And I Thought I Loved You Then

MIA

noreply@blogger.com (Kalyn Ernest) — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 15:24:00 +0000

We are in the middle of the final part of our move. We don't have internet service at the new house so I am unable to blog like I had hopped. I will be back soon as we have to get service up and running for Mark to work.

In the meantime, don't forget to enter to win you own set of ABC Scripture Cards from Lil Light O' Mine.

GIVEAWAY!!! ABC Scripture Cards from Lil Light O' Mine

noreply@blogger.com (Kalyn Ernest) — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 20:02:00 +0000

I am so excited for another giveaway. I am so thankful for all of the companies who want to help us celebrate our Little Bug!!

This weeks giveaway comes from Lil Light O' Mine. I absolutely LOVE following Courtney. I follow her on Facebook, Twitter and her blog. She always has the most uplifting stories and messages and gives me hope as a mom and Christ follower. I have mentioned this AWESOME company in the past.

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Playing Catch Up-Memorial Day

noreply@blogger.com (Kalyn Ernest) — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 18:27:00 +0000

So I am a bit behind. We have been so busy lately I haven't even posted about our Memorial Day weekend.

We started off at the St Mary's Fair. I have been going since I was little but haven't been since High-school. I knew Eliza would just love it.

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Very Jane Winner!

noreply@blogger.com (Kalyn Ernest) — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 13:31:00 +0000

Congratulations to Susan B!! You are the winner of the $25 credit to VeryJane!! I can't wait to hear what you pick out!

So if your name is Susan B, make sure you check the email address you registered with!

Thank you to everyone who entered. We will have a few more giveaways this summer as we continue to celebrate the new addition coming into our lives!!

Putting It Into Words

noreply@blogger.com (Kalyn Ernest) — Fri, 31 May 2013 17:49:00 +0000

I have never been one that is great with expressing my emotions. Believe me, I express them often, but at times I struggle to find the right words for them.

When dealing with infertility, I really struggled. It seems as though unless you have been through it, you don't understand. I think it is something you think you understand, but you just don't.

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Finally Able To Talk About It!

noreply@blogger.com (Kalyn Ernest) — Sun, 26 May 2013 17:13:00 +0000

I will say, it has been hard not to break down and say everything that has been going on. I am now almost 13 weeks and feeling like we are in the "safe zone".

I felt terrible how much I was slacking on here. No Monday Meal Plan, I couldn't look at food until about 11 weeks. I lived off pb&j and chicken noodle soup. Poor Mark was left to fend for himself on all meals. All I wanted to do was cook him something each day but the sight and smell of it just didn't let me get there.

The house is in less than perfect condition. A lot of laundry to be done, dishes to be washed and a TON left to pack. I have had no energy to do any of it. Thankfully Eliza still naps regularly so I was able to get some extra sleep in throughout the days.

My sister is back to working and going to school full time so my weekly sitter wasn't available anymore. I am sure hopeful the blissful second trimester comes quickly.

We went to the OBGYN when I was roughly 8.5 weeks. This is a new DR so I wasn't sure what to expect. She came highly recommended by an Ashermans friend who used her and successfully had a little girl earlier this year.

The DR is beyond wonderful. She is sweet, caring, attentive and very reassuring. She did an ultrasound and it was amazing to see the little bug. Eliza got to hear the heartbeat, although she said it was too loud.

Here is a picture from that appointment. Not the greatest, as the Dr said, this is a wiggly one!

Eliza didn't say much more, didn't seem too interested or really understand what it was. Every night when we go to sleep she asks if she can kiss the baby. That night, as she kissed my belly she said "I saw you today baby, I love you.". I DIED.

So here is to hoping for an uneventful few months. Hopefully we start to feel the wiggle and giggle of the baby soon. Hopefully our move(s) go smoothly and I get back some energy.

Thank you to all of you who prayed for this miracle in our lives. We know without the power of prayer and the miracles of The Lord, this little bug might not have ever come into our would. Thank you.

Enter to WIN a $25 Credit to VeryJane.com Giveaway Ends 5/31

noreply@blogger.com (Kalyn Ernest) — Fri, 24 May 2013 04:00:00 +0000

I am so excited to tell you about the giveaway we have today!

When VeryJane heard of the exciting news of Baby #2 being on the way they graciously donated $25 in credit to their online store for one of my readers!!

I have to be honest, and I hope the other sites don't hear me, VeryJane is by FAR my favorite daily deal site. They have something for everyone, every day! I love that each day there are multiple new items to check out. Whether I am looking for something for myself or Eliza, I can always find something to swoon over!

Now I have to wait a few more weeks, but I can not WAIT to know if this little one will be a girl or a boy so I can start snagging stuff from VeryJane for them.

Here are a few of my favorite things I have seen on VeryJane lately:

How stinkin' cute are these personalized tumblers?? Eliza loves to drink out of mine, she would go bonkers over one personalized just for her!

We all remember the little plastic letters and numbers we had on the fridge as kids, look at the new modern version! Way cooler than what I had!

Check out these summer sandals! I want one of each, in each color!! What a great way to dress up some shorts or pair with a cute maxi dress!

Now that you see just a small portion of what they offer, lets get to the good stuff, entering for your chance at a $25 credit!!

Enter to win using the Rafflecopter form below.

You must be a U.S. resident who is 18 years or older to win. I will be contacting the winner following the 5/31/13 close date and the winner will have 24 hours to respond to their email. VeryJane will then provide the winner with their credit.

Good Luck!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This giveaway is sponsored by VeryJane.com, all opinion are my own.

Telling Mark! Very Picture Heavy

noreply@blogger.com (Kalyn Ernest) — Thu, 23 May 2013 14:24:00 +0000

If you haven't heard the AMAZING news, another little Ernest is on its way!!

Here is the story of how I told Mark...

I Can't Find The Words...

noreply@blogger.com (Kalyn Ernest) — Wed, 22 May 2013 18:45:00 +0000

I have been writing this post for a few weeks now, but the words just aren't coming to me. There are events in your life that words aren't able to describe. They seem inadequate.

Our life has been crazy lately. Packing, moving, and so much more...SO MUCH MORE.

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What A Wonderful Weekend!!

noreply@blogger.com (Kalyn Ernest) — Sun, 19 May 2013 18:44:00 +0000

The weather has been gorgeous! I can get a bit finicky about the heat, but as long as their is a breeze to keep me cool, I am happy!

Mark was out of town last week which left Eliza and I to fend for ourselves. Since I am home with her all day it isn't that different, but those 2 hours Mark is home to help with her at night, man how that helps.

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Humpday Humor

noreply@blogger.com (Kalyn Ernest) — Wed, 15 May 2013 18:00:00 +0000

Throwback Thursday

noreply@blogger.com (Kalyn Ernest) — Thu, 09 May 2013 12:29:00 +0000

Since she is only 2, we don't have many years of Throwback. Here she is just over a year ago on her first trip to the Toledo Zoo!

Oh what a difference a year makes. We went to another zoo this past weekend, we even got to ride a camel!

Dreaming of Daisies and Daffodils

noreply@blogger.com (Kalyn Ernest) — Tue, 07 May 2013 21:22:00 +0000

Usually this time of year means mulch, flower beds, and hanging baskets. Now that the house is technically not ours, I haven't done any of this. Yes, I am sure the new owners wouldn't mind me sprucing up the gardens but kind of a waste of money when we are on a tight budget.

I dream of what the landscaping of the new house will look like. It is kind of difficult to picture and plan when right now all we have is a hole in the ground, but trusty Pinterest is always there to help.

Not all of these are realistic for our yard, we can't have a fence, we don't have any really large trees and I tend to kill most things that aren't automatically watered by the sprinklers. Hey, it is worth a shot though!

I have always wanted to grow roses, they are just so pretty!

Have you seen the Home Depot commercial where the husband and wife go to make these towers? I always paid close attention because I would love them for our front porch. So happy I found a link to save the directions!

I have always wanted a vegetable garden...too bad I hate most vegetables. But come on, how cute are these rocks to label them!?

We have a lilac bush at our house now and I LOVE the smell. It is right in front of our kitchen window so when you open it, it fills the house. I do have to say, I hate the amount of bees it brings.

I always dream of sitting out on our patio or porch. The houses are so close at our current house that you feel like everyone is watching you and can hear you(they can) so we tend to just stay inside. At the new house, no one around for miles(OK, acres). I will love these to light up the patio as we sit and talk.

Oh, how I love window boxes. Again, they will probably die, how it the world do you water them???

I adore Hydrangeas. They were the flowers I used at our wedding so I think they have a special place in my heart. We have 4 Hydrangea plants at our house, one was a shower gift from the local nursery, I am hopeful the new owners will allow me to dig it up and take it with me.

I mentioned earlier, we aren't big vegetable people, but we sure are fruit! I love this link to 66 things you can grow at home.

I think my favorite pin, and by how often I see it I think a lot of people like it, is this birdbath planter. It is just too cute! So DIY and Eliza will love seeing the birds in the backyard.

Come Out Come Out....Wherever You Are

noreply@blogger.com (Kalyn Ernest) — Mon, 06 May 2013 01:07:00 +0000

I'm here, I'm here!!

It has been quite a while since I have posted, life has been crazy lately.

We have closed on our house(not fun but done), packed up a lot of the house, HOPEFULLY found a rental house for the interim and started on the new house.

Lets start with closing on our house. Well, we definitely didn't get what we wanted for the house, but we view it as we are done, it is sold, move on. All we have wanted was out of this house, so we are just looking at it as a win! The closing was a NIGHTMARE our Realtor didn't show up so we had no clue what we were signing and no clue what to do. The title company had my name spelled wrong on all documents, and they were charging us for our association dues even though I had already paid them for the year. Luckily, the buyers are very nice and I am happy to pass it on to them.

Packing up, we have so much to still do but we are putting away the easy stuff. Picture frames are down, candles and nick-nacks wrapped and packed and extra dishes away. I will say, we might have packed a bit soon with some things, I have found myself searching for things in boxes, but it is only tape to replace so I am glad I label well. We are doing well with tossing things and selling things online to get rid of the stuff we just don't use.

We found a condo to rent, it is actually directly across the street from our current house. It was tough trying to find a rental. We don't know how long we will need it so having someone agree to a short term lease or month to month was rough. Lets also not forget about the dog! Luckily this guy is wonderful. It is the perfect size and lots of room for storage. It isn't any further away from Mark's job so that is always a plus too! We get to move in come June!

Last, but absolutely not least, they have started on our house!!! I swing by there a few times a week since I am out that way often and I love seeing the progress! So far we have a basement, walls and the plumber is coming tomorrow!

We seriously have the greatest builder!!

All she cares about is finding rocks

Update: So I feel like the worst mom in history. For the past week Eliza has been giving us a lot of issues with sleeping, whether it is night time or nap time she really fusses in her room. So much so that she has actually been falling asleep in our room from time to time which she has NEVER done. She always asks for her "specials" but we assumed it was just a tactic to get out of sleeping. She has a "special blanket" and a "special wooby" that she sleeps with each night, she has had them both so we were at a loss. Tonight, as I was typing this, she was struggling again to sleep. Mark went to check on her and told me all she wants is her "specials". I decided to go up and talk with her. I snuggled her up in her chair and asked her what was wrong:
"I just want my specials back"
"Eliza, wooby and blanket are right here"
"No, those specials" as she points to the wall.

My heart broke. Last weekend as we packed stuff away I took down the shelves in Eliza's room and packed up all of her nick-nacks. Pictures of us, special figurines, just little things. She helped me pack them and knows they are going to the new house. Apparently she is missing them. Looking back I realize how much she likes them. She talks to the pictures of Mark and I when she is settling herself to sleep. We always hear "that's you mommy, that's you daddy" as she lays there. It is her comfort, and I took it away.

First thing in the morning(only because she has finally fallen asleep) I will be unpacking ANOTHER box, and putting up all of her specials.

Enjoying The Sunshine On Our New Tricycoo!

noreply@blogger.com (Kalyn Ernest) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 22:44:00 +0000

With the weather FINALLY warming up here in Michigan I was so incredibly excited to get outside with Eliza. This has been a very long winter cooped up inside.

What made our first full days outside even better? Our brand new Joovy Tricycoo!

Boston, We Lift You Up

noreply@blogger.com (Kalyn Ernest) — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 13:43:00 +0000

When tragedies happen like that in Boston, I am never good at putting into words how I feel. As someone with anxiety, it is hard not to dwell on it. To research to try to find an answer. Or wonder what would have happened if I was there.

I am not here to put out the statistics, or the latest news, I want the positive to be seen.

I saw this photo and thought it was perfect for that day, there are always helpers.

I also came across this video going around Facebook last night. I have been to many sporting events and I have NEVER heard The National Anthem sung with so much passion and heart.

Boston, We Lift You Up.

Humpday Humor

noreply@blogger.com (Kalyn Ernest) — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 14:33:00 +0000

You might have already watched this new Kmart commercial making its rounds, but I can't keep from laughing each time I see it.

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Tutorial Tuesday-Adding Pinterest Widgets

noreply@blogger.com (Kalyn Ernest) — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 13:30:00 +0000

Lately I have been doing some updates on the blog. I wanted to make it more user friendly. I know I haven't posted many tutorials lately but I am hoping when the house stuff winds down I will get back to crafting!

I decided to add a few new widgets to the page, 2 of them are for Pinterest.
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My Monday Meal Plan

noreply@blogger.com (Kalyn Ernest) — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 13:30:00 +0000

Here is this weeks meal plan:
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A New Year, A New Look!

noreply@blogger.com (Kalyn Ernest) — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 09:00:00 +0000

OK, so it is April, we are 1/4 of the way into the new year, but we just got some new family photos done. I decided to update my header picture. The old one was from when Eliza was about 6 months old, she is almost 2.5!
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Making My Own Dish Detergent!

noreply@blogger.com (Kalyn Ernest) — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 00:06:00 +0000

I never thought I would be so excited as to when we ran out of dish detergent. Around here, we go through A LOT. With all of the dishes Eliza uses a day and the interesting way Mark loads the dishwasher, we run it almost everyday.

Side note...he is willing to load and run the dishwasher...I'm not complaining on how he does it!

When I wrote this post about the different cleaning supplies I found I decided to search for dish detergent too. I found a lot of different ways but this one was my favorite from Off Beat Home & Life. It is super simple and quick. No liquids, all powders, and all stuff I already had from the other cleaning supplies I planned to make.

I went for it tonight when Mark said the dish detergent was all gone. It MAYBE took me 5 minutes to make, and that was only because I had a little helper.

Here is the recipe they posted:

1 cup Washing soda or Baking soda (I've seen many recipes that use both so use whatever you have on hand or a combination of the two.)
1 cup Borax (Borax and baking soda/wash are both natural disinfectants and mild abrasives.)
1/4 cup Kosher salt (reduces the effects of hard water)
1/4 cup citric acid (available at brewing places also. Or as an alternative you can use the same amount of Fruit Fresh or two packets of Lemonade-Flavored Kool-Aid, ONLY lemon and ONLY unsweetened!)

I omitted the salt as we do not have hard water and I went with the Kool-Aid for the citric acid. Walmart carries a generic brand for only a couple cents so I grabbed that.

I had this cute glass jar from Walmart as well, perfect for the detergent.

This is double dose of everything, my jar is pretty big. Don't mind my atrocious hand writing.

I tossed all of it together and gave it a good shake.

Since there are a few ingredients you need to add in addition to the powder I decided to write them and tape them to the top. I didn't want to have to do it by memory, or here Mark say "what else do I add?" every night.

You need to add 3 DROPS of dish soap to the mix in the dishwasher and then 1/2-1C of vinegar to the bottom of your dishwasher. You don't have to do the vinegar but I have done it when our dishes are pretty dingy and it has always helped.

So that is it! I stored it all right under the sink next to the dishwasher. We will just use the tablespoon to measure it out then toss it in the dishwasher to run for the night. Easy-Peasy!

The dishes are going as I type this...I have even opened it twice to make sure the dish soap wasn't making it bubble up too much. So far so good!

Five Friday Favorites

noreply@blogger.com (Kalyn Ernest) — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 14:15:00 +0000

Lots of favorites this week, lets narrow it down to 5!

1. Lets start with this weather forecast!! OK, it might look a little soggy but hey, at least it isn't snow!!! I know there will be warm sunny weather soon!

2. This video of How To Eat Like an Animal. The Rhino cracks me up

3. I love Six Sisters Stuff. They always have the best recipes and crafts. Whenever I am stumped on dinner I go to their Recipe Index and search with what meat I have to use...usually chicken.

4. I got to go back to one of my favorite places this week Ford Field. The Detroit Lions had a Town Hall meeting for season ticket holders. They discussed what they expect from the upcoming season and took questions. It was a great time. The best part? Free food and meeting a few players!!

5. Of course, how I always end my Friday Favorites, my precious pumpkin pie!!

Eliza, you are the sweetest little girl with the GREATEST personality. While going for a walk this night, you wanted to share your headband with Z. You were so proud of yourself, your Daddy and I couldn't stop laughing at the site and what the people driving by must think. Love you baby girl

House Update!

noreply@blogger.com (Kalyn Ernest) — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 13:22:00 +0000

Well, unfortunately...there is no house update. We are just sitting here waiting and waiting. The frost laws are still on in some of the counties so no way to get the machines in the neighborhood. We are hoping within the next week we will be able to start digging. I can't wait to see it all begin!

One good thing that has happened with the house, I got Eliza's bedding!! I found it on Ebay last night SUPER cheap. I have been searching forever and almost went and bought it at the store, glad I held out!

Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find her bedroom set on CraigsList. I have found a lot of them on there that are cute, but nothing that I really LOVE. I was able to find a better deal on the bed set that I want, but it is still pretty expensive. I think I will start collecting donations and returning bottles.

A few other things we have picked. This kitchen, it is my dream, especially the sink!! The floors will be dark and the cabinets will be white. Love it.

Our builder sent me this photo last week. He is doing a house in another city right now and is working on the mudroom storage. Ours will be similar to this, but finished :) We will have a bench for the kids to toss all their stuff in and hooks for them to hang coats and backpacks. The top will have an area for baskets to store more stuff.

Hopefully we will have new photos next week of the property...with a big hole in it!!

Monday Meal Plan

noreply@blogger.com (Kalyn Ernest) — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 19:23:00 +0000

Here is this weeks meal plan!

Monday: Crockpot BBQ Chicken. I shred this and then put it on a large Hawaiian roll...Heaven

Tuesday: Mark will be on his own I have an even for the Detroit Lions and won't be home for dinner..I will assume he will be eating cereal...

Wednesday: Chicken Noodle Soup

Thursday: Ranch Pork Chops

Friday: Cheddar Jack and Bacon Quesadillas

Saturday: Left Overs

Sunday: Baked Spaghetti

What are you making this week? Where do you find most of your new recipes? I would love any and all suggestions.

SUYL Kids Books

noreply@blogger.com (Kalyn Ernest) — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 12:18:00 +0000

I am joining in on the SUYL Kids Books over at Kellys Korner today.

Mine is a little different, these are books about raising kids vs reading them to kids.

I LIVED by Baby Wise with Eliza

I feel this is why Eliza is able to be such an independent girl. I taught her how to rely on herself and how to soothe herself for a very young age. She doesn't need me to soothe her, rock her, or sing her back to sleep. All she needs is herself.

Here is what Amazon says about Baby Wise

Twelve chapters cover feeding philosophies, monitoring baby's growth, establishing baby's routine, handling multiple births, and the ever-controversial chapter on when baby cries. The 52-week method involves four phases, beginning with "Stabilization" from birth to week 8. During weeks 9 through 15 ("Extended Night"), babies learn to sleep through the night. Ezzo and Bucknam attempt to teach the difference between a baby's many cries and advise parents on various responses to these cries. Critics dislike Ezzo's strong belief that "child-centered parenting" (feeding baby whenever it cries, sleeping with and "wearing" baby) fosters demanding, insecure toddlers. But for parents who are tired of being tired--or whose previous experience with child-centered parenting supports Ezzo's theory--it may be worth a read. --Liane Thomas

My other favorite book is The Wonder Weeks

I have talked about The Wonder Weeks a few times on my blog.

Here is what Amazon says

"The Wonder Weeks. How to stimulate your baby's mental development and help him turn his 10 predictable, great, fussy phases into magical leaps forward" describes in easy-to-understand terms the incredible developmental changes and regression periods that all babies go through during the first 20 months of their lives. The extended, white cover edition describes 2 more leaps in the mental development of your baby up to the end of the sensorimotor period. The book offers guidance how to ...: • Know when and why your baby is fussy • Help him/her (and yourself!) get through / survive the fussy phases • Get the most out of these developmental phases The book is based on the scientific- and parental-world-changing discovery of a phenomenon: all normal, healthy babies appear to be more fussy at very nearly the same ages, regression periods, and sleep less in these phases. A worldwide bestseller and sanity savior for parents around the globe. These age-related fluctuations in need for body contact and attention (regression periods) are related to major and quite dramatic changes in the brains of the children. These changes enable a baby to enter a whole new perceptual world and, as a consequence, to learn many new skills. This should be a reason for celebration, but as far as the baby is concerned these changes are bewildering. He's taken aback -- everything has changed overnight. It is as if he has woken up on a strange planet. The book includes: • Week-by-week guide to baby's behavior • When to expect the fussy behavior, what this implies (cranky, clingy, crying (the three C's) behavior) and how to deal with these regression periods (leaps) • A description from your baby's perspective of the world around him and how you can understand the changes he's going through • Fun games and gentle activities you can do with your child For more detailed information about contents and the research behind the book, please visit www.thewonderweeks.com Expert reviews: ---“This is a very practical and entertaining window into the baby’s first year and a half. van de Rijt and Plooij have observed and found the vulnerable times in an infant’s development that I independently came to in my book Touchpoints (Perseus). The authors’ observations and practical suggestions are wonderful.” (T. Berry Brazelton, M.D., professor emeritus, Harvard Medical School). ---“Anyone who deals with infants and young children will want to read 'The Wonder Weeks.' This book will open parents’ eyes to aspects of their children’s growth, development, changing behavior, and emotional responsiveness that they might otherwise not notice or find puzzling and distressing.” (Catherine Snow, Ph.D., Shattuck Professor of Education, Harvard Graduate School of Education). ---“van de Rijt and Plooij’s work on infant development has enormous value for clinical use and scientific application. Not only have they explained the periods of puzzling, difficult behavior in infancy which so worry parents, they have also shown how these behaviors mark developmental leaps and have described the stages in the infant’s understanding. Together, this gives parents and professionals soundly based insight into babies’ developing minds. What’s more, van de Rijt and Plooij have described the play and communication that work best with babies at different ages and thus helped parents understand and connect sensitively with their babies. This parent-child connection is the major prerequisite for the development of secure, well-adjusted children. 'The Wonder Weeks' is essential reading for everyone who works with infants: pediatricians, social workers, psychologists, and, of course, parents.” (John Richer, Ph.D., Dip. Clin. Psychol., consultant clinical psychologist and Head of Pediatric Psychology, Department of Pediatrics, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, England).

I feel The Wonder Weeks really helped me understand Eliza. As a new parent you sit and wonder what is wrong with every cry. This book teaches you, sometimes they just need to cry. They might not have the solution but at least you know the reason. During the babies first year there are many leaps their bodies make that can effect their behavior. This book will alert you when to expect these leaps to come and go.

So those are my two favorite books for baby. I am not sure how I would have survived the first year without them!