POTTY POWER!!

Tyler & I have been anxiously waiting for this day to come! Preston is finally potty trained... woot woot!! I want to shout it to the world, I'm so proud of him! Life just got a little easier now that my 3 year old is out of diapers. We are over joyed & Preston loves wearing his big kid underpants ;o) On two different occasions he told strangers, "I got Buzz Wightyear big kid underwears!"

So here's how we did it:

I talked to family & friends with boys to get any tips & ideas that would work. I've read a lot about making sure to start potty training when your child is ready & to watch for certain signs. He was showing a few of the signs so we decided to just go for it! Before we actually started we checked out books at the library about potty training & also a movie called "Potty Power". They totally motivated him but I warn you... if you decide to check out this movie, it is seriously annoying & you will have all the songs stuck in your head. The next week, I took Preston to the dollar store. My sister-in-law Traci & my friend Angela both suggested the dollar store prizes as potty incentives. When we were at the store Preston couldn't believe I was letting him get whatever he wanted. The look on his face was total excitement, it was cute. I arranged the prizes & treats on a poster board I set them on display...

It totally worked! I have to thank Traci & Angela!! We had a rough start at first b/c Preston had to grasp the concept, but he caught on quick and after a week he is totally potty trained & doing it all by his self! "Wike a big kid!"

My Birthday Surprise

When I woke up the morning of my birthday (last tuesday) this is what I saw when I went downstairs... streamers & balloons everywhere ;o)

Tyler woke up at 5:30am to decorate the downstairs before he left for work. I was so surprised, I loved it! I thought it was so cute & sweet of him to do this for me. My husband is so awesome.



It was a great day. Ty came home from work at 12pm, took care of the kids so I could paint & also take a much needed nap. He also took me out to dinner. It was a fabulous birthday b/c my husband made it so special for me ;o)

tick-tock tick-tock...

Is it just me? Or does time seem to be draaagging? We are ready for warmer weather. This aching, yearning for spring reminds me of songs by Janine Brady (Brite music) from my childhood... "Mr Sunshine... all day long you make the earth shine bright with your warm glow" & "Pitter-patter splash n' splatter little rain drops... can the sky be crying cuz the suns not there". The months January & February are tough months when your living in Utah. But despite being cooped up indoors we've managed to do some fun things this winter. Here are a "few" moments that I managed to capture in the last season.

Playin with cousin "Owee"

Caroline is eating solids now & lovin those beats! They really bring out the eyes ;o)

Bubble baths with big brother!!

Bubbles-a new discovery

taste test...

bubble mess...

LOL!

I LOVE my two little loves

Playing Catch-up

Forgive me! My blog is Borrrring... But that will change as I am recommitting myself to "journal" at least once a week. I've had A-lot on my plate with 2 lately & I'm tryin to be a good mommy, not a good blogger! I guess I can be both, but only on one condition... that is that I comit to blogging only when Preston & Caroline are taking naps. Otherwise, everybody's blog suck me right in & before I know it, an hour has passed. So unproductive. You all know what I'm talking about, you do it too. But we're back! I promise. I know you've missed us... how could you not miss this face?

Be Self Reliant w/ Do Terra Essential Oils

Essential oils are natural aromatic compounds found in the seeds, bark, stems, roots, and flowers of plants. They can be both beautifully and powerfully fragrant, eliciting profound emotional responses. Yet the use of essential oils goes well beyond their fragrant appeal. Used throughout history for their
medicinal and therapeutic benefits, essential oils can be used as natural alternatives in holisitic self-care practices. Their unique chemistry allows them to be used aromatically and applied topically to the skin, while other essential oils can be used as dietary aids to promote vitality and well being.

dōTERRA® (meaning “Gift of the Earth”) essential oils represent the safest, purest essential oils available in the world today. Each of dōTERRA’s
Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade® essentials oils is carefully extracted by a global network of skilled growers, distillers, and chemists ensuring a consistently powerful user experience. They are 100% pure aromatic extracts and contain no artificial ingredients and are tested to be free of contaminants such as pesticides or other chemicla residues. (copied from doterra.com)

I have been using & Loving these essential oils for the past year+. I love sharing the wealth of knowledge of essential oils with my friends & family. I was raised in a home by a mother who used natural, holistic ways to prevent & treat our illnesses as children. Most of the time, my mom would give us herbs and occasionally used essential oils for things like: colic, constipation, bug bites & bee stings, cold sores, & myriad of things really (essential oils are 70% more potent than herbs). Like mother like daughter, I also seek alternative, less harsh & affordable ways to take care of my family. They really are liquid gold.


If you want to learn more about do terra oils there are always classes. Feel free to contact me & I can tell you when and where they are. The classes teach how to keep your families healthy using all natural, safe, & effective treatments. I learned how these oils can be used for anything from cleaning, cooking, massage, addictions (smoking, alchohol, sugar), emotional embalance, & useful on almost any illness, etc. They are safe (even on infants), effective on EVERYTHING, & don't have the scary side effects that medications have. Some of the things covered at the class (but not limited to):

Colds/Flu
ADHD
Asthma
Allergies
Trouble sleeping
Digestive problems
Migranes/any kind of pain
Immunity

for the past week Caroline has been waking up every 3 hours at night like she's a newborn again and driving me & Tyler nuts! Last night I learned to rub the oil "Lavender & Chammomile" on the bottoms of her feet as well as her ears to help her be more restful. So when I got home, this is exactly what I did & I couldn't believe it, Caroline slept through the entire night last night!! These classes are totally free by the way.