bad blogger...

hello - my name is Kiley - I'm a 30 year old momma of 3 kids and I suck at blogging.

it's been a while, which makes it hard to decide where to start again.

let's see, since my last post...

- had 4 birthdays - my Aunt Connie turned 70, my mom turned 65, Gavin turned 7 and Gage turned 3 (something happened with my SD card and I can't access any of the photos from my mom's birthday weekend :( - - no worries though, I'm working on getting them back!!!)

- we participated in the Walk to End Alzheimer's

- Gage had his first dentist appointment - and did an AWESOME job!!!

- oh yea, Gage was in a full arm cast for 2 weeks - again, he was AWESOME!!!

- Gabby Louise got her EARS PIERCED!!!

 

- I had to put one of our dogs down :(  so awful...

- lots of sick buggies around the house

- I did an Advocare 10 day cleanse

- had to find a new babysitter for the kids - with only one week's notice

- had Gavin's 1st grade parent/teacher conferences - stellar student :) (even mentioned how sweet, caring and helpful he is!!!)

- I got back into crafts & cross stitch

- the kids went on their first fishing excursion

- we went trick-or-treating with family :)

hope it won't be 2 months before I'm back again!!!

get to know me #4 - word to the nerd bird!!!

well, I haven't done one of these for a few months so I thought it would be something fun and mindless since so many other things in my life right now are not fun or mindless...

[before I begin, a quick prayer request - I am taking one of our dogs, Abby, to the vet to be put to sleep tomorrow :(  very sad but is the right decision... please pray for comfort for our family, especially Steven, as Abby has been his dog since she was a very tiny puppy.]

okay - - now, off we go to the mindless facts about yours truly

- I have a 'thing' for punctuation and writing with lower case letters... believe me, I know better but it's fun to throw in a - - - or a ... or a [] once in a while :) :) :) 

- I don't like cheap crayons - I don't like the way they feel when you're coloring with them - I don't like the sound they make when you're coloring with them - and I especially don't like how they (98% of the time) break when I'm using them

- I've got a thing for magazines - InStyle, People Style Watch, People, Real Smiple, Better Homes & Garden, Sports Illustrated, US Weekly, Runner's World, etc.  [I only have a subscription to 4 of those listed, 2 of which were/are Christmas gifts] but once in a while I will treat myself to a US Weekly or some other fun magazine just because!!!

- I am totally guilty of using my bank card wayyyyyyyy too much... I even use it when I know I have cash... I really need to figure out a better system...

- I've been too lazy to edit pictures lately.  I am proud of a lot of the shots I get SOTC (straight out of the camera) but I know they could be so much better if I just took a little time to edit them... someday... maybe!

- I love investigative reporting shows like Dateline and 20/20 - I get picked on for it but that's a fun Friday night for me after the kids are asleep :)

- I have a horrible habit of letting the gas tank in my car hit E before I head to the gas station... some people never let their car hit half a tank... not this girl.

- I used to hate anything animal print - clothes, accessories, paper, balloons, pictures, you name it, if it was animal print I didn't like it - but recently I've been coming around to leopard print, thanks to this pic on pinterest!!!  

 

 

I now have a scarf very similar to this one, that I've worn with my green cardigan!  I just bought Gabby a leopard print top and I've been eyeing up some leopard print flats... my tastes, they are a-changin'

 

 

- if I were brave enough, I would totally get a half sleeve... this looks SO gorgeous...

- I am obsessed with spaghetti.  plain & simple spaghetti.  noodles & prego traditional sauce, that's it.  I think I could eat it every single night for dinner and I'd be a happy gal :)

- I make up weird sayings - my latest is "word to the nerd bird" and I have all of my kids saying it ;)  I also say, every time I leave to go somewhere, "peace in the middle skittle" :) :) :)

[no worries - a first day of school post will be coming soon - once I get the photos loaded and maybe edited.  We'll just say Gavin is loving "everything" about first grade (his words, not mine!) and he's been a champ about the long days... he's such a great kid!]

 

 

peace in the middle skittle... :)

Noodle & Blue

Being an aunt has always been a role I've loved...

 

I've had the privilege of knowing and loving my niece Shayna Louise and my nephew Lucas Samuel from the very moment they took their first breath.  Yes, I was in the delivery room and was able to witness and be a big part of their birthdays, which I am SO grateful for.

 

From the moment I held my beautiful newborn niece and nephew in my arms I knew we'd have a special relationship.  It's hard to believe my niece is quickly approaching 16 and my nephew is already 13 years old.  They have both faced their share of hardships, sadness and trials in their lives but I am very very proud of both of them.  I am SO thankful for these photographs and the thousands of special memories I've shared with my sweet Noodle and Blue :)

 

(believe me - I have thousands more photos that I wish I had time to scan & post... someday!)



 

 

 

back to school shopping on Sunday!!!

Blue - enjoy your last year in middle school - focus and give your very best!!!  Be kind to everyone you meet and have fun :) :) :)

Noodle - enjoy your last year in high school before your baby brother joins you ;)  give this year your ALL - make girlfriends a priority and have a blast :) :) :)

all my love to both of you!!!

- now pick your nose!!!

hahaha!!! - such a classic picture - that I encouraged :) :) :)

 

I adore their smiles - and the fact that after this shot they tried to pick each other's noses ;)

never judge a book by it's cover.

this has been on my mind for a really long time and today I was given the courage to write about it...

Never judge a book by it's cover.

While at the gym today I was watching the news and a piece came on about Cory Monteith's death.

Such a sad story.  It was confirmed today that Cory died from a heroin and alcohol overdose.  I don't watch Glee often (only seen a few episodes) so I can't comment to Cory as an actor but I can comment to addiction and the power it has over a person.  And I can say, judging from appearance and fame and talent, I wouldn't have 'pegged' Cory as a heroin addict.

Truth be told... I wouldn't 'peg' any of the heroin addicts I know as heroin addicts. (yes, that's plural.)

Never judge a book by it's cover.

I've been exposed to serious drug addiction for the past 13 years. I personally have struggled with an addiction of some sort at various points in my life as well. I don't feel the need (nor am I really ready) to go into detail about any of that here, but it's a testimate to never judging a book by it's cover... never judging a person based on what's visible and known on the surface... whether that judgement is good, bad or indifferent.

It's not fair to you and it's certainly not fair to the person being judged.

that's all.  something that's been on my mind a lot lately that I had to share. 

Thank you Cory for giving me the courage to post this.  My thoughts and prayers are with your family and and your loved ones.  My heart breaks for them and for you.

June favorite things.

I haven't done a favorite things post in a while so I figured I'd finally do one while sitting here trying to get Miss Gabby to fall asleep... grrrrrrr, this chick is so stubborn!!!

June fav #1 - Geico's Camel Commercial - LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!!!


beyond hilarious - - and I love it even more because I collect camels!!!

June fav #2 - my tervis cups - they are pretty and they keep my water nice and cold!!!

June fav #3 - amazon.com - I found a replacement eye piece for my camera and my favorite book from my childhood - only spent $6, free shipping and I had them both within a few days!!!

 June fav #4 - Despicable Me 2 previews - - cannot wait to see this movie!!!  I am just so excited about it I couldn't resist putting it on my June favs :)

June fav #5 - pilot fine ballpoint pen - - these are the pens my Grammie always used and I love them now just as much as she and I both did back then.  They don't leave 'ink poops' when you write ;)  they are perfect!!!

and just because... here are some of my recent pinterest 'style' finds :)