My new years resolutions.

To quit smoking, and lose weight....  What?  that's everyone else's every year! HAHA. Jk...

So through out the Holidays I always begin to think about things I would like for the up coming new year. I think the beginning of the year is a perfect time to think about " new beginnings" and " goals" you would like to have. I think that it's important that we always push ourselves to achieve greater. Through out our entire life. Getting stuck in a rut, or a place where change is not accepted is bad. Very bad. We have to be mold-able, we have to have goals, and inspiration for our lives.

So, that's just what I've done. I don't say vague things like " I'm going to start running" or " I wanna start reading more" I set small goals, and climb from there so it's not easy to fail, or just forget about. Achievable.
Some of them are extremely petty, and some are challenging things that I will have to work hard on and make an effort to achieve!

-- I first off would like to take more time for myself. Alone.  I would like to have 2 hours a week to myself. Without anyone else, and not working. I get out of the house often, but it's usually just to work and back. But since i'm getting anatomically less " in demand" I will be able to have some more free range to do things on my own. So whether I take 2 hours all at one time, or 30 mins here and there, I feel like I need this time to myself to stay sane!

-- I would like to pick my exercise program back up. Since I'm still nursing, I'm probably too thin. I haven't been doing much working out, I don't want to get any thinner. It makes it very hard to nurse when you have no fat on your body. So therefore I have been eating whatever I want ,with no exercise. This will come to an end in April. So slowly once or twice a week, I'm going to get in the habit of working out again. I love working out, again it kind of goes along with that " alone time",   " healthy mental state" type of thing. So I'll be happy to work on this one. Especially when it's warming back up and I can go outside. It's my favorite.

-- I would like to set goals  as a family. ( Finance, vacation, children etc.....)
-- Also, I'd like to set goals as a spouse. We have already kind of done this. And we like it. We set out about 7 challanges or things we do a month together, and we LOVE it. with the holidays and new schedules and everything we didn't get to continue it. So we're going to implement these back in to our relationship.

-- I want to send out birthday cards every month to the people that I know having a birthday in that month. They may be simple. But I want to atleast send it out to say " I'm thinking of you on your birthday!" I realized this month with Christmas cards how exciting it was to get mail that wasn't bills. I want to share that excitement with other friends and family! So I want to make that a goal of mine for the year. It will take a little pre planning and dedication on my part, but I can do it!!

-- I'd like to focus more on my business. The last 10 months or so I have not.  I would say the last few weeks of my pregnancy I slacked, and staying home with Anisten until about now, I have slacked. So I want to put more time, organization, marketing, etc in to my business. I think I will benefit from this greatly!

-- Education. I would like to learn new things. I want to try and take atleast 2 new classes this year. I know it doesn't sound like much. But compared to the amount that I've taken in the last year, it's more! Whether it's professional ( like color or cutting classes) or personal ( like cooking or running ) I want to do this just to learn something new! I want to ALWAYS learn.

-- I want to develop my new interests in hobbies. I am becoming very interested in cake baking ( really decorating) So maybe I can TAKE a CLASS for this! :-) Hopefully with in the next few weeks I can get the stuff and start working on this!

-- Take more pictures. I have decided that you can't take enough pictures! -- that moment will never ever come back. So why not have a picture of it?

-- Work on decorating my home, little at a time. I've been a little hard on myself for not doing this. But I havee to sit back and realize that this is my first " home " and I'm a home owner. Most of the people that are my age are in the same situation, or havent' even purchased their own home yet. So I am going to take it one room at a time and have fun with it.

-- Be nice to the dogs. By all means I don't abuse them or anything! But I have to remember that before the baby was here, they were the center of our attention! So even though I get mad at them for making a ton of noise or barking when the baby is napping, Or bringing mud in the house, or throwing up the sponge mop they ate, that they are still part of our family. I love them, and would be very sad if anything happened to them. So I just want to work on my attitude towards them.

-- I have alot of expectations from myself. I want to learn to not be so hard on myself  and learn that it's ok if I don't have a perfect spotless house with an 8 month old ALL THE TIME. Or it's ok if I didn't cook tonight, or that sometimes things just happen. So I'd like to start learning to be a little lighter on myself. I think once I have more time for me, I will learn these things.

-- Blog more. I've already started to, and have noticed a difference. Just putting my thoughts in front of my eyes helps me to disect them and realize " whatever " it is I need to realize.

-- Print out a list of my goals and hang them where I can see them.

-- So this is my GOAL OF GOALS...... Have Anisten's scrapbook done for her 1 year old birthday party!  I can do it!!!

Blogging more = Emotional freedom?

I have been on the verge of a mental explosion! No, I'm not crazy, nor do I need to be admitted..... But I a just such a deep thinker, and I see past the masks that people wear. I take everything in, and I assess it.... I can size up a person with in 2 minutes of speaking to them what kind of person they are. I defintely don't give everyone the benefit of the doubt, but I also don't waste my time on unnecessary people( or things) that will take away from the ones and things I truly love. I love hard. I'm straight forward. I have definitely  learned through time to keep my mouth shut and keep my battles. But I have no problem addressing things. I was raised a little conservative. " Don't say anything to offend them"  " Dont hurt their feelings" and sure, I need to be considerate of feelings of other people, but I don't feel like its fair to walk around all HUFFY and expect the other person to know why I'm mad. Or make them feel bad b/c they have made me mad even if I haven't told them why. I'm working on this balance of " speaking up and saying how you feel" and " just running your mouth everytime you are upset etc"

So, I am completely burnt out on facebook. The whole thing wears me out now. I am so sick of people complaing about everything. BLOG IT if you need to release! -- So that's where I am now. I am done doing the whole " well on face book you said " and " I saw on facebook" stuff... So if you want to know something about me, you can now find it here, or simply pick up the phone to call and find out how I am and how things are.
I will be updating lots. Hopefully daily, or several times a day.  I am trying to get my feelings out. I am a " Jounal-er" and I love to write out my feelings, but I have not taken the time to do it in a while, and I'm really feeling the effects of it now. Like I said, I am feeling the emotional over load of LIFE. I'm not stressed, or a freak or anything I just need some where that I can put down my feelings with out the response.

So that being said, if you plan on judging me or using my blog to talk about me then please click the X at the top of the screen. If you are reading this, that means that I have trusted you enough to invite you to share my thoughts. If I say something to offend you, tell me and don't hold it against me. I will try to keep those blogs " private" so that you won't have to read them. But if it's offensive, then again click the X and that will take care of your problems.

I used to just use this blog as an " update on baby" type thing. I still fully intend to do that. And if I need to I will make a seperate one for her. But since she is a big part of my life, I don't feel like I should have to. I just need this space to have the more personal intimate place to share my feelings. ( With out the judgment of others)

Right now I'm making a BIG blog of the highlights of my wonderful 2009 year! I will also be working on my new years ( life)  resolutions! I'm so excited about this, there is always room for change! I will accept it fully and take the challange!

Growing up.

When did I grow up?
What's the appropriate age to grow up from child hood to adulthood...
What's the healthy transition and preperation for the adult life?

I wonder about these things. Like, one day i'm young and careless, and the next I'm a home owner, wife, mommy, business owner...... What qualifies me as grown up and when did it happen?

Did it happen when I started driving? Was I an adult then? Or when I graduated? Or when I began paying for my own things like gas, cell phone, food, clothes? Was it the first time I bought my own car?  My  first full time job? Wedding? The day I became a mother? When did it happen, and how was I so prepared for this life as an adult?

I remember being a kid and the simplicity of it. I had a normal childhood. I was the kid in the trees, riding go carts, had a horse, played until the sun went down. I had 2 parents my whole life. I had wonderful influences of how a " lady " should act. I feel like I was raised to make good decisions and to reap what I sew. I was given responsibility at a very young age, which is hard, but I can survive if I need to.

Responsibility is another thing I think about. I think it's essential to a persons growth as an adult.
If we don't teach our kids ( a healthy balanced dose of) responsibility at  a young age, how can we expect them to know it as an adult.

By expecting them to do things for them selves we are saying " I believe you can do this " So not only are you giving them the confidence to do the skill, but they are gratified by doing it and pleasing you.

I am starting with Anisten NOW in being responsible. I know. YOu think, she's 8 months old, why would you expect her to do anything. DRILL SARGENT ALERT?!? No no, but I am teaching her things like, before we leave this rooom we're going to clean up your toys up. So we gather them all up and put them in the basket. We even have a song.
I also started at a young age letting her (finger) feed herself. Of course I still nursed her, and fed her the main part of her food, but I gave her the oppertunity to do it for herself, and she is filled with gratification ( as are we as parents) when she does it herself and mommy and daddy get so excited!! Instead of wafting her hand away when she grabs the spoon from me and tries to feed herself with the spoon, I give her her own spoon so she can help me.  I was told by a pediatric physical therapist that she was SUPER young to be doing certain things with her hands and motor skills and I explained to her that i've let her do these things and she says that's very wise on my part. Now, I have an 8 month old that is trying to walk b/c i'm allowing her to do things for herself and learn them.

It's not always easy to sit back and watch her grow up. In this I have to see her fall several times before she learns that she can't climb on something or to learn her balance. I'm there to help her, and comfort her when she needs me, but I am letting her grow. I feel like if I'm not, then I will fail at being a parent. Being a parent is nurturing, protecting. But it's also to teach and set bounderies. I don't want her to grow up and be angry with me b/c I didn't teach her or expect certain things from her, or equipt her for adulthood.

I dont know as a kid, but as a parent it's hard to let you baby grow up. But there is no stopping it. So instead of wasting time trying, I want to constantly be proactive in making sure that she is healthy and well rounded. Emotionally, Physically, mentally, spiritually, and socially. I want to get her ready to take on anything in the world, b/c I know and have the faith that she can do it!!!

So these are just some things on my mind. I don't know if they go hand in hand or not. But I was just wondering at what point does one grow up? And at what point will my child grow up and will she be ready. I will NEVER be ready for her to grow up---- But it's only fair to make sure she is. Right?

Christmas Day with my family

Of course we woke up to a wonderful white Christmas! The only down side to that was, I was afraid I might have to spend Christmas Day alone since Scott was working. We had our families to visit, and I had planned to go to mine and when he was off we would go to his Aunt's house afterwards. Well with the snow, I was a little hesitant to go anywhere. I must say that I am very proud of the dodge. She got me there very safely. It took me about 40 minutes to get to Leonard. But we made it safely!!

As soon as we got there, we felt the excitement of Christmas day. Being there with my little cousins and the baby, everyone was just so excited!
Anisten's parent was almost immediately putting together toys ( tickle me elmo) when we walked in the door. And he also found all the little nut cracker singing toys ( really like 5 of them) and sat them down in front of her and they all played and sang together. Over. And over.

Uncle Wayne was smoking the ham and frying the turkey ( which both came out soooooo yummy!) and Blaise was buzzing to open gifts! .... So we let him and A open a few before we all exchanged gifts.

Her co coa got her a See and Say like I had when I was a little girl! And she LOVES it!!!!

 Had to take a break to eat!! 

 

We had some delicious food!!! Baked mac and cheese, candied yams, green bean casserole, GUMBO, turkey, ham, rolls, oyster dressing.  This is my families version of a LIGHT meal. And I LOVE IT!!! It was great! The baby had her own food. Some sweet potatoes and pears. A little bread and ham. Later she had a banana for a snack. So needless to say she didn't go with out! Well maybe with out a nap. But considering that she didn't get one all day she did amazing.

So we went ahead later and exchanged gifts.

Her rocking/rolling horse from her Nanny and Parent'

 she decidedd that she would like to just open gifts from her HORSEY. ( with her OSU beanie on hehe)

 

We had such a great day. Even though we were " snowed in" and didn't make it to our other family Christmas, we had a great time. I don't know how long it's been since I've went to my family's house and just spent the day out there.

Anisten was WAYYYYY tuckered out! We put her in her pj's before coming home so that she could just go straight to bed! And that she did!

I'm a little sad for Christmas to be over. Yesterday as I was cleaning up, I didn't want to pick up the stockings, or any decorations. I guess you know it was such a great thing when you don't want it to end! But none the less we have plenty more to look forward too. And I have a feeling it's only going to get better!

Christmas Eve with the Campbells.

I decided that I would love to make a tradition to have Christmas Eve dinner with my in-laws. This year I decided that I'd try my hand at cooking and we could do the Christmas celebration at our house!

I woke up early with the baby that morning, and began immediately in the kitchen. 7 am I was whipping up some cheesecakes. We had one that was with cherries, and and oreo cheese cake too.... I made oreo balls, salsa ( Which I was just making for my self, but we ended up having it as an " appetizer" ), I began to work on the ham, and got it in the oven around 11 to cook through out the day. My house smelled divine as it cooked though out the day! I also made some candied yams to serve with our ham. Jan brought some broccoli and cheese casserole to make it just perfect! I literally spent my entire day in the kitchen! I love it though. I had a wonderful time cooking and learning new things. My mother is my SAVING grace when it comes to cooking! If she would just make me up a recipe book, i'd buy it!! Thank you mom for all of your help. Really.

We enjoyed our meal, as the snow fell harder and harder creating that Christmas feel.  Which my puppy loves!

We finished our meal and had champagne and dessert and just relaxed before the gift chaos began!

Playing with her uncle Stevo

 Anisten and Sara

 Anisten and Grandma, she would love to have that phone!

 Anisten with her Grandad! Being the wiggle worm that she is!

Mommy and Anisten!

And the the gifts begin!

We had a great time! We all got so much! The baby got some great things. Her grandpa got her a great standing playing station that has lots o things that can be done. And a blow up horsey ( for when she's a bit older). Grandma got her some osu onsies, a toy to help her learrn tto walk, some other great little things! , Stephen got her an eskimo joe shirt of course! She had a great time opening them! and Dad even had to put together one of them right away b/c she wanted it!

I got my KINDLE! I'm so excited, I was led to believe that they weren't even shipping until Febuary b/c they were on back order. I also got the perfume I wanted Chanel Chance, and another beautiful willow tree figure. Sara hooked me up with a great pair of candy read heels! Scott surprised me with my net book ( mini lap top) that I'm using now. I was beyond SHOCKED when I realized he had gotten me this.... I am more than grateful for everything that I've recieved. I'm so blessed! Thank you everyone!

Scotty got some great things too. A few clothes, some money, of course gift card from starbucks! And some money!

Well thank you again for everyone's help! It was a lot of fun. Even if I do get stressed out when things are running behind, and people forget to bring something, it's still all so worth it and it's all about the memories we're creating! I'm looking forward to lots more get togethers!!

Santa came to visit!!!!!

 Lots of goodies in our stockings!!

 Santa came to visit!!

 Anisten is going to check out all the goods! ...... She's making sure she doesn't get told NO like she has every other time she's gone this direction!

pulling all the toys out of her stocking. Good thing she's in to this " digging " thing. This was right up her alley!

" OH mom! Are all of these for me???"

 

 " Thank you Mommy for the RIBBON!!!!" 

 This is baby heaven! Stacking rings, blocks, stacking cups.. oh my!

 Some jammies and of course LSU gear from Aunt Tonya and Uncle Mark!!

Anisten got Daddy some mountain dew jammies! And suki is just loving that bow around her neck!

 Really they are loving this snow!! .... Dont worry they got gifts too some HUGE bones with meat on them...

We had a wonderful Christmas, as expected! It's so much more exciting when you have a small one. I am actually a little sad that it's over. Christmas morning she woke up about 8am and we fed her and then opened gifts! Then after she was all tuckered out, she went back to sleep and Dad and I made some ( left over) ham, eggs and grits with coffee for breakfast and enjoyed the morning off together. He had to work that afternoon. I'm very thankful he was able to spend that special morning with us!

As you can see, she got LOTS of toys! She got some books, a blanket, leggins and stockings, a baby, stocking full of stuff and of course some ribbon! :-)

Dad got some pj's, a rubix cube, a small snow globe ornament with his name in it, a scarf, and a few other little things that he likes, in his stocking.

I on the other hand RACKED UP! I got this fancy little " net book" that i'm using now, andrea bocelli cd, my chanel perfume, an extrememly cute togo coffee cup stuffed with instant starbucks coffees! And of course a few other little things.

I'm very proud of my husband for making such an effort this year and going way out of his way to find things that I love and will enjoy! It was very special. We will never forget. It will always hold a special place in our hearts. I'm also beyond grateful to have the perfect mate to share all of these beautiful memories, and traditions with.

Last but not least, Thank you GOD for sending your only son so that we might have life. Happy Birthday Jesus!!

Holiday Cheer!

There is only 2 days left until Christmas!!! I've been so excited for this year. I know that we will never forget this one.

I have some pics just from the past few weeks of doing Holiday Cheer!

Here, we have Anisten helping Mommy wrap.... of course she wasn't content with her own paper, she wanted mine. And my tape, and my scissors.... So I finished the wrapping project while she was napping! LOL. She liked when I gave her paper, but she realllllly thought it was cool when she could unroll the paper herself..

We went to the Christmas play at Passageway. It was the plot to destroy Christmas again. Everyone did a wonderful job!

Haylee is singing...

 The Cast.

This is me and miss wiggly pants watching the play...

We have already had our Christmas with the Collis' We had a great time. We all exchanged gifts with each other and of course they got a few things for the baby. That was the funnest trying to get her to open her gifts. Of course she liked it for a minute and once we got it opened enough for her to see what was inside she was more curious. I didn't get a picture of her actually opening it, or the gifts b/c she insisted on being in my lap for the remainder of gift giving. But aunty Lissa has some we will steal!

Of course when we sat down to open our gifts she decided she wanted to help us too. ..... Once again being the center of everyone's attention.

 She's hanging on to her Uncle J, I think she see's the soft spot he has!

 Scotty is opening his starbucks gift card!! His fav!

 Jonathan and his Harry Potter in blue ray..

 Melissa ( in mid sentence might I add!) with her ZEBRA shoes... Yes, a nice touch from me... :-) Well with her ever growing baby boy, I have to keep things girly around there!

We had a great time. We watched the greatest show on earth " Big bang theory" and ate devil oreo balls!

So finally... I'll show some pics of my " baby " tree. And gifts.... We have a 6 foot tree, which was plenty big enough for our 900 sq ft. duplex. Now that we have such tall ceilings it looks like a baby tree! We will be purchasing a 9 or 10 foot tree right after the holidays when they are half off! But none the less we put that baby up and made her sparkly and blue with a bright star for the top and presents galore to match!

Ignore my " NO CURTAINS" ...... It's only been a year, give me some breaks! hehe.

 I may not have a million dollar gift in these boxes, but I sure had fun decorating them! Yes, you do see some boa furr in the present on the left.

I tried to be creative with my gift wrapping this year.

Like this gift here, I made the flower for her hair and it's also her topper to her gift.

 This one here, is the gift, but inside the tulle bow, is another gift on top.... Also, we did wallet size pics as our " tags " and just stuck them to the gifts with the person's name on the back so they would have a little pic of " the campbells" for their fridge or something...

Well I have to definitely brag on my husband! ----- He not only is BUILDING a new team at work and getting things in order and dealing with new training, and agents, and hours all that too boot.... but he is also doing a wonderful job at home. He will come home and just take the baby from me to relieve me so I can have time to cook, or wrap presents, or take a bath or something non baby related for a little bit. On his days off, he's been doing his shopping, and keeping the house up. I hope that this Christmas he gets everything his heart desires! Well, maybe not a 73 inch tv we don't have room for it yet.... HAHA... But really we have been working great as a team to get through the Holidays together with as little stress as possible.

My family has been a wonderful help as well. Thank you to everyone who has been helping me with the baby while we get our schedules adjusted and through the Holidays! I love you all, and hope that everyone has a wonderful Christmas. Enjoy your families and be thankful for them. Not everyone has what we have, and most that do take them for granted.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!