Living a Blessed Life

You Guessed it!! This is my 4-in-1 present: Birthday, Anniversary, Mother's Day, & Push Present :o) Yesterday after my return from a quick road-trip to Nashville for a Ladies Leadership, my wonderful husband took me out shopping. He had been looking at purchasing a new camera (which we really needed, as our former camera was a basic inexpensive digital, and has been well used) and he researched this one that is on sale this week. We were just going grocery shopping (or so I thought) and he started looking at the cameras. To my surprise, he asked if I wanted this camera which looked great, but I didn't really know much about it either. We had been keeping an eye out for cameras recently, so I did have some basic knowledge on what to look for. One of the coolest features that this camera has is 1080p HD video recording!!! We are SO excited to record our life / family events going forward, and this camera will definitely do the trick. (Twins season starts soon too! YAY for ...

I have a very clear and pronounced 'baby bump' going on... I look in the mirror and it just seems surreal. (I do have a photo, however I have failed to upload it from my camera for a week now and I will be gone all weekend. Bummer!) I'll get the updated picture on here ASAP! Promise!! :-) Now for the updates: I have been told to check out The Clothes Mentor for maternity clothes. Especially special occasion clothes that I really don't want to spend a fortune on if I am going to wear them once. Well, I finally remembered to do that this past Sunday, and much to my delight, I found a nice pair of Old Navy Khaki pants for $6.40 that will work nicely in the coming months!! YAY for good finds! That is not the only find, however... Those of you that know me, know I am all about practical and functional, as well as quality. I have been looking for a diaper bag that would meet the practical needs of toting around all of the things a baby needs, but that would also have so...

What more is there to say, after savoring each delectable bite of banana pudding from Magnolia bakery in New York? (insert sounds of lips being licked clean.) Thank you to my friends Cole & Christine for making this very special and much appreciated stop while in the Big Apple last week!! I truly am speechless!

 After reading a facebook post from Emily on anti-oxidants, I got to thinking today that I take a good number of vitamin / mineral supplements. I have given a fair amount of recognition to the junk foods that I enjoy, but have failed to mention that I really do eat some healthy foods each day, as well as supplements. I figured it might be beneficial to let others know what they are, as they are safe during pregnancy and VERY good for health before and after pregnancy! These supplements are all from Nutrilite, and are grown on their certified organic farms. No additives or artificial ingredients in this body! I won't go into all of the details and benefits of each one, as that might overwhelm some people... ;) PS  You may suggest that there is a lot of money invested in these products, and I will tell you Yes there certainly is. But , my health and the health of my child is completely worth it. I believe that you either pay now, or you pay in medical bills later. I prefer ...

I was reflecting a few days ago on my pregnancy and the process of being pregnant, to being a mother, and someday a grandmother. Deep subject, I know! Read on - if you are feeling brave! I was remembering how I have always thought pregnant women were amazing and beautiful in a way no other person could be. I was thinking about how I have longed to be a wife and mother for as long as I could recall! The thought that God gives us the opportunity to carry and care for an amazing little life for 40 weeks, and then we are given the opportunity & responsibility to raise this small child with the Bible & our previous life experiences as our instruction manual; It is truly amazing. The nine months leading up to the birth of a child are, in my opinion, our chance to mentally, physically and emotionally prepare for the proper care of this little miracle. We must be mindful of the foods we eat, and how much we consume each day. We must maintain the proper intake of water and vitamins, ...

Once again my perfect husband surprised me, only this time it required him to get up early and drive to Eden Prairie to this cute little donut shop. It's called Yo Yo donuts & coffee bar. I heard about it from a patient at work, because they have the really gourmet donuts there such as the pictured long-john with maple frosting and bacon on top. OR the cake donut with cocoa puffs (which was the first one I had!) I did not eat the whole box, mind you... We shared with Mike and Emily. :) What a wonderful way to start the day, and kudos to the worlds best husband! -Off to devour the final donut hole... Steph

I never thought it would be overly difficult to choose a name for my children. WOW! Was I wrong! I am most certainly NOT the baby name wizard! Choosing a name for your child, one that they will have for their entire life, is definitely a larger challenge than I ever imagined it would be. There are so many things to consider: What will the initials be? (We don't want something like G.A.S, or even worse) What kinds of nicknames will people come up with? (Kids are so ruthless sometimes) What would this name sound like when he is an adult introducing himself to someone he really respects? Will he have trouble learning to spell it? Will others have trouble spelling / pronouncing it? (Some trendy names are so impossible with extra 'y's and such. OR, they are just plain not spelled like the name is meant to sound. Very Frustrating!!) Will he be able to pronounce it? (You may laugh, but there are a lot of small children unable to pronounce their own names for many years. How ...