Project: In My Daughter's Eyes

I am participating in a project called "In My Daughter's Eyes" from Pink Moss. I had to write a letter to myself at 12 years old with advice on how to live, be happy.

Here is my letter:

Dear Rebecca,
I just want you to know that in the next few years you are going to endure a mixture of love, heart break, and even more love. You are beautiful on the inside and out and don't let anyone tell you any different. Pick your friends wisely and know that you are loved, even when you think the world is against you. Guard your heart and don't give it away to the first person to say "I Love You" but continue to love everyone unconditionally. You are an amazing young lady and though people will tell you that you aren't...don't listen. You are talented. Use your voice and practice hard. You are going to be made fun of for being different and it's okay...you can cry, scream if you have to. Let it out. But then regain your composure and hold your head high. You will meet your fairy tale prince when you are 18...don't let him get away. Even though you do marry him when you are 23. Don't forget to laugh and have fun...just remember that you do have morals and you don't have to do everything your friends do. Most of all remember to LOVE yourself!

Love,
Me

I then had to send a picture of myself...I sent 2 for the owner to choose from...



If you want to participate, please click on the Pink Moss Link at the top of the page or the button.

Happy 3rd Birthday, Noah

Happy Birthday my sweet, beautiful 3 year old...I gave birth to you 3 years ago today and you are my joy. Giving birth to you was one of the most precious moments in my life. I would do a million times if it meant I got to be your Mommy. I love watching you grow each day...your beautiful blue gold eyes grow so big as you take in new things, new words. I love your beautiful blonde curls and the way they bounce when your run or blow in the breeze when we go outside. I love to hear you say "Momma". You are my little angel and I hope that you have a wonderful day today!

Noah Richard David born April 25th, 2007


1 year old




2 years old






3 years old
*will add pics when I take some of him today!*

Noah's 3rd Birthday Party

We decided to have Noah's 3rd birthday party on the 18th since that was the only Sunday we could get the church...but it's all good! Noah & Brianna's birthday's are about 2 weeks apart so we normally give them a joint party. Noah's theme this year was Cookie Monster! Greg and I made his cake.
I always get asked "why don't you just order his/her (depending on which kid they are talking about) cake?" and the answer to that question is because I want to make my kid's cakes. I know it is so special for me to look back and remember all of my homemade birthday cakes my Mimi & my Nanny made me...and I think I can even remember my mom baking me one when I was a little girl somewhere in there. I bake my kid's birthday cakes with love (I know, sounds so corny, but its true) and when they grow up, I want them to remember that. So Greg baked the cake, and I decorated...2 round chocolate cakes with cookies n' cream center, decorated with blue icing and chocolate chip cookies!
So anywho, my cousins, Nicole & Nathon, Clara, and Gina, came. I haven't seen them in a while and I miss them! My friend, Tammy, also brought her little boy, Owen...I haven't seen her since her wedding in 2006! We have been friends since I was about 3!
Noah had so much fun playing with his cousins! His cake was a hit too! After we opened gifts, we took the kids outside and let them make wishes and then release their balloons. My Momma-Sherry also released a balloon in memory of my Nanny Annie...I miss her!





Noah blowing out his candle


My Beautiful 6 year old niece, Brianna


Noah opening up his soccer goal!

Tootie's Cheer Bowling Party

Yesterday, after the zoo, Tootie, had her cheer bowling party. I am so sad to see the season end. We have made some wonderful friend and being able to watch Tootie cheer has been pure joy for Greg and I. The kids got trophies with their name and their squad name on them and they got to bowl with their friends and enjoy pizza and cupcakes. We have one more competition...the US Finals next weekend. Extreme Supreme has worked so hard for this competition. Tootie has a new stunt to do and our girls are gonna rock!
EXTREME HAS EXPLODED AND WE'RE BACK ON THE SCENE
DONT TAKE IT PERSONAL
EXTREME SUPREME



Tootie & Tamira


Bowling for the 1st time...


Chloe & Dominique


I am one PROUD MOMMA!

Zoo!! Let's Go To The Zoo!!

Yesterday, my home church, Forest Hill Baptist Church, decided to visit the Norfolk Zoo, which is about 20 minutes from me. My sister is a youth leader at the church and she brought my niece and nephew. So Chloe and I got up and headed on to the zoo!
Since the last time we went, the zoo has added the 3 lion cubs and a baby giraffe! Chloe was soooo excited because she's still bonkers over giraffes. This was the first time that she didn't get a stuffed giraffe from the zoo when we left! We had so much fun hanging out with my sister, Bri, and Will!!

Momma & Baby Giraffe




Momma Lion & 1 of her cubs


Big Papa

Easter 2010

For Easter this year, we went down to my Mimi's. My sister and I went to Colonial Heights after we got there and had a little "sister" time. We went out to eat at the Olive Garden, then went to Michaels for a little craft shopping, and then to the movies where we saw "The Last Song"...Awesome Movie!
We headed back home and Greg and I fixed the kiddos Easter baskets and got their clothes out. We decided to dress them in green, purple, and white this year, very springy!
We all got up on Sunday morning, put on our Easter duds and headed to church. Punky talked Chloe into being in the Easter program and she was fine until it started...then she stood on stage and pouted. Probably because she didn't know the words to the songs but Punky's Easter program was adorable none the less.
Then back to Mimi's for Easter dinner and the kids Easter egg hunt. Greg and I had stayed up the night before and dyed Easter eggs...very messy!
Then we sat outside and enjoyed the nice warm sunshine provided for us by the Lord! He is soooo good to us!
Thank you Lord for sending Christ to die on the cross for our sins! You are a WONDERFUL God!

All of my blessings... Brianna, William, Chloe, Noah, & Eli

Momma, Let's Go Chalkin'~Tootie

Spring is here!! Woo Hoo! Well, kinda...I've been having to take Zyrtec every day!
But, with the pollen, comes the beautiful flowers, the warm sunshine, and chalking...what is chalking you might ask? It's 4 year old terminology for writing on the sidewalk with sidewalk chalk, courtesy of Miss Tootie!
That's exactly what we did! Greg and I took all 3 kids outside and we wrote all over the sidewalk in front of our apartment. Though, we had to stop and convince Eli not to eat it every few minutes, but it was fun!!

G+B+C+N+E=L<3VE

Changing Me

Today, I went and got my hair cut...short. I donated it to Locks of Love in memory of my Aunt Barbara who passed away last May from Brain Cancer. I am so excited because I have never donated before.
I decided that since today is the first day of the CWCB fitness challenge that I will go the whole 9 yards and change myself for the better.
First on the agenda was the haircut. I have also remembered to eat breakfast & lunch today. Go Me! Go Me!
I know that in order to really love anyone else, I have to first love myself. I am trying to make that happen. I know that Greg and I have a lot to work on as far as our marriage goes, but I know that we will make it. I have started singing again. I have missed it.
I feel the sudden urge to go back to church...I am so excited! I know my husband has been praying for me no matter how far apart I am from him.
I can feel God working on me and pulling at my heart. I know that God will not put any more on me than HE thinks that I can handle...He must think I am pretty strong! So now, I have to convince myself that I am strong and can do this.
I am so thankful that God has placed people in my life that He knows will be there to hold me up when I am falling.

I am off to finish cleaning up the apartment. I have a date tonight with Jillian MIchaels's and her 30 Day Shred!

I'm on Team Aqua...Goooo Aqua!

I got my team for the 30 day Fitness Challenge in CWCB...I am team Aqua with Marsella & Krissylady! Woo Hoo! The challenge starts on Monday.

So my short term goals for this challenge are as follows:

Actually go to bed and get at least 8 hours of sleep.
Work out at least 5 times a week using the 30 day shred, elliptical, or walking.
Cutting out all soda.
Drinking lots and lots of water...I really don't like water!
and the big one...lose 10-20lbs!

My long term goal is to lose 110 lbs!

The great news is that Greg will start working from 3-11 so he can watch the kids so I can go work out and have a little me time to start taking better care of myself which also means I will be more motivated since I don't have to get up at the butt crack of dawn to go work out. I am not a morning person at all so having to get up at 5am to work out just doesn't motivate me. With him going to work at 3, I can get up at say 8 and go work out! Go Me, Go Me!!

South Carolina and Emporia, VA...

Well, we have started planning our move to South Carolina. I have mixed emotions.
I am a Virginia girl...An Emporia, Virginia girl to be exact. Even though, there is absolutely nothing there, it's HOME. It has a certain smell, a certain scenery, a certain hold over a person's heart. There's nothing like the smell of fresh tilled soil, peanuts, and pig manure *lol, I had to throw that in there*, and seeing all of your cousins, aunts, and uncles in Walmart at 4'o clock in the afternoon and seeing the good ol' Emporia police and Sheriff's department have someone pulled over on the little stretch of 58 between Lawrenceville & Southampton County.
My kids are Virginia Beach, Virginia kids...they love the smell of salty ocean water, the feel of sand under their feet, and seeing the jets fly low from Oceana...and they love the jet noise. We have made sure since birth that they know that the jet noise, though loud and obnoxious during your favorite tv show, is the sound of FREEDOM. It's the sound of men & women signing away their lives to the Navy to serve and keep them free. That noise is like a lullaby to them...it puts them to sleep.

Then there is South Carolina...
I am looking forward to the move. It will give Greg and I some time to rely on each other. To get to know each other again. Time that we need. I need the change of scenery...it's a new start for us. We found our dream house that we are both in love with. We hope that it stays vacant until we can get there. We are looking for a new church and trying to mentally prepare ourselves to leave Forest Hill & Thalia Lynn behind. I have to prepare myself to leave my family and friends behind which is going to be hard. Right now, we are 2 hours from "home" so I can jump in my car and head to Emporia for the day and not think anything about it. But, once we get to SC, that's going to be hard since it's an 8-10 hour drive with 3 kiddos. I'll miss my sisters and my brother the most. Amy & I have gotten so close as we have gotten older. I can't imagine not being able to drive down to go shopping with her for the day or go to the movies with her...and our sisterly gossip is the best! My baby brother, David, and I are also really close...He is still the baby that I will forever have to take care of, just because. I will miss our chats and his drunken random phone calls on the weekends, I will miss him telling me how goofy I look with all the piercings and asking me why I did something. As for my other 2 sisters, Katie & Kelly, I am sad that I will miss the births of my 2 new nephews/nieces. I have gotten to be there for everyone but Brianna's...because I was living in Michigan.
I will miss hanging out with CJ and his making me laugh. I will miss Melissa, we are so much alike in so many ways. I will miss doing the pageants with her and going out to eat and getting pierced. I will miss Sheree and Mark...Just because I love them so incredibly much. I will miss Katie B...who has been there for me through so many things. Then there is Tim...my friend from Liberty University who sets me straight when I am wrong. I will miss Lettie, Goldie, Courtney, Karen and all the ladies from M4C (though I haven't been to a playdate in ages). So many people that have touched our lives in such a short time (well except for CJ...I've known him since we were young). I will even miss Lang...because he drives Greg up the wall and he likes my cooking!

Mine & Sheree's Shamrock tattoos...B + S= BFF


Me & Her...Becky & Sheree...my BFF


My Family


Me + Melissa= BFF...I luv her


College Friends...Me & Tim


Me & CJ...my Best Friend

Young Love...

Chloe has a best friend named Gaven. He belongs to my best friend, CJ. Chloe & Gaven play so well together and they just love each other. Yesterday, I went to Newport News and picked up CJ & Gaven so they could see Chloe cheer and so the kids could play together. We took them to the park for a little while and then met Greg at the cheer gym when he got off work. Then we took Chloe & Gaven to the ocean front to play in the sand. It was Gaven's first time ever coming to the ocean front. He was soooo excited and it was hilarious watching him & Chloe chase each other all over the beach. Then we took the kids for a long walk and then to IHOP for dinner...the kids ate free! Gotta luv IHOP! I caught a super cute pic of them walking down the strip...



Chloe has told me that she is going to be so sad when we move to South Carolina in a couple of months. She doesn't want to leave cheer or her friends that she has made here. She has made so many...Gaven, Vanna, Hailee B, Ally, Leah, Jenna, Emma, Abby, Chiara, Azaria, and oh so many more. But she knows that God will give her new friends once we move and she'll be starting kindergarten so she'll make lots of new friends there, I am sure!

Cloth Diapers & Fluffy Butts, Oh My!

I cloth diaper my boys. I would have cloth diapered Chloe if I had known about them when she was a baby. I just love the softness of a Goodmama fitted and the smiles they put on my boys faces when they wear one. My boys also wear Motherease, GMD prefolds, Bumgenius, Wiggle Worm Bottoms, and a bunch more. They prefer the softness of the cloth compared to the harshness of disposable dipes. Plus, they are so much better for the environment. Disposables take years & years to decompose while with cloth, you just rewash. Of course, my family thinks I am nuts but it's okay...we already knew that!
The other day, the boys were playing in their room and they were just so cute with their cloth diapers so I snapped a couple of pics on my phone! Enjoy!

Dum, De Dum, De Dum...

So today, I slept in super late. I am sooooo exhausted! I really need to get my apartment clean, but instead I played with my kiddos. I sat in my boys room and they hurled soccer balls at my head and then giggled every time one hit me...lots of fun! When they get a little older, they won't be able to hurl soccer balls at mommy's head so I am enjoying my baby boys while I can.
Noah will be 3 on the 25th and I keep going back and looking at his baby pics and wanting to cry...I can't believe my little man is going to be 3! His speech is getting better and better with each passing day. He is getting very tall also and his eyes are a bluish-gold color. His hair is blonde and super curly. I <3 it!

Well, I shall return...I haven't felt like eating today and my tummy is finally grumbling.

Love,
B

Time To Get My PHATABULOUS Butt in Shape!

Well, I have been procrastinating and procrastination and procrastinating some more about losing weight. Why? I have no earthly clue...maybe because I love food wayyyy to much when I actually eat, maybe it's because my husband wears some kind of goggles that makes him see a beautiful me even though I am a "fat" girl, maybe it's hereditary. I don't know. I lost weight once before but not for the right reasons...it was because I was married to my ex-asshat that was convinced that I needed to look like Trish Stratus in order to be beautiful. I lost from 300lbs down to 143lbs. However, maintaining 160lbs on my 5'2" inch self was at my most healthiest since somehow I inherited my great grandmother's linebacker frame. I got pregnant with Chloe and did was my dad calls "self-sabotaging" and gained back 80lbs. I did pretty good with the boys and only gained and lost 20 lbs with each pregnancy.
But then came the stress eating and now I am almost back up to 300lbs. I don't want to be 300lbs...what person in their absolute mind would want to be 300lbs??? My weight is 277lbs as of today.
I have my 10 year class reunion at the end of June and I did not want to go back as the "fat" girl that got made fun of. Though I do get a kick out of all the guys that refused to date me because I was fat or made fun of me...well you see, a few of them married fat girls, or even better, they got fat themselves! I think it's great! I know that seems so very snarky, but I have anxiety issues because of these people...so no, I don't feel bad for them. I wish them nothing but happiness. Though part of me wants to walk into my reunion and have some of them go "D-A-M-N, what was I thinking? I should've dated her", but we all know that is not going to happen! That's only in the movies ;P!
So anywho, back to the topic at hand...I gotta lose some kind of weight. Because I want to, for the right reasons. What are these reasons?
1.) I want ENERGY!
2.) I want to look good in a bathing suit...I know, so shallow!
3.) I want to look awesome on my husband's arm when we head to our new command in July.
4.) I want to play with my kids at the park without thinking "I am going to die, they are going to kill me" while heaving my big rear a few feet from the monkey bars to the swings.
5.) I want to not have to shop at Lane Bryant, Ashley Stewart, or Avenue...I wanna shop at Old Navy, Gap, Abercrombie & Fitch, Victoria Secret, & Aeropostale, Dammit! Ya know, the normal people stores???
6.) and last but not least, I wanna go ride roller coasters at Busch Gardens without thinking "Is my big hiney going to fit in the seat?"!

I think these are pretty good reasons...Don't you?
So yeah, I belong to a group of Cafemom, Cuties with Cloth Booties, and we are doing a 30 day challenge. So, I joined the challenge. It will be fun! I'll go ahead and give a shout out to Mega.Mama & Calebsmomma since they just started their blogs. I'll do a link back later.
I'll post my measurements the day that the challenge starts and maybe a pic so I can track my progress on here as well.

Love,
B

Getting to Know Me...

I am participating in a blog hop/getting to know you thing from MannLand5's blog...
All you have to do to participate is copy and paste the questions and then link back to Keely/MannLand5's blog!

1. What color do you wear the most?
2. Would you rather have $10,000 dollars or a dream vacation?
3. Do you have a weird, quirky or unusual habit?
4. I really need to start..........?
5. What was the first blog you ever read?
6. Do you collect anything?
7. How old were you when you had your first kiss?
8. Do you text/twitter while driving?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1. What color do you wear the most? Black & Blue

2. Would you rather have $10,000 dollars or a dream vacation? $10000, I can take my dream vacation to Disney World for $3000 and still have $7000 left over!

3. Do you have a weird, quirky or unusual habit? Yeppers...I wear flip flops year round and I won't eat chicken if I cook it.

4. I really need to start..........? ummm...working out!

5. What was the first blog you ever read? I don't remember but my fave is Karen's over at Blessed Beyond Measure.

6. Do you collect anything? sure do...Angels & Willow Tree Dolls

7. How old were you when you had your first kiss? Well...technically 9...I chased my pastor's son down on the playground, then pinned him and kissed! He hated me for that!

8. Do you text/twitter while driving? Only when stopped in traffic or stoplights :P