Life Lately + Upcoming plans

Wow, I don't know about you all, but this time change was brutal! I woke up super groggy and not rested. I suppose hearing little feet running across the hallway in the middle of the night, and then Ava calling my name and whining for about 10 minutes didn't help. In the morning I found out Layla woke up for some water, and that was her running through the hallway, and she had woken up Ava in the process. I was pretty close to going to her, but decided on tough love and she fell back to sleep on her own. She had a much better week last week as far as sleep goes. I've mentioned in the past that she goes through these cycles now. Sometimes she's on an upward trend of sleeping through the night, and sometimes she's back on a downward trend and not sleeping through the night. "One day....one day." That's all I can tell myself at this point, and just continue to make sure I don't fall back in the habit of letting her crawl into our bed and staying there. So far so good. 

She's doing great with pre-school lately. She loves it! It's been soooo nice to have the house to myself for a few hours and concentrate on work. I just rolled out my newest product: Ruffled bonnets. Super cute! I made a few for Ava and my friends a few years back, but wasn't ready to make them available for purchase at the time. You can find them here: FHJBaby

I'm so excited about spring break next week because that means no waking up super early, and trying to get everyone to school on time without losing my mind! Also REALLY looking forward to a small break from all the driving I do for the kids. My neighbor and I were trying to plan a small getaway with our spouses and kids, but our schedules are no longer lining up, so we won't be doing anything together. For now we will probably still take a small trip to Sarasota since we haven't been yet. Hank was originally supposed to take the week off but work engagements came up. Also this week or next, I may be flying out to Houston. My brother is having twins and I would love to see them when they are born! I also want to visit my mother. If there's time hopefully I can swing by my in-laws and visit my best friend. It will be a very short trip. I still have no idea how I'll swing it with the kids schedules, because I don't know the days yet. It's still up in the air as far as what day they will be delivered this week. There is also the matter of the twins being premature and I'm praying for a safe delivery. 

Yesterday we were also looking at flights for Houston in the summer. We go every year (except last year I stayed home with Ava), and most likely we'll be going late June. We also need to start thinking about summer camps for the girls. How are we already in March?! I feel like before we know it, we are going to have to start thinking about Christmas. What?!

Lastly, I'm getting close to wrapping up my final furniture project. I just sold Serena's old bedroom set yesterday, and this week I'm listing the bed frame I've been working on. I'm so done with furniture projects for awhile! Dealing with some of these people on Offer Up makes me lose a little faith in humanity each time! Like how hard is is to be a decent human being and communicate, and not stand people up? Over it! Also ready to start parking my car back in the garage. I'm looking forward to working on smaller projects this year. Next week I'm going to start fixing this little patio we have off our breakfast nook. I have ideas of putting a little bistro or patio set out there and being able to enjoy some fresh air out there....and secretly hoping the mosquitos won't eat me alive. I need to level the stones, paint it, and then find an outdoor rug. Still thinking of more ideas. Little by little...like the rest of my projects go ha! I'll finish it. We have another patio area off the living room in the backyard, but it doesn't have these hedges for privacy. Right now we just use this small patio for our food smoker and grill but those are going to be moved.

Maybe it's the gemini in me, but I tend to have about 10 projects going on all at the same time. Sometimes I'm the same with books. I'll have 2 or 3 going on at various times before finishing just one. 

Have a great Monday!

Life lately

Happy Friday! I'm Sooooo glad it's Friday. I've been wanting to update the blog all week, but my mom was visiting from Texas and she just left this past Wednesday. We miss her already for sure! It's so nice to not have to "mommy" alone sometimes. It's really been a whirlwind these past few weeks. I'm going to back up all the way to the weekend before last to the 16th annual Boca Bacchanal. It was another fantastic two days of great food and wine and time alone from the kids. 

A few days later my mom flew in and the girls did a lot of bonding as did we. We went out to eat, did some shopping, church, beach, etc. We had fun and it was nice just to have my mom to talk to everyday.

This week I've been back to sleep training Ava after speaking with the pediatrician and my friends again. It's been hard but I just keep pep talking myself and praying. I also have been working on some new things with my business, so excited to see how everything pans out. Having children and being an entrepreneur doesn't come with an owner's manual. I get overwhelmed, nervous, intimidated, and fearful just like everyone else, but I try anyways. I go for it and figure out the rest along the way. It's all about the journey anyways when you are headed to your goals sod on't lose sight of your surroundings along the way.

Have a great weekend!

Hurricane to your left. Hurricane to your right.

Hurricane season is definitely here. H and Ava just got back last Sunday from Houston and now here we are in Florida preparing for Hurricane Irma. This feels like the longest drawn out hurricane ever! I pray there is no devastation in Florida. I wish it would just get on with it and go out into the ocean. 

(Yesterday 9/8/17 when mild gusts started. It was pretty sunny most of the day)

(Today 9/9/17. Overcast, rainy and windy)

Right now H is reading a story to the girls and I'm taking a quick moment to update my blog. The girls have been off school since Thursday and the schools will still be closed on Monday. We've been spending a lot of time outside but around 2 pm today the rain started and it's been off an on. There are wind gusts here and there and the conditions are getting worse now. Hurricane Irma should hit the Florida Keys early tomorrow morning. We are prepared and initially it was fore casted to hit the east side of south Florida, but it's now over on the west coast and we are out of the cone. We'll see what tomorrow brings but we are prepared. I think at best we just might get some tropical storm winds.

Due to everything that's been going on and everyone preparing for the hurricane, life feels like it's been put on standstill again. Before this came about I was still continuing to work on refurbishing a dresser and preparing for Ava's birthday party. She turns 2 this Tuesday but I'll be pushing her birthday party to some time later this week. Business has still been going. I've left the shop open and all orders have been shipped out. I'm hoping my mom can come visit next week. She's literally waiting as well to see what is going to happen with this hurricane. She originally wanted to drive out tomorrow afternoon from Texas. If the weather is going to be bad the rest of the week as well, there is no sense in her coming. We'll see what happens. Everything is just hanging in the air right now. 

Have a good weekend.

Hello October..

I've been absent from here again lately. Always something I tell you...

October has felt, I dunno, weird in a way, and mundane. Not boring for sure since there is always, always something to do. I think October and I got off on the wrong foot here. Maybe the beginning has started off a little quiet in regards to running around like a chicken with it's head cut off, and it feels out of my element. Regardless, it's about to pick up again and pretty soon I'm going to be complaining about how overwhelmed I am with it all.

Onto the usual, Mariam has been doing great with her schooling at "mommy school". She's usually eager to work on her letters and numbers, and it's been awesome to see her really grasping things and understanding. Her temperament has much improved as well. Now if she could stop asking for snacks like every 30 minutes that would be cool.

Layla is doing great in Kindergarten. She loves doing her homework as soon as she gets home, and she never gives me a hard time about waking up early. Serena is doing fantastic at school as well and has been occupied with church choir, her keyboard, and training for the track team lately. Onto Ava. Hoh boy. My stage 5 clinger lately. She's been hard lately. Super attached. Hardly wants me to put her down or else she cries. She's also still sleeping terribly. At this rate, maybe I'll get a decent nights rest by the time she turns 2 and a half. I really need this child to sleep. It's been hard trying to get some of my business needs taken care of and also to enjoy some down time. I tried letting her cry it out one night for about an hour last week--nope! Not doing that again. My next step is trying to cut down her night feedings, but she gets so upset and I'm so tired that I end up giving in after she won't calm down. I fully understand I'm part of the problem. Sigh. We'll see what happens. 

Life Lately....again

Soooo...looks like the last time I updated was when school started. Silly me. I don't know why I thought things were going to get easier and more relaxed with 2 out of 4 in school again. Quite the opposite. I think it's gotten busier, less stress then with all 4 kids at home during the summer, but busier. I love it though and I plan on getting back to blogging 2-3 times a week again.

In the past few weeks, I joined the Junior League (which I'm super excited about and will go into detail later), the school advisory council for Layla's school and the PTA. Meetings, school functions, play dates, my business and 4 girls, well you can imagine that it's been go, go, go. The past weekends we've kept it pretty low key as we try to reel down from the busy week and still sleep deprived. A beach outing here, a pool outing there, baking, church, walks, grocery shopping, etc.

Oh I almost forgot to mention I've been home schooling Mariam who is 3 as well. She'll be 4 in November so with a late birthday, she misses the cutoff age to enter pre-school this year which means she doesn't get to start till next year. I want her to have a head start so we've been doing school in the mornings, broken up since I still have Ava to tend too. So far it's been working out well and I've noticed it's been helping her temperment too. She's very strong willed and challenging to put it nicely, but she can also be very sweet and she's pretty articulate for her age. 

Happy Labor Day!