May is for Moms {an interview with my son}

I'm linking up again for the third and final week of the May is for Moms link up. This week's interview is supposed to be with your child(ren), but since Owen is so young and Finn hasn't made his debut yet, I decided to have Beau answer the questions in their place. 

This is how Beau thinks Owen would answer these questions if he could.

1. What is your favorite thing that you and I do together?

Go to the park. He loves going to the park with you.

2. What is something important I've taught you that you will always remember? (i.e. be nice to everyone, always make your bed, etc.)

To have a kind heart and to treat everyone equally.

3. What is your most special memory about me?

I don't know what he remembers. It's probably when you go get him from the crib first thing in the morning. He's always so happy to see you.

4. What is something nice I always say to you?

I love you.

5. How are you and I the same? How are we different?

You both have love for everyone and are always happy. Your a girl and he's a boy.

Life lately and my sad excuse for a Bumpdate

May has been a busy month... and by busy I mean barely have time to breath let alone do a load of laundry month. We have at least one party of some sort to go to every single weekend in May. There's also Mother's Day and our anniversary and my birthday! 

On top of all the busyness, I'm pregnant and therefore have negative amounts of energy, Owen has his first ear infection and is on antibiotics and has at least one diarrhea blowout a day, and Beau's shoulder is not doing well- he just got the results from his MRI and it looks like he'll be having arthroscopic capsulorrhapy surgery sometime soon, like before he graduates on June 20th.

Needless to say, blogging has been at the bottom of my list of priorities and unfortunately I've been pretty terrible about taking pictures lately. This is all I've got for ya...

I didn't actually mean to take a picture of him screaming crying, but as soon as I starting snapping photos he burst into tears. This is how you know my baby is sick! He's normally such a ham in front of the camera.

Left is 14wks and right is 15wks.

I've thankfully had a lot less morning sickness lately and the headaches haven't been quite as bad either. I still get stomach cramps every once in a while but I've also started to feel him moving around in there! Oh yeah.. for Mother's Day Beau let me get an early gender ultrasound and the lady was 98% sure it's a boy. We go back in a week so she can be 100% sure, but Beau and I already are. Owen is going to have a baby brother!

Our boy name is Finnian Francis. We are so excited to continue our journey of raising little boys. I think God is blessing us with boys because the world needs more men like Beau. 

We can't wait to meet you, Baby Finn!

I'm Feeling Lucky

Today was kind of amazing.

First of all, I woke up, turned over, and opened my eyes to see Beau. He's working the evening shift today so he wasn't up hours before me like usual. 

Then the most wonderful thing happened- I felt the baby! I've been feeling really nervous lately. This pregnancy has been rough so far, very different from my pregnancy with Owen, and I was beginning to fear that it meant something was wrong. Feeling my precious child for the first time was exactly what I needed to put my fears to rest. It was as if the baby was saying, "Its ok, Mom! Don't worry. I'm here! I'm healthy! I'm growing like I should!"

Then, as if my morning needed any improving, when Owen and I were having our good morning hug, he turned his head and gave me a kiss. Right on the lips! Oh. My. Gosh. My heart melted into a puddle on the floor right there. I can not even begin to describe the joy that made my heart sing. From then and there I knew it was destined to be a good day. 

We spent the next few hours outside, enjoying the beautiful weather. Beau even grilled us lunch. {He is THE bomb:)}

I must warn you, there is a mass amount of pictures below this text. I couldn't resist.

I'm am so lucky to have my boys!

This weekend was...

EXHAUSTING

We had a busy weekend with Beau working late on Friday and two parties to attend on Saturday. Two parties, basically back to back, meant Owen didn't get a good nap which made for a very irritable baby. Both parties were fun though! First we had a family friend's First Holy Communion party and then a surprise birthday party for Beau's sister.

Saturday evening I started to feel terrible. My head was pounding and was nauseous. I quickly started feeling worse and worse and spent most of the night awake and in pain. All day Sunday wasn't much better so I was basically confined to the bed all day. 

And let me tell you something, Beau is the absolute best bedside nurse anyone could ask for! I am so so lucky to have someone to force me to rest when I need to even when I feel terrible that he's doing all the work on one of his few days off.

Thankfully I woke up this morning sans headache and I'm praying hard that it doesn't come back. 

unfortunately, because of the craziness of the weekend, I didn't snap one photo. Not one. I did however manage to find one on facebook :)

Harboring a Thankful Heart

I think often times it becomes way to easy to lose yourself in the negative. Life can be hard and unfair and we like to dwell on that. Problem is, that isn't the way I desire to live my life. That isn't the kind of children I want to raise. 

I can't count the number of times I have seen a very ungrateful child throw a fit because they didn't get the toy they wanted, or the treat they wanted, or their parents told them to do something they don't want to do. It doesn't make that child very likable. It's sad but true. But when you stop and think about it, it isn't that child's fault. That child is a product of their parents, a direct example of how their parents are raising them.

And guess what?! Children learn by example!

I've come to this epiphany lately and I have begun to realize, I need to model the behavior I want to see in my children.

I can tell them to say their prayers, but if they never see me praying they won't either.

I can tell them to use "please and thank you", but if I'm not being polite to the cashier or the waiter or anyone I come in contact with, they aren't going to be either.

I can tell them to be thankful for what they have, but if I'm constantly complaining or wishing for more, they will too.

It's kind of a big deal! I mean, I am shaping human beings here. I am playing a huge role in the kind of adults they will grow up to be.

I want them to be kind and generous, empathetic and sensitive, happy and thankful, responsible and wise, moral and saintly adults.

That means that I have to be that kind of adult. 

This is going to take a lot of focus and dedication. It's going to mean I have to constantly make the conscious decision to be that example. It won't always be easy, I will sometimes fail, but it will be worth it.

One of the first changes I want to make in myself is to have an ever thankful heart. My goal is to write down 3 things I'm thankful for every night. 

I plan to share them here at the end of each week.

I am thankful...

For my parents, for welcoming us into their home while we transition into our own.

That they make such an effort to make their home feel like home to us, so that we never feel like visitors.

For Beau, for how hard he works to provide for our family.

For Owen's delicious thighs.

For Owen. He brings me more joy than I ever imagined possible.

For our sweet Baby 2. 

That both of our children are happy and healthy.

For the rain this week, for washing away some of the pollen.

For our doctors.

For my sister Mary, for loving Owen so much.

For the internet, cause it kinda rocks.

For two working vehicles.

For Beau's job.

That Beau got to spend the morning with us today.

Happy Friday everyone!

Have a great weekend :)

what my loved one says about me

i'm linking up with Becky for "what my loved one says about me." after a lot less pleading than i thought it would take, Beau agreed to make his blogging debut and write a post listing 10-20 facts about me. i think he did pretty well!

so apparently all these bloggers (such as my wife) are trying to pull the spouses (me) into this wonderful world of blogs by MAKING (just kidding) us write a list of things that many people don't know about them. if you haven't guessed it yet i'm Beau, Katie's husband. i'm not really good at all this blog stuff or anything that has to do with me writing, my spelling and grammar suck so i wouldn't be surprised if this is proof read before its posted. it was :) anyways here's my list.

Oh p.s. this is supposed to be 10 to 20 facts..... well see..

1. Katie has the most beautiful singing voice and it brightens my day every time she sings
2. when she raps she likes to throw "gang signs" in the air
3. Katie might say she doesn't know what shes doing but she's so good at everything that she can play it off real good
4. she is just like her mother, if her mom looked into the mirror she would see Katie on the other side
5. she has many different faces to answer you but three you learn fast- happy, angry, and play anger 
6. that she has the most loving heart
7. her smile is breath taking 
8. she hates me taking photos of her even if she asked it's true. i'm not very patient and kind of a perfectionist
9. she has so many shoes that even after building her a shoe rack 4 ft tall and 4 ft wide all the shoes don't fit
10. she loves her blog so much that even after i was sprayed with pepper spray for work and i cant keep my eyes open to save my life i had to write this.... its okay i offered 
11. her mental strength is amazing
12. she truly loves my jeep even though she wants to get rid of it i'd love to have a house more
13. she would rather bake then cook 
14. she has the best teeth with no flaw but the biggest sweet tooth
15. every time she goes to the groceries store she stops at the "oops we baked to much" 

-Beau

my husband is a hunk and is the best ever for doing this for me even though i know he hates stuff like this. i love you babe!

february cara box reveal

i signed up again this month to take part in Kaitlyn's cara box exchange.

she paired us up with girls from our state, so i got to meet two new Georgia bloggers!

Katie & Erin

this month's theme was #clubsexy

 i got to spoil Katie and send her a box full of stuff for the perfect girls night out

Erin completely spoiled me! she sent me a box full of things to make a perfect night in with my hubby.

bath bombs, baby lips, and nail polish (in my favorite color) to pretty myself up for our date.

she wrapped the wine glasses so nicely, but only one survived...

i love the one that did though, and it all works out ok cause Beau would rather drink a beer!

a cooking magazine and chocolates for while we prepare dinner

popcorn and a romantic movie to top the night off!

she also included a sweet note explaining what each item was for. 

me and Beau were both so excited to get this box- i think he really liked that this month's box was for both of us!

if you haven't participated in the cara box exchange yet i encourage you to go sign up for march.

it is such a fun way to make friends and meet fellow bloggers!

h54f

HAPPY HAPPY FRIDAY! 

today Beau has a morning shift ride along. that probably doesn't mean much to most of you, but to me that means i get my hubby home early on a friday! 

and that, my friends, is cause for celebration!

i'm linking up the highlights of my week for h54f!

1. i found this adorable pair of boots for 50% off at target!

2. Owen had his first taste of ice cream courtesy of Grandda {of course he loved it!}

3. i scored this basket for the living room for 75% off at michael's

4. i love dates with Beau. even when we just go to zaxby's and kohl's

5. my cara box arrived on wed night! YAAAY for bloggy friends!

h54f {link up}

HAPPY FRIDAY!

i couldn't be happier that the weekend is here! Beau's been working late all week busting his butt at the academy, so a long weekend is just what we need!

i'm linking up with Lauren again to bring you the top five highlights of my week.

1. we found out Owen's heart murmur is innocent, which means i can breath again

2. this little friendship has been blossoming lately- Tiger is so sweet and patient with O

3. we had fun getting dressed up and going out for an early valentine's date

4. O got his first ashes on ash wednesday, and loved being up way past his bedtime

5. our son is a musical genius! his new favorite activity is playing music on his mini piano

i hope everyone has a great weekend!

Beau has been working late all week, so i plan on taking full advantage of the extra time with him.

every love story is beautiful, but ours is my favorite

i remember the first time i laid eyes on Beau. 

i was working as a cashier at Zaxby's. it was a busy night so he got into the end of a long line. i can remember speeding through each order praying that he would end up at my register. then, finally, he was up. "hi! can i take your order?" i said as i beamed up at him trying to look as pretty as possible in my awful uniform. he ordered his food as i told my self he was being extra friendly and he must be flirting with me, and then it happened... he asked "is Leslie here?" my heart sunk. i got Leslie for him and then spent the rest of the night totally bummed out. that cute guy gave Leslie a ride home from work almost every day that next week in his big red jeep. i remember feeling terrible, Leslie and i had become good friends and i had such a huge crush on the guy she was with.

then one magical saturday, march 19th 2011, Leslie and i were tanning in her driveway when she got a text and said her friend Beau was coming to get something he had left at her house. i didn't think much of it, i didn't know Beau's name yet. all of a sudden you could hear this loud music blasting from a car and then that big red jeep came swerving around the corner. i started panicking when i realized it was that cute guy that gives Leslie rides. he was going to see me all sweaty from laying out in the sun and oh God i was totally not ready for him to see me half naked in my bikini. he pulled up and i tried to play it cool as he said hey, ran inside and got his stuff and then chatted with us for a while. after about 10 min Leslie needed to go to work, so Beau left and i gave her a ride. on the way she got a text and then asked me "so, what do you think of my friend Beau?" i was like "um, i don't know. he's funny. why?" "he thinks your cute." "what!?!?" "yeah! he just texted me 'your friends cute we should all hangout sometime'." 

i was over the moon excited! so that night when Leslie got off we went off-roading with Beau and his best friend Joey. I remember not being able to take my eyes off him the entire night and being oh so impressed by his off-roading skills (we are so redneck). then on the way back to Leslie's house we stopped at a gas station to get some drinks. Beau helped me out of the back of the jeep and as he took my hand and i jumped down, he gave me the sweetest kiss.

we spent all night talking and kissing more and then spent the next day together and the next and the next. about a week later he officially asked me to be his girl friend and the rest is history. 

from the night we met were inseparable. it was one of those things where you meet somebody and it's like you've known them your whole life.

i later found out that the reason he gave Leslie rides home from work was so he could see me and he came over to 'get some stuff' from her house because she had told him i was coming over. 

 almost exactly 8 months later, on november 18th 2011, Beau took me up to the mountains to a spot with a beautiful view and he asked me "do you feel like you're on top of the world?" i was mad at him about something (i can't remember now) and i said "not really" and then he got down on one knee, pulled out a ring and said "how about now?" i was in shock and so filled with emotion that i couldn't even respond at first, but as soon as i was able to speak i of course said yes!

almost a month later, on december 14th 2011, i took a pregnancy test and it came out positive. we were so happy and excited, but nervous and scared at the same time. 

we got married at the court house on january 27th 2012 and then had our marriage blessed by the church on may 19th 2012.

on july 25th 2012, four weeks before his due date, Owen Beau made his grand entrance into this world and all the love i had for Beau since the summer of 2011 tripled.

seeing Beau as a father has made me fall in love with him so much deeper and for so many reasons that i didn't notice before.

our love story may not be traditional, but i wouldn't change it for the world.

it is my favorite and i feel so blessed to get to continue living it for the rest of my life. 

happy Valentine's Day!
hope everyone's day is filled with love- no matter your relationship status
if you do have a significant other link up your love story, they're so much fun to read!