Happiness Now

Shortly before the New Year, my husband and I watched this Ted Talk given by Shawn Achor.  Achor talks about how we've established a lens for our brain and how we view the world and our successes.  Often, he says, we are looking for the next best thing.  (i.e. If I can just get that job or promotion, I'll be happy.  Once I have that house, I'll be happy, etc.)  He suggests we can rewire our brain with positivity and be happy and more productive in our life by doing these things:

1. 3 Gratitude every day (each gratitude must be unique for 21 days)


2. Journaling


3. Exercise


4. Meditation


5. Random Acts of Kindness

I don't know about you, but after the holidays, I seem to get a rush of the winter blues so I'm giving this a try.  I'm sharing my gratitudes on Instagram (username debaverett) if you'd like to join in.  I'm on day 9 and I have to say, it's been a lot of fun, and I find myself smiling more each day and looking for the positive in all situations. Hope you're all having a great New Year!! xo

Our Motto: Be Strong Be Independent and Stand Tall

My husband and I have been talking a lot about how we can raise confident children. Like all of us, I want our children to be happy and in thinking about what happiness stems from, I believe confidence is a huge part of it. Not only outward confidence, but also inward confidence of knowing who they are and what they stand for. I hope I can exhibit this in my daily life and be a good example to my little ducklings.

Just curious.... do you have a motto in your home? Or phrases that you live by?

If you'd like to download this printable, I've created, click below. (size: 8.5" x 11")



To be used for personal use only, no commercial sales please. Thank you!

As a side note... I am very thankful for the election, and the voice that we've each been given. Though I don't agree with some of the outcomes, I am very thankful for the reminder that my husband and I are the leaders within the walls of our home. We are building little leaders everyday and that is a powerful thing. I love America! And hope we can build a strong nation once again!

Halloween 2012

Watch out! We had a ladybug, SuperMan and Tigger out on the loose last night!





Caden was going to be a Storm Trooper, but at the last minute changed to SuperMan.  (In my opinion, it was the better choice). Porter caught on quick to Trick-or-Treating and kindly told everyone "thank you" as they dropped candy into his bucket.  Gabby went to a few of the neighbor's houses so they could pinch her cheeks, but then she stayed inside where it was nice and warm.



At the end of the night, Porter realized one piece of candy at a time just wasn't enough.



And Caden had fun going back to his blonde hair.  As you can tell by this picture, he had a fun Halloween.

Porter is 2!

My little towhead Porter is 2. I can hardly believe it. He is one of the best kids around, seriously. He is soooo quiet most of the time, I always have to keep checking to make sure he's still around. Here are a couple things Porter loves:

Favorite toy: Thomas anything

Favorite shirts: button down (I think because he can put them on himself and I just have to help with the buttons)

Favorite buddy: Caden

Favorite sayings: "Go Big Red!," "so cool," and "Mark, Set, Go!"



Favorite foods: Pizza, cheese and oranges

Favorite past-time: Teasing Caden and riding Jonzy like a horse

Favorite bedtime song: Twinkle Twinkle Little Star



Dear Porter,

My oh my, you're 2! I have no idea where the time has gone, but I'm sooooo glad you're a part of our family. You are the glue that holds us all together. You always have been. I remember shortly after you were born, we found out we were moving to Minnesota. You were the little patient and laid back baby that reminded me everyday that everything would be okay. That being a "single mom" for 6 weeks while dad started his new job was only temporary and sanity would return again. I thought it was Heavenly Father's way of blessing me, but I now see that is your personality. You still continue to remind me that situations are temporary, time is fleeting and that I should just enjoy the here and now. Thank you for being so wise and smart, little guy!

I love you so, so much. I love your cute little face and your wrinkled nose. I love your little snort laugh. I love that you talk and communicate so well. I love that you're the quiet life of the party. People have a way of flocking to you, and wanting your cute, quiet attention. I love baking and cooking with you. You are always so excited to help and eat what you've worked so hard on. I love that you share. I love that you want to be like your big brother, but just remember, you have plenty of time to grow up. We don't need to rush anything. I love cuddling with you and tickling your back until you fall asleep. It doesn't happen often enough.

I know it's hard being the middle sibling. Trust me, I've been there! I sure hope you get the attention you deserve. You are an awesome little guy and I can't wait to see what the next year brings.

Love,

Mom

2 Months Old Already

Good news! Gabby finally likes the camera! It's hard to believe that it's already been 2 months since Gabby was born! Where oh where does the time go? I've been enjoying my snuggle time with this sweet little girl as I know this time doesn't last long. I've also been teaching her how to Zumba in our spare time.

She's pretty good at it and loves to coo along the way. Have you ever done Zumba? It's one of my new favorite ways to work out. I tried it a couple years ago and didn't like it. I tried it again last week and loooooved it! (Just like every other class, the instructor makes a HUGE difference).

In case you're wondering, our mornings still move pretty slow around here. We're lucky if we get moving before 9am. :) Here's a quick peek at how the boys stay occupied while I get Gabby & I ready.



These boys have been so awesome and patient as we transition to a family of five. And they are the best of buds. Giggling, laughing and wrestling throughout the house all day long. I love it and it makes me smile.

A couple of my biggest challenges have been grocery shopping and meals. My new work schedule is from 3-6pm during the week (I work part-time for a community college and have an after school helper). I really have to plan ahead for meals and try to get them cooking before my helper arrives... otherwise we eat a lot of pizza and corn dogs. Which, is okay for now. I have to cut myself slack as I know things will get better. But, I have found some great meals that I really love lately. I thought I'd share them with you.

Buffalo Chicken Tacos via Jamie Cooks it Up!
Though this one doesn't cook while I'm working, it's super easy to whip up.  For the kids, I leave out the buffalo sauce. Also, she taught me one of my new favorite tricks... buy a cooked chicken to use in meals. I'm terrible at remembering to thaw meat. A $5 chicken usually gets us two meals around this house.

Coconut-Macadamia Crusted Shrimp via Our Best Bites
We are trying to eat out less as it's pure craziness when we leave the house these days, but I still like a special treat on the weekends.  This was a lot of fun to make, as well as delicious and easy. I made the sauce, but really don't think it's necessary. There was a lot of waste with the sauce and I don't think it added that much to the dinner.

Shake n' Bake
I've again fallen in love with shake n' bake. It's easy and the kids gobble it up! Also, have you seen the new shake n' bakes in the cheese aisle by Kraft? They are a nice spin on the boxed versions.

Notice I don't have any crockpot recipes listed. All the ones I have tried haven't been that great. If you have any tried and true recipes (or recipe blogs that you love), please share! I get really sick of the same recipes over and over and have noticed that I love being in the kitchen since we don't get out of the house much these days.  Love to you all and hope you're well!

xo

Back To School

Wow! I remember shortly before I had Porter (child #2), someone told me that with one child you can still do the things you always have (and I did), but with two children, you realize you just can't do everything and have to let some things go (which was absolutely true). They never told me what happens with three children, but I would say that it's easy to let everything go! I have time for my three children right now and that's about it! I'm loving it, though. It really is a wonderful thing and I know there are seasons to everything and we will get back into the groove soon.



When Gabby was 10 days old, we drove back home to Nebraska to watch Casey receive his MBA. This has been three years in the making and I completely broke down when I saw him receive his degree. He has worked so hard and we as a family have sacrificed so much to make this happen. We debated whether to make the trip back for his degree as we knew it was a little crazy, but we thought it would set a great example to Caden. And it has.... he now has a piggy bank that he "saves for college."

Speaking of school... Caden started preschool last week. He goes three days a week for 2 1/2 hours. He has the same teacher as last year and loves it! When I asked Caden what he wants to be when he grows up, he said "a football player." Here is his giving a 4 year old forced smile to the camera. (He does this every time the camera comes out).



Then I tell him to be himself. Ah, that's better.



Now for the goofy shots.





And one with brother.



For those of you wanting a Gabby update. She is doing really well. I tried to take good pictures for her announcement a few weeks back and this is what I got.



Fussiness. Pure fussiness and I haven't been able to take pictures since. Blame it on the light, or the pure craziness that is our household currently, it just hasn't happened.

#WhileIWasNursing

Inspired by the dear CJane, I wanted to show you what goes one while I'm nursing.  Because really, we could all use a little laughter around here.


I will say that so far adjusting from 2 to 3 children has been better than expected. The boys play pretty well together and keep each other occupied when I need to help or feed Gabby.

And Caden is a great helper all around. Most days, he serves up breakfast for himself and Porter. It is so awesome to have such a big helper!

Baby Gabrielle is Here!

Welcome to the world, Gabrielle Lucinda!  We're so glad you're here!

She was born Sunday, July 29 at 7:40pm weighing in at 7 lbs. 8 oz. and 20.5 inches long.

She wasn't due until August 21 so you can imagine how unprepared we were!  My water broke Saturday night and I quickly packed a hospital bag, went for a walk with Casey and the dog, and checked in to the hospital.  In the delivery room, she was called a prima donna over and over and since being delivered, the nurses repeatedly call her out for being feisty.



Casey called her out yesterday for being a little diva in her tanning bed.  :)

She's been in the NICU since Monday morning, but should be released today assuming all labs come back okay.  We're excited to take her home and spend more time as a family!

Family Vacation Up North

We rented out a quaint little cabin up North at the end of June to celebrate Casey's completion of his coursework for his MBA! We wanted something in the middle of nowhere and near water, and that's exactly what we got.

Peace. Quiet. Family time. and Water. Ahhhhh.



We spent a lot of time in the cabin listening to music, cooking and hanging out. But when we weren't in the cabin, we were most likely out hunting for rocks to throw in the water,  or out on the fishing boat.



Porter loved "ishing."



Until we actually caught a fish. Since we aren't fisherman, we weren't prepared to catch a fish at all. No net or cooler to house the fish in. So what better place to put the fish, but in the back of the boat? Yeah, not a good idea. Porter and I were screaming with each flop of the fish and my legs were covered in fish slime when we got back to the cabin. And do you see the boat with real fisherman in the picture above? I'm sure they had a good laugh at us screaming our way back to the cabin as Casey hurriedly paddled back. It was miserable and slightly traumatic for both Porter & I. I was relieved when he was ready to get back into the boat later that day. I was worried we scared him for life.



Oh, and this.... it's just a huge statue of Paul Bunyan. No biggie, right? Okay, maybe a little creepy. But how were we to resist sitting on his hand and getting a picture?

And that my friends sums up our trip up North. A lot of relaxing and hanging with Paul Bunyan.

If you're curious where we found lodging, we tried out airbnb.com (it's a lot like VRBO). I highly recommend it if you're looking for something outside of a traditional hotel/condo vacation.

YES! You Can Ride Your Bike!

We've been asking Caden if he'd like to ride his bike without training wheels. "No, you do that when you're 5," he'd say.

Which is exactly what we thought. We figured we'd get a "YES!" next spring or summer, but we like to plant seeds early so he starts thinking that way. Imagine our surprise, when he woke up on Father's Day and wanted to take off his training wheels. We couldn't believe it! (He's 4 years, 4 months).



He took off like a bandit the minute he was up on his bike.  He's now going up and down hills.  I am honestly floored and had no idea he could do this.  Just goes to show that children are so capable... much more than we can even imagine.



Way to go, Caden!  We're so proud of you!

Summer In Full Swing

Hello everyone!  I realize I kind of dropped of the face of the earth.  I've missed you!! Things have been busy around here, and computer time has been almost non-existent.  Which has been more than refreshing. Do you ever have a love/hate relationship with the internet?  I love it, and love all the people I have met across the world, but sometimes I feel like it takes away from me living my real life right in front of me.  Am I the only one that feels that way?

In case you're curious as to what we've been up to, here's a peek...

1. Lazy breakfasts


2. Having a garage sale


3. The boys in their first entrepreneurial endeavor and eating their profits (at the garage sale)


4. Running with dad - it's one of Caden's favorite things lately - he usually rides his scooter by Casey's side


5. Swimming lessons


6. Porter all dressed up and no where to go


7. Fishing at the lake


8. Double baby shower with my good friend, Leah (she is due 3 days before me with a girl too!)


9. Caden cleaning because our house is "soooooo dirty"

All of these pictures were taken with my phone (and most of them were put up on Instagram-- find me there as debaverett).  Apparently I'm too lazy to get out the DSLR anymore.

We've been having such a great time enjoying summer and we're going to keep it that way.  I have less than 10 weeks until our baby girl is here and I want to get out and about as much as we can.  Casey is done with his MBA coursework--woot!! He has one final comprehensive test to take and then he will officially have his MBA.  I'm so proud of him.  He has worked hard these past three years to make this a reality.  In the last 10 weeks, he has written 70 pages single-spaced.  It was impressive to see how quickly he could write papers in the end.  It's been so nice to have his help around the house and tackle projects that have been needed.  We have a goal to redo two of our bathrooms soon.  We'll see if we can finish at least one of them before the baby arrives.  Casey is back on a crazy workout routine and we are trying really hard to eat healthy around here.  I've had a MAJOR sweet tooth this pregnancy so I've been go to the store 2-3 times a week to get more fruit.  Fruit is better than baking cookies everyday, right?

So tell me what you've been up to.  Are you enjoying your summer?

To Eat or To Sleep?

Porter had a tough time deciding which to do yesterday after church so he tried to do both at the same time.

It's a...

GIRL!

We couldn't be more surprised or thrilled. I've been shopping for frills and pink like there's no tomorrow.

Journaling

Yesterday, I was reading through some of my posts on my old blog, Mumbo Jumbo.  Some of you have stuck with me through my transitions (thank you!) and know my old blog was a much more of personal journal for my thoughts and reflections on what was happening in our day-to-day life.  I blogged over there very sporadically, but I really enjoyed reading through my posts last night.  It was interesting to read my thoughts during our recent move and about how stressed I was about bringing a second child into the world.  I can't believe how worried I was for Caden!  I'm sure it was totally normal, but it's almost comical reading it now.  Caden is a much better person for having a sibling and I couldn't imagine our family without cute ol' Porter.

It made me realize how much better I need to be about journaling.  Do you keep a journal?  I have a journal that I keep all to myself, but I write in it ever month or two (or five).  I don't do it nearly enough.  I am much better when I can sit at a computer and write my thoughts. In the wise words of Gretchen Rubin, journaling doesn't have to be an elaborate thing.  It can be just a sentence or two.  I like that and I'm going to try and do better.  I'm challenging myself to write two sentences a day and if I can keep that up for a month, I will order a journal for Caden and Porter.  I would love to document what fun things they are saying and doing.

Do you have any ideas to help motivate yourself for journaling?  Do you keep a journal online, or privately?  Do share.  I'd love to hear your thoughts.

We're Excited to Announce....

Baby #3!  We couldn't think of a better way to celebrate Valentine's Day!  We're surprised, excited and even freaking out a little bit.  3 little ones at home may send me to the nut house.  Or I may just have to rename this blog.  (Just kidding!)  We are completely thrilled.  The baby should be here by the end of August.  Yay for summer babies! Happy Valentine's Day!  xoxo

Caden Turns 4!

Caden turned the BIG 4 yesterday!  This picture was taken late last night after all the celebrations of the weekend had come to an end.  I sat with Caden and asked him 20 questions.  This is my new birthday tradition for the kids.  I'll ask them the same 20 questions (starting at age 4).  I think it will be fun to see how their answers change over the years.  Here are a few of my favorite answers:

What is your favorite tv show? All of them.

What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? Ham-a-burger.



What is your favorite animal? Turkeys at the farm.  Gobble, gobble.

What do you want for dinner for your birthday? Steak & apples.

What do you want to be when you grow up? Race car driver.

To see a full list of the 20 questions, go here.



Caden really wanted Star Wars cupcakes for his birthday.  I was in a pinch at the last minute and ended up buying these little Star Wars figures.  They were perfect!  I hope you all had a great weekend!

Weekend Frost

This weekend, we had some amazing frost on the trees.  Apparently it's called hoar frost.  It was stunning and captivating.  I couldn't stop gazing out the window at it.







I hope your Monday is off to a great start!  I'll be back this week with some fun projects for the kiddos.

|All images taken by my husband, Casey Averett|