Miller Mondays

A special thanks to Chris Isch, this is a picture from his last deployment ceremony.

Well this weekend we have had Brandon's parents in and have loved every minute of it. We are so lucky that his lil brother and sister will be staying with us for a week. I am sure the kiddos will love having playmates all week long. I'm not sure the older kiddos will like all the begging and pleading to play so much.

Because today is Memorial day I have been thinking of war ......of course. If you have not read The Myth of a Christian Nation it is worth a look. This book has changed the way I look at things, including war and military service. My prayer is that these wars end soon. I am praying especially for those "hidden ranks" those individuals that are left behind. My heart breaks for all those kiddos that have to go on living without a mommy and daddy while they are away at war. I mourn for the lose of innocence in individuals going to war. I pray for strength for those spouses that are without a partner while their partner is deployed.

I want to thank all the FAMILIES that serve. Thank you for your sacrifice.

Wordless Wednesday!!!

Zoe just chillin.

Use coupon code PRAC20 at Simply Preggo on this tee to receive 20% off and free shipping this week.

See you Friday!

Aprile

Miller Mondays

So Monday has come again. ugh. darn it. But let us rejoice for this is the day the Lord has made.

I promised I would be doing a series on being a professional Mom. Well not today. Yes I have not done my homework. Teacher can I be excused then? No you say? Why not ( Hudson's new response to EVERYTHING) ? Oh because I can't stop being a Mom? Okay. So I really did have a blog on professional momming. But this morning I did not like it . AT ALL. So I am going to scrap it and try again next Monday. And this time I am going to seek some help. For those of you who know me this will come as no surprise but the post became quite wordy and a bit confusing . So I want to streamline and re-organize and give it another try.

But in the meantime I will continue to find a routine that works for most of us and help the others adapt. I want to make an effort to use my words to build people up and encourage. I want to pray for Brandon today not because something is going wrong but just because I love him. I will take tasks one at a time, I promise to not beat myself up if I don't achieve all my goals. I will not make mountains out of mole hills.

In an effort to encourage all of you not to take yourself seriously and to remind me that it takes practice to create a home I want, use coupon code PRAC20 at Simply Preggo to get 20% off and free shipping on our "Practice makes Pregnant" maternity tee.

Until next time love the ones your with,

Aprile

I'm back for Miller Mondays

Okay so I had a baby......on April 5th and that means my self-imposed maternity leave from blogging has come to an end. I must start writing again. I must. I must. I must.

Yesterday was Mother's Day and I saw it in a completely new light.........I have now declared that day my New Year's. I am so completely in love with my job.....being a stay-at-home Mom. It is hard work I don't have to tell you that.........but what is so cool is that it can be your (my) ministry too. Brandon and I have been talking about how do you do it "all" you know be the perfect family member , the good spouse, the provider and still minister to the "lost"? Well ministry can happen in your own home. We as parents have to be guides to our children while they live at home. But more on this later.

My goal over the next couple of weeks is that I want to explore how to become a professional mom. I want my kids to see and experience me as warm , but I want my life to be a little more harmonious and I think if I were to put a little more "professionalism" into my job I might achieve something close to harmony.

I will be using some books and articles and maybe some blogs to help guide my process. Please understand that I am not professing to be an expert at anything I will be exploring but I will be doing all these exercises with you.

My first task is to find a family mission statement. All companies I know of have something they use to guide and keep them focused. So as CEO of my family I will be searching and praying for something that fits my family. This can be a quote, a bible verse, song verse or something you create. So please check back to see what I have come up with and please share what you have come up with or simply your thoughts.

Now on to my other business. Did you or a friend just find out their pregnant and are ready to announce it? This week only use coupon code MOMMY20 to get 20% off and free shipping on any " (Due Date Month) Mommy" tee at SimplyPreggo.

And of course some pics of my family with our new addition!!

Blessings

Aprile

Favorite Friday

Alright....TGIF!!!! Whew. Today marks 4 weeks till D-Day, that is not due date but the date of my c-section. I just wanted people to understand why I was sure she would be born on the 16th of April. I am not delusional and think that when your due date has arrived you will have the baby that day. Looking back at what I just wrote seems a little harsh.....no hurt feelings intended. I am kinda grumpy. Brandon and I are in desperate need of a date night. We have to get out a lot for some one-on-one time, because our marriage needs it. We can really tell when it has been awhile, because we start to bicker A LOT. Have no worry blogosphere we are going out on Saturday. Wow this was not the intended prose for today but then again this is what blogging is all about right?!?

Now what I really wanted to talk about. BOOKS :). Anyone who knows me knows that I like to read ........I mean really really really really like to read. So I thought I would share with you a few favorites and they are all what I am reading right now except my current favorite in fiction . Just some things you might want to know ; I do not re-read books for the most part, I am willing to read just about anything although I prefer fiction and know that I before I got pregnant the fourth time I could keep up with reading about 4 books at a time, that is no longer the case . However , I have worked my way back up to 2.

Favorite Parenting............Love and Logic. I feel this is a great system. Any of their books, Cd's

pod casts and other goodies will serve ANY parent well. I

love it because it encourages getting your child behind the wheel and allowing (safely) their turns of the wheel to affect THEM. It is about loving them enough to allow them to learn that their actions have consequences especially when they are young and the price tags are small. I could go on and on, but other fabulous books await. Oh and this is a continuous read, this is one that I re-read. What are some of your parenting favorites?

Favorite Inspirational..........Captivating and Wild at Heart. The books were authored by John and Stasi Eldredge. These are just two among many . The reason I chose to put these here is because I am reading them right now. I actually have already read Wild at Heart but I am about to finish Captivating. A certain freedom comes with reading them, I was released from sooooo much. What book has changed your life?

Favorite Fiction..........the Twilight Saga. I know I know I know. But really this was some of the best fun I have had reading. The books taught me (hold the laughs) that women really do value emotional intimacy and devotion. And I love that this series promotes abstinence , crazy I know. What books or series have you read that have transported you?

Seriously this list could go on and on and on.......but then it might start to bore you if it has not already. So here it ends.

Don't forget you preggos. At Simply Preggo this week you can use the coupon code MOMMY20 to get 20% off and free shipping on any "Due Date Month Mommy" shirt. And make sure you are following us on Twitter and Facebook some new things might show up soon!!!

Have a great weekend!!!

Aprile

Wordless Wednesday!!!

Many November Mommies are gearing up to tell their family and friends!!! Are you one? Do you know one? Get this or any other " Due date month Mommy" tee for 20% off and free shipping. Just use the coupon code MOMMY20 at Simply Preggo.

Here is my oldest at last year's St. Patty's Parade! We had a lot of fun. I 'm too preggo to go this year but we have some great alternatives today!!

Miller Mondays

Today is a new day and I am so grateful for that. I had a physically tough weekend. I am approaching the end of my pregnancy and finding it hard to stay positive and loving in all of my actions. I am starting to ache all over and losing what little patience I have very fast. But I am so incredibly thankful for this precious little girl in my belly. Brandon and I really love being pregnant and having the opportunity to experience this together. We love being a family and enjoy every bump (ya pun intended) in the road. But I have almost had it!!

We finished (sorta, for now) the basement storage room. We are not moving down the before-baby-to-do-list as fast as I would like but who would?!?!

I am little frustrated about some news I heard this weekend. I got the news late considering I was watching a show I had DVRed a couple of days earlier. And I don't know all the details. The Kansas City of Missouri Public Schools announced that they are going to close some schools. I don't want to take a guess a what the number was because I am afraid I would get it wrong, but still a school closed is a school closed. Here in Lawrence I believe the same thing is going to happen. I heard somewhere that the Lawrence Public Schools have a very high percentage of Administration so closing schools and consolidating teachers will help with lowering the cost of Administration. That is fine but where are you going to put these teachers? Are our schools not already stretched? And as a friend mentioned to me, the budget cuts are temporary, so why are we looking at permanent solutions? And may I add that as I drive through Lawrence; resident lawns are scattered with "Save our Neighborhood Schools" but then not 100 yards later the sprinklers shower (probably filtered) water over a newly erect football field? Yes I understand that football does bring in money and bond money is allocated for certain things, but really? Why can't our parents get excited and motivated like the football boosters? This is really concerning?!?

So I am due in April. So I have been wearing my "April Mommy" maternity tee a lot. When are you due? Use coupon code MOMMY20 to get 20% off and free shipping on any "Due Month Mommy" maternity tee at Simply Preggo.

lots of love to you

Aprile