Mommy Artiste

My son's birthday isn't for 5 or so more months, but this year, I am doing it right!!! Last year, I was rushing around at the last month or so, and ended up spending WAY too much. Granted, it was his BIG 1st birthday party, but this year, I will be doing things a little differently. My creativity and artistic abilities will be put to the test as I "craft 'til I drop." Pinterest has become a staple of mine lately, and no little scrap of left- behind paper from previous crafts/ pieces of art will go un- turned. To be honest, I love parties. I love the planning, the excitement, the laughter, and just the all- around JOY that comes with birthday parties, wedding parties, ANY party!!! Even though it is quite a bit away still, I have already started pinning ideas, and shopping for stuff . This year's theme? LEGOS!!!!!! Now, you are probably thinking, HOW can you do a lego- themed party for a two- year old? Well, you would be surprised. Being that he is a summer baby...

I remember the day that my son was born almost 2 years ago. I had been in labor for well over 24 hours at home, and the contractions were getting worse and worse, but not progressing like they should have. At one point, as I was watching The Voice, and my husband was trying to force me to eat an orange Popsicle, because I hadn't eaten all day, my whole body shook uncontrollably for hours, as contraction after contraction was about 5ish minutes apart, but lasted 5 minutes each. Contractions were so unbearable, that my un- eaten Popsicle just melted down my hand, as my in- laws' chihuahua licked it up and the occasional bit of juices landed on her head. Before too long, we were heading to the hospital. The nurse bringing me in told me I was probably just dehydrated, because 5 minute long contractions weren't normal. "Well no duh," I told myself. When the doctor came in to check me, I was  6 centimeters dilated; we were ready to rock and roll. From there, things pro...

        What do you do when knowing that your husband faces possibly losing his job? What do you do when you know that if he does, that you will have to move back home? What do you do, knowing full well that you want SO bad to move back home; especially being 7 months pregnant and missing back home and your family; so much so that the whole time living where you are now, all you have prayed for is to go back home?        Sadly, I am faced with this. Since moving here, I have never fully adjusted. For the past 8 months, all I have wanted was to move back home. Especially being pregnant. If we have to move back home, I will have SO much more support. I will have my family and his. Our son will be able to be raised around his family. I won't feel so alone. I'll be back where I have always wanted to be..with the crazy weather and the beautiful green grass and lakes to swim in in the hot summer and the corn growing all around and the cows mooing and t...

I remember that morning like it was yesterday. About 21 or so weeks ago, I remember feeling really terrible. (I am 26 weeks pregnant now) My nausea was so bad, I was so dizzy, and weak beyond belief (some days I literally wouldn't have the strength to sit up and get out of bed)  The only thing that I could think of was that I was pregnant. I kept telling myself "no way...you will be fine. It's probably something else. It's too early for you to be pregnant." As I peed on the little stick and sat in the bathroom for a dreaded two to three minutes, I paced the bathroom floor, I glanced at the stick over and over on the sink, I took deep breaths, and I kneaded my hands anxiously. My heart began to race as the first pink line appeared. I just kept thinking to myself "it's okay. One line doesn't mean anything."It wasn't long before another blurry, but definitely there pink line appeared on the screen. I didn't know what to think. I didn'...

BABY NAMES: Girl: Kelly Sue Payne Boy: Dominik (belonging to the Lord) Adam Michael Payne Michael Adam Andrew (strong man) Asher(happiness) Michael Asher Payne Christian (follower of Christ) Christian Michael Payne David (well- beloved, dear) Jesse (gift) Jonathan (given of God) David Allen Payne Malachi (my angel) If we have a little girl, we will be all set. If we have a little boy....oh man are we in trouble. I have NO clue for any good names :-( HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have had so many people in my life ask me what I want to be ; I of course, wanted to be a lot of things; a chef, a pastry chef, a dancer, a CNA, an artist, a writer, an elephant caretaker, etc etc. Of course, as time went on, and after I graduated and time got closer to college and having to figure out what I wanted to go into, I could never answer anyone. I didn't know what I wanted to do with my life. I didn't know what I wanted to be. I knew absolutely nothing about where I was going in life or what God had in store for me. For most of the time as I was growing up in high school, I watched my sisters and other people's kids. I knew how important it was to people to have a cheap, or free, babysitter in this sad economy. I liked watching kids. I liked being able to watch them grow up and get soooooo big. :-)  As the years passed and passed and I prayed and prayed, a light shone down on me. I finally understood what I wanted to be in life. Looking at my sisters grow...