Colin’s amazing golden curls. He gets compliments everywhere we go.
Reid's voracious appetite. He will eat and eat until his little belly pokes out.
The way they both still run to me for cuddles when they fall and get "owies."
The way Colin recently came to my bedside in the middle of the night to ask for help finding his stuffed puppy (which had fallen between his bed and the wall), and then, upon finding it, snuggled right back under his covers like a little angel and went right back to sleep.
The way Reid smiles with his entire face. It's contagious.
The way my boys light up at the end of the day when I pick them up at daycare.
The love Colin and Reid have for each other, and the excitement on their faces when they see one another first thing in the morning and at the end of the day.

Life with a 1 year old and a 3 year old

2014-05-12T11:40:00.003-04:00

I used to get a little annoyed when some of my favorite bloggers had more than one child and, as a result, stopped posting as frequently. Now I understand. I'm not sure what has changed, but suddenly with a 3 year old and an almost 17 month old, our lives have kicked into overdrive. Reid has entered into the dreaded climbing stage, where he can get himself into the most precarious situations without any idea how to get himself out of them. If you've raised a toddler, then you know exactly what I'm talking about. During this stage, you (the parent) are always a little afraid that someone might think you're abusing your child, but really he's just clumsy and always hurting himself. His antics are really starting to stress his momma out! In one of his most recent accidents, he managed to face-plant on the concrete slab in our backyard which skinned his nose and caused it to bleed everywhere. Good grief.

Colin, totally unaware of how delicate Reid is, is always wanting to play with him. Often, their "play" involves toys that can easily become weapons, or some sort of awkward wrestling/tickling combo. As you can imagine, this requires quite a bit of supervision. It seems crazy to think that eventually I won't have to hover over them as they play together, and I look forward to that day. For now, though, Momma's gotta make sure nobody is going to get hurt, and needs to be there with a kiss and a Bandaid when somebody does.

Speaking of play time, we've also been spending a lot of time outside now that the weather has gotten so nice and warm. Tee ball is their current favorite activity. Colin practices batting (left-handed, as he is a definite lefty) and Reid is the ball boy, dutifully retrieving balls and placing them carefully on the tee for his big brother. Besides the occasional bat-to-face injury, it's really very cute.

The best part of spending so much time watching my kids play is that I'm getting to see their relationship develop as brothers. Colin loves "his baby" so much and is constantly correcting him if he does something wrong. He also talks sweetly to him and consoles him when he cries. Reid is Colin's "yes man," responding to every single question he asks with a resounding "yeah." Colin has learned this and will use it to his benefit. He'll ask excitedly, "Reid, do you want to go outside?" Reid will quickly say, "yeah!" and Colin will explain to us that Baby Reid wants to go outside, so we should all go.

While parenting these two is honestly pretty challenging most days, it is so amazing to watch them learn and grow. There is never a dull moment, that's for sure.

Out of the Mouths of Babes

2014-05-02T08:18:00.004-04:00

When my kids were babies, I remember thinking that I just couldn't wait for them to start talking. Well, start talking they did, and now they don't ever stop. As frustrating as it can be sometimes to hear "Mamamamama" every two minutes, the cute and crazy things my kids say make it completely worthwhile.

Reid, of course, is not speaking in sentences just yet, although he does throw a "Hey, Dada" in there every once in a while. He loves to repeat us, though, and he is picking up new words all the time. Just this morning at daycare, he said "babbeh-bah" (basketball).

He also says "Eh-yee" (Ellie, our dog's name), "moh" (more, complete with the sign language for the word), "uh-oooh" (love you"), and "ni-ni" (night night). He melts me about six times a day, basically.

Colin is a perfect three year old. And by that I mean, he's a hot mess. He has moments of absolute sweetness where he'll ask me for a kiss, or climb up into my bed for a midnight cuddle and fall asleep in my arms. But, because he's three, he is also full of energy, curiosity, silliness, and occasionally toddler rage. As a result, he says the most ridiculous, adorable and hilarious things. Here are a few recent examples:

"Momma, I want to watch 'Dis pickle of me' [Despicable Me]."

[From the backseat of my car] "Reid, want to hold hands?"

"Can Reid step in the dog poop? Reid, come here... look at this poop."

"Where is my picnic basket?" [meaning his Easter basket]

Me: "Colin, do you have a girlfriend?"
Colin: "Mmhmm."
Me: "You do? Who?"
Colin: "Mommy!!!"

"This is my engine turtle!!" [holding a NINJA turtle toy]

"Mommmyyyyyy.... [coughs and moans]... I have snot. [dramatically tries to breathe through nose, can't, cries]"

"When I was little, I turned into a baby. But now I'm growing bigger."

[I tell Colin we're going to play the "quiet game."] "I don't LIKE to play the quiet game. I want to play a LOUD GAME."

[Colin and Daddy walk out of Colin's room, after unsuccessfully trying to go down for a nap] "Momma, I missed you. That hurt my heart."

Oh, these kids. I just love them to pieces.

Unpopular Parenting

2014-04-16T10:41:00.002-04:00

When our kids were tiny, we thought only of their immediate needs. Feedings, diaper changes, naps, bath time, more feedings, more diaper changes... you get the idea. As they are starting to grow and develop into little men, though, my husband and I have noticed a shift in our thinking. Suddenly, we aren't as focused on their basic needs; instead, we're gaining more of a big-picture view of their growth and development. For the first time, we are starting to picture them as adults. As men. We are thinking about how we should raise them; what we want them (and don't want them) to learn early on. We are thinking about the expectations we have of them, and for them. Of the amazing people we know they have the potential to become, and what we can do to help them reach that potential.

As we think through these things, we are starting to make decisions - some big, some small - that we believe will benefit our children and help them as they grow into the people they are going to be.

Basically, we want to raise healthy kids. We want them to be healthy physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. As their parents, we believe we have a huge responsibility to point them in the right direction, and that is the root of the recent conversations we've had.

So, what exactly am I talking about? Well, let me start with some of the smaller things. We try to limit our boys' sugar intake. They don't drink sweet tea or full-strength fruit juices. We do buy apple juice, but we usually dilute it with water. Do we freak out if our kids are given a juice box or some other sugary concoction? No. "Everything in moderation" is the main idea here. We just don't want our children to be addicted to sugar. We also try to choose healthy snacks between dinner and bedtime. Our boys like to eat, and they like to snack. I don't have a problem with this, as long as they aren't fueling up on sugar right before it's time to go to sleep. We switch to milk or water, too, and save the juice for the daytime.

Another choice is that we don't watch age-inappropriate TV shows or movies in front of the kids. We don't have specific rules about TV time, but we do let our kids watch "their" shows occasionally. Even then, though, we try to choose things with educational value. Wallykazam and Bubble Guppies are the current favorites in our home. If the hubs and I want to watch something a little more grown-up, we wait until the kids are asleep. Unfortunately, this means that we don't get to watch "our" shows or movies very often, but it's a sacrifice we are willing to make to protect our kids' hearts and minds while we still can.

As far as the bigger decisions we've made... I feel like I need to start with a disclaimer. These are the choices we've made for ourselves and our children, and if you do things differently, please know that we don't feel judgmental toward you at all. Having said that, we have decided to be honest with our kids about Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, and any other mythical figureheads that may arise throughout their childhoods. This is for several reasons, the biggest one being that we just didn't feel right essentially lying to our kids. We both grew up with Santa, and it was fun while it lasted, but we would rather make Jesus Christ the central focus of Christmas, and especially Easter.

So, what does this mean for our kids? Will we deprive them of presents? Of Easter baskets filled with candy? Will we banish all images of Santa from our household? Will we forego the ever popular Christmas tree?!?

To answer those questions quickly: No, no, no, and no.

Again, our motto is "everything in moderation." We don't believe the idea of Santa is dangerous in and of itself, and we will certainly continue to give gifts at Christmas, and fun little baskets of treats on Easter morning. The way we see it, it's all about the way the gifts are presented, and the teaching of Biblical ideas and concepts that will color each holiday celebration. For example, we give gifts at Christmas because God sent us the ultimate gift by sending his son to be born, live, and die for us. The Santa story is a beautiful example of how to be selfless and find pleasure in giving to others. At Easter time, we decorate eggs to symbolize the new life we are given through Christ.

I realize our views may not be popular. We know people on both extreme ends of the spectrum. Those who will think we're crazy for not doing the Santa thing, and those who will think we're crazy for not going all-in and shunning anything "of the world." To those people, I would say that these are our convictions, and ours alone. We're okay with not being the cool parents in every regard. I'm willing to be unpopular for my kids' sake.

We sure aren't perfect, but we're doing the best we can. We love these crazy little people so much, and we want the best for them.

What decisions and sacrifices have you had to make for the benefit of your children? If you haven't thought about these things yet, I encourage you to. Please feel free to talk to me; I'm an open book and am willing to discuss any thoughts or questions you may have. We're all in this thing together, moms and dads!

I've been published!

2014-04-08T10:25:00.003-04:00

This morning, I woke up to a tweet that told me an article of mine had been published over at What to Expect. It was a pretty great way to kick off this ho-hum Tuesday! In my article, I talk about meal planning ideas for working moms. You can check it out by clicking here!

Reid is 15 months old!

2014-04-04T10:35:00.000-04:00

Well, he has been since March 18, but since I waited too long to schedule his well visit, we didn't see the pediatrician until yesterday. So here, my loves, is a long overdue update on my beautiful baby boy.

More to come soon, I promise! Work has kept me busy lately, and with two crazy boys at home (well, three including the hubs - ha), I don't have much time to write there, either. I miss blogging though, and have promised myself I'll make time to write more soon.

Newsflash: I can't do it all.

2014-03-24T08:30:00.001-04:00

At the start of 2014, I committed to snap a photo every day, and to participate in the #CatchTheMoment365 challenge along with Nurse Loves Farmer. Well guys, I failed. For a while there I was posting one big weekly photo dump, and after a while I came to the realization that I was causing myself unnecessary stress over making sure I had taken my picture for the day. The truth is, our lives are so busy right now that I just don't have the time. While I'm not taking a photo a day, though, the challenge did inspire me to capture the little moments that I might not otherwise have thought to document. I'm going to continue to take photos and videos of the sweet (and sometimes not so sweet) things about our daily lives that I don't want to forget years from now. Like this clip of my boys playing together. I hope they always love each other as much as they do now.

If you'd like to keep track of the photos I do take, feel free to follow me on Instagram, where most of them end up.

More to come. ♥

Another Milestone

2014-02-20T08:59:00.000-05:00

I didn't want to lump this in with my recent "another milestone every day" post, because I felt it deserved a post all its own. I'm finally ready to say it: Reid is done nursing.

I don't know why this makes me a little bit sad, but it does. In the moment, parenting a little one can feel like it's taking forever, but somehow that first year always manages to slip by. And then suddenly one day you realize you can't remember how your newborn smelled, or what it felt like to nurse him when he weighed just seven pounds. Suddenly you have a toddler. An independent, silly, clumsy, I-can-do-it-myself toddler. I'm not sure I'm ready for this!

Big brother busting in on a nursing sesh

Despite having to fight feelings of sadness, I am so proud of myself for making it almost fourteen months. Believe me when I say that breastfeeding for that long is not easy, especially when you're working full time outside the home.

There were so many days that I had to drag myself to the little conference room that HR let me use to pump. I felt a bit like a dairy cow. There were many times that I squeezed in an extra pumping session before bed, just to be sure my baby would have enough for the next day at daycare.

There was a NICU stay in the very beginning where I couldn't nurse my baby.

A lactation consultant who said within earshot that I may not be able to do this.

A hospitalization at 5 weeks for RSV, when I stayed by my baby's side day and night so that he could nurse on demand.

I had so many opportunities to throw in the towel and quit. And it would have been fine if I had just given in.

But I didn't.

I pressed on, wanting so badly to be able to provide my baby with breastmilk, wanting to prove to myself I really could do it.

And we did it.

At the end, I thought every time might be the last time. Reid was clearly not getting much milk anymore, and he wouldn't nurse for long. Still, knowing that our breastfeeding journey was nearing its end, I savored those moments with my baby. I snuggled him close and rocked him. At one point, I looked down at him when he unlatched himself and asked "are we done?" he smiled and said "all done." Oh, sweet baby. Please don't grow up too fast.

Guest Post: Do You Want to Go Play in the Thomas Bed?

2014-02-18T13:54:00.000-05:00

“Do you want to go play in the Thomas (the train) bed?” is a question I am asked by my 3 year old son, Colin, a few times daily. And my response is almost always a resounding “Yea! Let’s go!”. Normally, it involves a game of pretend where we hide under the covers and talk about which animals may be wandering near us. For example, I’ll say, “oh my goodness…I think I hear a big bear!” and he’ll smile from ear to ear pretending that he heard the same. And I’ll say to him, do you wanna check and see if it’s close? He peeps out the covers and will make that judgment…”oh, it’s a BIG one!”. Then we’ll decide: should we hide and let him pass or “bam” him and make him go away? It’s a silly game, but he loves it so much that he’d rather do that than just about anything.

Do I love it? Not necessarily. But I tell ya what I do love is the fact that I’m bonding with my son. I love that he loves it. And I take joy in knowing that we’re building a foundation, a relationship that starts at the most simple level. Playing pretend in his room. As an adult, playing with your kids isn’t going to be the most stimulating thing for you and sometimes you’re going to be tired and you won't want to get out of your chair and stop watching Sports Center…especially when you KNOW they're about to show the highlights from the MNF game where Cam Newton broke 4 tackles in a sick 38 yard run for a TD....*ahem*…But as a man, and as a father you have the responsibility not to just discipline your children or be an authority figure (not singularly but one of two) but to show them love in the most sincere way possible. Let them see that you truly love them and you enjoy spending time with them. And to them, for now at least, that may be spending time playing in the “Thomas bed” hiding from pretend lions.

Many thanks to my darling husband, Justin, for this post. Love you, babe.

A Milestone Every Minute

2014-02-16T07:33:00.003-05:00

When you have two young children, it seems there is a milestone every minute. Just within the last couple weeks, Colin has become potty trained and Reid has started walking all over the place. Both changes seemed to happen almost overnight. As we learned the hard way last night, Colin does still need a pull-up at night, but he seems to be completely potty trained during the day. Yesterday he went into Wal-Mart and Hobby Lobby, and stayed dry in his underwear the entire time. It was amazing! I can hear my wallet breathing a sigh of relief, and selfishly, I am thrilled to pieces to only have to change one kid's stinky diapers instead of two.

And as for my sweet Reid.. he is really getting good at walking, but he is still a bit clumsy. Just yesterday he tripped over his own feet in the kitchen, fell flat on his face and got a bloody nose. I panicked, and was probably more stunned than he was, but it stopped after a couple minutes and then he took his bath and started playing like nothing had ever happened. Whew. These kids are going to turn my hair gray before I'm 30.

There have been some family milestones recently, too. We've joined a community group at church, for one. Colin skipped his nap and went a little nuts last week, which was the first meeting, but thankfully the group is led by a couple with four young daughters, so toddler tantrums and potty training aren't new to them. They really are super sweet and I think it will be good for us.

We also had several snow days this week, which is kind of crazy considering we live in South Carolina, where the weather is usually pretty comfortable this time of year. It reminded me of my hometown in Michigan, which was unexpectedly heartwarming.

I'm sure I'm leaving some things out, but I'm tired since Reid woke me up at 5 (and Colin woke up soaked in pee in the middle of the night) so I'll just show you the past week in pictures. Have a great week, friends!

1 - Commuting to work in the rain, the day before snowpocalypse.

2 - Babies in the tub. They almost always take baths together.

3 - We got about 3 inches of snow and ice this week!

4 - Thumbs up for Colin's first day in underwear with no accidents!!

5 - Snowy sunrise in our backyard. The snow and ice sparkled in the light.

6 - A rare moment of quiet play time.

#CatchTheMoment365 Week 5

2014-02-07T10:08:00.002-05:00

I know I've been slacking on the "real" posts lately, but things have been so crazy that I feel like telling stories through pictures is about the best I can do at the moment. :) One day this week, something so awesome happened that I had to take a quick video instead of a still photo. Enjoy!

1 - When the kids are finally both in bed, all I want to do is sit and not move.

2 - Reid was my grocery buddy this week. He got a sugar cookie!

3 - Traffic on the way to work. I'm a commuter and spend a lot of time in the car.

4 - This is the face of a boy who was not kind at daycare one day, so he had to wait for his Little Caesars breadstick until we got home instead of eating it in the car. Bless his heart.

5 - Waiting for banana bread to finish baking!

6 - Reid climbs on top of everything. This is new territory and I don't think I like it.

And, without further ado... Reid's new trick! Ahh!!

More to come. ♥

Your Child Can Enjoy a Dental Visit!

2014-02-01T09:30:00.000-05:00

February is National Children's Dental Health Month, so today I'm sharing an article written by a friend of mine. Safca Frost is a mother to four, and the sweetest lady you'll ever know. Here, she shares a few tips and tricks about taking your little one to the dentist. Colin had his first dental check-up this year, and he did so well!

Your Child can Enjoy a Dental Visit! Here's how...

Your child's dental health is extremely important and the recommended dental visits start earlier than most parents realize. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends scheduling your child's first appointment by her first birthday or within six months of her first tooth erupting. As parents, we also know that this is the age when children start to exhibit stranger and separation anxiety. In order to ease that anxiety and build a positive relationship between your child and her dentist, follow these simple suggestions; they can help your young child enjoy her dental appointments.

-Brush your young child's teeth twice a day with fluoride-free gel if he is under 2 years of age or a dot of fluoride toothpaste for children 2-5 years of age. While brushing, talk about going to the dentist, count your child's teeth, and let your child take a turn flossing and brushing on his own.

-Take a trip to your library and check out books and movies about going to the dentist.

-Encourage your child to pretend to be the dentist: count her toys' teeth, brush her toys' teeth, and even 'take pictures' of her toys' teeth if X-rays are a part of your child's next appointment.

-When scheduling your child's appointment, pick the time of day when he is at his best. The mornings, after a good night's sleep, are usually the best time. Try to avoid scheduling the appointment during your child's nap time or lunch time.

-On the day of your appointment, have your child pack a small bag of toys and books to play with in the waiting room. While waiting, engage your child. Talk with her, play with her, and put her at ease.

-Introduce your child to the staff and to the dentist.

-Have your young child sit on your lap during the examination; this will ease the feeling of separation.

-Praise your child for sitting well and showing the dentist a big smile.

Starting with your child's first birthday and bringing him in every six months for a visit, combined with regular care at home, your child will feel at ease and enjoy his dental appointments.

Remember the importance of taking care of your little one's teeth! Happy February!

#CatchTheMoment365 Weeks 3 & 4

2014-01-31T10:01:00.004-05:00

Confession: This past week has been kind of crazy, and last Friday I totally neglected to put together my #CatchTheMoment365 photos and link up. So this week I'm squeezing two weeks together. Hope you don't mind!

Catch the Moment - Week 3

1 - Happy 3rd Birthday, Colin!

2 - Birthday party day!

3 - I can't get over Reid's eyes.

4 - Hubs and I snuck away for a movie date!

5 - Boxes are the best entertainment.

Catch the Moment - Week 4

6 - We're really not drinkers, but I enjoy the occasional glass of vino.

7 - Is there anything cuter than bath time?

8 - Sick day snuggles (he had a sinus infection).

9 - Baby's first bacon!

10 - Riding bikes together, aww.

11 - I mean really. This boy has the best smile.

12 - Reid is a climber!

13. Daddy and Colin watching the kids' first snowfall!!

14 - SNOW DAY! ♥

Catch the Moment 365 - Week 2

2014-01-17T19:19:00.002-05:00

This week's photos are a little Colin-centric, since today is his birthday!

Ahh! My little man is THREE!

1 - Playing with friends before a lunch date!

2 - My little Apple fanboy in the making.

3 - We eat a lot of apples in the Vaughan household.

4 - Waiting for popcorn to pop.

5 - A little Where's Waldo fun before bedtime.
6 (below) - Last bath as a two year old.

Tomorrow is Colin's birthday party. Eek! More to come. :)

English Muffin Pizzas!

2014-01-14T16:25:00.001-05:00

Today I'm linking up with Erin at The View From Five Ten (who I just adore) for Life Created Tuesdays.

This isn't revolutionary, and I'm sure it isn't a new idea, but it is one of the easiest, most kid-pleasing meals I've thought up in a while. Allow me to present... English muffin pizzas!

Ingredients: English muffins, pizza sauce, shredded cheese, desired ingredients.

Assemble, cook, and eat. :) I baked mine on a pizza stone at 400 for about 10 minutes.

See? Two happy campers!

Bonus: You get two for about 7 Weight Watchers points!

Catch the Moment 365 - Week 1

2014-01-10T16:15:00.001-05:00

Here's my first full Catch the Moment 365 post; a week's worth of photos documenting the ups and downs of my everyday life. (Yes, I know they're not in order)

1 - Reid likes to sit on his race track toy.
2 - City traffic; a typical work day.
3 - Colin & Reid playing on Sunday morning before church.
4 - Snuggles with my big boy as he plays on the iPad.
5 - Being silly under the covers. We were hiding from bears.
6 - Stuck behind a car at daycare pick-up.
7 - Nursing my sweet boy before bed.
8 - TGIF!