As Told By Steph

Vinny.....oh Vinny.....How I love thee.....

2012-01-12T23:45:00.000-05:00

Yes, I'm a closet Jersey Shore Fan.....Shut it....

Vinny has always been one of my favorites and now I know why. Depression and Anxiety is often overused and can become kind of a cliche, so when I saw this video all I could think of was how I needed to share this with others! As I have said in previous posts I struggle everyday with Severe Clinical Depression and Generalized Anxiety Disorder. I often keep it to myself but it is very hard to deal with at times. I started noticing at a young age that something wasn't right but didn't quite know what it was so I waited until I had a nervous breakdown before I sought out help, I love that Vinny has chosen to come out with his struggles. I have high hopes that his video and website will help some teens and young people that are suffering as well but just don't know how to talk about it!

For once, Jersey Shore has produced something positive! :-)

Until Next Time.....

Steph

My Word of the Year

2012-01-10T00:14:00.000-05:00

WORD OF THE YEAR: This word is supposed to guide you during the year. It is supposed to inspire you. It is supposed to help you better define your life. It is supposed to help you grow. It is supposed to motivate you. It is supposed to remind you of your priorities.

Instead of making a resolution and failing and getting mad at myself I am taking a different approach this year. I am going to choose one word that will help guide me throughout the year to accomplish my goals. My word this year is going to be:

Cleanse.

What's your word of the year going to be?

Until Next Time...

Steph

New Beginnings......hopefully.....

2012-01-08T23:51:00.000-05:00

Last Sunday was my turn to Speak/Run our service at church. Being it was January 1st, 2012 I chose to speak on New Beginnings and how God has instructed us to leave the past behind and grab the present and embrace it. Well.....I'm sorry to say...that I am having a lot of trouble leaving the past behind right now. I am normally the first person to say they are ready for new beginnings! I hate living in the past and dwelling on things....but what I have noticed lately is that some of the things I keep dwelling on where really great times and memories and I just don't want to let them go yet.... I know I need to move on and live in the present and embrace what I have in front of me but my heart just wishes that I could go into the past, change things, make them better and then somehow bring them into my present and have it all. I'm feeling a bit like a hypocrite....I preached my sermon to the congregation telling them what they needed to do and now I can't even do it....I don't know what is going on with me lately but I need a change. I don't know yet what change is needed but I need out of this rut and out of this pattern I seem to be moving towards.

Well, enough about me and my complaining....I thought I would share a bit of my sermon with you. I hope and pray that you all have wonderful new beginnings in 2012 and amazing memories that you can "let" go of and not dwell in the past.

Here is a bit of the sermon:

LEAVE YOUR RESENTMENT BEHIND
Each of us resent something. We might resent something we have said and done, or we might resent what someone else has said and done. But along with resentment comes unforgiveness. And unforgiveness is a very dangerous thing to keep in our lives. Jesus said that if we forgive, God will forgive us. But if we do not forgive, God will not forgive us. Now, we must understand that to forgive does not mean the same thing as to forget. We cannot erase our memories, but we can erase our resentment. I would suggest that we just look at things from a different perspective. Instead of looking at your resentment from the negative side, start looking at it from the positive side. In other words, when you remember those things, as you surely will, look at them as an example of what not to ever feel again. Understanding where they will lead you should be enough encouragement to do so. So forget those things which hurt you. And forgive those people who did or said them. I like the old saying: “Look lovingly upon your enemies, for it is you who have made them.” We choose to dislike people, based upon what we like or think. We must realize that we are not the perfect examples, so we shouldn’t hold others accountable to our standards. Also, if you stoop low enough to begrudge others - - THEY WIN! So make a decision to leave your resentment behind right now.
LEAVE YOUR WORRIES BEHIND
Worries are very much like rocking chairs. They give you something to do, but they never take you anywhere while you’re doing it. We only worry about two things: Things we can change and things we cannot change. Why waste time doing something that not only hurts us and never helps us? When we worry, it ends up taking over our every thought and it becomes the predominate thought of our lives. Yet, it is also worry that causes mental illness, stress, and many other things that destroy our lives. Worry has killed more people than hard work ever did. Worry is the cause of fear. So, leave your worries behind as you enter the new year, too.
LEAVE YOUR FAILURES BEHIND
We try so hard to be the best we can be, but we don’t always succeed. And it is in those times when we don’t succeed, that we get discouraged because we have failed. But what have we failed in? We may not have achieved just what we originally set out to achieve, but we haven’t failed. The only time you fail is when you don’t try to do anything! We need to understand that God has called us to have faith long before He ever called us to achieve. We are called to be in Christ, and as long as we are in Him, we are successful. The ancient Israelites never seemed to get it right. They would all turn toward God and worship Him and everything in their lives would drastically improve. But after a couple of hundred years, they would turn their backs on Him again and see doom visit them and their nation. But, we are told that God will turn our failure into success, if we allow Him fully into our lives. 1 KINGS 8:33-34 says ‘When Your people, Israel, have been defeated by enemies because they sinned against You, and when they turn back to You and confess Your name, then You will hear from Heaven, and You will forgive their sins and bring them back to the land of their forefathers.’ When we as a nation, or as individuals, have strayed from our Lord, we will find failure in our lives. But when we turn back once again to Him, He will hear our pleas and He will restore us to success, for He is a God of restoration. As we leave 2011, we should pay close attention to the words of the Apostle Paul in 1 CORINTHIANS 13:5-6 ‘Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you realize that Christ Jesus in you – unless, of course, you fail the test? And I trust that you will discover that we have not failed the test.’

So, In other words, look deep within your heart. Is Jesus in you, or do you just acknowledge Him as you live the way you desire? If you try to live for Him, the way He wants you to live, then Jesus is in you and you have been a major success! So, as we head into a new year, make sure Jesus is firmly planted in your heart so He goes with you, covering you in God’s wonderful grace and blessings. And then choose to leave those things that distract you from realizing Jesus to the fullest possible extent. Imagine a trapeze artist swinging from one swing to another, high above the ground with no net under him. As he reaches out to the next swing, what must he do? He must let go of the one he is on. If he refuses to let go of the swing he is on, will he ever be able to go to the next swing? Absolutely not. And in the same way, we must let go of our old year before we can go purposefully into the new year. We need to let 2011 be fully completed. Let it take its rightful place in the hallway of the past. Whether it was good or bad, helpful or not, let it be complete by letting go of it.

Until Next Time.....

Steph

Yup.

2011-12-26T22:08:00.001-05:00

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-17T21:10:00.000-05:00

From Our Family to Yours!

I could listen to this song all day......This is me.

2011-12-08T00:09:00.000-05:00

Going through the motions....

2011-12-07T23:37:00.000-05:00

Ever get that feeling that of "Why am I here??" Feeling like you are just going through the motions to stay slightly afloat.....you're barely surviving the day...not totally sinking underwater but you're not on top either....That's how I feel right now. I feel worthless, like I don't have a reason to function. I feel like I'm failing as a wife, as a mother, as a person. I have no energy, I don't feel like getting dressed, hell....I used to HAVE to shower every morning because I couldn't even leave the house and now I'm lucky if I get off the couch to take one every other day......I don't sleep. I don't do anything......just sit. And stress. And think. And pray......

Decking The Halls....Yep...I am still alive....I think....

2011-11-28T00:29:00.000-05:00

I haven't been around much in Blog land lately but I have been busy around the house Decking the Halls! Since I should probably be sleeping instead of blogging I will just share some pictures with you for now. Maybe Ill be able to get back to regular blogging sometime before 2011 exits and 2012 enters.......unless I loose myself in the huge pile of laundry that has been screaming at me for a week or so.....

We also had a little fun after all of our Thanksgiving festivities at our Community Christmas Around Town! Something tells me Nate isn't as fond of Santa as I am.....

Moments...

2011-10-17T01:03:00.001-04:00

Its amazing how I can be totally exhausted, stressed to the max, angry, sad, happy...whatever, and my mood can flip around instantly when I hold my baby boy in the middle of the night to rock him back to sleep. For a minute there I thought to myself, "Lord, please give me a break and keep him sleeping so I can too!!" But I think God had other plans in mind because lately I have had some amazing reflecting moments in these wee hours of the night while cuddling! I have realized that these cuddling moments aren't going to last forever...so I need to cherish every single one of them. Thanks to the Kindle app on my phone I have been able to start reading again while rocking him! I have planned my day, thought about dinner, mentally chose Cadys outfit for school in the morning...all things that Im not totally able to do when I don't have time to sit and think....but most importantly, I have come to realize that in these quiet moments cuddling with my babies God reminds me that life is precious and I am one lucky girl!

My Life via Facebook...

2011-10-14T22:34:00.000-04:00

One Question: How on earth do my fellow mommy bloggers find the time to blog!!??!?! I have been SO busy lately! I thought it would be fun to share what I have been up to via all of my Facebook statues and Foursquare check in's since the last time I blogged....I apologize in advance if there are a lot....lol I have an addiction to FB.

Starting Oct. 7th since my last blog was on the 6th:

~Yep...I just fell from the top of my stairs all the way to the bottom...ouch....Let's hope I don't hurt too much in the morning....

~Really feeling the fall right now.....ugh....can barely move....

~Im probably going to delete you soon cuz youre annoying. Just saying....

~Dear Nate, please go to sleep....nuff said....

~I don't really feel sorry for the wives on Sister Wives feeling like they don't get enough time with their "Husband"....HELLO dummies!! You're sharing your "husband" with 3 other women!!! Of course you're not going to have him all to yourself!

~Hey Nate....I love hanging out with you.....but please go to sleep my love.....

~Am I the only one not watching football tonight...You are all missing the sexiness of male dancers on Dancing With The Stars! Lol

~Heading to MOPS for the first time....wish us luck! Lol

~Hanging outside enjoying the weather while I let the kids sleep a little longer in the car......

~Im in bed before midnight? I feel like I didnt accomplish anything tonight except see who was voted off DWTS...wait...that's cuz I didn't...

~Why did I just stay up until 130 watching Kim Kardashians wedding??!?! 7am will be here in no time....ugh....

~Wow.....Im exhausted.....

~Cady is singing Adele in the back seat....I love this girl....

~I'm putting the kids to bed tonight and Cady says to me: "Mom, I want to make my mark on the world with my dancing." Wow....is she 4 or 14.....???

Foursquare Check In's

Oasis Family Restaurant

Ambrosia Vae Dance Studio

Brann's Steakhouse and Grille

Target

FireKeepers Casino

McCamly Plaza Hotel

JW Barleycorns

Great Start Readiness Program

Big Lots

TR Church of the Nazarene

US Post Office

Meijer

McDonald's

Great Start Readiness Program

Crossroads Mall

Pride Mart

Kipker Residence

Steak N Shake

Hobby Lobby

Walmart

Kipker Residence

Kids Gym

Shell

Hightree Homestead

And I know there is more....I just got so busy I forgot to check in.....ugh.....

Inspiration......

2011-10-06T00:25:00.000-04:00

I need it.....

One Week.

2011-09-13T00:14:00.000-04:00

As I sit here trying to decide if I should go to sleep because I have a headache or get up and clean the house a bit I suddenly feel like I am being hit with a load of bricks......I have exactly one week until two HUGE events happen in the Hightree House.
Tuesday the 20th marks Nathan's first birthday AND Cady's first day of Preschool!!
I can't help but be both excited and sad at the same time. I am just in awe by how fast this last year as flown by. At some point I feel like I have been so busy that I have missed part of the year....but then I look back at pictures and memories and realize that I was there....apparently it was just all a blur....

I am just baffled by the fact that my baby boy is 7 days away from being 1 year old. I know it sounds corny and we say this all the time, but I truly feel like it was just yesterday that I met him after only pushing for 10 minutes!! I feel like he has grown so fast and I am so blessed to have seen every milestone thus far but I am also a little sad....I miss my newborn....I don't think I got enough time with him alone as a newborn. And it makes me sad. I just wish I could go back, cuddle him some more, take more pictures, kiss his tiny sleeping face and then come back to reality. I guess it comes with the territory of having more than one child. I'm sure its a mom thing to never feel totally accomplished.....but it sucks....that's all....

On top of my mommy sadness that my baby is turning 1 I also have to deal with the fact that my little girl is not so little anymore....I know she is only 4 so its not like she is a teenager or anything, but she is starting school in a week! SCHOOL! 3 hours a day for 4 days a week away from Mommy......WHAT on earth am I going to do!?! She is both excited and scared at the same time and I am both excited and devastated at the same time. My little girl is becoming a big girl. Part of me is super excited to start the school activities that come with having a school-aged child and the other part of me is not quite ready yet.....I don't want to share my baby....I don't want her to rely on anyone but me....I don't want her to like her teacher more than me or go to her when she is hurt on the playground.......but then I am also happy that she will be able to learn to trust someone other than her parents and grandparents. She needs that interaction with other kids and adults and she needs to learn in a different environment to learn new things. But I sometimes wish I could just go sit next to her at her table and pretend like I'm not really there....at least for the first week or so....lol....

I'm sure all the feelings I am having right now are normal.....I just wish I could experience them at different times. This wave of emotions all on the same day is not ideal....

Well, my head is starting to hurt a bit more so I guess I will hang it up tonight and go to bed....just a warning though, if you happen to see me bawling my eyes out on Tuesday morning don't think anything of it. I'm just being a Mom.

Until next time,

She went to bed a 3 year old and will wake up an Adult!

2011-09-01T00:09:00.000-04:00

I remember this day four years ago just like it was yesterday. As I am typing this blog I look at the clock and it is 11:01pm....4 years ago today I was 1 minute into "pushing" our new baby girl out to join the world! :-) I pushed for an hour and 21 minutes before she graced us with her presence....and our lives haven't been the same since!

My beautiful baby girl Cadence May was born September 1st, 2007 at 12:21am.

In the past 4 years I have been pooped on, puked on, peed on, licked, bit, kicked, smacked, yelled at, got called names and I'm sure much much more! But I have also been hugged, kissed, filled with laughter, joy and love. I have heard "Momma, I Love You", I have been needed, my shoulders have been cried on, I have nurtured and taught more than I could ever have imagined.

Words can not describe how much I love this little girl. She has changed my life for the better. It has been stressful and fun and the most rewarding experience of my life! She is a little diva. She is funny, smart, beautiful, loud, glamorous, caring, helpful, shy, kind, happy, silly, talented and independent. Every single day I ask myself why I was so lucky to have her in my life.

I am having a mommy moment right now because she is growing up too fast....she is starting Preschool at the end of the month, tumbling classes that don't include mommy next week, dance class in two weeks....she is turning into a big girl before my eyes and the next thing I know she will be an adult....It's both exciting and devastating at the same time....Since I have started rambling I am just going to share some of my favorite pictures from the last 4 years. Don't worry...I won't overload you with pics!

Ok....I fibbed....I may have bombarded you with pictures.... :-) Since I got caught up reminiscing while looking through old pictures it is now 12:06am.....only 15 minutes until my Birthday Girl turns Four!!

I Love you baby girl! Happy Birthday!

Skyscraper

2011-08-19T00:52:00.002-04:00

Sometimes this is exactly how I feel....

"You can take everything I have
You can break everything I am
Like I'm made of glass
Like I'm made of paper
Go on and try to tear me down
I will be rising from the ground
Like a skyscraper, like a skyscraper"

I Heart Demi Lovato......

Nuff Said....

Yep...I'm Ready....

2011-08-16T00:01:00.000-04:00

I'm Ready for Fall.....

I'm Ready for Apple Cider and Donuts.....

I'm ready for Apple Picking and Pumpkin Patches....

I'm ready for fall decorations....

I'm ready for cooler weather so we can actually enjoy playing outside....

I'm ready for sweatshirts and cuddling on the couch under a blanket.....

I'm ready for Cady to start Preschool and for Tumbling classes to resume....

I'm ready for us to get out of Summer mode and get into some type of schedule....

I'm ready for Beef Stew and Chili...lol

And most of all I'm ready for some Quiet Time before the Holidays knock on my door!

Weekend Camera Roll

2011-08-15T00:45:00.000-04:00

2nd addition to Weekend Camera Roll!

Getting a little serious for a minute.....

2011-08-12T23:38:00.000-04:00

For those of you who don't know, I am a Certified Lay Speaker at my church. If you don't know what a Lay Speaker is and would like to know check this out: What is a Lay Speaker?

I have been preparing my sermon that I will present on Sunday and thought I would share a bit with you because it is something I am pretty passionate about.

I fully believe that we need to rethink what church is about in this day and age.....I could go on and on but I don't want to give everything away....So here is the end of my sermon....

I am going to close today with one question: What If?

What if…Instead of going to be encouraged…we went to encourage others…

What if…Instead of hoping to sing my favorite song…we hoped to sing “their” favorite song…

What if…Instead of looking to be served…we intentionally served others…

What if…Instead of waiting to be welcomed…we welcomed others first…

What if…Instead of asking to be prayed for…if we sought to pray for others…

What if…Instead of going to receive a blessing…we went to be a blessing…

What difference would it make in our church experience?

Of course, church is ultimately not about you or me…it’s about Jesus…

But, church is also where people who want to make much of Jesus gather to grow, fellowship and worship Jesus…

So, I wonder how our church experience would be made different, if we approached it considering the interest of others…

What If?

Think about it.....If you would like to hear the whole sermon then you better show up to Ninth Street United Methodist Church in Three Rivers, MI at 11am THIS Sunday! :-)

Until Next Time!

I-N-S-O-M-N-I-A

2011-08-12T01:48:00.000-04:00

I'm struggling with some Insomnia tonight...I've taken 2 Tylenol PMs about 3 hours ago and I'm still going strong.....

MUST.....GO.....TO......SLEEP........

Weekend Camera Roll

2011-07-31T00:26:00.001-04:00

So, I thought it would be interesting and fun to do a Weekend Camera Roll of all of the pictures that I have taken on my phone camera this weekend. I will be adding a couple extra this week from the last few weekends since I really like them! :-)

Hope you enjoy!

Ugh........

2011-07-27T23:36:00.000-04:00

Note to Self:

Mod Podge is very messy and very smelly......

Ugh.....

Wordless Wednesday: One year ago today.....

2011-07-27T00:14:00.000-04:00

One year ago today I took these pictures....Its crazy how things change in a year!

For More Wordless Wednesday visit: 5 Minutes For Mom

Dance Moms

2011-07-26T23:38:00.000-04:00

Has anyone else watched this show??

Its kind of like Toddlers and Tiaras for me....I despise the show but I just can't stop watching it!! All I gotta say is WTF these women are crazy!!!???

Wordless Wednesday: 10 months ago today....

2011-07-20T02:42:00.000-04:00

For more Wordless Wednesdays visit:

5 Minutes For Mom

(I know that this is supposed to be Wordless but I feel that this post needs some words! 10 months ago today Nathan came into our lives! It has never been the same since! He is such a joy to our family and I can't believe he is already 10 months! It feels like just yesterday I sent a text to Leif with a picture of a positive test!)

Happy 10 Month to our little Monkey Boy Nathan!!

What do you blog about when you have so much stuff on your mind.....

2011-07-10T22:56:00.000-04:00

What do you blog about when you have so much stuff on your mind that you cant choose one topic......... How do you choose just one topic at a time....How do you narrow it down....

So, Ive been going through a lot lately and haven't really talked much about it. I just don't really know how to express it....I'm stressed...I'm exhausted....I'm so tired that I can't sleep.....

I don't even know where to start...lets see....

My grandpa was in the hospital for over a week and is in failing health due to COPD.....he is home now and is doing better but the reality of it all is that he will never get better because of it. Since Cady was born we have been visiting with him and my grandma every Tuesday and have grown closer to them than we have ever been and it breaks my heart to see him like this....

My Mom has been under a lot of stress lately because of her dad being in the hospital and going back and forth to be with him and my grandma....then on top of it all she gets pneumonia....AGAIN....and then one of my siblings did something pretty stupid.....more stress......I have been trying to be there for her as much as possible because I don't want her to get sick and stressed and exhausted.....but it doesnt seem to be working because she got sick and stressed and exhausted....

I have a huge problem of not being able to say no to things...and I LOVE to volunteer and help out at my church but I don't seem to know when to say enough is enough. I keep taking on more and more and since I'm sure if you have read my previous blogs you know how much of a procrastinator I am....here's an example for ya...I have known for over a month that I would be doing the sermon at church this morning because Pastor is on vacation, so guess when I wrote my sermon....last night at around 8pm....

I'm getting increasingly worried about our financial situation. My unemployment is ending and the bills seem to be getting larger and I did the math and unless I get a job that I make over $15 an hour I would be wasting my time working because I would be paying most of my paycheck to daycare and I would also loose my payment for watching my niece Emma during the day....Its pretty much a lose/lose situation....Either I work and spend all my money on daycare and have no extra money or I stay home with the kids and we have no extra money.....I hate money.....It's funny I say that because I forgot to mention that I have a serious shopping addiction and that could be one of the reasons why we don't have any money.....

Oh yeah...did I mention that almost every weekend since like January there has been something going on that I have committed too....
Jan 22: cheer and wrestling...same time..
Jan 29: cheer-and my sisters 16th bday weekend in Grand Rapids.
Jan 30: Sisters bday party
Feb 5: cheer and wrestling...same time..
Feb 6: Kzoo Baby Expo: I had a booth with a friend and her Company...all day thing...
Feb 12: wrestling
Feb 13: bday celebration for cousins
Feb 27: dress shopping with my sister in law for her wedding
Mar 3-5: wrestling state championship
Mar 19: baby shower and bday party
Mar 26: bday party
Apr 3: bridal shower
Apr 16: bday dinner
Apr 24: Easter
April 29: Chicago trip
April 30: wedding anniversary
May 7: mothers day dinner
May 8: mothers day
May 14: Vendor Blender I put on at our church
May 28-30: Memorial Day activities
June 3: graduation
June 4: pole vault state championship
June 10: sister in law rehearsal dinner
June 11: sister in law wedding
June 12: wedding brunch
June 18: fathers day activities and open house
June 19: fathers day
June 25: brothers open house

............Im sure you get the point now......

ugh....I need a vacation.....wait....I spent all the money at Meijer, Walmart and Target so we cant afford one now! Thanks for listening to my venting session tonight.....if you even survived the first paragraph since its so long....

Until next time.....

Fun, Family and Fireworks!

2011-07-07T00:56:00.000-04:00

We spent part of our weekend in Indiana visiting with my SIL and BIL.

Despite the storms we had a wonderful time!

Nate's first boat ride! Can you believe how big he is getting?? I sure can't!

Me and my little water lover!

Cady was afraid of the fireworks and sparklers so Mom, Mandy and Leif thought they would play instead!

The best part of a storm is the Rainbow after!

Happy 4th of July!

To end, I will leave you with a video I took of the day.....

Like sister, like brother I guess! :-) Love these two!

Wordless Wednesday: Water Babies!

2011-06-29T00:36:00.000-04:00

For more Wordless Wednesdays visit:

5 Minutes For Mom

An Interview with Cady May.

2011-06-20T18:11:00.000-04:00

I saw this on another blog and thought it was cute so I thought I would try it! Some of these answers are interesting!

What's your name? I don't want to tell you.
How old are you? three
When is your birthday? I dont even know what my birthday is on
Who is your mom? Mom, DUH!!
What does your mom do? Just cook
Who is your Daddy? *Points to Leif*
What does your Daddy do? Play games and watch Nexflicks.
What is your favorite color? Purple
What is your favorite song? Hannah Montana
What do you want to be when you grow up? Work at the Movie Theater
Where will you live when you grow up? Here
What is your favorite food? Cereal
What is your least favorite food? Yucky cereal that I dont like
What is your favorite animal? Bear
What do Mommy and Daddy do when you are in bed? Daddy sleeps and Mommy does crafts.
Who does our family love the most? Bubba and Me
What is your favorite TV show? Hannah Montana
What is your favorite ice cream? Chocolate Ice cream from DQ
Where do you like to eat? At Oasis
What is your favorite book? Monkey Book...???
What is your favorite thing to do? Play with Bubba
Where should we drive to right now? Grandmas

To The MAX!

2011-06-17T01:12:00.000-04:00

I'm stressed to the max.....this is how I feel.....just thought I would share.....

Wordless Wednesday: Before and After....

2011-05-11T01:24:00.000-04:00

For more Wordless Wednesdays visit:

5 Minutes For Mom

Showing my crafty side.

2011-05-09T00:48:00.000-04:00

I have been addicted to crafting blogs for months now.....drooling over all of the wonderful crafts and adding to my idea list that is a mile or so long.... And I am proud to say that I have finally finished a craft with pictures to debut on my blog!

So, without further ado......Here it is!

My new Summer wreath!

I started with this wreath that I got for $3.99 from the Goodwill Store.

I took off the bow and straightened up the beads.

This is what it looked like after I straightened everything out and removed the bow.

I then took some ribbon (also from the Goodwill Store) and wove it through the back of the wreath as shown.

This is what it looked like after I tied it off at the top. Just a hint of pink in the back ground.

I then took a large Daisy that I already had and clipped it to the ribbon.

(The clip was already attached to the flower making it super easy!)

And here is my finished product on display! I LOVE it! It is so fresh and fun!

Makes me wish it was warmer out!

Versatile Blogger!

2011-05-08T23:30:00.000-04:00

Wow!! I must be SUPER Versatile since I received this award TWICE in the last couple of weeks!! Thank you so much to Sara and Catrisha!! It surprises me that I received this since I have been a slacker blogger lately, but I promise I will try to live up to the name and become more Versatile in my blogging!

So, Here are the rules in order to fully accept my award:
1.) Winners- Put the above image in your blog.
2.) Include a link back to the person who gave it to you.
3.) Tell 10 things about yourself
4.) Award 15 other bloggers
5.)Contact the bloggers you awarded and let them know they won.

Now, to tell 10 things about myself.
1.) I am a mommy to 2 beautiful children, Cady who is 3 and Nate who is 7 months.

2.) I have been with my husband for 9 years and married for 6. I started dating him when I was 17 and in my senior year of high school and married him when I was 20!

3.) I am the oldest of 6 children. And even though we drive each other crazy I believe my siblings and I are super close!

4.) I battle Severe Depression and Anxiety every minute of every day.

5.) I am addicted to Social Networking...ok, you might have known that one already!! But really, I wake up in the morning and check Facebook and all throughout the day I check it and before I go to bed....I wasn't lying when I said Addicted!

6.) I was mugged in 2004 at 10:00 p.m. walking out of Meijer. To this day I am paranoid to be by myself and I don't like to go anywhere after dark alone. He has caused me to have extreme paranoia. The ironic thing was I only had $1.52 in my purse at the time and he was looking for money to buy Cocaine....I don't know about the prices to buy some of that but I'm pretty sure he wouldn't get much with $1.52.

7.) I love God with all my heart and I strive to be the best child to him that I can be but it is a struggle that I deal with every minute of my life.

8.) I feel that I grew up too fast and missed out on some of the things people my age do. Although, it was my choice to grow up this fast and I wouldn't change anything at all.

9.) I take on WAY to much responsibility for one person to handle. I just cant seem to say no...

10.) I am what I would call and EXTREME Procrastinator! I work well under pressure but it cant possibly be healthy!

Now, I get to award 15 other bloggers that I think would be deserving of this award.

1.) Kelli @ Random Thoughts of a Supermom
2.) Jen @ A Daily Dose of Davis
3.) Joy @ Editor Joy
4.) Faith @ Confessions of a Pregnant Giirl

5.)Michelle @ Everyday Elkins
6.) Gabe @ Gabe: The Virgin Queen
7.) Steph @ Get to "Gnome" Me!

8.)Jenny @ Gotta Run
9.) Mimi @ He & Me + 3

10.) Gia @ Keys to Lilac Court
11.) Marni @ Marni's Organized Mess
12.) Heidi @ Sacred and Profane

13.)Hillary @ The Sassy One
14.) Jen @ Tatertots and Jello
15.) And, Taking after Catrisha: This spot is reserved for YOU, because everyone deserves a little recognition and an award. So, feel free to post your blog URL in the comments, and everyone else please don't forget to check out the other nominees and their blogs. :)

Thanks Ladies!!

Ultimate Blg Party 2011

2011-04-01T22:16:00.000-04:00

Today is the start of the Ultimate Blog Party at 5 Minutes for Mom. This is my first year participating and I'm hoping to discover lots of new blogs to read!

So, for those new here: I’m Steph! Wife to Leif, Stay at Home Mom to Cadence and Nathan, Crafting business owner and certified procrastinator! I married my best friend 6 years ago, Cady is 3 going on 16 and Nathan is 6 months. I blog mostly about parenthood, marriage, my strange addiction to gnomes and my crafting business CadyMayDesigns!

(Be sure to check out my page because CadyMayDesigns is giving away a prize in the prize pool this year!!)

I take on way more than I can handle, I procrastinate like the best of them, I work better under pressure and I stress out about little things. I LOVE my life! My kids and husband are my world!

That's my life in a nut shell! I look forward to meeting fellow bloggers!

Wordless Wednesday: My Life.

2011-03-30T01:08:00.000-04:00

For more Wordless Wednesdays visit: 5 Minutes For Mom

FAIL.....

2011-03-28T01:08:00.000-04:00

So.....I feel like a Blogging Failure....Lately I haven't been able to think of anything to blog about....I can't even say that I haven't been busy enough to have things to blog about because that's a lie....I've had TONS of things to tell you guys about....I just can't seem to get on the ball and type. I've lost followers and that makes me sad.....

Please don't Un-follow me.....I promise I'm not THAT boring!

Wordless Wednesday: I smell Spring lingering in the air....

2011-03-23T00:39:00.000-04:00

For more Wordless Wednesdays visit: 5 Minutes For Mom

Wordless Wednesday: Hi Mom, I would really like your phone....

2011-03-08T23:16:00.000-05:00

For more Wordless Wednesdays visit: 5 Minutes For Mom

Need a Laugh??

2011-03-05T00:45:00.000-05:00

Hey Everyone! I Know Ive been MIA lately!! When I get more time I will sit down and let you in on whats been going on! For now I wanted to send you a link just in case you were in need of a laugh! Feel free to follow my new Blog!! Share it while you're at it!

Get to "Gnome" Me!

GUESS WHAT?!?!?!?

2011-01-28T00:58:00.000-05:00

I AM THE SUPER BLOGGER OF THE WEEK AT SUPERMOM'S BLOG FOR FRIEND FINDING FRIDAY!!!!! WHOOO-HOOO!!!! lol.... :-)

So, I realized that I am kinda sucking on the Project 31 challenge.....I'm super behind....Hopefully I will be able to catch up soon because its a really great challenge!

Since its about 1am and my alarm is gonna go off at 5am to get Miss Emma Paige I should cut this entry short.... I hope all of my new followers enjoy what they see and know that I'm not a total slacker....well.....

HAPPY FRIDAY!!!

Hop on over to Supermom's Blog and join her Linky!! While you are there Follow her....And follow ME! Have I mentioned that I am the Super-Blogger this week??

Have a Great Weekend!!

A few hours and a razor cutter....

2011-01-24T01:23:00.001-05:00

This morning I woke up with my hair looking similar to this picture but with a whole lot more bed head and messiness in it.....

Tonight I am going to bed with my hair looking like this....minus the flower that looks like it is sticking out of the top of my head....

Isn't it amazing what a few hours and a razor cutter can do!?!

Also, on a Bittersweet note: Mr. Nathan got his first hair cut today! I have never had to deal with that before because Cady has never gotten her hair cut! But I have to say, he looks like a new little man! More cute than ever!!

Before:

(Notice the crazy side wings he has going on, even though I LOVED his crazy hair!)

After:

(A more polished, put together look!) lol

Project 31- Day 2 and Day 3

2011-01-23T23:39:00.001-05:00

This is my catch up day since I started a day late! :-)

Day 2. What makes you uniquely you?

I am loud, I am opinionated, I am loving and there is no one else like me! I love to laugh. I am obsessed with social networking. I battle with anxiety and depression everyday. I love my family more than anything in the world.

Day 3. Who is someone you know who inspires beauty?

I can honestly say I can not put into words how much this little girl inspires beauty. I just love her so much and she just drips beauty inside and out!

Wanna join in? Head on over to She Breathes Deeply and check it out!

Project 31

2011-01-23T00:58:00.000-05:00

What is "Project 31"? It is a collection of thoughts, ideas, and women who potray beauty in a inspired way. "Project 31" is you celebrating your God given beauty, and celebrating the beautiful women around you.

Day One: What does beauty mean to you?

Beauty is in everything.

Beauty is my children and my family.

Beauty is hearing Cady say "I Love You".

Beauty is hearing Nathan laugh.

Beauty is everything that God has created around me.

Beauty is this:

Wanna join in? Head on over to She Breathes Deeply and check it out!

CadyMayDesigns is running a contest!!

2011-01-20T22:41:00.000-05:00

CadyMayDesigns is running a contest right now and I wanted to let you all in on it!

I'm running a New Contest for all of my Fans of my Facebook page!!!! It's SUPER easy to do! Head on over to Bee Mine Too Children's Consignment and "Like" her Facebook page. Come back to CadyMayDesigns Facebook page and comment on the status that talks about my contest that you liked her page. Everyone who likes her page AND comes back to tell me, will be entered into a drawing for 10% of your next order! Like I said, it's SUPER Easy!

Contest starts now and ends tomorrow at noon!

Oh yeah, If you are not currently my Fan on Facebook then you better head over there and "Like" my page first!!

On a different note: Today is Friend Finding Friday!

Hop on over to Supermom's Blog and join her Linky!! While you are there Follow her....And follow ME! Have a Great Weekend!!

Wordless Wednesday: Gnomy has a home...for now...

2011-01-12T01:02:00.000-05:00

For more Wordless Wednesdays visit: 5 Minutes For Mom

My name is Steph and Im......

2011-01-06T23:58:00.000-05:00

Hello, My name is Steph and I'm officially addicted to Crafting Blogs......lol

So, I have been browsing around some of my favorite Crafting Blogs lately and I realized, "Hey, I bet I can find other crafting blogs from theirs comments to get more ideas!" So, I creeped a little on their comments and found some other really great crafting blogs too! SUPER EXCITING!!

The problem with this is that I am getting SO many ideas for different crafts that I want to do around my house and I'm sort of in Idea-Overload now! I can't remember everything that I want to do because I am getting them all mixed up!

I was at the Goodwill store today with my mom and I was kind of like a crazy kid on their first trip to Chuckie Cheese! I saw so much potential in items that I never would have seen before and of course, what did I do.....I bought it......ALL OF IT!! lol So, now I have a pile of items that look like a pile of junk but I know has SO much potential! Now if only I can get all of my ideas and inspiration together to do something with this awesome pile of junk I brought home.....

On a different note: Today is Friend Finding Friday!

Hop on over to Supermom's Blog and join her Linky!! While you are there Follow her....And follow ME! I lost a follower this week and it makes me kinda sad!

Reflections..... A Photo Blog of 2010

2011-01-02T01:08:00.000-05:00

As I sit here in bed thinking about what to write tonight I can't help but think about what 2010 has brought to The Hightree family. We have had so many ups and downs that I can't believe it is finally over and we can start fresh in 2011!! Here is rundown of what the year has brought us!

*January brought us the exciting news that we would be adding to our family! Little did we know at the time that our little man would steal our hearts the minute he came into this world!

*February was filled with play dates and having fun! Im so thankful we were able to have these fun times to learn and play!

*March meant that the weather was getting warmer so we could venture outside to play! Our little girl grew so much everyday and I am so privileged to be able to witness it every minute of every day!

*April brought us Easter and Leif and my 5 year Wedding Anniversary! I was lucky to be able to speak at the Sunrise service at our church on Easter morning! It makes for a very early but rewarding morning!

*May allowed us to discover that we were expecting a baby brother for Cady! The name Nathan Wesley was chosen for our little growing guy!

*June was filled Kipker/Lesczcewski Wedding planning!! Only one month left until my little sister became a wife!

*July..... Could you have been any busier!?!?!? July was filled with baby showers, Our Annual Farhni Family Reunion in Wooster, OH and it ended with my sisters wedding! WHEW! Im tired just thinking about it all!

*August was a VERY VERY stressful month.....On top of being 4 weeks away from giving birth to our second child and in the midst of planning Cady's 3rd birthday, we had one of the lowest points of the year happen to us. Leif and my mom both came down with Pneumonia. My mom was able to control hers, she was in bed for a couple of weeks but came through well...until the shingles arrived...but that's a whole other store there! Leif was not as lucky! We spent 8 days in Kalamazoo while he was in the hospital. One collapsed lung and one surgery later, he was able to come home on Sept 1st! A Wonderful birthday present for Cady!

*September we were able to celebrate Cady turning 3, 19 days later Nathan entering the world and 5 days after that Leif turning 30!! What a month!

*October was so much fun! Our family adjusted well to becoming a group of 4!

*November was filled with first smiles and Holiday prep! Sharing wonderful moments with our family brought memories that will last a lifetime!

*December we had our first snowfall of the winter season, Santa visits, Family time and of course Christmas! It was so fun this year to watch the excitement in Cady's eyes as she tore open her gifts! She and Nathan made our Christmas complete this year!

Just looking back and reflecting makes me so thankful for what God has provided my family and I with the past year! I am SO Absolutely Blessed in my life and I can't wait to see what 2011 brings!

Wordless Wednesday: Meet Gnomy!

2010-12-28T23:57:00.000-05:00

For more Wordless Wednesdays visit: 5 Minutes For Mom

3 Months!

2010-12-20T23:18:00.000-05:00

Nathan is 3 months old today!

I can't believe how time has flown!

Christmas is in T-minus 5 days....I'm so excited to have Nathan to celebrate with us this year!

Wordless Wednesday: Merry Christmas 2010!

2010-12-15T01:29:00.000-05:00

For more Wordless Wednesdays visit: 5 Minutes For Mom

Wordless Wednesday: 2010 Hightree Family Photo Shoot!

2010-12-08T01:47:00.000-05:00

I'm thinking the second to last one is Christmas Card material!! Or.....maybe Ill make a collage of all of them!

For more Wordless Wednesdays visit: 5 Minutes For Mom

Wordless Wednesday: Maybe I'm getting too long for this momma.......?

2010-12-01T10:10:00.000-05:00

For more Wordless Wednesdays visit: 5 Minutes For Mom

Torn.....

2010-11-29T01:00:00.000-05:00

I've been thinking a lot about this situation and I'm officially torn.....I don't know what to do. Do I leave? Do I stay? Do I improve the situation on my own? Do I enlist in someones help to improve the situation? I just don't know....

So, I've been attending my church for over 6 years now. I Love it. I love the people that go there. I love the Pastor and his wife. And I love work that we do in our community. The problem I am struggling with is I think I need more. I'm feeling like I'm not getting enough out of my church experience every week. I feel like I have become one of those people that just goes to church on Sunday and forgets about it until the next week and I don't like it.

Here's a little background on my church: My church is a VERY small Methodist church in Three Rivers. The congregation averages between 20-30 people every Sunday. The average age of the congregants is 60+. Besides the exception of a 10 year old here and there I am the youngest person that attends my church regularly. From there the age gap jumps into the 40's and up. So, I'm pretty much the only one.... I am very involved in the running of my church. I sit on the Ad Board, Staff Pastor Parish Relations Committee, Leadership Development Committee, Worship Team, Chairperson of the Missions Committee, I'm a Certified Lay Speaker and I run the bulletins every week. I also help with the fundraisers held throughout the year and even put on a very successful Mom 2 Mom Sale this past May. Other than Adult Sunday School and Sunday Worship Service we don't hold any other programs. We don't have a Youth Group. We don't have a Children's Sunday School. Nothing.

I feel like I'm supposed to be getting more out of my church experience then just working behind the scenes with a bunch of people who don't necessarily agree with my ideas or some of the changes I would like to make. I want to be involved in worshiping with people my own age, whom I have something in common with. I want my kids to be able to come to church on Sunday when they are older and LOVE coming to church and learn something and build a relationship with God. But I don't know if I can do that here.

I don't know what to do.....I don't want to leave.....but I'm not sure if staying is going to be the best choice for me and my family.....I know leaving would hurt the congregation and I don't want to do that but is it the best thing for all of us? Is it fair to them for me to come every week and just go through the motions and not really get anything out of the sermon? Is it fair to them for me to not be a good example because I don't have anything helping me grow? Or am I just being selfish and thinking about myself too much?

I'm hoping this is something that God will help me get through and lead me in the right direction....I just hope its soon because I don't like feeling like this. I'm hungry and I need to be fed....am I being fed the right stuff right now or is there something more 'me' appropriate somewhere else..... Ugh...I don't know....I'll always take your opinions.... :-)

Until Next Time.....

8 Weeks Ago.....

2010-11-15T22:50:00.001-05:00

I looked like this....

And now I look like this!

I can't believe my little man is 8 weeks old today!

Time sure flies when you are having fun!

And I'm loving EVERY minute of it!

Life Happens....

2010-11-07T00:06:00.002-04:00

I know I have been missing from the blogging world lately....I honestly can't really think of much to blog about. I've been so busy yet I don't have much to say! *Sorry!* So I guess I will just give everyone an update!

I am 7 weeks into being a mommy of two! I LOVE it!! I feel as if Nate (or Monkey as my mom calls him) has been here forever! Everyday he amazes me with something new that he has learned to do! I do have to admit that he is growing WAY too fast for me! He apparently received a memo to grow like a weed but I must have missed it! He is now officially out of Newborn pants. They are about an inch and a half too short! And we have seemed to bypass most 0-3 months pjs and went straight to 3 months! I can't believe it! He is such a skinny little thing but is SO long! He brings so much joy into all of our lives!

Miss Cady is doing SO well as a big sister! She loves her 'Bubba' So much! She even gave him that nickname! LOL She started back into Gymnastics shortly before Nathan was born so that consumes every Friday Night. But other than that she is just the same little spitfire she always has been! I laugh a million times a day at the things she comes up with! She is so funny! Her latest thing is she wants to know when Friderday is. I asked her if she was talking about Friday or Saturday but she insists that she is talking about Friderday! So, I've been told that I need to find a calendar with that day on it so I can show her when it it .....hmm....either I'm going to make one or I'm going to have to explain to a 3 year old that there is no such day! :-) I can hear her now telling me that there really is a day called that and that I am wrong....Oh the joys of having a 3 year old little girl who thinks she is ALWAYS right! :-)

As for me...well, I am So proud of myself for adjusting so well to becoming a mommy of two! Technically during the day I am a mommy to three because my niece Miss Emma Paige spends the day with us while her mom and dad are at work, So I guess you can say I am already training myself to become a mommy of three someday! I am getting a little ahead of myself in saying three, but I figure if I'm doing so well with two why not add another one to the mix! LOL. I did recently start a new venture in my life though. I became an Avon Representative! I was getting a little bored in the evenings, I know, It's hard to believe a mom can get bored! And I love Avon products so I decided to go ahead and start selling it! So, on top of my mommy and wife duties I now have hairbow making duties (CadyMayDesigns) and Avon duties! Call me crazy, but I'm at a point in my life right now where I am so happy!

(Just a little plug: If you are looking for an Avon Representative check out my website! http://www.youravon.com/shightree You can order from anywhere in the US on my website and have it shipped directly to you!)

There really is no update on Leif...lol...he is just the same wonderful husband and daddy! His health is getting increasingly better! I am worried about his now because the weather is getting colder and once you get pneumonia your body is never really the same again, but so far so good! Pray for us throughout the cold Michigan weather that we can keep him healthy! He is working a lot, but I am great full everyday that he has a job to support us!

Oh yeah, one last thing, I'm starting to read the book Crazy Love by Francis Chan. Has anyone read this before? I'd like to know your thoughts on it. I'm not real sure when I will find time to read it, but it's a book I've been wanting to read for a while so I finally bought it tonight!

Well, I hear the baby calling me for a late night snack!

Until next time......

Wordless Wednesday: Sleepy Babies....

2010-10-20T08:52:00.000-04:00

For more Wordless Wednesdays visit: 5 Minutes For Mom

Wordless Wednesday: Impromtu Photo Shoot!

2010-10-13T00:03:00.000-04:00

For more Wordless Wednesdays visit: 5 Minutes For Mom

What I've learned in Three Weeks......

2010-10-12T23:58:00.000-04:00

It's been three weeks since the most handsome little man in the world has graced us with his presence! Here are some things that I have learned:

*All of the things I thought I had forgotten about taking care of a newborn immediately come back as soon as you see their little face!

*The fear that I had of becoming a mom of two was really silly! I'm actually LOVING it and I have to say, I think I'm pretty good at it!

*No matter how you tuck the little guy down under, he WILL figure out a way to pee out of the side or the top of his diaper at least once a day!

*Speaking of tucking, I have a lot to learn before I figure out the proper tucking technique! :-)

*Boys are opposite of little girls....lol....I know I already knew this, but really, having Nathan is a totally different experience than we had with Cady!

*Boys can get yeast infections.....who knew.......

*Everything you did with your first child does not always apply with the second! All babies are different, just because it worked with the first doesn't mean it will this time.

*Getting back on my medicine was the smartest thing I have done since he was born! A happy momma makes for a happy family! :-)

I think that's it for now.

Until next time!

I smell Apple Cider and Doughnuts!!

2010-10-11T23:11:00.001-04:00

This past Sunday Leif and I took the kids to Gull Meadow Farms to enjoy a family afternoon at the pumpkin patch! I LOVE fall weather (even though it was an insane 80 degrees in Michigan!) and all the activities associated with it and I secretly LOVE the pumpkin patch more than children do! :-) Lol But I also LOVE seeing Cady's face while we pick apples and look for the perfect pumpkin to color! (We haven't started carving yet....I'm not sure I can handle that with a 3 year old yet!) So, here are a few pictures from our wonderful family afternoon! I hope everyone else is enjoying Fall and what it has to bring!

Wordless Wednesday: Tell me more Daddy!

2010-10-06T10:12:00.000-04:00

For more Wordless Wednesdays visit: 5 Minutes For Mom

Do I really have two!?

2010-09-30T23:01:00.001-04:00

We have almost made it to the two week mark! The last week and a half have been some of the busiest days I have ever experienced! Appointments almost every day, a three year old who needs as much attention as possible and a newborn who needs even more! Lets not forget my poor hubby who has been working late hours only to come home to a wife who is tired and ready for bed! So, I wanted to let everyone in the blogging world know that I am still alive! Just SUPER busy enjoying my new life as a momma of 2! Here are some pictures of the last few days for your viewing pleasure!

Better late then never!!

2010-09-21T04:51:00.003-04:00

Drummroll please..........................................................................

Introducing: Nathan Wesley!

Born 9/20/10 @ 12:25 pm

Weighing in at 8lbs 6.6oz

22 inches long

I didn't want to have to do this........

2010-09-19T23:25:00.000-04:00

But since I don't have pictures of Nathan yet since he hasn't showed his face.....here is my 40 week picture.

In aprox. 35 minutes I will officially be overdue.....UGH!

46 minutes until my due date.....

2010-09-18T23:14:00.000-04:00

And I still have NO baby! :-) My first one was 8 days late and I only had her because I was induced......Is this baby going to be just as stubborn as his big sister???

Wordless Wednesday: Do these boots go well with my bathing suit???

2010-09-14T23:44:00.000-04:00

For more Wordless Wednesdays visit: 5 Minutes For Mom

39 Weeks.......

2010-09-12T16:22:00.000-04:00

39 Weeks......7 more days until D Day......Praying I don't go overdue.....getting jealous of all of my due date buddies who are having their babies early.....

(P.S. Yes, I am aware that I look like a giant pumpkin...... :-))

Single Digits!!

2010-09-10T00:22:00.000-04:00

We have entered into the Single Digit stage of Pregnancy now! We have 9 days left until my due date!! Pray for me that I don't go overdue like I did with Cady.....She made me wait 8 days later than I was supposed to see her face, I'm hoping that Nathan is nicer than she was......**fingers crossed**! I don't really have anything to say that I haven't already said about how I'm feeling at this point, I'm more uncomfortable than I have ever been and I'm having some problems with my legs that makes it VERY hard to walk and drive. So I'm pretty much begging Nathan to come yesterday!!

My sister came over last night and took some impromptu belly pics and I just thought I'd share some with you! Hope you have a Great Friday and a Wonderful Weekend!

Wordless Wednesday: It's finally cooling down to let Cady play outside!

2010-09-08T00:08:00.000-04:00

For more Wordless Wednesdays visit 5 Minutes For Mom

38 Weeks!

2010-09-05T23:15:00.000-04:00

~2 weeks left until my due date....

~Will I survive......sure I will! I was 8 days overdue with Cady....

~Do I want to wait 2 more weeks to meet my little guy.....NO!!! I think I deserve to have a baby at least 8 days early this time!

~Am I prepared for the baby to come anytime now......yes...with everything except for my hospital bag....I should probably pack that soon....

~Do I want to go into labor on Labor Day.......YES!!!!!!! That's why they call it Labor Day isn't it?? :-)

The waiting is the worst part.......

Thank You Very Much!

2010-09-01T22:49:00.002-04:00

*Thank You Very Much to Portage and Kalamazoo for not creating an easy way to get to the hospital....whichever way I went I ALWAYS hit traffic......after spending all day at the hospital the last thing I want to do is get stuck in traffic!

*Thank You Very Much to the creators of Hannah Montana and ICarly......I could have lived my life without knowing every word to every song on every episode....and BTW, why the heck does my 3 year old love you so much?!?!

*Thank You Very Much to my air conditioner for possibly taking a crap.....at least I think you have.....Hopefully I will be able to get it looked at tomorrow and they will tell me its just clogged up or something. I will seriously cry like a little baby if it died......this preggo momma cant handle it without you.....

If you would like some Good Old Fashioned FREE Therapy visit Kmama!

Wordless Wednesday: 3 years ago today, a precious little girl changed our lives!

2010-09-01T00:26:00.000-04:00

For more Wordless Wednesdays visit 5 Minutes For Mom

Testing......

2010-08-29T00:34:00.001-04:00

God is testing me. He is testing my faith in him and my ability to ask him for help when I need it. Leif is going on day 5 of his hospital stay. I am going on day 5 of taking care of him while he is not able, taking care of Cady as much as I can in between hospital visits and TRYING to remember to take care of myself and the baby I'm about to give birth to in the meantime. I am slowly learning that I can not be in multiple places at once no matter how much I want to be. I want to be with Leif in the hospital. I want to make sure he is ok and if he needs something I want to be the one to help him. I want to make sure he is sleeping through the night and when he wakes up I don't want him to be alone. I want to be next to him saying good morning and next to him saying good night. But, I also have a beautiful almost 3 year old who needs me.....and quite frankly I need her too! I want to do all the same things with her, say good night, say good morning, be there when she needs something and make sure she isn't feeling left out because Mommy is spending so much time away. I have to admit, Cady has been SOOO great throughout all of this craziness and I have to thank my mom immensely! If it weren't for her help I think I would have gone crazy by now! Cady doesn't quite understand what is going on, but she knows that her daddy is sick and needs to get better before he can come home. She doesn't understand why he is hooked up to all of the tubes and why he cant sit on the floor and play with her. But she does understand that something is wrong...... The other day I was exhausted and a bit stressed and I just broke down. The first time since all of this started.... I started crying and sobbing and just couldn't keep it in anymore. My little girl came to me and with her sad eyes she asked "Mommy, are you sad at me??" I lost it some more....then I realized that I needed to be strong for her. I told her I wasn't sad at her, I just missed Daddy and wanted him to come home. Then my big girl said, "Don't worry momma, Ill make you happy!" You cant help but smile at that! I have to remind myself that I need to be strong and that I need to just cry out for help. I can't do this all by myself. I can't handle it. And that, is how God is testing me. He is making sure that I know that I can ask him for help anytime and he will provide. He is helping me to become a better wife to Leif. He is helping me to become a better mommy to Cady and Nathan. And he is helping me to become a better child of God. And I am so thankful for everything and everyone that I have in my life!

I wished upon a shooting last night.......

2010-08-26T13:23:00.001-04:00

My hubby never gets sick.....if he does it is allergies or a small cold. So, with 3 1/2 weeks left until my due date we never thought we would be spending time in the hospital for any reason other than having a baby! It started around August 6th, he started not feeling well, was running a fever and just plain icky! He took Friday off of work (which he NEVER takes days off of work!) and he rested throughout the weekend and went back to work on Monday. Monday he was feeling a little better and Tuesday he was still tired but not too bad. Tuesday August 10th he realized that something wasn't right and FINALLY decided to go to the Dr's! I took him in on Wednesday morning and they checked him over and did some Xrays and found out that his right lung was filled with pneumonia so we were sent straight to the hospital. After arriving at the hospital he was looked over again and the hospital Dr. gave him a prescription, took him off of work for a week and sent us home. He took his meds like he was supposed to and rested at home for a week and at the end of the week he was feeling great so he returned to work on August 18. He worked for the remaining two days of the week and over the weekend even though he looked and felt 100 times better he was still having some troubles breathing. Being the stubborn man that he is, he didn't think he needed to go back to the Dr's since he felt good but I finally talked him into it on Tuesday the 24th because he was still having issues with his breathing when he was lifting things. So, we went back to the Dr's thinking that he just needed another round of meds to clean things up, they looked him over and took more Xrays of his chest to see if they had improved in the two weeks since he had been there last and much to our surprise his lungs were worse! Not only was his right lung almost all the way full but it had moved to his left lung too! So, you guessed it, off to the ER we were sent! Tuesday night my hubby was admitted to the hospital for severe pneumonia and a right lung that had collapsed......and that brings us to the present day, Thursday August 26th.....where we are currently on day 3 of him being in the hospital.

Last night as I was driving home I had the music low, Cady was in the back sleeping and the moon was shining bright straight ahead of me! It was so bright I probably could have driven without my lights on! Since it was pretty late, the high way was kinda empty so I had much of the road to myself and it was very peaceful. As I was driving I looked to my left and saw a shooting star falling through the darkness. I immediately made a wish. I wished that Leif would get better. I wished for strength to get through all of this. And even though I want this baby out now I wished that he would stay in until Leif is well enough to be at the hospital with me. When I got to the hospital this morning he was doing much better than yesterday and was given the news that he may be able to come home tomorrow! Lets hope my wishing and praying is working! And if you would like to send a prayer for us too, that would be greatly appreciated!

Am I the only one???

2010-08-23T23:00:00.001-04:00

Am I the only one ready to say goodbye to Summer and hello to Fall!?!? I was looking through some pictures from last year and I have noticed that we do so many fun things in Fall and of course as we all know I will be holding my new baby boy!! :-) But that's just a bonus! I'm in the mood to reminisce so Im gonna share some pictures from last year. I just know that this year is going to be twice as fun and filled with some many moments to create lasting memories!

I cant wait until the weather is cooler so that we can take Cady to the playground and not have a heat stroke just from being outside!

We went to the Air Zoo a few times last year! I hope we find another mommy group to go again this year. If not, we will just go on adventures by ourselves!

Since Cady's bday is September 1st, it feels like her special day jump starts the season!

Then there was the Children's Museum......

And Apple Picking.

And you can't forget the Pumpkin Patch!

I could go on and on about how much fun we had last year! I just get more excited everyday thinking that not only will we have fun again this year, but instead of being a family of 3 we will be a family of 4!!

I can't wait!

9 Months!

2010-08-22T17:05:00.000-04:00

36 Weeks!! 9 Months!

It seems like it has taken forever to hit this mark! One more week until we are considered full term! There are 28 days left until my due date.....I'm praying that he will be here before then! Since I went 8 days overdue with Cady I'm thinking that he should cut me some slack and come at least 8 days early! :-) What........that's not how this works???

Here is what my weekly email says about this week:

Your baby is still packing on the pounds — at the rate of about an ounce a day. He now weighs almost 6 pounds (like a crenshaw melon) and is more than 18 1/2 inches long. He's shedding most of the downy covering of hair that covered her body as well as the vernix caseosa, the waxy substance that covered and protected her skin during her nine-month amniotic bath. Your baby swallows both of these substances, along with other secretions, resulting in a blackish mixture, called meconium, will form the contents of her first bowel movement.

At the end of this week, your baby will be considered full-term. (Full-term is 37 to 42 weeks; babies born before 37 weeks are pre-term and those born after 42 are post-term.) Most likely he's in a head-down position. But if he isn't, your practitioner may suggest scheduling an "external cephalic version," which is a fancy way of saying she'll try to coax your baby into a head-down position by manipulating her from the outside of your belly.

Ok....so here is my opinion on what this email says: I'm convinced that my baby is MUCH larger than 6 lbs at this moment! I feel as if I'm carrying at least a 14lb baby, LOL! Seriously though, I have a feeling I will be having a larger baby (Cady was over 8lbs). Secondly, if Nathan doesn't come on his own (taking after his big sister) my midwife better NOT make me wait until 42 weeks to deliver!! I'm pretty sure the standard here is 41 weeks for induction unless there is a medical issue but seeing that 42 really scares me! Why on earth would someone want to go 2 weeks overdue!?!?! I'm pretty sure I would not survive that!

So, here is a short synopsis of how I am feeling at this moment:

*I'm swollen
*I can barely walk
*My leg keeps cramping up
*I can not bend over anymore
*Every time he moves it feels like someone is punching my bladder...Oh wait, someone is!
*I'm so exhausted that I have no motivation to do anything! (might I add that I'm trying to prepare for a three year old's bday next weekend.....)
*And lastly, I'm SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO ready to have this baby!!!!!

Until next time........ :-)

Wordless Wednesday:.....UGH.......Im SOOO ready!

2010-08-17T23:37:00.000-04:00

For more Wordless Wednesdays visit 5 Minutes For Mom

Thank You Very Much!

2010-08-12T11:19:00.000-04:00

Wordless Wednesday: There really are no words to describe this......

2010-08-11T18:50:00.000-04:00

(If you cant tell what this is.....Its the longest Rat Tail Ive ever seen!! 1984 called, they want their hair back!!)

For more Wordless Wednesdays visit 5 Minutes For Mom

Im on the verge.....

2010-08-09T21:42:00.000-04:00

Of a nervous breakdown......Seriously, please tell me that I am not the only one who is experiencing or has experienced the worst case of terrible twos/almost threes in the world!!!???!?!?! This is just cruel and unusual punishment, especially for a preggo momma! Don't get me wrong, I absolutely with all my heart love my daughter and would do anything in the world for her but I find myself getting really really mad and almost resenting her at times and that kills me. (side note: I do suffer from Depression and Anxiety Disorder if you haven't read through my blog) I don't want to be mad at her, I don't want to punish her, I don't want to yell at her but nothing seems to be helping! I just want her to listen to me and be that sweet little girl that I know she can be! I have basically tried everything I can think of and she just continues to not listen and have these HORRIBLE tantrums and fits anywhere and everywhere! Currently I am the mom with the screaming child that you can hear on the other side of the store! Which is why I have been MIA at the store lately! I have been having small anxiety attacks lately and I know they are due to her behavior and the stress that it is causing me. I just cry and cry and cry....I cant even control that anymore......I'm honestly starting to question my ability to raise two children. What have I gotten myself into? Why would I think I can handle this? When will she calm down? How soon can I start my meds after the baby is born..... :-) lol (I know those will help out tremendously!)

I'm just gonna ask that you all say a little prayer for me that I survive this. Hopefully once I have the baby and my hormones aren't all whacked out and I can start my meds again I will be able to handle her a little better...... if not I'm sure you will hear me cry about it some more...That's what a blog is for isn't it?? :-) Maybe I will get lucky and she will grow out of it by the time she is three, even though everyone I have talked to has said that three is worse then two....if that's the case then I'm doomed!

Until later.......6 weeks until my due date, hopefully Nathan arrives sooner!

I finally jumped on the Alligator Clip Bandwagon!

2010-08-09T01:06:00.000-04:00

If you have read my blog you might have noticed that I have an online business making All things Girly and some boy items called CadyMayDesigns! Well, Ive been trying to think of some different things to branch out and maybe get more business and have had a couple of new ideas but nothing super cool!

So, knowing that clippies generally sell pretty well and are fairly easy to make, I finally jumped on the band wagon and started doing Lined Alligator Clips.

What do you think??

(BTW, I didn't realize that these were so complicated at first! After I got the hang of it they became
really easy but in the beginning they were a little hard to keep everything in line!)

Friday Follow!

2010-08-06T10:00:00.000-04:00

Its Friday Follow! Ive been working long and hard to build a solid group of followers so maybe this will help! I hope everyone is having a great Friday already and a great weekend to come! Thanks to all of my new followers within the last few days! You are making my goal of 100 followers easier than I thought! Hopefully I don't bore you! I will try my hardest I promise! :-)

Thank You Very Much!

2010-08-04T23:15:00.000-04:00

It's Free Therapy Day!! That's right, it's Thursday, which means it's the Thank You Very Much day. The way it works is that you take out all your frustrations on people/things that peeved you off during the week and thank them in a very sarcastic way, for being who or what they are/doing what they did.

1) Thank you VERY much to whatever has been passed around to everyone in my family that makes me cough like a smoker! My washing machine has been in overdrive lately because I'm coughing so hard that I pee my pants....multiple times a day....SO NOT COOL!

2) Thank You Very Much to my favorite almost 3 year old.....I SERIOUSLY love you with all my heart but I don't know how much more of this tantrum stage that I can take! I get it, you are having some terrible two issues....but really....Momma needs a break from the screaming for unknown reasons EVERYDAY!!

3) Thank You VERY Much to the State of Indiana for finally paying me the back unemployment they have owed me since June....SERIOUSLY, THANK YOU!!!!!!!!

4) Thank You Very Much to my niece Emma for going through this SUPER clingy stage lately....I understand that you are only 9 months old and still need attention but darling, you are almost 20lbs and Aunt Mae Mae is SUPER pregnant at this time so it makes it really hard to hold you constantly throughout the day.....

5) Oh yeah, Again with Emma, I really really do Love you. But when I need to put you down because my arm is falling asleep or I need to go to the bathroom or clean or something....PLEASE don't scream so loud that people outside think I am killing you.....Please......

If you would like some Good Old Fashioned FREE Therapy visit Kmama!

Wordless Wednesday: Natural Beauty.

2010-08-04T09:04:00.001-04:00

For more Wordless Wednesdays visit 5 Minutes For Mom

8 months! Did you hear that......Only 8 more weeks!!!

2010-07-28T21:59:00.000-04:00

Wordless Wednesday: Mommy, can I PLEASE get this doggie!?!?!?!?!

2010-07-28T10:32:00.001-04:00

Yeah.....she got it..... :-)

For more Wordless Wednesdays visit 5 Minutes For Mom

Thank You Very Much! Ohio Edition!

2010-07-22T11:01:00.000-04:00

*Thank You VERY much to the toilets at Christmas Run Park in Wooster, OH. Not only did you freeze my buns once but since I'm almost 8 months preggo you froze them TWICE! I held it after that because I wasn't going to let you win a third time! Seriously?? Who makes STEEL toilets?!?!?

*Thank You Very Much to Wooster, OH for reminding me that I really do LOVE where I live! I think I can only handle the 5 1/2 hour drive once a year!

*And Last by not Least, Thank You to the Toledo Zoo for not posting anything on your website warning visitors that half of your exhibits are currently under construction so the animals aren't available to see! I don't know how many empty spots we walked by but it was really really annoying!!

If you would like some Good Old Fashioned FREE Therapy visit Kmama!

Wordless Wednesday: WORST TOILET EVER!!!!!!!!!!!! Fffffrrreeeezzzziiiinnnngggg!!!

2010-07-21T10:43:00.000-04:00

For more Wordless Wednesdays visit 5 Minutes For Mom

Wordless Wednesday: Can we say 'About to POP'!!! Only I still have 10 weeks to go!

2010-07-14T00:14:00.001-04:00

For more Wordless Wednesdays visit 5 Minutes For Mom

July....you sure have crept up on me!

2010-07-13T21:48:00.001-04:00

So, its July 13th....I SWEAR I just looked at the calendar and it was still June! Where is the time going!?!?! IF you saw my Wordless Wed post a couple weeks back you saw my calendar for this month and things have only been adding up! So a little update on whats been going on in the Hightree Home.....

So the first weekend of July was kinda slow, which was nice! My sister and I painted our bathroom and we took Cady to see fireworks (which she slept through!!) but other than that we just stayed home and relaxed! It really is the one and only weekend this month where we didnt really have much to do!

The second weekend of July presented to be an interesting one! So, I haven't really mentioned it before, but I am an Ordained Minister.....I know, its kinda random, but one night I was sitting online and got bored and decided I would look up what it took to become an ordained minister to perform weddings! I didn't really have any intentions of officiating weddings but thought it would kinda of be interesting to bring up in a conversation....lol. I warned you that it was kinda random! Well, Last weekend I performed my first wedding!! Long story short a friend of mine on Facebook was having trouble finding a minister and I just jokingly commented that I could legally do it and she asked me to! So, Friday was filled with the rehearsal and Saturday was all wedding! One can only imagine what people were thinking when they saw an almost 8 month pregnant lady walking up to the wedding saying they were the minister! But trust me I'm TOTALLY legal! I have to say it was a very memorable wedding! Not only was it my first, but it poured down rain when the wedding was supposed to start for almost 20 minutes! Did I mention that the wedding was an outdoor one by the water?? Oh yeah, did I also mention that it ONLY rained where the wedding was being held! God was truly there watching over everyone and showing that he is always in control no matter what! I had such a great time doing this wedding....who knows, maybe it will become a side job!

Here is a pic from the wedding...Can you see me??? I promise thats really me!

After all of the excitment of the wedding on Friday and Saturday my mom threw me a "Baby Sprinkle" to welcome Nathan! I am so blessed to have the amount of support that I have! More people came than I ever thought (she held it at my house and it was standing room by the end!) and Nathan was blessed with so many great items! It was fun talking with everyone and seeing Cady really get into opening her baby brothers presents! She wanted to pose for the camera, but she didnt want to smile! What a funny girl!

Well, this post is slowly becoming a mile long and I dont want to bore you too much! But dont be sad...this week I will be getting ready for our 4 day trip to Ohio (over 5 hours with a pregnant mama and a 2 year old!) and next week is my birthday and my sisters "Girls Day before her Wedding" so I will have PLENTY to blog about....UGH! Im feeling exhausted just thinking about it!

Until then......

Thank You Very Much!

2010-07-08T10:20:00.000-04:00

**Thank you very much to Mother Nature for making it so hot and humid so Cady wants to go swimming and then leaving me with a daily reminder of lobster like skin!! OUCH!

**Thank you very much to my wonderful unborn son who is keeping me up all night practicing for the baby Olympics!

**Thank you very much to my legs for continuously growing hair, I'm convinced at a faster than normal rate, when they know that I cant bend down to shave them anymore!!!

**Thank you very much to whoever made the Barbie movie that Cady has watched over a dozen times and she hasnt even had it a week yet! I know all the words to the songs already and they get stuck in my head....So really.....thank you.....

If you would like some Good Old Fashioned FREE Therapy visit Kmama!

Wordless Wednesday: Macaulay Culkin called....he wants his look back!

2010-07-07T10:24:00.000-04:00

For more Wordless Wednesdays visit 5 Minutes For Mom

Wordless Wednesday: Its not even July yet and our calendar is filling up!!

2010-06-30T17:14:00.000-04:00

For more Wordless Wednesdays visit 5 Minutes For Mom

Flippies!! Oh no....Cady's vocab is rubbing off on me....

2010-06-29T12:39:00.000-04:00

I participated in the Second Annual Bloggy Flip Flop Exchange @ The Texas Darlings and received a package from Jen @ Moments in Time yesterday!

In the package I got a great new pair of brown beaded flip flops, a recipe for their families favorite Pecan Pie and a bag of Pecan halves to make the pie! Hmmm.....I guess this means Im going to have to brave the kitchen that I have been avoiding since my fire incident last week.....

SOOO CUTE!!

Please PLEASE please ignore my super swollen preggo feet and my lack of a pedicure! I will be taking care of the pedicure in a few weeks, however, I think the swelling wont go away until Sept....So, until then, I will have an AWESOME new pair of flippies staring at me and laughing because I can not fit my giant feet in them! But, at least I have something to look forward to next summer! A brand new pair of flip flops curtesy of Jen!

Thank you for Becca letting me be a part of this!

Can I get a WHOO-HOO!!!

2010-06-28T23:40:00.000-04:00

The best thing I can say to describe this picture is:

3rd Trimester!!!!! WHOO-HOO!!!!!

We have FINALLY hit the homestretch in our journey to becoming a family of 4! I can honestly say that it feels like I have been pregnant FOREVER! One of the best things that I have to look forward to now is that I have less than 12 weeks to go until I get to cuddle my baby boy instead of feeling him ninja kick all over the place inside me!

I normally just update you with a picture and maybe just a small milestone or something but this time I'm gonna let you know how I'm REALLY feeling!

*If you haven't noticed, I'm a big as a house....

*I'm running out of clothes to wear.....I've tried to convince myself that they are shrinking but in reality....I am growing!

*I'm to the point where I can't really shave my legs very well, You can't say I didn't warn you....

* I'm bloated.

*My feet are swelling.

*I've developed a bout of insomnia.

*I spend more time in the bathroom then any other room in the house.

*I'm starving all the time.

*And I'm pretty sure that Nathan is awake and kicking me 23 of the 24 hours in a day!

So, there ya have it....The joys of being pregnant!

:-)

Thank You Very Much!

2010-06-24T10:53:00.000-04:00

~Thank You Very Much to Mother Nature for ~~punishing~~ blessing us with all of the storms and rain that we have had in the last week....I really enjoy being up until after 1:00 am watching the news to see if we are still under a Tornado Warning or not.

~Thank You Very Much Cady for being awake from 1:00am-3:00am the other day for what apparently was no reason at all. If you are going to be awake, I guess....thats fine, just please kick your dad instead of kicking me in the stomach all night, Baby brother Nathan and myself would greatly appreciate it!

~Thank You Very Much to God....No SERIOUSLY, THANK YOU for watching over us and keeping us safe as I was in the process of setting my kitchen on fire Tuesday night...

~Thank You Very Much to my oven for then burning my finger while cooking on Wednesday night....Im taking this as a sign to stop cooking!

For more TYVM check out Kmama and then try it yourself!

Wordless Wednesday: After 4 LONG years with only a shower.....We LOVE our new bathtub!!

2010-06-23T10:34:00.001-04:00

For more Wordless Wednesdays visit 5 Minutes For Mom.

We all LOVE Clearance!

2010-06-20T22:14:00.000-04:00

A little plug from CadyMayDesigns!

We are having our first:

I have too much inventory and I need to sell some items so I have marked down over 20 items! Come to CadyMayDesigns and check out our new Clearance Photo Album! If you are interested in any items and are a Facebook member comment the picture with "SOLD" and I will contact you for further instructions. If you are not a Facebook member but are interested in something feel free to email me at cadymaydesigns@gmail.com.

Remember, even if you dont have little ones these make GREAT gifts too!

Thanks!

Thank You Very Much!

2010-06-17T09:48:00.002-04:00

Here's my first attempt at Free Therapy! :-) Besides my Blog anyways!

*Thank You Very Much to my precious daughter who is going through some SEVERE terrible twos at this time for screaming at the top of her lungs for no reason at all.....multiple times this week!

*Thank You Very Much to my hubbys work for choosing Fathers Day Weekend to have him start working 7 days straight for the next few weeks! Overtime is wonderful but not when there is so much that we forget what each other looks like!

*Thank You Very Much to Emma (my neice that I babysit) who has become VERY clingy this week and wants to be held ONLY when Im doing something! When it comes time to put her to sleep and cuddle with her all I get in return is a head butt!

*Thank You Very Much to my bathroom ceiling for STILL leaking even though we have 'fixed' it many times! And to add to this, Thank You Very Much to Mother Nature for continuing with this random raining we keep getting! We get it, we needed rain for a while but lets give it a rest for a little bit!!

*And last but not this week, Thank You Very Much for all the creepers and carnies that I have already seen around town and the Water Festival doesnt even start until tomorrow!!

To join in on our FREE Therapy visit Kmama!

Wordless Wednesday: Can I have a cookie?? PIPPY PEASE!!!!!!

2010-06-16T09:52:00.001-04:00

For more Wordless Wednesdays visit 5 Minutes For Mom and He & Me + 3.

Sneak Peek!

2010-06-15T23:35:00.000-04:00

Thanks to Mimi @ He & Me + 3 for letting us know about a Flip Flop Exchange going on here I decided to join in the fun and press my luck at exchanging a pair of flip flops! If you know me in real life you know that if Im not bare foot in the summer then I am wearing flip flops, this only seemed like a natural thing for me to join in on! I was a little nervous at first because I tried a book exchange before where we were supposed to send one book and get up to 30 back from various participants and it failed miserably! Some little child is now enjoying one of Cady's book while Cady did not recieve a SINGLE one! I just keep telling myself that maybe the book I sent her is helping her to learn to read or learn to love books and reading....something anyways! :-)

So, back to the Flip Flop exchange.....I got my email on Sunday with the name and address of the person I am to send flip flops too and their size so I ventured out to get some! Me being the crafty person that I am decieded on a pair of plain brown ones so that I could decorate and jazz them up a bit myself and add a personal...or CadyMayDesigns touch if you will! Lol

SO, I wanted to share with you my finished product! I hope that she will enjoy them just as much as I enjoyed making them! I had some different ideas in my head when I started but after having a 2 year help out this is what we came up with! My package will soon be going out (have to get it out by Sunday!) And HOPEFULLY I will be recieving a package of my own within the next week or so! If not then I guess the joke is on me and someone in Texas will have a custom made pair of Flip Flops for the summer!