The Glaze Brigade | Official Blog

Glaze Family Update + A New Favorite Product WaterWipes

Sun, 14 Jul 2019 16:09:00 GMT

Four kids, I have four kids! Sometimes (well, every day if I’m being honest) I have to remind myself that I have FOUR kids to be responsible for. If I’m not forgetting to keep an eye on my mischievous 2-year-old, then I’m walking out the door for dinner without dropping a jar of baby food into my bag. (Fries for dinner never hurt anyone, right? That’s what Mr. August survives on once a week at least.) Life as a parent can be chaotic sometimes. #thisisparenthood Thank God my two older kiddos are basically self-sufficient otherwise we would never be able to leave the house. Being responsible for four other human beings (Sometimes five if my husband is in town, am I right ladies?) is so hard!

But you know what else comes with raising four little humans? Love. So much freaking love. Love that will make even the Grinch’s heart explode. I know it’s been a while since I’ve updated all of you on our life (sooo many changes going on around here), but that is because I needed some time to just soak in the love. I didn’t want to spend all day sitting at my computer, sharing my feelings on life, marriage, and motherhood, encouraging everyone else to get out there and enjoy life, without taking some time to enjoy it myself. So I did, I took time, I enjoyed and am still enjoying, It’s with a new refreshed feeling that I think I am ready to start sharing a little bit again.

I am going to dive into parenting a big family, homeschooling, and starting over in a new state. I know a bunch of you are curious about those topics because you’ve been asking me, so keep an eye out for those posts coming soon. Today though, I want to get my feet wet by sharing with you a new product that I have found and am in love with, WaterWipes . Have you tried these yet? WaterWipes are amazing!

Many of you know that our 5-year-old son Monroe was diagnosed with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis almost 2 years ago. At that point, we declined medical intervention and instead decided to seek alternative treatment options. The very first thing we tried was a diet change and it worked! We cut (more like limited because hello, he’s five, let’s be realistic) dairy and gluten from his diet. Within a few months, we had a whole new, much healthier child on our hands. It was amazing. The only reason I even thought to try a more natural path to healing is that early in my motherhood years, I was introduced to the concept of being a “crunchy mom” and since then I’ve always tried to choose the most natural options for our entire household.

This brings me to WaterWipes . With just TWO simple ingredients, you can be sure you are using a fantastic product on your little one’s skin. WaterWipes are the world’s purest baby wipes, containing 99.9% water and just a drop of fruit extract, which is a natural skin conditioner, making them perfect for baby’s sensitive skin. WaterWipes earned the National Eczema Association Seal of Acceptance. WaterWipes are even suitable for newborns and premature baby’s delicate and sensitive skin, That all sounds pretty awesome to me.

So if you are like me and you are on a clear (but far from perfect) crunchy mom path or if you are not ready to call yourself crunchy, but you are interested in making a few small changes towards a more natural lifestyle at home, WaterWipes are the perfect addition to your daily routine.

For all of my Canadian readers, WaterWipes wants you to know that they are available for you at Walmart all across Canada. Specifically, in the west, they are available at Real Canadian Superstore. Be sure to grab a pack next time you are out shopping.

Like I said. I will be back with more soon so keep an eye out.

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

Disclosure: I have participated in a paid partnership with WaterWipes. Opinions in this post are my own.

The post Glaze Family Update + A New Favorite Product WaterWipes appeared first on The Glaze Brigade | Official Blog .

How To Prepare Your Kitchen For The Holidays With Frigidaire

Sat, 18 Nov 2017 14:45:00 GMT

It’s no secret that I am no fan of winter. If you live up north like we do now, you know just how cold, cold is and I can barely survive the frozen temperatures. Even though I would happily leave behind the cold, but there is nothing I love more than Thanksgiving and Christmas! Best holidays of the year, hands down!

One of the best parts of Thanksgiving and Christmas is all of the family and friend gatherings. Opening your home to those you love and serving up everyone’s true love language, food. Nothing is better.

If you will be opening your home this season, here are a few tips that I use when I am hosting over the holidays.

Clean Your Fridge

There are few things more appealing than a clean and well-organized fridge. Chances are, your fridge is also the most neglected appliance in your home. Before you host for the holidays, spend just a little bit of time cleaning out and organizing your fridge. Then, when someone opens it up to grab the butter or to chill their yummy dessert, they won’t be turned off by your two-week-old leftovers that somehow spilled over. Better yet, get a new smudge proof black stainless steel fridge by Frigidaire Gallery and the outside of your fridge will look as good as the inside. With this fridge, there are 100 different ways to arrange the adjustable shelves and drawers so you can easily fit the turkey, stuffing, and a bunch of delicious sides nicely inside.

Organize Your Kitchen

The more organized your kitchen is, the easier it will be for you to cook a large, complicated meal. I highly recommend spending just an hour, tossing out broken kitchen tools and mixed matched dishes that seem to gather over time. Make sure that your kitchen has a good flow and is organized well enough that someone who isn’t familiar with your kitchen, can easily find their way around.

Kids serve themselves

I love to make my home very kid-centric. I generally try and serve a meal that involves kid participation. Examples of this type of food would be pizza, tacos, or chili with a toppings bar. For the winter holidays, you are probably going to be serving a more traditional meal, but that doesn’t mean you can’t include the kids. Try setting up a kids’ table complete with mini serving dishes so kids can easily serve themselves. This keeps the kids entertained, encourages braver eating habits, and allows parents to dig into their own plates a little faster.

Schedule a Cleaning Service

Most of the focus is on cleaning before company comes over, but it is equally important to get you home back in order after everyone leaves. I highly recommend scheduling a cleaning service the day after a holiday gathering so that you take a much-needed break after days of planning, prepping, and probably stressing. A regular housekeeping service isn’t in our budget, but having someone come every now and then its something I am more than willing to save up for and splurge on.

If you are trying to make a really big impact this holiday season, it isn’t too late to upgrade your appliances to the new black stainless steel line by Fridigare. These easy to clean, smudge proof appliances, make organizing easier, cooking faster, and cleaning up a breeze. Visit Frigidaire.ca for more information.

Most importantly, enjoy Thanksgiving and Christmas with your closest friends and family. If your kitchen is newly renovated and extremely organized or if it is very old and extra disorganized, the love that comes from serving a hot meal to those around you is the most important part of the holiday season.

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

The post How To Prepare Your Kitchen For The Holidays With Frigidaire appeared first on The Glaze Brigade | Official Blog .

Away We Go, Again

Wed, 13 Sep 2017 14:48:00 GMT

It has been three years since we left behind our life in California. Three years since we made the announcement that we were moving to Canada. Three years since we started a new adventures as immigrants in a country that is so close to home, yet so very different. And now, after three life changing years, we are on to our next adventure.

We will be forever thankful for the time we spent here in Canada. We have met some of the most amazing people we will ever know. We built friendships that will forever have an impact on our life. We have the most beautiful townhouse that quickly became our home. Carter and Monroe only know life in Canada and God gave us the best little Canadian souvenir when He gave us Eli.

It is never easy to say good bye, but it is clear to us that it is time. For whatever reason, God brought us to Toronto and now He has decided it is time for us to move on. And even though leaving is so dang hard, we are super excited for whatever is next.

I know a lot of you want to know what is next for us, but the truth is that we don’t even know yet. We do know we will be living with my mom in Chicago until the new year and we know we want to spend some time traveling. Other than that, the world is our oyster.

Thank you Toronto for being home to my kids for the last three years. Thank you for giving us first days of school, first snow angels, and first roller coaster rides. Thank you for the friends you brought into our life, the camping trips, the weekend getaways, the beach days, and the super late summer sunsets. Thank you for teaching me how hard it is to be an immigrant and for pushing my boundaries. But, more than anything, thank you Toronto for strengthening my marriage, growing my confidence as a wife and mother, and for my sweet little baby boy Eli. You have been good to us.

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

The post Away We Go, Again appeared first on The Glaze Brigade | Official Blog .

The Dreaded Sleep Transition

Wed, 30 Aug 2017 14:04:00 GMT

Eli is 5.5 months old, rolling left to right and every other which way, so that means it’s time to ditch the swaddle. *Que the ugly cry.* If you didn’t know, we love swaddling in our home. Rusty and I can count the number of times we have ever had to wake up more than twice a night with one of the three kiddos on our fingers and we thank swaddling for that luck. We start swaddling from day one and we use that as a basis to establish great sleep habits from the beginning that last forever. Sadly, once the skill of rolling is learned, it is no longer safe to swaddling and the transition from swaddled to un-swaddled can be rough. Thankfully, we found the Nested Bean sleep sack this time around and the swaddled/un-swaddled transition has gone perfectly smooth.

The reason babies need swaddling is becuase of the newborn startle reflex that we all have when we are falling asleep but is amplified in infants. This reflex happening over and over again can unnecessarily wake your baby over and over and can also cause your baby to feel stressed, anxious, and vulnerable. Keeping a tight wrap around your baby’s arms and body keeps this feeling to a minimum and keeps baby feeling safe and secure. In case you don’t know, the reason parents have to stop swaddling once rolling starts is that baby needs the use of their arms to prevent suffocation. At this point, your baby still has that amplified startle reflex, but it is no longer safe to keep baby swaddled. The Nested Bean has come up with a really great way to combat that feeling of vulnerability with their unique sleep sacks, and trust me, it makes a difference.

The Nested Bean sleep sack comes with a weight in the chest area that is meant to mimic the feeling of the parents hand resting on baby’s chest. This weighted feeling gives baby a feeling of security and minimizes the negative effects of the newborn startle reflex. This sleep sack gives baby the best of both worlds; the ability to use her arms to roll over while sleeping, but also provides a safe and secure feeling that encourages long stretches of sleep.

If you are interested in trying out a Nested Bean sleep sack or swaddle for your babe, use discount code PR-GLAZE15 for 15% off of your order. Check out all of the different fabrics and adorable print designs on their website NestedBean.com . Want to know more about when to stop swaddling? Click here . Happy sleeping!

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

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Kids’ Cam – Toronto’s Center Island

Mon, 28 Aug 2017 02:26:00 GMT

The Glaze Brigade spent the second to last official weekend of summer (which is kind of a joke because summer never actually arrived here in the GTA) at Center Island and we loved it! I’m actually a little bummed that we have lived here for 3 years and only just decided to make the trip on the ferry over to the island.

So, as you know, I am usually the one documenting every moment of our outings with my DSLR and then carefully edit each image before I share them with you here on my blog. This time I decided to leave it up to the kids. I pulled out an old, beat up point and shoot that hasn’t been used in years and let the kids shoot away. All of these pictures were taken by Carter and Monroe and they have had no editing done to them.

Flipping through the pictures gave me a good look at what was important to the kiddos. I thought the view of Lake Ontario was amazing, the beautiful pier that stretched out into the water was cool, I loved all of the greenery, the kids playing on the playground, and different water fountains. The kids noticed none of that. They loved the silly copper animals that were sprinkled around the children garden, the broken glass window in the parking garage, and taking pictures while they were running.

I think I loved the island so much because there was something for all of us there. Sunshine, lake front, decent food, and plenty of exploring for me and Rusty. Cheesy statues, play structures, and space to run for the kids.

We are a family that feels alive through adventure. We never shy away from something new or something exciting. You can almost always catch us packing our bags for our next trip out of town. I am excited to start seeing what those adventures look like through the eyes of our kiddos.

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

The post Kids’ Cam – Toronto’s Center Island appeared first on The Glaze Brigade | Official Blog .

Two Must Have Items to Fully Enjoy Summer With an Infant

Mon, 14 Aug 2017 13:37:00 GMT

We are just three weeks away from the start of the next school year and I am so not ready! There is nothing I love more than the freedom of summer. No school schedules to follow, flexible bedtimes, endless weekend adventures, and daily trips to wherever we can get some sunshine. Sadly, all of that is about to end and I am already planning our next summer.

Because summer is so short here in Canada, I wanted to make sure I didn’t miss a moment for any reason, but especially because I was afraid too afraid to get into a swim suit just a few months after having a baby. That is when I decided to try out a swim suit from Rad Swim, and of course, it is perfect for my mom bod.

I also, didn’t want to miss out on any moments with my older kiddos because it was difficult to get the babe out and about. I found the best solution for that problem when I discovered Beach Front Baby. With their water friendly slings, I am able to have fun in the water with Carter and Monroe, while safely keeping Eli with me.

So far, this summer has been amazing. Camping, beach days, amusement parks, trips to the motherland, and late nights with friends and I am so thankful for every second. In just a few weeks, the air will start to chill and the days will become shorts and I am getting a little choked up just thinking about it, but at least I know I didn’t waste any of my summer feeling insecure or unable to get out and have fun.

Mamas, if you are expecting a little one over the fall or winter, or if you are lucky enough to live in a place with an extended summer, check out these two awesome items all mamas must have. Thank you Rad Swim and Beach Front Baby helping me make the most of my first summer as a mom of three.

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

The post Two Must Have Items to Fully Enjoy Summer With an Infant appeared first on The Glaze Brigade | Official Blog .

Rainy Day Fun with Erin Mills Town Centre

Mon, 24 Jul 2017 20:18:00 GMT

Since moving to Toronto, the best part of summer is getting outside. Our days are usually filled with trips to the playground, our near by amusement park, riding our scooters around the neighborhood, or taking a fun road trip, but even in the summer, there are days we are stuck inside. Sometimes we spend those rainy days cuddled on the couch, watching a movie and eating junk food, but another fun rainy day activity we enjoy is visiting our local mall.

A few days ago we decided to check out Erin Mills Town Centre for a fun lunch, some light shopping, and a place to get away from the rain. It was such a great way to spend the afternoon! Erin Mills is currently remodeling and their new food court looked amazing. There were so many choices and the kids just loved being able to choose whatever they wanted to eat. Carter picked Subway or “Subways” as she calls it and Monroe picked pizza from Sbarro. I decided on some amazing noodles and a veggie spring roll from a Chinese restaurant.

After lunch, I let the kids pick out a toy from the mall’s toy store. Monroe quickly found a stuffed Spider-Man and Captain America that he just had to have, but Carter didn’t see anything she really loved so we decided to check out another store. Amazingly, Erin Mills has a Wal-Mart and the Erin Mills Town Centre gift card I had to spend works at all stores and restaurants in the mall, including Wal-Mart. Carter was able to find the bubble gun she has been begging me for and spent the rest of the day happy as a clam.

Of course, no trip to the mall is complete without a treat, so we grabbed some Dairy Queen before we headed back home. It might seem silly, but as a mom, these are the days I really love. There is nothing special about a trip to the mall, but seeing my kids excited to pick out their lunch or pick out a small gift for being awesome kids is everything to me. Thanks, Erin Mills Town Centre , for a fun day out and putting a smile on my kiddos’ faces.

Clear eyes. Full hearts. Can’t lose.

More About Erin Mills Town Centre

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5 Tasks That Help Teach Personal Responsibility to 1st Graders with Quaker Oats #OvernightSuccess

Wed, 21 Jun 2017 13:48:00 GMT

I was just a little surprised to learn that Carter would be starting kindergarten, at the ripe old age of 3, just a few months after moving to Canada. I considered putting her in a preschool a few days a week, but never did I think I would be sending her to an all day, every day, kindergarten class in a school that holds kids up to the 8th grade. Cue the mommy freak out. Of course, Carter loved it and I had nothing to do worry about.

It seems like all I did was blink my eyes and Carter has finished both jr. and sr. kindergarten and is getting ready to head off to the first grade. We are still trying to decide if she should stay at the school in our neighborhood or if we should send her to the french immersion a short drive away, but one thing we have decided on is that she will be given a handful of new age appropriate responsibilities this summer.

Currently, Carter’s “chores” include tidying up the toy room and her bedroom, putting away her clean laundry, and emptying the dishwasher. She can also earn money if she does any work above and beyond her regular responsibilities such as mopping, vacuuming, or dusting. But instead of adding to her chore list, I want to help her learn responsibility by encouraging her to take over some of the daily tasks I do for her.

5 tasks that help teach personal responsibility to 1st graders

Pack Her Own Bag

For all of jr. and sr. kindergarten, I packed up Carter’s backpack for school. I also pack up a bag for her when we are going to be gone for the day with snacks and activities. This summer, I am going to teach Carter to start packing her own bag. This will help her learn to decide what is and isn’t important to bring along places and it will help her learn to remember her “must haves” like a snack, water bottle, or her homework when the school year begins.

Learn to Use a Calendar

Of course, Carter can’t keep a calendar all on her own, but I am going to have her start looking over my calendar with me so that she can be aware of our daily plans. This will help her to understand how our plans are laid out. She can see that Tuesday is a trip to Wonderland, Thursday is her playdate with Emma, and Saturday and Sunday dad will be away for a tournament. She can spend the summer learning and understanding how a calendar works and then when the school year starts, we can start adding assignments and special school events to the calender for her to track.

Shower Without Help

Learning to shower alone is not only for my own sanity, but also for her to learn about proper hygiene and self care. This will help me out a lot by taking some of the responsibility off of me to get all three kids clean at some point every few days. It will also help Carter learn the basics of washing her hair and her body without my help.

Get Ready for the Day Without Prompting

Carter can definitely already pick out her clothes for school. I don’t always maker her, mostly because I enjoy picking out what she wears, but she can accomplish that task. My goal for this summer is to teach her to get completely ready to leave the house on her own. Dressed in an appreciate outfit for the occasion, hair and teeth brushed, shoes on, and bag packed all without me guiding her step by step.

Make Her Own Breakfast

Carter can already make herself simple breakfast options like toast, cereal, and frozen waffles, but this year summer and upcoming school year, I want her to learn to make a more filling option for herself. When I stumbled upon Quaker Oats’ Overnight Oats recipes, I knew it would be a perfect stepping stone for Carter to start making herself more wholesome breakfast options. The overnight oats recipes use oats, milk or yogurt, fruit, and seasoning to create a filling breakfast that is easy to prepare the night before and easy to grab in the hustle and bustle of the morning school rush.

We tested these oats out recently and Carter was so excited to take charge and prepare her breakfast before she headed off to bed. She was even more excited to try out her creations when she woke up, and of course, she loved it. Now she asks me every night if she can make herself some overnight oats.

I hope these tips help your big soon to be 1st grader get excited about gaining responsibilities and growing towards independence. Now go and enjoy some Overnight Oats.

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

The post 5 Tasks That Help Teach Personal Responsibility to 1st Graders with Quaker Oats #OvernightSuccess appeared first on The Glaze Brigade | Official Blog .

Sleeping Sound Thanks to Owlet Baby Care

Mon, 12 Jun 2017 17:34:00 GMT

My middle child, Monroe, was born with a severe tongue tie, it was actually so severe that he couldn’t swallow. For the first week of his life, we had no idea that his entire tongue was attached to the bottom of his mouth (behind his bottom gums), but over and over again he would choke and sometimes even turn blue. Rusty or I or a nurse would have to suction his airway to get things cleared out. It was the scariest time for me as a parent.

What was even more frustrating is that the doctor would check Monroe’s airway and say that it was fine and that everything was normal, but we knew it wasn’t. Rusty and I were so scared to leave Monroe unattended, for even a second, that we took shifts sleeping. Thank God we did, because sure enough, we had to stop him from choking multiple times a night by suctioning his airway. I was at such a loss until we took him to a lactation consultant for his low weight gain issue and she finally pointed out his tongue tie to us.

I wish I could say that everything was better from that point, but its been a rocky road for my “love of life.” (That is what we call each other. <3) Between asthma attacks, pneumonia, and a chronic cough, there have been many sleepless nights for me, wondering if its even safe to fall asleep. That is why, when someone from Owlet contacted me about reviewing their new Smart Sock 2, which tracks heart rate and oxygen, I was more than excited. I only wish I had this device sooner so that I could have used it with Monroe. Even still, I am so thankful to have peace of mind, this time around, with Eli.

The Owlet is so simple to use and it provides a peace of mind that all moms and dads of infants need. Before we put Eli to bed, we put the smart sock on his cute little foot and put his jammies right over it, then we turn on the base unit, its that simple. I can sleep soundly knowing that if Eli’s oxygen level or heart rate falls below a preset level, the Owlet will notify me.

The Owlet works by using the same technology that doctors have used for decades to track oxygen levels of patents. The smart sock connects wirelessly to a base that makes a sound if Eli’s oxygen level or heart rate falls below the preset levels. The smart sock is also connected to my phone through the Owlet app that is available for iPhones. The app is not necessary, so if you do not have an iPhone, you can still use the Owlet on your baby. The Owlet also comes with three smart sock size options, up to 18 months, so you can be sure it will fit properly as your little one grows.

I would give anything to go back in time and have the Owlet for Monroe, but all I can do now is be so thankful we have the Owlet for Eli. There are few things better than knowing your child’s wellbeing as they sleep. You can purchase the Owlet or learn more about this amazing product at OwletCare.com .

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

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How to Encourage Fathers to Become Hands On Dads

Wed, 17 May 2017 13:54:00 GMT

Facebook is filled with groups of moms complaining about the lack of help they get from their husbands. Either dad has never changed a diaper, he doesn’t help pick up toys, dad doesn’t help discipline, or he flat out cannot keep the kids alive if he is left alone. I understand that it can be completely frustrating to get no help from the one person that should be helping you the most, so I am going to share with you a few tips that I’ve used to encourage my husband to be a hands on dad.

How to Encourage Fathers to Become Hands On Dads

Do Not Criticize

This point is first because it is by far the most important point I am going to make in this whole post. Do not criticize your husband when he is trying, trying to play with the kids, trying to change the baby, trying to load the dishwasher, trying to fold the laundry. Even if he is doing something completely wrong by your standards, even if he is trying to feed the kids a peanut butter and skittles sandwich, do not criticize him.

I once read a magazine article about a study done on dads playing with their kids. It was discovered through the study that when dads are playing with the kids, if the mom stands near by and constantly says, ‘careful, careful, careful,’ the dad will be less and less likely to spend time playing with the kids. Criticizing best efforts is the quickest way to discourage someone from trying at all. Just remember, your way isn’t the only way something can be done. So yeah, maybe its annoying to you to have the towels folded instead of rolled, but isn’t it nice to have someone else take care of them at all?

Trust Your Baby Daddy

When I was a newbie mama and I had to leave Rusty with my precious first born, I would leave him an entire packet of instructions. Step by step directions on her nap schedule, her feeding schedule, how to warm frozen breast milk, what she should wear, how often to change her, so on and so forth. Needless to say, that got real old, real fast. So, instead of saying, ‘oh, its just too much work to leave the hubs alone with baby girl,’ I decided to just trust that he could keep her alive without any clear direction. And you know what? He did keep her alive. Imagine that.

This point leads to the same conclusion as my first point, just because dad isn’t going to do things the exact way you would, doesn’t mean he is wrong. He might forget to change the babies diaper until there is a blowout or he might serve the bottle a little cold, but so what, a little cold breast milk never hurt anyone.

Gently Force Him To Help

If you are married to a guy that doesn’t encourage you to go get a break, have a girls night out, or get a manicure in peace, then you are just going to have to make it happen for yourself. Want to know how? Just go! When you know the hubs will be home with no where to go, just leave. He will survive, the kids will survive, like I said before, trust your baby daddy. Just remember to yell, “don’t forget to feed the kids,” before the door slams behind you. He might huff and puff a little bit about it, but just reward him for his effort in a way that your husband would appreciate. (wink wink) I’m sure he will become more and more happy to help as the rewards start rolling in.

Your Kids Need You But They Also Need Dad

Now this one is for you mamas.

“But, I feel so guilty leaving them behind, They always get so upset.” Yes, your kids need your hugs, want you around, love you to death. They might start crying the second they notice you grab your shoes, but that is okay. Kids also need dad, even if they don’t realize it yet. Just like anything in life, the more something happens, the quicker it will become the norm and soon your kiddos will realize that they are just as safe and happy with daddy as they are with mommy.

I know what you are going to say next… “But I am still breastfeeding.” Well, I have the best answer for that. Have you tried the new NUK Simply Natural line? NUK has done amazing things for nursing moms with this new line and it will make leaving dad in charge of a nursing baby so much easier.

More About NUK Simply Natural

The new NUK Simply Natural bottle is specifically designed to be as close as possible to a mother’s breast. Unlike bottles of the past, the fast flow nipple of this NUK Simply Natural bottle is made with multiple holes to mimic the milk flow feeling of a mother’s breast. This nipple comes in three different flow rates, so you can decide what is best for your baby. In addition, the nipple has a vent in the side that allows for proper airflow and can help reduce the instances of colic, gas, and spitting up.

The NUK Simply Natural line also includes the new Freemie Collection Cups for hands free pumping that makes leaving behind breast milk for daddy to use, even easier. The hands free pumping accessory is compatible with the Madela, Ameda, and Phillips pumps, as well as, the Freemie manual pump. The Freemie Collection Cups were created to give moms a discreet way to pump so that pumping doesn’t have to interfere with their busy schedules.

I hope these few tips and tricks can help you to get dad more involved in the everyday life of parenthood. Remember that it is important to encourage and trust your husband when it comes to raising your children and overtime you will really see him flourish.

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

This post is part of the YummyMummyClub.ca and NUK Canada Simply Natural #SimplyNatura l sponsored program. I received compensation as a thank you for my participation. This post reflects my personal opinion about the information provided by the sponsors.

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Helpful Tips for Sleeping Through the Night with an Infant

Thu, 11 May 2017 18:56:00 GMT

I am not going to pretend like I have the magic key to the land of sleep. I am well aware that sleep varies from child to child and what works for one will not work for all. But, because I have 3 kiddos who have all slept through the night by 3 months and my newborn has slept through the night starting around 2 weeks, I decided that I might have a few tips to share.

My number one tip for new moms is always “ swaddle that baby !”

This one is kind of a wash if you have a babe that can roll, because then swaddling isn’t safe. It also might be too late if you don’t start swaddling from day one. The point of swaddling is that they maintain the feeling of being tight and cozy in mama’s belly, but that doesn’t work if they have forget that they love the feeling. Keeping the baby bound up tight by a swaddle keeps him from waking himself up with the flailing arms and gives him the same sense of safety and security that he had in his mama’s tummy. So, if you are pregnant or plan to grow your family and hope for better sleep habits the next time around, find yourself an awesome swaddle and start using it immediately!

My next tip for mama’s hoping for a good nights sleep is to establish a bedtime .

I take my time establishing a feeding schedule and a nap schedule but I immediately start to establish a bedtime routine. 8 pm is our household bedtime for kids and that already includes Eli. We don’t have any special routine, its simply nursing (but not nursing to sleep), a clean diaper, clean jammies, swaddle and prayers, then lights out while baby is still awake. If Eli cries, we will lay next to him with our hand on his tummy until he calms, but we do not pick him up or rock him to sleep, he falls asleep on his own.

Finally, I suggest co-sleeping until proper sleep habits are established.

I am not an advocate for long term co-sleeping. I am not particularly against it, but because I am an advocate for prioritizing marriage over children, co-sleeping doesn’t work for us. We do, however, co-sleep until we have established good sleep habits and baby is sleeping from 8 pm to 8 am. (That is the sleep schedule that we set for all of our kids, you can set whatever schedule works for you but 12 hours is whats recommend by doctors.) I recommend co-sleeping in the beginning is so that you can immediately attend to the babies needs and reduce the amount of awake time. If Eli fusses, I can quickly reach over and give him his pacifier. If Eli is in another room and starts to fuss, he may be fully crying and awake by the time I wake up, get out of bed and get to him. Helping to facilitate longer and longer stretches of deep sleep through the night by quick response to fussiness will bring about full nights of sleep faster.

To ensure safe co-sleeping, I highly recommend the DocATot! DocATot is a multi use lounging, playing, chilling, resting and snuggling dock that is easily portable and can be used anywhere from your couch, to the floor, to a pool lounge chair, to your bed. My favorite use for our doc is as a co-sleeper bed. Because it is a made of soft cushy material, it isn’t awkward in our bed like some co-sleepers can be in a bed. Brushing up against it in the night isn’t bothersome, its more like having a comfy pillow between the husband and myself.

There are so many other reasons we love our doc. The entire cover can easily be removed and thrown in the wash, so if you are like me and have a baby that never stops spitting up, your doc will not be permanently stained. The DocATot is also intentionally shaped so that the baby can slightly and comfortably sink into the bed, bringing the sides of the bed snuggled up to the baby mimicking the same safe and secure feeling that a swaddle brings. This feature also prevents the infant from rolling, falling off of the doc, or being rolled over by sleeping parents. Finally, the DocATot is designed with fabric that does not trap carbon dioxide eliminating the risk of suffocation when asleep.

You can find out more about the DocATot and shop the variety of colors and accessories on their website . You know me and my all white everything, but there are so many cute colors!

Like I said in the beginning, I do not have the magic key for all babies, but I hope these tips help bring you a peaceful night of rest sooner than later.

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

The post Helpful Tips for Sleeping Through the Night with an Infant appeared first on The Glaze Brigade | Official Blog .

Eli’s Newborn Pictures and a Few Thoughts on Life With Three

Wed, 03 May 2017 13:35:00 GMT

The number one thing people ask me these days is… How is the transition from two to three? So for everyone wondering, here is my honest answer. It has been amazing!

I’m not exactly sure what it is, it might be because I have already built and reinforced my parenting style with the first two, it might be because I have let go of the stress of striving for perfection, it might be because the other two are old enough to kind of help out, I’m really not sure. What I am sure of though is that this transition from two to three has been a million times easier than the transition from one to two.

I actually have spent nights crying to my husband that I cannot remember much of Monroe’s first year. I can still remember all of the tiny details of Carter’s first year, but for some reason its like Monroe’s first year doesn’t exist in my memory. I think I was much more overwhelmed than I thought I was or something. I’m not sure. I know I felt very stressed out trying to manage two under two years old, trying to potty train Carter, trying to get Monroe to gain weight, moving to a new house, and then planning our move to Canada. I can clearly remember the moment Monroe took his first steps (my little brothers were playing basketball on a Little Tikes basketball hoop and thirteen month old Monroe wanted to join them) and it seems like everything is pretty clear from that point on, but for the whole first year I can’t recall much and it devastates me.

There isn’t anything I can do to change my memories of Monroe, but I am sure it won’t be the same this time around. I feel calm and confident, I am in control of parenting, the transition has honestly been amazing. Eli sleeps really well, all of my kids did/do, thank God! Eli is gaining weight, which is something we struggled with, with both Carter and Monroe. Most of all, the kids love him and he loves them. No one can calm Eli down like his big bro Roe. I am so excited for Eli to grow up and join in on the craziness.

If you have ever been told the more the merrier when it comes to kids and motherhood and you didn’t believe it, I’m telling you, believe it. I didn’t know motherhood could be even more amazing than it already was, but some how, this little 8 pound, 14 ounce nugget change our entire life for the better.

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

The post Eli’s Newborn Pictures and a Few Thoughts on Life With Three appeared first on The Glaze Brigade | Official Blog .

Kids Fashion with Drake General Store

Tue, 25 Apr 2017 16:34:00 GMT

Well, just because we are restricted on what can be worn to school, doesn’t mean we can have fun on the weekends and all summer long. As we get ready for summer, we are loading up our clothes with a bunch of fun fashion finds and Drake General Store is a great place to find them. You know what is extra awesome about Drake General Store?? They have matching clothes for the whole family! Yes, please. I am all about having our entire family of five all matchy matchy when we all head out together.

Pretty much everything Drake General Store carries is unisex which is a huge plus for me. I love dressing my kids in neutrals because it goes along with my personal style, but also because it makes passing down clothes from kid to kid so much easier. Buying something both my daughter and my son can wear is a win for my cheap side! You can find these looks and many more for the whole family at drakegeneralstore.ca . Have fun shopping!

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

The post Kids Fashion with Drake General Store appeared first on The Glaze Brigade | Official Blog .

Three Baby Items You Need For Your Growing Family

Tue, 18 Apr 2017 18:33:00 GMT

We are learning, for the first time, what it really means to be outnumbered as parents. Honestly, it hasn’t been too bad, the kids are super helpful and Eli is a fantastic baby. Even still, the most helpful thing we have done is made sure we have all the tools we need to make life simple and organized. So far, in the newborn stage, there are three items we have found most useful as we do our best to keep our heads on straight; an awesome stroller, a great diaper bag, and the world’s most comfortable ring sling.

Valco Baby Snap Ultra Stroller

We loved and still love our BOB jogging stroller, but we needed something smaller and more compact now that our car is packed with three car seats and the Valco Baby Stroller is a perfect fit. Things we love about this stroller; it has an awesome sun share, the skateboard attachment is just what we needed, folding and opening couldn’t be easier, and it has a really sleek and minimalist look that I love. You can find out more about Valco Baby strollers and all the different models that they offer here .

Wildbird Ring Sling

As much as we love our stroller, we are a minimalist family at heart, so we do our best to go stroller-less or stick to a single stroller and we couldn’t do that without baby wearing. The Wildbird ring sling is, hands down, the most comfortable sling I have ever used. It fits so comfortably over my shoulder to help balance out the weight of the baby. It also takes only a second to get Eli in and out, which is not always the case with different baby wearing options. I think my Wildbird sling is my number one used baby item right now, I could not live without it. Let’s not forget, I love that I am able to have free hands to take care of the other two while still having my baby boy snuggled up close. You can get your own Wildbird ring sling here .

Pacapod Diaper Bag

Every mom needs a good diaper bag and it is especially important now that I am packing for three. This diaper bag is the most organized bag you will ever use. It comes with two special pouches, one for diaper changing and one for bottles, that are kept in a special zipper pocket outside of the bag. This makes life so easy when you are out and about and need to do a quick diaper change. Husbands also love it, because they won’t have to take your whole bag to the bathroom when they are helping out with diaper changes. They just grab the little diaper changing pod and go. Lets not forget that it looks great and the inside pocket is huge with a few smaller zipper pockets to hold the small things like keys and your cell phone. I have a few diaper bags that I use and love, but this is my go to for sure. Check out the entire Pacapod collection here .

I hope all of you mama’s find this info helpful when you are trying to decide what you need before baby arrives. I know I would be losing my mind without these three items and I can promise they will all make your life a bit easier. I know we can all use all the help we can get.

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

The post Three Baby Items You Need For Your Growing Family appeared first on The Glaze Brigade | Official Blog .

Fighting off Night Terrors with a Homeopathic Option

Sat, 15 Apr 2017 21:00:00 GMT

I’ve always done my best to chose the most natural path for my kids when it come to their bodies, their skin, what they eat, and how we approach health care. Yes, they are treated with doughnuts and ice cream every now and then, but the also get a full serving of vegetables daily. Its really about balance, isn’t it?

Since moving to Canada, I have been introduced to Boiron Canada the Canadian based, homeopathic medicine brand, and I have grown to really trust and love their products. And, now that we have Eli, I am anxious to try out their life of infant homeopathic options of common ailments like colic, teething, and trouble sleeping.

One of my favorite things about the Boiron Baby line is that the medicines are free of sugar, dyes, and preservatives. That is always really important to me when I am deciding what to put in my child’s body.

In the past, I have shared a little bit about Monroe’s struggle with night terrors . Although, we have done our research and we take precautions to fend off the night terrors, they still happen every now and then. For the occasions that we still struggle with restless nights and night terrors, we have turned to quietude and it has been such a difference in Monroe’s sleep. It is so nice to have a trusted homeopathic medicine to turn to in the middle of the night, when all we all want is a good night sleep.

If you are looking for a natural alternative for common childhood aliments like colic, teething, or trouble sleeping, I highly recommend you check out Boiron Canada products.

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

The post Fighting off Night Terrors with a Homeopathic Option appeared first on The Glaze Brigade | Official Blog .

Our Birth Story – Eli Wayne Glaze

Wed, 29 Mar 2017 18:27:00 GMT

It’s no secret that a mom past her due date has zero patience. And what’s even worse, I always seem to find myself in some kind of time crunch around my due date. When Carter was born, I was desperate to have her before the new year so the we could collect the tax break. When Monroe was born, my dad came to San Diego to help us move and to watch Carter while we were in the hospital, but we were nearing the end of his trip with still no baby. Both times, just a few days past my due date, I decided to drink castor oil to get things moving and both times it worked like a charm. Well, I thought it worked like a charm… What I didn’t know is that the castor oil is the reason I hemorrhaged so bad after both Carter and Monroe’s deliveries.

This time, my midwife was adamant that I stay away from the castor oil. She was the one that explained to me that it can cause hemorrhaging and I decided that I would rather be patient than end up with a blood transfusion. (I was borderline in need of a blood transfusion with Monroe and hemorrhaging is supposed to get worse with each delivery.) Waiting is not easy when you are uncomfortable and aware of the magic potion to get labor started, but I was good and I waited.

Unfortunately, eight days past by with no movement, almost no dilating or effacing, not even any false labor, nothing! So, on the advice of my midwife and based on the baby’s estimated weight, I decided to be induced. (Carter was 8.8 and Monroe was 9.5. They believed this baby was somewhere around 9.4) I am aware that the fastest way to a c-section is through induction or speending up the process with pitocin, so I was scared and feeling very defeated the morning of my induction, sure that I would end up in an operating room instead of the delivery room at the end of the day. But, because I had a midwife, instead of an OB, she was willing to try as many alternative options of induction as we could before we started with the pitocin. This is where I learned something crazy about my body, it will not produce contractions without some kind of intervention.

Both my midwife and the on call OB told me that if they broke my water, statically labor would start. Nope, that did not get things going for me. Next, we decided to try inducing labor with the use of a breast pump. That worked, but the second I would stop, the contractions would stop as well, so that meant I was stuck to the pump for almost 6 hours. After about 7 hours, I was finally having regular contractions (with the help of the pump) and I was dilated to 7cm so we decided it was time for the epidural. I mean, there was no way I would be dialated to 7cm, in so much excruciating pain, and still not be in active labor, but apparently we were wrong. Once I received my epidural, my body could no longer feel the effects of the breast pump and that was it, labor completely stopped.

We were out of options. Breaking my water, walking, climbing stairs, pumping, nothing worked and now with an epidural I couldn’t get out of bed to try any other interventions, it was time for the pitocin. I sobbed, I assured everyone that I would end up with a c-section, I was angry at my midwife for forbidding castor oil knowing that it would have gotten the job done, I was exhausted, and I was ready to be done.

Of course, all of my fear and frustration was more about my level of exhaustion than anything else and about an hour after we stated the pitocin, my midwife was please to tell me that even with just a tiny dosage of pitocin, labor had started. I was finally dilated to 9cm. That is when I realized that my body just doesn’t go into labor unassisted.

At this point, I was able to spend some time relaxing with Carter, who we decided to have her in the room with us during Eli’s delivery. We watched a few of our favorite YouTube shows and just spent a little time bonding before her world would be turned upside down by our newest addition.

Then it was time. About an hour after my mini panic attack, I was holding my little 8 pound, 14 ounce boy in my arms. My midwife said the time I spent pushing was a record for her! Haha, I guess 5 minutes (3 pushes) is pretty impressive. Hearing my husband announce “it’s a boy” was as magical as I imagined and a hearing that first cry was a welcomed sound after the long and trying day we all had. I could not thank God enough for the healthy baby boy and healthy delivery with no hemorrhaging, even if it involved unwanted interventions.

Now its time to start learning the ropes as a mom of three beautiful children. I cannot wait for all of our family of five adventures to begin.

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

The post Our Birth Story – Eli Wayne Glaze appeared first on The Glaze Brigade | Official Blog .

Opening My Eyes to the World’s Clean Water Needs

Thu, 23 Mar 2017 15:39:00 GMT

Did you know that 783 million people do not have access to clean water?

Statistics like this are thrown around all the time, and numbers like that seem so huge that, if you are like me, you probably just tell yourself there is no real impact that you can make. And lets be honest, it would take a whole lot more than just one person to make a dent in that number, but that doesn’t mean you can’t try and change the life of just one person in the world that is in need of clean water.

Have you heard of the Me to We campaign? Me to We supports a borehole in Irkaat, Kenya that provides the community of more that 1,800 with access to clean water. This campaign launched in 2016 with help from Brita water filters and pitchers. It is pretty amazing to know that an additional 1,800 people now have access to clean water thanks to Me to We and Brita.

This spring, Brita is expanding the campaign to include specially marked water bottles that you can purchase in Canada from Wal-Mart, Real Canadian Super Store, Real Atlantic Super Store, Loblaws, and Zehrs locations for only 19.99.

As part of the Me to We transparent giving model, all Me to We Brita product come with a track your impact code for consumers to track exactly where and how their purchases have made an impact. This would be a great thing to share with your children so that they can understand the amazing impact of one small decision to purchase a water bottle can make.

If you ever feel like you can’t make a difference as a single person, go out today, purchase this bottle, and provide a year of clean water to someone in Kenya that is waiting to be blessed with clean drinking water.

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

The post Opening My Eyes to the World’s Clean Water Needs appeared first on The Glaze Brigade | Official Blog .

5 Places in Your Kitchen You Might Not Remember to Clean

Tue, 14 Mar 2017 16:00:00 GMT

If you have ever met me, you probably know that I hate cleaning. I don’t mean, its annoying but I do it, I mean I hate it with every ounce of my body. I like clean, I just don’t like to clean and messy doesn’t bother me much.

Most of you also know that I am at the end of my pregnancy, painfully past due actually, but this post isn’t about that. You guessed it, its about cleaning. Normal preggos hit a nesting stage sometimes towards the end, but I think since I hate cleaning so much, nesting just causes me to meet the normal threshold for a desire to clean. So, because I am feeling a teeny tiny urge to clean, I thought I might share with you 5 spots in every kitchen that might get regularly overlooked.

5 Places in Your Kitchen You Might Not Remember To Clean

1. Under The Stove

I try to slide my stove away from the wall at least once a month and give the floor under it a good sweep and a mop. It is crazy how dirty it gets in just one month. Crumbs that get accidentally swept under or liquids that spill down the sides when I’m cooking, all of it just builds up so fast. If you have never done this, go do it right now! (No wait, actually finish reading first.)

2. Cabinet Doors

I never thought much about this before in our previous kitchens, but now we have straight black cabinets and every single time someone touches them with a greasy or sticky hand, it shows. I have noticed so much more how often our cabinets need to be wiped down.

3. Under The Sink

This is especially important if you keep your trash can or compost under your sink, but even if you don’t, it doesn’t hurt to get under there and clean it out every now and then. For those of us that leave your trash can or compost under the sink, you would be surprised how much misses the trash can, especially liquids that splash and stick to the inside of the cabinet. About once a month, I take everything out and wipe it all down and reorganize everything I keep under there. It really helps with keeping your kitchen smelling fresh.

4. Baseboards

I never noticed how dusty and greasy the baseboards in our kitchen get until I got down on my hands and knees and actually wiped them down by hand. The top edge of the baseboard can actually collect a thick layer of dust and just like every other surface in your kitchen, spilled food can stick all over them.

5. Kitchen Chairs

This is especially important if you have kids. I have sticky, grimy handprints all over my kitchen chairs daily. I don’t think it is as noticeable on more neural colored furniture, but again, I have black chairs and every tiny speck shows up. Take if from someone who can clearly see just how dirty kitchen chairs can get, you want to start regular scrubbing yours down.

Now if all of this sounds a little daunting to add to your regular cleaning list, don’t worry, I have the best solution. I know you have cleaned your floors with Pine-Sol, but did you know you can clean your entire kitchen with it? The directions are on the bottle but basically, all you need is a bucket of warm water, some Pine-Sol and a sponge and you can clean your kitchen from top to bottom.

Pine-sol has come out with a new scent, Spring Blossom, which is a combination of jasmine, orange blossom and magnolia. Pine-sol deodorizes while it easily cuts through grease, grime, and dirt. Basically, just use Pine-sol to make cleaning quick and easy.

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

The post 5 Places in Your Kitchen You Might Not Remember to Clean appeared first on The Glaze Brigade | Official Blog .

39 Weeks and Counting

Sun, 05 Mar 2017 16:26:00 GMT

We are so close to the finish line. The nursery is ready, the kids are getting impatient, and the house is clean and ready to welcome our new addition. There are still a few things I need to do like installing the car seat and packing a hospital bag, but for the most part, we are ready!

I have to be honest, this has been my most difficult pregnancy. Actually, my only difficult pregnancy. I have always loved being pregnant in the past, but this time it was hard. I don’t know if its because my body hurt this time or because I already don’t do well with the cold (this is my first pregnancy mixed with cold weather) and that just brought my spirit downs even more, but whatever it was, it wasn’t the same experience.

Regardless of how much I loved or didn’t love being pregnant, we are so excited to welcome a new member to our crazy brigade. Boy or girl, it doesn’t matter, this baby is going to fit right in with our wacky family.

You are already so loved baby! See you soon.

I want to give a super special thank you to Misty Mapplebeck from Misty Blue Photography , the wonderful florist at Terracotta Home and Garden , Kat and Aaron at Wheat Kids Clothing and to Pink Blush Maternity for making this photoshoot a reality.

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

The post 39 Weeks and Counting appeared first on The Glaze Brigade | Official Blog .

Getting Ready for Baby Number 3 with BuyBuy Baby Canada

Wed, 01 Mar 2017 20:15:00 GMT

Well friends, the baby is almost here and I am so unprepared this time around.

Of course, with baby number one, I was ready 2 months before my due date. I mean, not only did I have a baby shower for Carter, but I’m sure I bought diapers the second I had a positive pregnancy test. First time moms can be a little over excited, am I right?

I actually think its the second time moms that get it right. I bought diapers somewhere around the 8th month and packed my hospital bag two weeks before my due date. I think its because you don’t really have your hands full yet and you are granted with the wisdom to know what is and isn’t important when it comes to baby prep.

You know who is the worst though? Third time moms. I actually might have to pick up a pack of diapers and wipes on the way to the hospital because at this very moment my water could break and I don’t have any. I actually still have to pack a hospital bag for my hub and myself and over night bags for my kids and here in Canada, I have to bring a whole lot more with me to the hospital because I hear a lot less is provided for you there. I did actually manage to wash a few white onesies this weekend, so thats good news, the baby won’t have to come home naked.

It doesn’t matter if you are an over excited first time mom or a super lazy third time mom, buybuy Baby can help you get ready for the pending arrival of your new little babe. They have everything! One stop shopping for all of your preparation needs plus an expert staff to help you decided with is important for you and what isn’t a total necessity.

I had the chance to visit our local buybuy Baby this past weekend and I had the best time getting to know the staff, the lay out of the store, the reason behind their amazing inventory and selection, and the amazing personal shopping services they offer. buybuy Baby is new in Canada and we are lucky enough to have 1 of their 5 Canadian stores only a few minutes from our house. So please, let me tell you why I love buybuy Baby Canada…

4 Reasons Why I Love Buy Buy Baby Canada

1. The inventory is amazing!

Unlike a lot of Canadian versions of American based big box retail stores, their inventory isn’t lacking. If you want it, they almost definitely have it in store and its probably even on display for you to check out before you make you make your purchase.

While I was there, the personal shopper that I walked around with explained to me that they only stock the most in demand items and colors in their store. You aren’t ever going to go there and be disappointed because they carry the car seat you want, but in the worst color options. Because everything they stock is so on trend, I got the feeling that I was in a baby boutique instead of a major retailer, but with an over abundance in selection and product availability.

Finally, unlike shopping at Walmart or Toys R Us, which of course has to share their store space with non baby items, buybuy Baby is a giant store filled with wall to wall baby products. This means you won’t be stuck driving around to other stores looking for what you need and if you have other children, you know how tedious multiple stops can be when shopping.

2. The staff is extremely knowledgeable!

If you have questions, they have answers. It can be overwhelming for even the most seasoned mom to pick out a proper car seat or pacifiers, but not at buybuy Baby. They have a product expert in each sections of the store that is there to answer every question you might have about strollers to laundry detergent.

3. The 20% coupon is the bomb!

I’m pretty sure anyone that has heard of buybuy Baby or Bed Bath and Beyond are aware of the 20% coupon available monthly to customers who sign up to receive this coupon via traditional mail. I was unsure if this coupon was available in Canada, like it is in the US, and I was very please to find out that it is available! And, just like in the US, you can also use a the Bed Bath and Beyond coupon at buybuy Baby, they don’t discriminate. Do you know how much of a savings 20% is on some of the big ticket baby items you need? You can sign up for this coupon in store at checkout.

4. The gift registry is awesome!

You know the export staff that I mentioned? Well, they can help tailor your registry specifically to your needs. How awesome is that? Instead of walking around and registering for everything you see, regardless of necessity, someone from buybuy Baby will walk around with you, ask you questions about your lifestyle and parenting style and guide you towards items that you will actually use and need. And, if after the baby comes you decide that you have something unnecessary, you have 365 days to return any unopened products. How awesome is that return policy?

One last side note… At this time, buybuy Baby Canada shares their website with Bed Bath and Beyond Canada, so please visit www.bedbathandbeyond.ca for any of your online needs. They offer free shipping on orders over 49.00.

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose!

The post Getting Ready for Baby Number 3 with BuyBuy Baby Canada appeared first on The Glaze Brigade | Official Blog .

Why I love My Unequal Marriage

Mon, 27 Feb 2017 16:26:00 GMT

Equality is such a buzzword right now. It’s a word that I usually just scroll past when I’m on Facebook. It isn’t a word that gets me fired up and ready to protest. It is definitely an over used word that seems to mean “I’m right and you are wrong” more than its actual definition. But, like I said, its a buzzword and it finally caught my attention when I stumbled upon a post about equality in marriage and it inspired me to share why I actually love my unequal marriage.

I’ve shared my thoughts on marriage before and how it is a covenant, not a contract . It is not an “if you do this, then I’ll do that” relationship. Its an “I’ll do my part no matter what you do” relationship. That post leads perfectly into this one. I didn’t get married so that I can keep a tally of everything my husband does and I match it equally, return the favor, keep a balance. I got married so that I could serve him and his needs and if I married the right guy, which I did, he should feel the same about our marriage.

Okay, so why do I love my unequal marriage? Because, I would never be able to hold up my end of an equal marriage . That has definitely proven to be true the last few months. This pregnancy has been hard on me. Partially because its my third and my body isn’t as strong as it was 5 years ago, pre babies, but its also because I struggle with seasonal affective disorder. When you pile pregnancy on top of seasonal depression, the result isn’t great. You know what has been great? My husband’s support. His desire to be the sole provider for our family and still come home to do the dishes, give the kids a bath, clean up the toy room, and rub my sore legs is true love. And do you know what he expects from me? Nothing! And do you know why? Because our marriage isn’t meant to be equal, it isn’t an if/then contract.

There has also been times in our marriage when I have had to carry the burden, specifically when we first moved here. I had to take care of all of our immigration paperwork, getting our health care set up, registering Carter for school, and figuring out how to pay for all of our moving expenses with our zero Canadian dollars. Not an easy burden to carry. You know what Rusty had to do? Go to work at 8a.m. and leave work at 4:30, thats about it. If I was expecting equality, I probably would have packed up and moved back to the States, but I didn’t except that because our marriage isn’t equal.

In addition to the times in our marriage that life gets difficult for either one of us and the other has to pick up the slack, I am a women, wife, mother, and my husband is all man and dad. He isn’t meant to do a lot of the things I do around here, it isn’t part of his biology to make our house into a home. He isn’t great at picking out clothes for the kids or noticing that Monroe peed one too many times around the toilet bowl instead of in the toilet bowl. On the same hand, I am not strong enough to carry bins of clothes to the basement or withstand the ice cold Canada air while breaking down the recycling on trash day. There are many times that I proudly tell the kids, “I can’t, but I bet dad can,” because I can’t do everything, I wasn’t created with the ability to do everything. Sometimes, I need help from my husband.

So with all the talk of equality going on right now, I’d like to take it as an opportunity to share the joy and necessity of an unequal marriage. Trust me when I say there is no way I could ever pay Rusty back for the extra work he has taken on this past 9 months, but also trust me when I tell you that he doesn’t want me to pay him back. I pray that you can find as much satisfaction in your unequal marriage as I do everyday.

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

The post Why I love My Unequal Marriage appeared first on The Glaze Brigade | Official Blog .

Five Trendiest Baby Accessories

Mon, 30 Jan 2017 15:17:00 GMT

*All opinions are 100% my own. Brands featured in post provided me with product for this review

If you know me, have read my blog, follow me on Instagram, or especially if you have been to my home, you know that I lean towards minimalism. Its not because I watched that popular Nextflix documentary and its not something that I just started to participate in because its trendy, its simply because I am cheap. I am one of the cheapest people you will ever meet in your life. Pretty much, if it isn’t essential to life, it isn’t important enough to spend money on. Yes, I am cheap, and I guess, a little crazy too.

So, although I am crazy cheap and my home is filled with 90% essentials, I do sometimes indulge and 95% of the indulging I do is, you guessed it, for my kids. I have defiantly indulged on their toy room and toy collection , although, most of the toys they have are gifts. I also indulge at H&M regularly, because I just love to dress them . And of course, it is so hard not to indulge just a little on this baby rolling around in my belly. I don’t know why baby stuff is just so cute and so hard to pass up, even with my iron will of cheapness. So here it is, my favorite trendy baby accessories that even the cheapest mom will want to buy.

Five Trendiest Baby Accessories

1. Finn and Emma Play Gym – If you are on Instagram, you have seen this cute little play gym. It is so much better than the cheap plastic ones sold at every big box store because it is made of wood and won’t be an eye sore in your living room. The toys that hang from the gym are either knit or wooden and very good quality. The best part is that Finn and Emma offer so many different color and theme options so you can defiantly find one to match your nursery. You can pick up this really cute play gym for your little one at Finnandemma.com .

2. Milestone Baby Cards – This is perfect if you are like me and you can never ever keep up with a baby book. Milestone baby cards are basically a deck of flash cards to mention a milestone your baby will eventually hit and when he or she does, you take a picture of your little one holding the flashcard of that milestone. This, my friends, is genius and soooo much easier than keeping up with a baby book. You can get yourself a deck of Milestone Baby Cards from Milestone-World.com

3. Binxy Baby Shopping Hammock – This is a perfect item for mama’s who have their hands full, but still have to get shiz done . I am a big advocate for baby wearing and that is what I usually do in the grocery store, but lets be honest, somedays our backs just aren’t feeling it and this is a fantastic back-up plan when you are stuck pushing around a grocery cart. The Binxy Baby shopping hammock allows you to put larger kids in the front of the shopping cart and safely lay your infant in the hammock at the back of the shopping cart and still have room for all of your groceries. You can find your own Binxy Baby Shopping Hammock at BinxyBaby.com

4. Lorena Canals Washable Rugs – A washable rug is a game changer in our house. Lets face it, carpets and rugs rarely stay clean in our house. Its either markers and crayons, dirty shoes, or the dreaded potty accident, it doesn’t matter, something is always bound to leave a stain on our carpets. Now we have an amazing rug in our nursery that is soft, stylish, and washable. Thank you Lorena Canals for making this mama’s life just that much easier. You can shop for your own rug at LorenaCanals.us

5. Doc-a-Tot – Speaking of making a mama’s life easier, this item right here is my favorite for doing just that, making life easier. This little bed can be carried around with you to every room in the house, so that no matter where you are, the baby has a comfy place to rest. It has enough padding that the baby can comfortably sleep on the floor, but it also has a special, extra safe, fabric that makes this the perfect item for co-sleeping with your infant. To learn more about how amazing the Doc-a-Tot is and to get your own, visit DockaTot.com .

So there it is, my list of the trendiest baby accessories that even the most frugal mama will want to go out and buy today.

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

The post Five Trendiest Baby Accessories appeared first on The Glaze Brigade | Official Blog .

Our Trip to the Real North Pole Plus a Good Life Lesson

Tue, 20 Dec 2016 16:28:00 GMT

The first snow storm of the winter arrived a few days ago. It was no big deal, we were just on our way to The Magical Christmas Forest that we bought expensive tickets for, two months ago. Of course, if the Magical Forest people canceled the event, then we could get a refund, but otherwise, no refunds would be given. And, you guessed it, the Magical Forest people did not cancel the event so we found ourselves trekking through the treacherous snow to get to Santa. But don’t worry, The Magical Christmas Forest is only 3 miles away, so with the heavy snow and the 92403284 car accidents in our way, it only took us about 2 hours to get there. Like I said, no big deal at all…

As you can imagine, I wasn’t in the best mood when we finally go there at 8:30. (Did I mention the event ended at 9:00?) I think there was steam actually coming out of my ears and there were definitely tears coming out of my eyes. But, once we finally got there, I did what all moms do and I sucked it up. As far as my kids knew, we were at the real North Pole (thanks to a special short cut mommy and daddy figured out) and they were going to see Santa. I mean, how could your kid’s excitement for all things Christmas not cheer you up?

Of course it was cold, cold, cold, just like you would expect during a snow storm, and Canadians do this weird thing (okay, maybe just weird to someone who spent 10 years in endless summer) where they hold outdoor events in the dead of winter, but surprisingly, it didn’t really matter. I think because it didn’t matter to my kids, who couldn’t believe that they were finally at the real North Pole, so how could it matter to me? We excitedly walked through Santa’s workshop and down the snowy path to Santa’s house where there was no line because we were pretty much the only ones that didn’t give up on the dream amidst the storm. The kids excitedly sat on Santa’s lap and told him what they wanted for Christmas. (Of course, they both mentioned something they never mentioned before and Mommy Claus had already finished all of the Christmas shopping, but oh well, this mommy will figure it out like all mommies do.) Then, we continued on our way to the sleigh ride, where again, there was no line and we were the only family on the ride.

After all of the outdoor activities, there was supposed to be indoor activities, but because it was so late, they had already packed most of that up. However, we did manage to make a gingerbread cookie and some reindeer food before we headed home. And, as you would imagine, all the traffic had cleared and the roads had been plowed so it only took us about 20 mins to get home. And whats even better, we called the Magical Forest people, and they let us come back a few days later to do all of the crafts and games we missed out on the first time around.

I wonder how many more times I am going to throw a tantrum for no reason? When our kids do it, older and wiser moms tell us that the tantrums won’t last forever, but I think I disagree. For some, they don’t last forever. My husband never freaks out, he would never irrationally decide to just ditch the car and walk the rest of the way in 3 feet of snow like I wanted to do. He never cries about money that might be wasted . He never stomps his feet and yells at the snow for falling. He doesn’t throw tantrums anymore, but I do. I do it over and over and over again, family outing after family outing, I throw a fit because things don’t go as expected, but they almost always work out. Sure, I would have preferred to get to the Magical Forest in 10 minutes flat and spent 3 hours walking around in much warmer winter weather and I would have preferred to not go back 3 days later to finish our outing, but maybe then, it wouldn’t have been so magical for my kids. Maybe it wouldn’t have felt like the real North Pole. And maybe, I wouldn’t have had this chance to reflect and grow and learn that I need to just trust that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

We survived the snow and cold, we got our money’s worth, and my kids took a trip to the real North Pole that they will never forget.

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

The post Our Trip to the Real North Pole Plus a Good Life Lesson appeared first on The Glaze Brigade | Official Blog .

Newborn ‘Must Haves’ for the Minimalist Mom

Tue, 06 Dec 2016 19:49:00 GMT

*All opinions are 100% my own. The Baby Cubby provided me with payment for this review

Of course, when I was pregnant with Carter (my first) I registered for everything under the sun. A swing, a bouncy seat, an excer-saucer, a doorway jumper thing, 45 different kids of blankets, shoes that would never stay on, an infant tub, 3 different sound machines, and the list goes on. I will admit, we used almost all of it a few times, but as time when on and as we had our second baby, I realized that we didn’t actually need most of it. Here is my list of what I decided we actually need when it comes to having a newborn.

Newborn ‘Must Haves’ for the Minimalist Mom

1. Comfy Jammies – Of course it is fun to dress the littles up, especially if you end up with a baby girl, but it isn’t necessary. In the beginning, all they do is blow out of their diapers, spit up after every meal, and grow like weeds. I suggest, go heavy on the jammies that can be washed a million times and hold off on cute and sometimes pricy clothes until they can better control their bodily functions.

2. A good swaddle blanket – Mamas, if you want to sleep, learn to swaddle. It really is magic. There are a million different kind of swaddle blankets and some work better that others depending on the baby, but I really love the muslin swaddle blankets. These blankets are an all-in-one for me. I use them to swaddle, but I always use them as nursing covers, carseat covers, and even spit-up rags. And, because of the material they are made of, they fold up tiny and fit so easily into your already full diaper bag.

3. Baby wearing gear – There are a million different kids of slings, wraps, and baby carriers, so you have to try them out and find the one that works best for you, but I highly recommend baby wearing. Not only is it great for bonding, but it is great for keeping your hands free and keeping the baby happy. Trust me, ditch the constant reliance on a stroller and learn to get comfortable baby wearing, your life will be so much easier.

4. A bumbo seat – This is a must have in our home for sure. From a pretty early age, 2 to 3 months, we start our kids in the bumbo and its awesome. It is a fantastic way for babies to build core strength, especially for the babies that aren’t a fan of tummy time. It is also so convenient for keeping your little one in arms reach while you do other things like dishes or folding laundry. We even used ours at the kitchen table during meal times, so that the baby feels included, and a few times in the shower so that I could actually wash my hair with two hands.

5. A good stroller – I recommending starting out with a good stroller that is going to last. There are so many strollers on the market that expand from a single to a double stroller, and even thought they can be pricey, it is a one time investment that is totally worth it. I personally don’t use my stroller much, because of baby wearing and I also encourage my kids at a young age to walk, so I stuck with a single stroller. If you are like me and a double stroller isn’t for you, I highly recommend the BOB stroller. We are actually able to fit both of our kids on it when needed (one sits on the foot rest and the other in the seat), and after 5 years of use, it still looks brand new. All we have to do for our third is attach a stroller board so our oldest can stand on that when she needs a short break from walking.

So there it is, my list of must haves for the minimalist mom . Of course, you need all of the other basics like diapers, wipes, bottles (or your boobs), etc., but this list will get you through the newborn months without a hitch and with some money left over in your budget.

If you are looking for a place to get all of your newborn must haves, check out The Baby Cubby . Why is The Baby Cubby different than other online baby gear retail stores? The Baby Cubby is for every parent out there who has ever felt overwhelmed or discouraged about becoming a parent. The Baby Cubby team is made up of parents who have been there, that know what it’s like and are passionate about encouraging, inspiring, and reminding parents how amazing they are and how important their role is.

The way they do that is by finding the best and safest baby gear and providing it to parents in a fun shopping experience where they do things like test strollers on their ‘stroller track,’ price match everyday – even Amazon, offer free shipping nationwide at BabyCubby.com and actively engage with parents via social media and our cubby community blog to discuss some of those hard topics of parenting.

You can read a little bit more about The Baby Cubby here.
– The Baby Cubby will always price match, even amazon, so you know you’re getting a great deal.
– The Baby Cubby carry only the best and safest gear so you can shop confidently.
– Free Shipping everyday at BabyCubby.com over $49

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

The post Newborn ‘Must Haves’ for the Minimalist Mom appeared first on The Glaze Brigade | Official Blog .

Spreading the Christmas Cheer with Tiny Prints

Thu, 24 Nov 2016 17:54:00 GMT

Oh how I love Christmas!! I have to admit, I liked it a whole lot more in California where the sun continued to shine and some years could be spent at the beach, but none the less, I love Christmas, ice cold Canadian weather and all.

Christmas is so full of lessons on generosity, faith, and the importance of child-like wonderment. It is a time that Christians can proudly and boldly teach others about the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It is a time that we can show love by reaching deep into our often shallow pockets and spend money on others, many times, people we don’t even know. It is a time that we can encourage our kids to believe in the magic of Santa Claus and the excitement of ripping open beautifully wrapped presents on Christmas morning, knowing that someday they will have the honor of doing the same for their own children. And, the best part, is that all of this doesn’t happen in just one day, it happens over the span of the entire month of December or possibly even longer.

One of the most important traditions Rusty and I have participate in every year, is sending out Christmas cards. It has always been important to us to let others know that we are thinking of them during the Christmas season, but it is also important for us to spread the message of Christ’s birth as far and as wide as we can. So each year, as I design our cards, I have made sure to include a bible verse or a small passage, as a reminder to everyone who receives one that Jesus is the reason for the season.

This year, we were able to partner with Tiny Prints to spread the Christmas cheer through beautiful and custom Christmas cards. I have never been so excited to get our Christmas cards in the mail and out to the homes of our closest friends and family. Tiny prints allowed me to select a design that I loved from hundreds of options, and trust me, it wasn’t easy to chose just one. They gave me the option to design a custom envelope liner, which is how I was able to include our bible passage this year. They also offered the ability to import the addresses of everyone receiving a card from us and the envelopes arrived pre-addressed. Lets be honest, addressing the cards is always the hardest part of sending out cards and this year, that was all on Tiny Prints.

If you haven’t yet designed your own Christmas card or Christmas cards is something you have always wanted to do, but never actually gets done, check out Tiny Prints ASAP. Thank you Tiny Prints for such a generous gift during the Christmas season. We will be sure to pass on your generosity.

Merry Christmas!

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

The post Spreading the Christmas Cheer with Tiny Prints appeared first on The Glaze Brigade | Official Blog .

Messy Mom’s Guide to “Making Cleaning Easier”

Mon, 21 Nov 2016 14:25:00 GMT

*All opinions are 100% my own. Pine-Sol provided me with payment and product for this review.

A popular blogger and reality show star made a comment the other day on her snap chat that really resonated with me. She said that they gave up on sleep training with their son and the upside is that letting him sleep whenever and wherever he wants is “much less stressful.” That got me thinking, sometimes as moms, its okay to pick the lazy route if it makes life less stressful . I think we all feel so much pressure to live up to everyone else’s standard that we stress ourselves out trying to keep up.

Sleep training wasn’t an issue for me, in fact, it made life less stressful to kick the kids out of our bed and make them learn to self sooth and sleep on a schedule. I am fully aware though, that this is something a lot of parents struggle with. What I struggle with is keeping up with my house work. Unlike most women, moms, maybe even humans, it is more stressful for me to try and keep the house clean, than to just leave a mess for a few days. I know a lot of moms feel like they can’t relax if the toy room isn’t picked up or the dishes are all done, but that is so not me . It is way more stressful for me to think about doing dishes after dinner, when all I really want to do is get in my PJs and watch Netflix, than it is to just leave the dishes for the morning.

Moms, its okay to choose the easy way out sometimes. Its okay to forget about the “perfect mother” standard and let a few things in your life slide, cleaning or sleep training, or whatever your stressors might be.

So, for you mamas that are like me and you just can’t seem to keep up with the mess that is constantly overtaking your home, this one is for you. This is my Messy Mom’s Guide to Making Cleaning Easier .

5 ways to make cleaning easier when you don’t like to clean

1. Encourage your kids to help you . – Like I have said before, I don’t allow much screen time in our home . So, instead of putting on a show for the kids while I tackle the kitchen, I have always encouraged them to join me. I also pay the kids for chores that they do that are above and beyond their normal duties.

For example, they have to unload the dishwasher, so they don’t get paid for that. They don’t have to mop the floor so if they choose to mop, they make a few dollars. They have to help me put their laundry away, so they don’t get paid for that, but if they chose to help me sort and fold it, they get a few bucks. They love the feeling of adding to their piggy banks and seeing it add up because of their hard work.

Its important to remember that kids don’t do anything perfectly, or as good as you can do it, but I just accept the help. It is good for their self esteem and to help relax a mom’s need for perfection.

2. Stay organized. – It is so, so much easier to clean if your home is also organized. It is also a lot easier to get your kids and your husband to help you clean if everyone in your house knows clearly where things are supposed to be put away. My house isn’t always the cleanest, as I’ve made pretty clear so far, but everything we own has place that it belongs. We have a three piece plastic draw in our closet for beanies, gloves, and scarves. We have baskets for blankets and bins for outgrown clothes. Everything has its place.

For an example of how I keep my toy room crazy (and obsessively) organized, click here.

3. Procrastinate if you want. – Procrastination never killed anyone. Okay, maybe it has, I can’t be sure. What I do know, is that putting off the laundry for another day or leaving dirty dishes in the sink, is definitely not going to kill anyone. If your kids ask you to have a dance party or your husband wants to snuggle on the couch, just leave the mess for another time and go dance or snuggle. Keeping your house clean is not as important has having a happy family and making memories.

4. Ask for help. – My husband travels a lot from March to November and as hard as I try to keep it up, by the end of his travel season the house has completely gotten away from me. I used to stress out and have a mental break down about it, but now, I just tell him. I tell him that I can’t do it anymore on my own, that his first free weekend is going to be spent helping me catch up and I tell him that the house isn’t going to be fully back together until his travel season is over.

I have also have had friends come over and fold laundry with me while we chat or friends that sweep the floor while I wipe down the counters. There is nothing wrong with admitting that you can’t do it all on your own. Asking for help and being honest about your own abilities is so much better than living with the constant feeling that you must keep your home spotless.

Bonus! You can also ask for help by hiring help. I, being a stay at home mom in a crazy expensive city, cannot afford a regular house keeper. What I can do though, is budget for someone to come deep clean our home every 2 or 3 months. It really helps keep things under control and it is so worth the splurge.

5. Choose products that make cleaning easier (or more enjoyable). – Our home has a three stories and our first story is half black hard wood floor, and half, white tile. When I say black and white, I mean black and white. This means that every single spec of dust can be seen on the black floor and every tiny drip of coffee can be seen on our white floor. This means my floor doesn’t stay looking cleaning for longer than 5 mins and it’s enough to drive even the un-tidiest person mad. To make my attempts at making our floors look decent much easier, I invested in a decent mop (instead of my usual cheapest one available), and of course, I couldn’t survive without Pine-Sol multi-surface .

Did you know that you can use Pine-Sol to clean your entire home, not just to mop your floors? Take Pine-Sol from your kitchen to your bathroom to cut grime, grease and even stains from all of the surfaces in your home. And, everyone is familiar with the original sent of Pine-Sol but did you know that Pine-Sol multi surface also comes in lavender, lemon, mandarin, and sparkling wave. Plus, you can purchase Pine-Sol starting at just 2.99 so its easy on your budget.

So there it is, my Messy Mom’s Guide to Making Cleaning Easier. You can really apply these principles to anything any your life that makes “mom-ing” stressful. The point is, stop stressing about the small stuff. Let your not so important responsibilities slip a little, stop trying to meet everyone else’s standard, and just enjoy the life going on around you.

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

The post Messy Mom’s Guide to “Making Cleaning Easier” appeared first on The Glaze Brigade | Official Blog .

My Day With Eat Well Canola

Mon, 31 Oct 2016 17:06:00 GMT

99% of the time I am a mommy. I spend my entire day taking care of my kids and I love it, actually, I’m obsessed with it. I love that I don’t miss a thing, I get to hear all of my daughter’s after school stories and I witness my son morph from Spiderman to Ironman to Batman 100+ times a day. It is exactly how I love to spend my time, but that doesn’t mean I don’t like to have a day or two to myself every now and then.

A couple of weeks ago, I pulled myself out of bed and into the shower, threw on some make-up, quickly dried my hair, figured out something to wear that isn’t my regular sweats and fits over my growing belly and headed out the door before 7:30 a.m. That never happens, but I definitely welcomed the change! I was invited to spend the day with Eat Well Canola , learning all about canola oil, Canadian farmers, hydroponic green houses, and eating some seriously amazing food. It was so much fun to take a grown up “field trip.”

I have to admit, I didn’t know much about canola oil before the trip but I learned so much while I was there. The most important thing I learned (especially for a mama) was, “ Canola oil is a source of omega-6 which is important for the brain and essential for the growth and development of infants.” I do everything I can to boost omega’s in my food as I’m growing this baby and for my kids as their brains rapidly develop and knowing that something as easy as using canola oil in their food can boost their omega intake is a great mom tool to have in my mom tool box .

Even though I was there to take a day for myself, I kept thinking about how much fun my daughter would have had with me at the Link Greenhouses and how much she would have learned from the farmers. I have never seen a hydroponic greenhouse and Link Greenhouses was an amazing first experience. The vegetables were honestly beautiful and the lettuce looked like flowers. I so wish my daughter was there to see it. We even did a really fun activity that showed us how canola seed processors decide how much to pay a farmer for their seeds. It basically involves smashing seeds and checking that the oil that is squeezed out is yellow and not green. My daughter would have loved to try out the test herself.

Our amazing lunch was created by Chef Victor Barry who said over and over again that he “loves good food” and that is why he uses canola oil at his restaurant. He mentioned that he uses canola oil 90% of the time in his kitchen because it has the best taste and because of the low smoke point that prevents food from tasting bitter or burnt. The food was so amazing, if you are in the GTA, I highly recommend checking out Chef Berry’s restaurant Piano Piano .

Over all, I had an amazing day. I missed my babies because I am addicted to them, but I am so thankful I took a day for myself to learn more about bring healthy food into my home. The take away message from Eat Well Canola is “ choose canola oil because it’s local, healthy, versatile” and now I fully understand that statement and will definitely be bringing canola oil into my home.

If you want to try adding canola oil to your next dinner, check out this amazing lasagna recipe .

Special thanks to Eat Well Canola , Chef Berry of Piano Piano , Link Greenhouses , and especially Jeffrey Chan Photography for the beautiful photographs.

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

The post My Day With Eat Well Canola appeared first on The Glaze Brigade | Official Blog .

The Growing Glaze Brigade + Pink Blush Maternity Review

Mon, 03 Oct 2016 16:52:00 GMT

*I was provided with product for this review but all opinions are 100% my own.

I’m sure most of you know by now, but in case you don’t, our family is growing! We are all so excited and we are already pretty impatient, waiting for March to roll around. Hopefully, the excitement and all of the prepping we have to do for baby, will keep our minds off of the long, cold, Canadian winter. It’s only fall and already spring can’t get here soon enough.

For those of you that don’t know me personally, our plan has always been to have two littles ones, take a break, and then have two more. I have been so blessed to have ample one on one time with both of my kids (with Carter before Roe was born and with Roe after Carter started school) and the plan is to have that again with the next two. Of course, all of this is God willing and completely in God’s hands but so far, our little plan has worked out.

I think the person in our house who is most excited about the baby has to be Monroe. He is constantly asking if he can “pet” the baby, which means rubbing my belly. The other night, he fell asleep laying on my tummy, snuggling the baby. I wasn’t sure if he would even be old enough to understand what exactly was going on, but he asks me all types of complicated questions about pregnancy and is always loving on the baby so I know Monroe for sure understands and is completely over the moon about it all.

Now, Carter on the other hand, she is as indifferent about my pregnancy as she is about everything else in life. She couldn’t be more level headed when it comes to emotions. Just imagine someone that says sure to every question asked and you have Carter. “Carter, do you want to go to school?” “Sure.” “Carter, do you want to stay home from school today?” “Sure” Haha, no real excitement or disappointment coming from that girl, ever.

What Carter is excited about though is the medical side of my pregnancy. She loves going to my midwife appointments, she loves to watch the the midwife draw blood and do other diagnostic tests. She always has a million questions for my midwife about her tools and about other things in her office. Right now Carter’s “what do you want to be when you grow up?” answer is, of course, either a doctor or a paramedic. We have always said she is a math and science girl and she proves us more and more right every day.

My favorite maternity brand at the moment is Pink Blush. They are especially great right now because my tummy isn’t huge yet but Pink Blush makes clothes that fit at all stages of pregnancy, including postpartum and even for when you get your pre-pregnancy body back. I really love the versatility of their pieces without lacking in style points. If you are looking for maternity fashion or not, you can check out their website at ShopPinkBlush.com .

Exciting news! I have teamed up with Pink Blush to give one of my readers a 50 dollar shop credit. Its super easy to enter, just use the raffle widget below. You can enter by following me on Instagram, Facebook, or by subscribing to my blog. The more tasks you complete, the more chances you have to win. Open to US and Canadian residents. Anyone who has won a Pink Blush shop credit in the last 3 months is not eligible. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

The post The Growing Glaze Brigade + Pink Blush Maternity Review appeared first on The Glaze Brigade | Official Blog .

Wishing Away Time + Jord Wooden Watch Review

Thu, 08 Sep 2016 14:18:00 GMT

*I was provided with product for this review but all opinions are 100% my own.

Its pretty common for us to wish away time. In the middle of winter, we can’t wait for summer, but then summer rolls around, and its so hot that we just can’t wait for fall. We can’t wait until our next vacation, we can’t wait until we can finally afford our dream house. After 10 long months, we cant wait for summer break and then just a few weeks later, Facebook is littered with moms asking, “is summer break over yet?” I’m not sure why we do that, its probably a grass is greener things, but no matter the reason, I’ve decided I’m over it.

Instead of letting my mind wander to the next thing, I decided to really soak in summer for what it is; hot, sweaty, busy, and let not forget, fun. Lets be honest, life is a whole lot easier when my daughter is away for 7 hours a day. The house stays cleaner, there are less dishes used through out the day, and I can actually sit down at my desk and write uninterrupted, but none of that is worth more to me than the extra 7 hours a day I have with her during the summer. So, I let me house stay a complete disaster for days or even weeks at a time, I left suitcases up packed until the next trip and then I just dumped it onto the floor and filled it with something new for the next trip, I let the laundry pile up and the dishes sit in the sink because there is fun to be had when the sun is shining and I have both my babies home.

So now it is almost fall, and quickly it will become winter, but instead of dreaming about hot summer days spent at our local water park or camping with friends, I’m going to do my best to just enjoy the right now (even if fall, winter, and spring are my least favorite seasons). Maybe now I will finally get around to all of that laundry.

While we are on the topic of time, have you heard of Jord Watches ? These gorgeous wooden watches are a fashion must have right now. I am always apprehensive about ordering products online because you can never be sure what you will actually receive upon delivery, but I am completely satisfied with this watch. My favorite part, and what I was most surprised by, is how light weight the watch is considering its wooden. I honestly hardly feel the watch when it is on. If you are looking to get a watch for yourself, or you are looking for a gift idea, Jord Watches are a fantastic option. If you are interested in the watch I have, here is the link to find the exact one.

I am actually giving away a 75 dollars credit to one lucky follower that you can use towards your own Jord Watch. Click here for details on how to enter. Giveaway ends on September 20th. Good luck!

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

Unique Watch

The post Wishing Away Time + Jord Wooden Watch Review appeared first on The Glaze Brigade | Official Blog .

Gift Ideas for Moms That Make Life Easier For Her

Wed, 10 Aug 2016 13:25:00 GMT

Its that time again, its almost my birthday and then Christmas is just around the corner and I know that my family will soon be asking me what gifts I want. If you know me, it is well known that “gifts” rank pretty low as far as my love languages go, so it is always hard for me to think of something I want. On the other hand, “acts of service” ranks very high, so I thought, “I am going to come up with a list of gift ideas that fit my ‘acts of service’ need.” So, here are my best ideas for gifts that will help make a mom’s life easier and an easier life is defiantly the best gift anyone could give.

Gift Guide for Moms

I hope you find this gift guide helpful. I am sure I am not alone when I say a gift of service is something that will not be easily forgotten. I always appreciate anything that helps make motherhood a little bit easier.

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

The post Gift Ideas for Moms That Make Life Easier For Her appeared first on The Glaze Brigade | Official Blog .

Before You Turn Three – Plus Playtex Sippy Cup Review

Sun, 07 Aug 2016 20:34:00 GMT

*All opinions are 100% my own. Playtex provided me with payment and product for this review. This post also contains affiliate links.

We are just a few weeks from when you “turn big” Monroe and before you “turn big” (which is his way of saying he is turing three), I want to take a moment to remember the things you loved when you were two. The time flies by so fast and I’ve written before on how you sometimes get lost in the hustle and bustle of life, so I want to make sure I take a moment to reflect on who you are, right now, in this moment, before the moment is long gone.

You love fashion. It sounds crazy I know, but you really do love fashion. I know most kids like to dress themselves, many kids will only wear their favorite Micky Mouse t-shirt or their favorite soft navy shorts and throw a fit if their mom finally has to wash it after 5 days straight. I know that is totally normal, but that isn’t you. You love to dress yourself by raiding your closet and your drawers. You come down stairs with a pile of clothes and ask me to help you put it on. To my surprise, its is usually an amazing combination with layers and accessories. You are always so excited when I come home with a shopping bag full of clothes and you ask me every couple of hours if your new clothes are washed yet. And asking you to help me put laundry away? Forget it, you put everything on before you put it in your drawers, causing more of a mess than any actual progress. Its okay though, I love how much you love your clothes.

Monroe, you love fashion and I love you for that, but it must be hardwired in all boys to love Hot Wheels and you are no exception. You carry your cars around with you everywhere. I can always reach in my purse and pull a tiny car out that you stashed there earlier that day. I can always dig around in my car and find a few Hot Wheels lodged under my seat. You find any thing that will work as a bucket and you fill it up with every car you can find and then you just carry it around with you because you always need to have your cars near by. You are just the best.

I can’t write about you and everything you love without mentioning the one toy that truly holds your heart, Doggy. You didn’t want to name him anything unique, no matter how hard I tried to convince you, you just wanted Doggy. From the moment Santa left him under the tree, he hasn’t left your side. He is your protector in the night and your friend while Carter is at school. When I picture you in my mind, I picture you with Doggy. I am sure your “stuffin friend” is going to be with us for a while and I wouldn’t want it any other way.

Finally Monroe, lets face it, you love me. I have always said that if you could, you would climb right back inside of me. You love daddy of course, you and daddy play hard and rough and you think he is just as cool as your favorite superheroes, but you more than love me. I can feel it when you push your body so hard against me when we are snuggling or when you hold my face with both hands just to give me a kiss. You run to me from across the house if you hear me say “ouch” and if I go to bed upset, you ask me in the morning if I am feeling better. My heart explodes for you Monroe and I am pretty sure you feel the same way about me.

Soon you will be three, but today you are still two, and I am holding on to that as long as I can. I love you Monroe.

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

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Marraige Is A Covenant Not A Contract

Mon, 27 Jun 2016 17:01:00 GMT

Like all marriages, my marriage has its ups and downs. There are times when we feel very passionate about each other, everything seems to be going well, I feel like we have hit our groove. Then there are times that things are lackluster at best. Maybe we hit a lull, maybe we fight more than usual, maybe life just gets busy and it all starts to get in between us. For whatever reason, I have been feeling that we were in a lull and I made a plan to make it better.

I spent a couple of days really laying it on thick. I was eager to compliment, eager to hear about his job or whatever else was interesting him that day, eager to spend time watching shows he likes, even if they weren’t my favorite. I was even eager to make out as often as he wanted (something that I honestly do not like to do, I know, bad wife). And after the 3 or 4 days of really putting myself out there, you know what happened? Nothing!

He didn’t all of a sudden start massaging my feet without me asking, he didn’t say, “oh hun, we can watch a chick flick, I don’t mind,” he didn’t surprise me with an impromptu date night, he didn’t change anything. Wait, I’m wrong, he did do something, he canceled a date we had planned for a few weeks for a meeting that he could have turned down or rescheduled. Needless to say, I wasn’t happy.

A couple days later, I was sitting on my friends back porch, drinking some wine and engaging in some good old fashion girl talk and I started complaining. I told her all of the things that I did for Rusty, all of the changes that I made to my attitude, and how all I got in return was a canceled date night. She could have said, “yeah, husbands suck,” its honestly what I was hoping she would say, but she didn’t.

Because she loves me, and wants nothing more that for me to be happily married for the rest of my life, she disagreed with me. (What?! Sometimes disagreeing with someone doesn’t mean you hate them? It actually means you love them?) What she said was, “when ever my husband is getting on my nerves, I ask Jesus to help me love him the way He loves him.” Mind blown. What she was saying, in fewer words is this, “you vowed to love your husband, the way Jesus loves you, the way Jesus loves him, the way Jesus loves all of us, unconditionally.”

At this point, I could have been annoyed, I could have brushed off her comment and moved on to a different topic, I could have complained about her and my husband to someone else and got the answer I wanted, but I didn’t. Instead, I said, “you are right.” It sure is easier said than done, but marriage isn’t an if/then contract, it is a covenant that I made, promising to love no matter what the circumstance.

So, unless your vows went something like this,

we need to stop acting like they did. It’s no wonder a majority of married couples jump ship, there is no way anyone could be satisfied in an if/than contract for the rest of their lives. Who could ever live up to that? Even businesses change and grow their contracts over time. Married couples make vows once and those never change because it isn’t a contract, its a statement. I take you as my lawfully wedded husband/wife. Period.

Wait. Before people start saying, “yeah, but what about this and what about that,” I want to say, I know. I know there are exceptions, but lets not act like the exception is the rule. There are horrible husbands out there that abuse their wives physically or verbally, but more than likely, your husband doesn’t. Being cold or argumentative or even slightly controlling, isn’t abusive. You knew the man you were going to marry. You might have though marriage would change him and found out it wouldn’t, but all the same, you chose him and made vows for unconditional love, and now you need to keep up your end of the deal, unconditionally and so do I .

If I’m being perfectly honest with myself, my husband does a lot for me. Not only is he the sole bread winner of our family, he comes home and regularly does the dishes, takes the kids to the playground to give me a break, and helps me clean up the house. We always compromise on shows to watch and he never tells me no if I ask for a foot massage. And, that is all just the tip of the iceberg of what he does for me in our marriage. I really need to stop taking all that he does for granted and I suspect that might be the same for a lot of married women.

So together, lets stop doing this whole, “I’m not getting what I want out of this marriage, so I’m not going to give you what you want,” thing and start treating our marriage as what it is, a covenant, a bond for life, not a contract with an escape clause.

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

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Road Tripping With Kids

Fri, 03 Jun 2016 15:01:00 GMT

*All opinions are 100% my own. Food Basics provided me with payment for this review. This post also includes affiliate links.

The Ontario grocery store Food Basics has challenged me to share what I would do with the money I would save if I won their Free Groceries For a Year giveaway. This got my thinking about all of the fun we have had as a family and what is still left on our bucket list. If they had asked me two years ago, when we still lived in California, I would have probably said, “go to Europe or Hawaii,” or something extravagant like that. Now that we are isolated from our family more than we have ever been, my answer has defiantly changed. If we won free groceries for a year, I would love to take my family on an epic road trip across the US to spend time with family, visit friends, and explore everything the United States has to offer.

When we moved from San Diego to Toronto, we spent 2 weeks driving across the country. It was such an amazing trip that honestly went by too fast. We didn’t get to make every stop we would have liked to make and we did very little site seeing so that we could maximize time spent with family, so to do it again and have more time and money (Like 10,000 dollars thanks to Food Basics !) to budget, would be a dream.

So lets get down to the reason you are here, you want my tips for road tripping with kids. I can honestly tell you, we had very little complaining from our (at the time) 1 year old and 2.5 year old throughout our 14 day drive, which makes me want to do it all again even more. Here is what I did to make sure the road trip went smooth.

Road Tripping With Children

Drive at night – This is my biggest and most important tip! Not only was this good for our cross country road trip, but this works for me every time I drive to and from Chicago and Toronto to visit my parents. We usually eat dinner around 6:00, we can get loaded in the car by 7, right away, I put a movie on for them and then by the time the movie is over, the kids are asleep. That means a peaceful drive for me at least until sun rise, hallelujah.

Movies – If you ask me, and if you are reading this then you are hehe, movies are the way to go. There are a lot of different electronics to use in the car that will entertain kids for a long period of time, but I prefer to use movies and here is why I prefer them. Tablets can cause a lot of “mom, I need help,” if you kids aren’t very proficient in using them. I have also found it hard to explain to them that we don’t have a wireless connection in the car so some of what they normally do on the tablet, isn’t available and that can cause frustration. Frustration must be avoided at all costs. I also don’t let the kids watch shorter DVDs like TV shows and such, because then I find myself constantly juggling driving and changing the disks in the player and we all know that isn’t very safe. So, movies are the way to go, because of their length and their ability to keep kids engaged for a long amount of time. If you don’t have a DVD player in your car, you can find great portable DVD players online or at Best Buy.

Headphones – A pair of kids headphones are a must! Trust me, you do not want to listen to Elsa sing “Let It Go” 200 times during a week long road trip. Get the kids some headphones and no matter what they are doing, a tablet or a movie, you can listen to whatever you want without disrupting each other.

Avoid bring activities that might need help – This is especially important if you are traveling as a solo adult or if you are going to want to sleep while your partner drives. Crayons will roll, toys will fall, and with young kids, books need to be read by someone who can read and all of this means you will hear, “MOM I NEED HELP!” I suggest leaving these types of activities at home or pulling them out when you have reached your destination.

Pack light – Everyone in the car will feel more comfortable if you have room to breath. You might think, since you aren’t paying airport baggage fees you can bring everything under the sun, but that really isn’t ideal. You don’t want to block windows with suitcases, or jam stuff between the seats, it will just cause more chaos then you want on a road trip.

Keep car organized – Packing light leads into this tip. If you pack light, then you can keep your car organized and it will be easier to reach DVDs, blankets, favorite stuffed friends, water bottles and snacks as you need them. Also, when you make stops, you can easily grab what you need for just that stop without unloading your entire vehicle to find the pair of flip flops you want.

Snacks – Snacks are key, anytime the kids get fussy I’m all, “LOOK WHAT I GOT!” Because I try to keep my kids on a healthy food track, but they also need to be car trip friendly (blueberries are not going to cut it in the car), my go to snacks are granola bars, trail mix, apple sauce squeeze packets, and apples. Nothing too sticky or messy, nothing that needs to be kept cold in a cooler, all are easy to hand out while driving.

Dress comfy – It is so important for the kids to be comfortable, because like I said before, you want to avoid frustration and kids that are uncomfortable are frustrated. I always put my kids in their favorite pair of jammies and shoes that are very easy to slip on and off (usually flip flops), so that they are totally comfortable in their car seats. The shoes are key so that when I grab them out of the car for pee stops, I don’t have to spend 10 minutes putting their shoes back on. Also, because my kids are still very young, I put them in pull ups just incase I can’t find a bathroom fast enough for them. I would hate for them to have an accident that is partially my fault and then have to sit in a wet car seat for the rest of the trip.

Have a plan – If your trip is 4 hours or 4 days, you still need a plan. When I drive to Chicago from Toronto, I know that we won’t be making bathroom stops or food stops. We will drive to the last exit before we cross the bordered and then we will fill up our gas. It’s the only stop we have to make. Its a fast trip and I don’t like to prolong it with frequent stops. When we drove across the country, we knew how far we would drive before we stopped for food, we planned our visits along the way and how long we would stay, we also always had a plan for the time we would get back on the road. A plan is key to avoid turing an 8 hour road trip into a 12 hour road trip.

I hope these tips have inspired you to load up your car and explore the world around you!

Would you like to win Free Groceries For a Year ? After June 5th, visit a Food Basics in Ontario for a special pin code needed to enter. Want to win 1000 dollars in free groceries? All you have to do is make a short video explaining what having it all means to you and upload it to their website FoodBasics.ca . Visit their website for more details on the prize and how you can win!

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

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You Are Wonderfully Made

Tue, 31 May 2016 11:22:00 GMT

Mirrors are everywhere. They are a decoration in your hallway, a dark storefront window, a front-facing camera on your phone, and a tool to help you drive. You can’t help but make sure your face, hair, and body are looking at its best every time you come across your reflection. Now be honest… how often do you stare at yourself and feel dissatisfied? Without even hesitating most of us can pinpoint the one thing we would prefer to change about ourselves. Without hesitation, we can name at least one person we would rather see staring back at us.

www.alysalovely.com

All over social media you will see post after post about how unimportant physical appearance should be and to love yourself; yet, scattered throughout those posts, we find selfie after selfie striving for acceptance. Somewhere the message of “loving yourself” got lost – it has been drowned out by the buzz of celebrities and gossip, the whispers of beauty tips, the amped up energy of fitness plans, and unfortunately, above all, the silent competition between others.

www.becomingbailey.com

Yes, this is another one of those posts about loving who you are. But, it’s more than just being content with your reflection. It’s about knowing that the person in the mirror staring back at you was uniquely and purposefully created; it’s about looking at your reflection and knowing that all you see and all that you are was created perfectly by God.

www.megoonthego.com

Psalm 139 says, “…For you have formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.” Realize that you have been created to be exactly who you are. You were specifically formed, created, and placed in your mother’s womb to be born as YOU!

www.amrsandamama.com

My favorite part though is the second half, “marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.” In NIV it says, “…Your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” The psalmist is acknowledging God’s work in him as “marvelous” – extraordinary, breathtaking. His very soul knows God’s work is marvelous; we need to believe that truth too! Our uniqueness – the differences between one another – is a marvelous work of God and the very depths of our souls need to believe that. The perfection of His work includes your appearance, but it’s so much deeper than that; it’s about your personality, your strengths, your passions, your heart and soul. When you look into a mirror you need to see past the physical and see your inwards that were formed by our perfect Creator.

You are “wonderfully made” – you are distinct, you are rare, you have your own special purpose. There is no one like you! Let that sink in… there is no other YOU! God created you to be one of a kind, different from everybody else. It’s time to really bask in the truth of who you are, individually. God designed you specifically with your unique personality traits, strengths, and skill set so that you can walk in the purpose He has for you. The world teaches us to compare ourselves to one another, so we get caught up in trying to be as much like someone else as possible, but how much greater would it be to walk in truth of who you are meant to be without comparing yourself to those around you?

www.onesmallactblog.com

The worst thing you can do to yourself is to try and be someone or something outside of who God created you to be. Being who you were made to be allows you to be at your full potential. If you are trying to change to be like somebody else, you will always be struggling and never feel satisfied. When you walk in the gifts and strengths that God designed you for, you will thrive. It is so comforting and freeing to know you don’t have to strive to be like somebody else because you are best at being you.

Maybe we can’t get rid of the mirrors surrounding us, but we don’t need to. Now, we can confidently look past the deception of this world to our true reflection and say, “I am fearfully and wonderfully made and no one can be a better me than the me that God created.”

For His glory,

Brianna Brown is a follower of Jesus, from the Midwest, living in San Diego since 2012. She has a B.A. in English from Illinois State University. In 2014, she graduated from IMPACT195 School of Ministry and since then, has been serving there as a mentor and an intern in the media/communications department. She is passionate about loving others and being a light to those around her and hopes to continue to do so as a missionary around the globe.

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Everything You Need To Know About Night Terrors

Mon, 30 May 2016 21:03:00 GMT

A few months ago my husband and I realized that our son was experiencing night terrors, something that we aren’t familiar with ourselves. We tried waking him up and calming him down but as soon as he would fall back to sleep, the tossing, turning, and crying would start all over again. So I realized I needed to learn more about what was going on and I did what all moms do these days, I turned to my good friend Google.

It turns out that only 1 – 6% of children experience night terrors and they seem to effect boys and girls equally. Children between the ages of 3 and 12 are most effected by night terrors and the episodes usually peak around 3.5 years old. Night terrors generally start 90 minutes after a child falls asleep. I also found that dealing with night terrors is actually very simple and I am going to break the information down for you right now.

The Facts About Night Terrors

Night terrors are NOT nightmares.

For me to best explain the biggest difference between night terrors and nightmares, I must first explain the stages of sleep. There are two different categories of sleep; REM and non-REM.

REM is the last stage of sleep. During REM, your brain waves look similar to when you are awake and REM is when your brain starts to dream or have nightmares. Non-REM has 4 different stages where you brain slowly calms down and your brain waves become very slow.

Like I said, nightmares happen in REM where it is normal to have dreams, but night terrors happen between stage 3 and 4 where it is not normal to have dreams. For this reason, it is best to leave children who are having night terrors completely alone because you want them to pass through stage 4 to REM as quickly as possible. Waking or disturbing the sleeping child at all will delay the transition to REM.

Kids will not remember what happened in the morning.

Don’t worry! Night terrors are not going to damage your child, they won’t even remember what the terror was about. If they can recall what happened, then you know it more than likely wasn’t a night terror, it was only a night mare.

You cannot console your child during an episode.

Like I mentioned in my first point, you cannot console a child who is having a night terror because that will prolong the episode. Waking the child up, will not stop the episode. Once the child falls back to sleep and reaches stage 3 of sleep again, the episode will continue. So, like I already said, the best thing to do for a child who is experiencing night terrors is to leave them alone so he or she can transition from stage 4 of sleep to REM as quickly as possible.

There are several theories on what causes night terrors.

There are a few different theories surrounding night terrors but none of them believe it has to do with scary images or frighting experiences the child had during the day. Something like that could possibly induce a nightmare but not a night terror. So don’t worry, it is nothing you did wrong!

Some doctors believe over exhaustion is a major cause of night terrors and I tend to agree. When my son misses a nap or goes to bed late, he is much more likely to experience an episode. Other possible triggers include, caffeine, stressful life events, medication, and fever. It is also believed that night terrors are hereditary so ask your family members if they have experience with this.

In conclusion, the most important point to take away is also going to be the hardest on the mommies, there isn’t anything you can do to help. I know, its heartbreaking. Just remember that being strong and letting your child work through the night terror without disruption, is actually helping your kiddo the best way you can help.

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

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Correctly Defining Success

Thu, 26 May 2016 14:44:00 GMT

There has been a study done recently that discusses the benefits that kids of working moms have over kids of stay at home moms. First, let me say, I am not interested in discussing if moms should or should not work outside of the home, I am not interested in discussing why I am a stay at home mom, but I am interested in discussing the point made in this study. When you break down what they are saying in the study, they are equating “benefits” to success, basically saying that children of working moms are more “successful” in life.

The study says,

Notice something? The subtext of this is money and gender equality , something that plays very little importance to me and how I raise my children and something that does not equal “ benefit” or “successful” in my opinion.

So, they are saying, I should miss out on field trips, school drop off and pick up, first steps, exclusive breastfeeding, and summer afternoon playdates so that later in life my daughter might someday make a higher wage? Or so that my son understands the importance of sharing the house work? I think they have defined “successful” incorrectly.

Here is how I define “successful.” I went to school, I even have a masters degree, but that is insignificant at this point in my life. I have a very happy marriage, a husband that pitches in on housework even though I am a stay at home mom, well behaved children and I haven’t miss a single important moment with them. I have a son who is learning from his father how to be a good husband, one that provides for his family and also helps out around the house. I have learned to budget our money so that we can comfortably live on one salary. We have a roof over our head, a home cooked meal every night, and our feet firmly planted on the rock that is Jesus Christ. That sounds like a “successful” life to me.

And the lessons my children will learn from me that will later “benefit” them in life? They may not learn how to earn more money but they will learn how to wisely use the money they have. Is that not a benefit? My daughter doesn’t need me to go to work to learn from me that a good husband helps out around the house, she sees that everyday. She will learn, however, to marry a man that is willing to put the family’s financial responsibility on his back so that she can focus completely on loving and nurturing her family, if that is the path she chooses to take for herself. I believe that is a pretty good “benefit” of having a stay at home mom. And in my option, men raise men so my son certainly doesn’t need to learn how to be a good man and husband by seeing me go to work, he is going to learn that from his father just fine.

So, maybe my daughter won’t aspire to have an upper management position, but my son certainly will participate in house work and my daughter can find “success” in whatever she chooses to do, even if that is wiping her babies’ behinds for a living. If you ask me, a high paying salary does not equal success.

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

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Shine as a Light in the Darkness

Wed, 25 May 2016 01:29:00 GMT

I want you to imagine complete darkness. Think about darkness. Darkness is scary. It’s unsafe. When in darkness, it’s incredibly difficult to navigate our lives. But now I want you to imagine a light in the darkness. A dim candle. Maybe a lamp or a flashlight. I want you to notice not just beautiful and attractive light becomes in darkness. But also how incredibly important it is to help lead you and guide you. How necessary it is to keep you safe, give you a sense of direction, warn you of sudden dangers. Now imagine many of these lights all over the place. You could change a culture, help a city make its way back home.

Now why am I saying this? Because that is what Christianity is meant to be. In 2 Corinthians, Paul is telling the church that God is building a family and He’s grabbing all kinds of people from all walks of life.

2 Corinthians 4:6
“For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”

This is God’s plan for the world, that He might turn the lights on inside of us that we may see His light. But not just so that we can see His light, but that our lives may be illuminated and be a light to the world. That our lights would shine for all to see so that you can light up the house, light up your city, light up your workplace, your family, all those around you who do not know Christ. To be a light is to live a different life, a Holy life set apart.

Okay, so you’re probably sitting at your computer or with your phone thinking, “that sounds nice, but how do I realistically “shine?” I could sit here and tell you to be a light. Okay, awesome. How do we do that? Paul gives us direction on how to be lights, but lean in closely because you might miss it.

Philippians 2:14-15
“Do all things without grumbling or disputing…” What!? Thats it?? Yep, lets keep reading. “that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.”

What? That’s so anti-climactic. Because it’s something we can actually do. He doesn’t say “If you want to shine like a light give all your money to the poor.” He doesn’t say “fast for 40 days and move to a third world country.” He says, “Stop complaining.” “Stop being so critical.” It’s so anti-climatic because it sounds so easy, or is it?

There’s an article in the Huffington Post that did a study that found 40% of all of our conversations is complaining and criticizing. 40%, what!? That’s crazy. But think about it, your house is a mess, you complain. Your husband is late from work, you complain. You can’t find anything to wear, you complain. You’re eating lunch with a friend and she says she hates the food and complains, and you agree with her even if you like the food!!! I challenge you, for the rest of the day try not to have one complaint and see what little you have to say.

You’ll never be able to shine light unless you first see the light, and are filled with His light. And that’s a daily question between you and God. But my encouragement to you is wherever you’re at, you have a world around you who have a chance to see the light in you. So if you’re a mom out at the grocery store, maybe a nurse or an admin assistant, maybe you serve in the army or are a barista at the local coffee shop… Whatever you do, wherever you’re at, I encourage you to shine like a light. Say a little prayer every morning to ask for God to fill you with a spirit of thankfulness, so that you can see the blessing in moments even when you want to complain.

Maybe, at this point, you’re realizing that over the past months, maybe even years, your light has gotten dim and it’s time you feed your flame. But just know from one broken Christian to another, we’re all in this walk together and we serve one faithful Father. Feel encouraged today as you go out into your world and shine like a light.

Joyfully His,

Monica Stutz is a simple Jesus lovin’ Christian girl living life in San Diego. Her and her husband, Weston, got married in June 2014 and immediately walked into the life of full time ministry at Skyline Church. They are passionate about building the local church and leading people closer to Jesus. She loves being a wife, pastor, sister, friend and hopes to one day start a little family of her own! You can find Monica on her Instagram account .

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Parenting Advice You Need To Hear

Thu, 19 May 2016 17:31:00 GMT

I generally steer away from sharing parenting advice; 1. I only have 4 years experience so who am I to dole out advice, 2. I am a really “mean” mom and so I’m sure my techniques would really ruffle some feathers, 3. no one listens anyway… But, I am going to go against my better judgement today and share with you once piece of parenting advice that has changed my life as a mother.

The internet is a great place to get bombarded with “how to’s” for parenting. How to potty train, how to sleep train, how to deal with picky eaters. There are endless amount amounts of “ mom groups ” on Facebook where you can find moms asking a question about every single decision they have to make. “When should we switch to solids?” “How do I get my kids to sleep in their own bed?” “Why does my child always throw a tantrum at Target?” And then the answers range from “spank them” to “distract them” to “give them an iPad.” Even more, you can ask Google, search BabyCenter, read blog post after blog post, spend hours on mom forums. It is overwhelming the amount of advice, in my opinion mostly bad advice, that you can find on the internet. I am going to tell you right now, stop seeking the internet for parenting instructions!

Don’t get me wrong. I love mom groups, I have my own mom group that you can find here . I just think these groups are better for sharing stories about our families and seeking opinions on which stroller to buy, rather than major parenting decisions that will shape your child’s behavior . Instead of seeking important advice from a bunch of moms you don’t know, who have kids that may or may not behave well (sleep well, eat well, potty train well, etc) themselves. Seek advice from someone that you already know, already trust, and has raised kids the way you want to raise your kids. What?! You mean I need to interact with someone in person and find advice the old fashion way? Yes! That is exactly what I mean. Find someone from your church or in your family or who lives in your neighborhood who has children that are older than your children and are models of what you want your children to become, ask them how they did it and then do that .

I personally have always been very stubborn and it was no different when it came to parenting decisions. I pretty much knew my parenting end goal and how I was going to get there before my daughter was even born. But of course I dealt with unknowns and variables that I couldn’t plan for, and around the time my daughter turned two, I was really winging it and desperately needing guidance. I considered my good friend Facebook, but instead, God provided. God must have known what I needed (of course He knew what I needed) and He sent me two amazing moms, with amazing children, to teach me a few tricks of the trade and my parenting life has been back on track ever since.

I often get compliments on my children’s behavior (not bragging, just being honest) and when people ask “how I do it” I tell them two things… 1. I’m a “mean” mom. 2. I am constantly seeking wisdoms from moms who have raised their children the way I want to raise mine. I don’t seek advice from random people on the internet, I don’t seek advice and then not follow through with what I was told. I seek wisdom from moms that I respect and then I actually use the knowledge that was shared with me. It’s that easy.

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

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Happiness vs. Joy

Tue, 17 May 2016 17:31:00 GMT

I think it’s safe to assume that we’re all familiar with the platitudes surrounding “happiness.” Some of the better-known quotes look like this:

I admire all three of the above: Ayn Rand, Audrey Hepburn, and Aristotle, and deeply enjoy their philosophical and artistic works, respectively. But each of them has hit on the main problem that I have with “happiness:” it’s inherently self-centered. It’s completely subjective and enslaves you to whatever or whoever you need it to be…at the exact moment that you think you need it. While the state of being/feeling happy can be wonderful, or good, or worthwhile; chasing happiness for happiness’ sake is not only exhausting, it’s impossible. It’s like setting sail for the horizon: you can sail for an eternity, but you’ll never quite reach it, it’s always out in front of you.

The futility in seeking out merely happiness is that it asks you to find it within yourself. How terrible! For my sake, if I’m looking for my own happiness, the pendulum swings pretty wildly. One day, being happy would be eating a burrito and French fries for every meal without gaining weight. The next day, it might be forsaking all of my responsibilities and going out of town by myself for a few days. See, the inherent problem in seeking out my own happiness is that it requires me to be the barometer of it. There is no anchor to happiness because it’s rooted in our feelings, which come and go. What makes me happy at one point in my life will most certainly not at another, which means that my definition of happiness will need to constantly change, and will also mean that I will never truly be happy.

The answer is fairly simple. The problem isn’t with happiness. Because what we need is not, in fact, happiness. It’s joy. Happiness is a state of being that exists because of our circumstances. Joy is a state of being that exists in spite of them. Happiness says that we have to chase it, pursue it, work for it, and earn it. Joy says simply: it’s free. A gift.

Before we go any further, I am not finding my definition of joy in the dictionary, because it falls hilariously short. Merriam-Webster defines joy like this: “a feeling of great happiness.” Lol. If that were true, we can stop the blog here, because that definition of joy makes it sound even worse than happiness. We can’t even reach “happy” and now joy is telling us that it’s “happy, 2.0?” No thanks.

I get my definition of joy from the Bible and my faith as a Christian. Christian joy transcends happiness because it isn’t merely a feeling. Of course we can feel joy, but it cannot be just that, otherwise it would still be “happy.” Joy is part feeling, but it’s also part person. A person who exists apart from our own feelings or circumstances: Jesus Christ. Who rescued us through his life, death, and resurrection. We cannot make joy happen. Only Jesus can. Something he does through the work of his Holy Spirit, that fully reveals to us the beauty of Christ, through his Word (the Bible), and his world.

And joy, unlike happiness, does not ignore suffering. Where happiness can only exist in a phony vacuum of positivity, joy exists right in the middle of the worst trials. We don’t have to ignore grief, or loss, or suffering, or pain to be joyful people. Real joy speaks directly to our suffering, because real joy is found in Christ, who suffered the most for us:

“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scoring its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” (Hebrews 12:1-3).

Jesus came to earth, knowing he would suffer the worst of all. He would be despised and rejected, ultimately by God, who judged him in our place. And all for the “joy set before him.” That joy, Jesus’ joy? It’s us. You and me. His children. He suffered it all so that he could rescue us back, even though we don’t deserve it, and even though we continue to sin against him every day.

How then, believing that, can we not experience and live out real joy in response? The real joy that comes in knowing that no matter what we might face on this side of heaven, no matter how hard, or how painful, Jesus has gone before us and has every moment, every molecule, every breath of our lives in his hands. He faithfully directs our steps, and we can joyfully follow where they lead.

Sarah Dudley is wife to her wonderful husband, Clint, and mom to 2 great kids (James, 4, and Evie, 2). She’s lived in San Diego since 2001, when her Dad became pastor at her current church, New Life. She graduated from Covenant College in 2008 with a BA in English and Theatre. She is a stay at home mom and loves the joys and challenges of raising little ones to love and live for Jesus.

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God’s Hidden Blessings – 2014 San Diego Wildfire

Mon, 16 May 2016 13:35:00 GMT

Two years ago, my son and I were visiting my family in Chicago and I got a call from my husband, who was back in San Diego with my daughter, saying, “I tried, but I can’t get back to our house to get any of our things.”

The 2014 SanDiego wildfire was headed straight for our home and Rusty tried to get there and grab a few of our most treasured items, pictures, favorite stuffed animals, paintball memorabilia, anything that cannot be replaced, but our neighborhood was already blocked off before he could get there. When I heard those words I collapsed at the thought of our wedding pictures, the kids’ baby pictures, all of our priceless keepsakes going up in flames and the worst part was that I was 3,000 miles away from my husband and my baby girl.

I cried and prayed and cried and prayed as I was glued to the news and minute by minute map of the location of the fire. For hours, I watched over the internet as the fire crept all the way to our back fence. I watched as the wildfire surrounded three sides of our neighborhood. And, I watched as God put his hands on our home and guarded it from any permanent damage. I watched a miracle happen before my eyes.

Rusty and Carter were “homeless” without any clean clothes or toiletries for 4 days or 5 days, but we have some wonderful friends that took them in, fed and clothed them, and gave them a comfy place to sleep. When they returned they saw that our neighbors on both sides of us had their fences burned down, one of our neighbors car was completely destroyed, and a few neighbors refused to evacuate and actually put out burning grass and bushes with garden hoses. He also learned that the firefighters deemed our neighborhood “un-saveable” so they moved on to a neighborhood that they could actually protect. That is how I know God protected our home, that is how I am sure it was a miracle.

The wildfire took 17 days to fully extinguish and left behind 26,000 acres of charred land, 1 death, 6 injuries, and 65 lost homes and buildings, but all it left behind for us was an overwhelming smell of smoke. The smell was stuck in every single piece of fabric in our home so that meant loads and loads of laundry to wash which someone close to me turned into an amazing life lesson on appreciating God’s hidden blessings.

I cannot thank God enough for all of that laundry.

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

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Cheap Date Night Tips

Wed, 11 May 2016 17:23:00 GMT

*All opinions are 100% my own. Groupon provided me with payment for this review. This post contains affiliate links.

I have found that the hardest part of regular date night is the cost of it all. The babysitter alone can cost upwards for 40 dollars for just 4 hours and then add another 70 dollars on to that and you have just spent over 100 dollars to have some peace and quite with your hubs. And sure, you can probably swing that 100 bucks once a month, but is that really good enough? Is 12 nights a year all our marriages deserves? No, we all deserve much more than that so I am going to share with you my favorite cheap date night ideas.

5 Cheap Date Night Tips

Babysitting Swap – I have shared this tip with you before but it is so good I am going to quickly share it again. If you are like us, and you don’t have family available to babysit, find another family that is like you (without family around) and ask them to do a babysitting swap with you. You can go out on Friday nights and leave your kids with them and they can go out on Saturday nights and leave their kids with you. Easy and free, my two favorite words.

Groupon Coupons – Now, I know you have used Groupon Coupons before (because they are awesome), I have used them for a spa day or two (or five or six). I bet you haven’t considered using them for a date night though. Groupon offers coupons for all kinds of things including restaurants, local attractions, theater tickets, the sky is the limit. So go check out what they are offering in your area and start planning your date night.

Eat at Home – Chances are, you are going to end up cooking something for the kids before you leave the house anyway so just try this. Eat dinner at home and then go out after for coffee or dessert. If you do have to hire a babysitter, this will also shorten the length of your date, so that will be good when it comes to paying your babysitter. Now you just turned your 100 dollar date night into 20 bucks for the babysitter and 10 bucks for 2 ice cream comes. And oh yeah, don’t forget to check Groupon Coupons for a deal at a local cafe or ice cream shop.

Pack a Picnic – Picnics don’t have to be just for lunch. Pack up an easily transportable meal, pick a nice place to park your car or lay out a blanket and feast . This will probably only work in the summer when the weather is warm and the sun sets late, but it will be very fun and romantic. Pair this idea with a babysitting swap and it will easily be the cheapest option.

Season Passes – Do you have season passes to a local amusement park, a zoo, or a museum? Use them on your date night! When the hubs and I take the kids to Wonderland, we aren’t ever able to ride the big roller coasters. One night, this year, we are leaving the kids behind and going to ride them all. That sounds like the perfect date night to me. If you don’t have season passes, check Groupon Coupons for a deal at your local theme park, museum, or zoo.

Bonus Idea – Go on a weekend getaway with your love! Check out what Travelocity has available on Groupon and start planing your getaway today.

Now, go get your date night on! And, don’t forget to check out my previous marriage advice post.

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

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Be Still and Know That He Is God

Tue, 10 May 2016 13:12:00 GMT

HOW DO I BE STILL ?

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Mother’s Day Weekend Wrap Up

Mon, 09 May 2016 17:33:00 GMT

I have never really been a fan of Hallmark holidays. I love Christmas and Easter because nothing is better than celebrating our Lord and Savior. I love Thanksgiving because food, enough said. I defiantly enjoy the 4th of July and Halloween because those holidays are purely about fun. Besides those few special days, I would be happy to scrap the rest. It may be because gifts are not my love language. It might also be because I feel like these Hallmark holidays, especially Mother’s day, usually set my husband up for failure and set me up for being an annoying, pouting wife. Whatever the reason, I’m just not a fan.

With that said, this year for Mother’s day, I decided to treat it as a normal day. I didn’t ask for any special gifts, I didn’t expect my husband to make dinner reservations, I didn’t really even sleep in. All I wanted was to have a normal day together doing one of our normal family weekend adventures, so we went to Wonderland!

We live just a few miles away from a huge Amusement park called Canada’s Wonderland . We had season passes last summer and it was the best investment, so we of course decided we would renew them for this summer. We waited all winter long for the park to reopen, this kids asking me at least once a week if it was time. Finally, Wonderland opened and even though it was raining, we couldn’t wait any longer!

For the first time since I’ve been a mom and really the first time ever, I can say I truly enjoyed a Hallmark holiday. There were no expectations on the day and there was also no fighting, disappointment, or frustration. I am so blessed to be a mama and even more blessed that I am able to spend all of my time with them doing the mom thing. This weekend was a great reminder of just how blessed I am.

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

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Mom Advice I Would Give Myself

Fri, 06 May 2016 14:39:00 GMT

In honor of Mother’s day, I asked 10 seasoned mamas what they would tell their newbie self. As a first time mom we fill ourselves up with information found it books and baby development websites. We sometimes forget to seek the advice of those who have been there. Every single one of these responses is something I wish I knew while I was holding my first little babe in my arms.

“It is totally OK to ask for help! You won’t be able to do it all, especially with a baby who needs your constant attention!”- Sandy Chang

“Don’t sweat the small stuff and be sure to soak in all the little moments.” – Liz Pulice

“It will get better. It sucks those first few weeks. But it will get better.” – Jessica Grunewald

“As difficult as it might be, make sure to carve out alone time with each child. They will cherish those moments and so will you!” – Kristen Carlson

“Keep extra chocolate in the house at all times. And grace too.” – Marielle Petkoff

“There is no such thing as perfection in mommy-hood. Do your best, love with everything you have, be present in the moment and you will do great! Just like any other role in life, you will have bad days and amazing days… Cling to the Lord and know you are doing a great job mama!” – Jenna Andresen-Wodiske

“Quit stressing. Your child will learn to walk, talk, and pee when they are ready. Enjoy each season that your child brings – even the up all nighters – for they are far too short!” – Amanda Baldwin

“Don’t allow anyone, including yourself, to cause you to doubt your abilities as a mom. There will be tough times and mistakes will be made, but God made you your child’s mama for a reason and you can trust that He’s with you every step of the way.” – Patricia Taylor

“You’re doing a great job, even if you don’t think so…and you’re children love you unconditionally.” – Kim Spaetti

“Trust your gut. And pray for your kids! It seems so simple and obvious but pray for them, over them, and with them. God takes care of the little things, even a lost binky.” – Andrea Brown

And what would I tell myself? I would actually slap myself upside the head and say, “You do you. Don’t worry about what other moms like and don’t like, do and don’t do, have and don’t have. Just do you,” but that’s a story for another time.

Happy Mother’s day Moms! You are so blessed.

Thank you to all of the moms who participated in this post.

Clear eyes, full heart’s, can’t lose.

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Confessions of a Traveler’s Wife

Thu, 05 May 2016 13:48:00 GMT

I often tell myself I can’t do it when Rusty is away. I act like I can’t possibly manage bath time, dinner time, bed time, or any other time of day while the husband is out of town. I freak out, lose my patience, let the house blow up to a new level of mess, and generally cry a lot. It’s a real circus when Rusty is gone. This is my confession of a traveler’s wife.

I am a really good mom. I’m not just saying that to toot my own horn, I was born to be a mom. Most of us moms are really good moms if we give ourselves any credit. I study and practice the skill of motherhood. I run experiments to see what does and does not work for my kids and for my family. I plan and schedule and problem solve. Like most moms, I am constantly honing the skills of motherhood. So what? All of that goes out the window when my husband leaves town?

My husband’s most recent time out of town was a combine trip, work and paintball . The trip lasted 10 days, two weekends and the week in-between. Of course when he told me I panicked, I complained, I might have said a few negative things about paintball (horrible wife, I know). I had visions of how horrible 10 days alone with my kids is going to go. Any other wives have husbands who travel often? Do you know the feelings? I mean, I would have to put them to bed aaaand get up with them for breakfast. How horrible! I eventually succumbed to the dark cloud that is paintball, put the trip in our family calendar, and waited for the time to come. But this time it was different.

I dropped Rusty off at Toronto Pearson Airport and as the door closed behind him something just clicked, I am a good and capable mom . I spend everyday of my life mom-ing. I’ve totally got this. I don’t need to stand at my kitchen sink crying because there are just so many dishes and the kids are fighting, I know how to deal with that. And I don’t need to freak out because I am in charge of bedtime and wake up, the kids don’t even wake up until 7:30, sometimes 8. I’m just being ridiculous. I can do this .

So while Rusty was gone, the kids and I went out for food, went out of ice cream, had playdates, went to church, baked cookies, cleaned the toy rooms a few times, read books , kept up with the kitchen, saw The Jungle Book , and played outside. Whoa! I can’t believe I did all of that alone. Oh wait, yes I can, I do it all the time.

So why do I freak out when Rusty leaves town? It might be because I see plastered all over faceboook how it is impossible to be a mother without coffee in the morning and wine at night. It might be because I am told over and over again to feel mom guilt and that every mom does everything wrong. I don’t know, but I am done acting like taking care of my kids is just too much work. Yes, I need my husband, yes, I appreciate all of the work my husband does around the house even after a long day at a desk, but I can certainly survive 10 days alone. I can do it.

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

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The Glaze Brigade Home Tour

Wed, 04 May 2016 13:55:00 GMT

When the girls from Social Common asked if they could come to our home for a home tour segment on their YoutTube channel, I was hesitant. We don’t own our home, we rent, so most of the fixtures, the cabinetry, the floors aren’t something I would chose. I was unsure if I wanted to share the inside of our rental with the world, knowing that much of the design wasn’t even my decision.

I has taken me a long time to feel like Toronto is our home and some days I am still not sure how I feel about it, but I have put a lot of effort into making this place, a place we feel comfortable and a place we can call home. Most of what we have is Ikea or something else we could find cheap, because we never know what will or won’t fit into our next rental. We would hate to invest in a nice couch that won’t even fit into our next living room if we end up moving again. Never the less, we love the look of our home and it perfectly our style. So in the end, I realized even though I didn’t choose the more permanent features of our condo, I did chose the decor and I am pretty proud of how it turned out so I said yes, come on over, film the home tour.

Watching our home tour on youtube is a good reminded of just how blessed we are to live in such a beautiful space. Honestly, every other rental in our neighborhood is way out of our budget so God really brought this place to us.

I hope you enjoy taking a look inside of our home.

You can see more of our home in the links below.
Our Toy Room
Monroe’s Room
Carter’s Room
Our Home Before We Officially Moved In

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

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He’s a Good, Good Father

Tue, 03 May 2016 02:23:00 GMT

A few weeks ago we sang a song at church that was new to me. Maybe you’ve heard it? It’s called “Good, Good Father” by Chris Tomlin. As I sang the lyrics, “You’re a good, good Father, it’s who you are…and I’m loved by you, it’s who I am,” a floodgate of memories filled my mind and my heart.

It was just months before my fourth birthday, and my mom had already tucked me into bed. But I didn’t want to sleep just yet. Earlier that day I had heard about Jesus and that He could live in my heart, and I wanted to pray and ask Him to stay forever. But I wanted my dad to pray with me.

My dad was lying in a bed across the hall, suffering from late-stage bowel cancer and not recovering. It was difficult for him to move around at this point, as my mom was trying hard to explain to me. But I was adamant . “But you’re too young to fully understand what this decision means,” my mom also tried to explain to me. But I was adamant . She caved and went to get my father. Together we prayed, and I gave my heart to Jesus. My mom took a picture of my older brother and me after we had both given our hearts to Jesus. We were each holding a new Bible, sitting side by side in a big, comfy chair, with huge grins of delight on our faces. Although I was too young to fully remember the experience, the picture says it all…my heart was filled with joy!

February 8 ^th , 1989, just a month after my fourth birthday, my father went to be with Jesus after months of fighting cancer. My older brother was five, and my younger brother was almost 2. My mother was left with three young children, no life insurance to offer her support, but a faith that is, to this day, unshakeable. I know now that it was God who prompted me to adamantly ask my parents to pray with me that night. My father was with me when I made the most important decision of my life.

After my father passed away, we moved around five times in four years as my mom tried to establish an accounting business working from home so that she could support her young family and be there for us. Through it all, my mom never blamed God or complained about her circumstances. Her mantra, quoted often to us as kids, is, “God is a husband to the widows and a father to the fatherless. (Psalm 10:14; Psalm 68:5; Psalm 146:9). She taught us to work hard and work together as a team. She raised us to love and trust God as our Father, and in doing so gave me the most precious gift-a Father of my own, who will never leave or forsake me.

In 2010, when I was in my mid-twenties and married for a couple of years already, the lyrics of a song – my own life song – came to my mind and I scrambled to write the words down. I am by no means an amazing musician or songwriter, my work has never been published, but I love to write songs, and music has been a huge part of my life since I was old enough to talk. Of all the songs I have ever written, this song, “Abba Father”, is most dear to my heart. The title is inspired by the words in Romans 8:15, “For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.”

I want to share some of the lyrics with you, publicly, for the first time, because I feel strongly that one of you reading this right now really needs to hear them. If you have recently lost a loved one, or if you grew up without a father, or without a good and loving father, I hope you find courage and peace in these words. I hope you will feel the loving arms of God wrap snug around you, as I have so many times in my moments of greatest need.

The verses that follow go through the emotions of feeling lonely and bullied as a child; struggling with self-image issues, guilt, and being broken-hearted as a teenager; but knowing that God is always holding me and wiping the tears away.

Then one day, I met my prince, Max. It was our wedding day and I felt every bit the glowing, beautiful bride. But in my heart, I was wishing my father was there to walk me down the aisle. Isn’t that every little girl’s dream? At that moment I felt God once again wrap His arms around me as I walked toward the man I love. He is, and always will be, my loving Father. He has never left my side, and I know He never will.

My prayer for you, friends, is that no matter what difficulty you faced till now, no matter what loss or suffering or heartache, that you would know, without a doubt, that God loves you incredibly. He is a good, good Father, and you are loved by Him (1 John 4:19).

Yours on this journey,

Esther is living her very own wild and wonderful fairytale as a happy wife, SAHM of two rambunctious little boys, blogger, and creative. What keeps her sane? Calligraphy, baking, music, coffee, and Jesus…always Jesus! You can learn more about Esther’s journey at Esther’s Reflections and on Facebook and Instagram .

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Best Loaded Oatmeal Cookies

Fri, 29 Apr 2016 17:18:00 GMT

*this post contains affiliate links

I’m not sure there is anything I love more than a good oatmeal raisin cookie. Oh wait, there is something, chocolate! Well, good thing I have figured out how to make the best loaded oatmeal cookies with cranberries, raisins, and of course chocolate!

These oatmeal cookies are full of ingredients that you likely already have in your kitchen so don’t worry about this recipe being too complicated. And if you don’t like raisins, cranberries, or chocolate chips, you can go ahead and leave any or all of that out. You can also add a half cup your favorite nuts if you feel so inclined.

This recipe is super easy to make so I always let the kids do most of the work. I usually measure out all of the ingredients ahead of time and then I let them go to town. There isn’t much they can do to mess it up, so I recommend following the directions, but they always turn out pretty good regardless of the order the ingredients are mixed together .

Baking together is something I love to do with the kid. I don’t allow much screen time so it is always a challenge to figure out what we can do instead of turing on the tv. Usually, when the kids are getting really antsy and we need something to do, baking is my go to activity.

You know what else is great about these cookies ? I brush them off as “basically a granola bar” so you can always find me munching a few of these for breakfast the next morning. I mean, they are oatmeal, aren’t they?

I have taken these babies to bible study, playdates, dinner gatherings, and holiday parties, and they are always a hit. Go ahead and give these yummy loaded oatmeal cookies a try, you won’t regret it!

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Six Diaper Genie Hacks

Wed, 27 Apr 2016 22:13:00 GMT

*All opinions are 100% my own. Playtex Baby provided me with a Diaper Genie and payment for this review. This post also includes affiliate links.

I know some of you might be like, “umm you don’t have kids in diapers, why are you promoting a Diaper Genie?” Well, because I love my Diaper Genie, I always have, and we still use it all of the time. So that you can continue to love your Diaper Genie as much as I do, l am going to share with you my six best Diaper Genie hacks.

Six Best Diaper Genie Hacks

1. Cloth Diapers – Some mama’s out there choose to use cloth diapers and that is great. I used disposable diapers but I would love to try out cloth the next time around. I did hear from a friend though, who used cloth diapers, that using a Diaper Genie to hold the soiled cloth diapers was a fantastic way to keep the mess of cloth diapers manageable.

2. Regular Trash Can – After we potty trained Carter, we figured it was time to move her diaper genie into storage but as soon as we did we realized how much we missed it. There are always tissues, wipes, clothing tags, and other random things that needs to be tossed in kid’s rooms and her Diaper Genie was the perfect trash can for all of that. Plus, kids can’t get into it and make a mess.

3. Pull Ups – Just because kids are out of diapers and potty trained, doesn’t mean they won’t still use pull ups. Many kids continue to have accidents through the night and use pull ups for many years after potty training begins. Because of it’s slender design and its odor sealing technology, the Diaper Genie is perfect to put in a child’s closet so they can easily manage their pull up in the morning.

4. Women’s Sanitary Products – I know some of you have daughters, you might have 3 or 4 or even more daughters. Now, imagine when they are all in their teenage years and they are all on their periods. A Diaper Genie would be perfect for that situation! Especially if you have a dog because you know how terrible it can be when a dog gets into that type of trash. That leads me into my next hack…

5. Pet Trash – If you own a pet, you know pets have a lot of waste that comes along with them. Use a Diaper Genie to throw away poop from a kitty litter box, doggy poop bags, or pet pee pads. The Diaper Genie will help keep the pet waste smell away.

6. Stinky Kid Laundry – While potty training, we would go through ten or more pairs of pants and underwear a day. During this stage of motherhood it seems like the pee filled laundry never ends. I would usually throw it all in the tub as the day goes on and then I gather it up when its time to wash it all. I am totally going to be utilizing my Diaper Genie the next time around. Just throw each pee soaked pair of pants and undies into the Diaper Genie until you are ready to wash it and it will help you contain the mess and the smell.

Playtex has released a new design and a new line of colors for the Diaper Genie. It is currently available in the traditional white as well as green, pink, blue, and grey. I have the grey one and I love it. The new color and design just fits so well with my son’s bedroom decor that I hardly even notice its there, except when I need it. The Diaper Genie also now comes with a carbon filter to help fight the stinky odor from diapers or for whatever else you decide to use the Diaper Genie. I have always said the Diaper Genie is one of my top five baby product favorites and I will continue to keep it on my list long past the diaper stage.

I am excited to announce the I have partnered up with Playtex to give away a Diaper Genie Elite to one lucky reader. Sorry, this is open to Canadian residents only. Please enter below using Rafflecopter. Giveaway ends May 6th.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

The post Six Diaper Genie Hacks appeared first on The Glaze Brigade | Official Blog .

Living With Anxiety

Mon, 25 Apr 2016 18:05:00 GMT

You know that feeling when you are standing at the edge of a swimming pool. You know the water is cold, you know its going to sting a little when it first touches your skin, but you also know there is fun to be had inside that water. You tell yourself over and over again, “just jump, just jump,” because if you just get your feet into the air, there is no turning back. Those few inches of air between your feet and the concrete is enough to get you past the point of no return . But you can’t jump, can you? Or, at least, it takes a lot of convincing before you actually jump, right? Now imagine living with that feeling every single day. That is called anxiety.

I live with anxiety. I have been able to make a direct link between our finances and my anxiety level. I’ve mentioned it in a previous post . The anxiety isn’t related to a lack of funding, just our finances in general. That “jumping into the pool” feeling is something I get every time I open my wallet, every time I walk into the bank, every time I have to check the mail.

Without going into too much detail about our finances, trust me when I say we have plenty of money to pay our bills, feed our family, and enjoy a few luxuries, so like I said, a lack of funding isn’t the issue. Instead my anxiety, like all sufferers of anxiety, is linked to an irrational fear. I am afraid we will have a bill for 100,000 dollars waiting for us in the mailbox, or all of our money will magically disappear from our bank account, or I fear that I am not making a wise decision with our money and I will regret it later. All highly unlikely, all on my mind at all times, every single day.

I’m sharing all of this with you for one important reason. If someone you know struggles honestly with depression or anxiety, it isn’t that they are sad and stressed out, it is so much more than that. When your inbox is full, your sink is full, and your kids are throwing a tantrum because they want a snack, sure that can give anyone a bout of anxiety, but that isn’t living with anxiety. Living with anxiety is debilitating. Living with anxiety prevents you from doing normal everyday things. Living with anxiety stops me from being able to regularly check my mail. How silly is that? Days turn into weeks and weeks to into a month and I haven’t checked my mail. Then I start to gag when I see my mail box because I am afraid of what might (but not at all likely) be inside. That is anxiety.

If you live with anxiety, you are not alone. Don’t let others make you feel like it isn’t real or it isn’t as serious as you feel. I am telling you right now, I know it is real, I know it can control your body and the way you function and there is little you can do to stop it. I doesn’t have to be about money, it can be about driving, or the safety of your children, or stranger danger. Whatever it is, I am sorry you are dealing with that, you are not alone in the fight.

To everyone who lives with anxiety or loves someone who lives with anxiety remember this, if you can just get past the point of no return there is fun to be had on the other side. Jump. Get your feet those few inches into the air and don’t look back. It is scary and it may never get easier to make that leap, but you will never regret fighting back.

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

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How To: Tastefully Spice Up Your Marraige

Fri, 22 Apr 2016 14:17:00 GMT

*Contains mature content. Adults only please.

Lets face it, keeping the romance alive in a marriage can be difficult. For most women it is very difficult to ever “get in the mood.” I get it. After I have been touched, and poked, and pulled on all day long by two needy children, the last thing I want is for a third set of grubby hands to be all up in personal space. In my mind I am often screaming, “can everyone just stop touching me?!”

Even though sex is often the last thing on our minds, it doesn’t mean we can just brush the whole idea under a rug and hope that it eventually disappears. That isn’t fair to our husbands, it isn’t fair to our marriages, and it really isn’t fair to us. I’m am sure if you think really hard, you can remember a time when you actually loved sex with your husband and I’m sure you would love to have those feelings of enjoyment and excitement back in your life.

Ladies, I am going to give you a list of things for you to try that will help you spice up your marriage. If you give each of these an honest try, I promise they will work. I can’t honestly sit here and tell you that my sex life is perfect because I regularly work through this list, I don’t. What I can tell you though is, when I do keep up with this list of 10 easy tricks to keep the spark alive , my sex life and my marriage greatly improves.

How To: Tastefully Spice Up Your Marriage in 10 Easy Steps

Shave every day – Yes, I know that might sound like a huge commitment to some of you but it isn’t, I promise. I have actually shaved my legs and arms everyday for at least the last 15 years. It takes me all of 2 minutes to get it all done. Just like putting on your favorite lip stick or throwing on your most flattering t-shirt, shaving your legs daily will give you just the boost of confidence you need.

Dance – Dance party! Just turn some music on in your home and dance. I’m not talking about bumping and grinding in your living room, I mean just let loose. We like to play music while I cook dinner and Rusty and the kids dance around the living room to kill time before we eat. It is a great way to just loosen up and put yourself in a better mood. And if you get the chance to throw a little teaser move in there when the kids aren’t looking, go for it!

Play with eachother – A little rough housing never hurt anyone. Rusty regularly wrestles with the kids and its always fun when I join in. All the touch, tickling, chasing, and giggling will lift your mood and lets be honest, wrestling can easily turn into something more…

Ask your husband to teach you something – Men love to feel needed, respected, and necessary. Help your man to feel all of these things by asking him to teach you something. There are few things Rusty loves more then when I sit down with him at our desk and let him teach me about SEO and web development. On the same note, he was in heaven the few times he took me and my friends to play paintball and he was able to coach me from the sidelines. It is not that he wants me to play paintball or become some kind of SEO genius, he just loves that I am coming to him and as an expert in these fields and by doing this I am acknowledging his strengths.

Play a game and be on the same team – Don’t get me wrong, it is always fun to play a game against Rusty and prove that I am better than him. Hahaha. I can be just as competitive as the next guy when it comes to Catch Phrase, Wii Tennis, Monopoly or whatever other game we decide to pull out. But for the sake of building our marriage bond, it is important to regularly find ourselves on the same team, fighting for the same goals, just like we need to do in our everyday life. So, invite some friends over for a game night and team up as couples against each other. I promise, you will all have so much fun cheering on your spouses.

Play the 36 question game – Have you ever played the 36 question game ? Its basically believed that, if you answer these 36 questions with someone and then you look into each others eyes for 4 minutes, you will fall in love. Now, I don’t know if this is or isn’t true, but that isn’t the point. Here is why I am suggesting this game. I think we all love the idea of date night but after 12 years together, Rusty and I have pretty much run out of things to talk about. Sure, we can sit there are share stories about the kids, how cute they are, how funny they are, how much they drive us crazy, but I want to get back to those dating conversations when we couldn’t drink in enough information about the other one. These questions will help you get back to that type of conversation. We only get through about 3 or 4 of them per date night, but they have changed how we interact on dates.

Schedule sex – I’m not kidding. We have done it and it works. For those of you that watch Parenthood, I am sure you remember funky town. Well for a while, Rusty and I honestly put funky town on our shared family calendar and it was great. Now, let me explain why. Putting sex on the calendar removes my ability to use it as a weapon. I will admit it to you right now, if everything doesn’t go exactly my way on any certain day then sex is off the table. That is a horrible way for me to behave and it isn’t fair for Rusty to feel like he has to walk on egg shells in order to get sex. If Funky Town is on the calendar, then it is set and stone and it cannot be changed. That means it doesn’t matter what mistakes were made during the day, our plan is still the same for that night. We like to make it a regular scheduled thing, we will usually pick 2 – 3 days a week and set our calendar for the whole month. One more thing I’d like to mention. You might want to say, “well that’s boring, no spontaneity.” To that, I say this, nothing is stopping you from having sex on other nights that are not on the calendar. This is just a minimum commitment. Be as spontaneous as you like on non scheduled nights.

Essential Oil Lube – This one is so simple! Lubes that you buy are the store are filled with nasty chemicals and no one thinks chemicals are sexy. Making a lube at home is as easy as mixing together some coconut oil and a few drops of essential oil. I am sure you can look up an endless amount of essential oil “lube” recipes but I highly recommend using peppermint oil. Yes, peppermint oil! It sound like it might be spicy, but it is not, it is amazing. You will not regret trying it! For more information on Essential oils, click here .

Tell eachother what you like – Okay, this is my last suggestion and although it is the most obvious one, it will be the hardest. I know it can be embarrassing to tell your husband what you like and don’t like, but men are not mind readers and you need to feel satisfaction or you won’t want to go back for more. If you aren’t sure what you like, research it. I don’t suggest using Google, who knows what will pop up on your computer screen, but you can go to the library or to a book store and read books. We actually own a book called “The Good Orgasm Book” and every couple of years, we actually do flip through it. Don’t be embarrassed. This is your husband. The man that has seen you give birth, held back your hair while you puked, and has likely walked into the bathroom right after you walked out (if you know what i mean, enter giggle emoji here), he certainly isn’t going to mind hearing what you like when it comes to funky town business!

I hope you find all of this information useful. Now go have some fun!

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

The post How To: Tastefully Spice Up Your Marraige appeared first on The Glaze Brigade | Official Blog .

You Can Be Anything – A Barbie Product Review

Wed, 20 Apr 2016 13:30:00 GMT

* Mattel provided me with product for review. All opinions are 100% my own.

I have to be honest, it always makes my heart burst when I ask Carter what she wants to be when she grows up and she answers “a mom.” I know that answer will change a million times before she gets to high school, I know it will change a few more time between high school and college, and then it will likely change once or twice during college. I know in the end, she will more than likely become something she never planned on because that is how life and careers go. And, of course, there is also a chance she will actually follow in my foot steps and become “a mom” and actually make my heart burst.

Carter and I have talked recently a little more about possible career options. She knows what her aunts and uncles do for work, what her grandmas and grandpas do for work. She knows that many of her family members work at the US Post Office, she knows that her big papa (my dad) works at “a car place” sometimes. We have gone over why some kids stay at the after school program or get picked up by their grandmas and grandpas instead of their mommies. Just because I don’t have a career doesn’t mean I don’t want her to know what is out there and what possibilities there are for career options.

After discussing this subject for a while, I was approached by Mattel for their “You Can Be Anything” Barbie campaign and I was so excited because it fit perfectly with our recent discussions on career choices. Carter was able to chose from a bunch of Barbies with different occupations and she landed of a chef! We spend a lot of time in our kitchen so I was not surprised she would show interest in a chef Barbie. Other options included a nurse, a firefighter, a pilot and an ice skater.

A few days later the chef Barbie showed up in the mail and Carter was instantly in love. She was perfectly simple and classic. Nothing too flashy, nothing breakable, nothing battery operated, just a classic Barbie. The exact type of toy I prefer my children play with because simple classic toys allow the most room for imagination. The chef theme attire included a chef’s hat and a frying pan. Chef barbie instantly became Carter’s new best friend.

Who knows what their child will grow up to become, there are an endless amount of possibilities. She just may continue to spend time with me in the kitchen and actually become a chef. She is really gifted in the math department, so she may become an engineer or a math teacher. She may grow up and become “a mom.” The choice is her’s and I am so excited to watch her make it.

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

The post You Can Be Anything – A Barbie Product Review appeared first on The Glaze Brigade | Official Blog .

We Made It Through The Frost

Mon, 18 Apr 2016 02:30:00 GMT

We made it! We made it through our second winter. We made it through the frost, and the snow and, the winter coats, and the snow boots. I know as far as winter goes here in Toronto, this one was pretty mild but honestly, any winter is too much winter for me. We survived it all. And our reward for our survival? Swimming in April!

(Okay, I know as far as winter goes here in Toronto, this one was pretty mild, but honestly, any winter at all is too much winter for me.)

This past weekend we were invited to a friends house for swimming and barbecuing. It was so nice to enjoy the sunshine and warm weather. It was only about 72 degrees outside but they had their pool heated to a nice 80 degrees so the kids were in heaven. We ate dinner outside next to the pool while the kids used their seemingly endless amounts of energy to jump off the diving board over and over again. I think they swam for a good three hours before we forced them out so we could all head home.

Today was such a good reminder of so many things. It was a reminder that summer is just around the corner and we will get our fill of vitamin D soon enough. It was a reminder of how excited I am to get the kids outside, exercising and exploring the world around them. It was also a really great reminder of the friendships we have built here in Toronto in the short time that we have lived here. It is such an honor to be invited to someones home on the first nice weekend of the year.

Just last weekend snow was still falling from the sky and my home sickness was sky rocketing but this weekend the kids were in their swim suits. The weather works in mysterious way here in Toronto but I will be thankful for every nice day we are given! I don’t know if I will ever stop missing San Diego, but my heart mends just a little bit more when the sun is shining.

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

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Confessions of a Stay At Home Mom

Thu, 07 Apr 2016 17:16:00 GMT

I often hear the question thrown around… what do stay at home moms do all day? Just yesterday, I saw a mom post on facebook that she was about to join the “SAHM club” and wanted ideas on what to do to fill up her time. You know what I said? DO ANYTHING YOU WANT!

I used to get all touchy about this topic. I always hate the snotty “oh”s I get when I mention I don’t work and I hate trying to defend how my day is spent and how it couldn’t possibly all get done if I had a full time job. No one likes to live their life in constant defense of their lifestyle, so I have decided I’m not going to be touchy about it anymore.

I don’t work. Some moms work. Who fricken cares? You do you and I am going to do exactly what I feel is best for me and my family. Yeah, most days I don’t get dressed, take a shower, or even brush my hair. And you know what else? Some days I leave the dirty dishes in the sink and take a nap instead. What!? Yep, I take a nap instead of cleaning, often. Go ahead and judge me, I don’t care anymore.

What I do care about though is spending the maximum time available with my children and being a stay at home mom lets me do that. And thankfully, I married a one in a million guy that fully, completely, 100%, supports my desire to be a stay at home mom, naps and all. I don’t know how I got so lucky.

So, do you want to know what Monroe and I did this morning? Just hit play and be ready to hear my beautiful singing voice and see my unwashed face.

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I Did Something I Said I’d Never Do

Thu, 24 Mar 2016 13:36:00 GMT

Each year on her birthday, Carter and I take a very special mommy and me pictures together. It is a highlight of the year for me and it is a great way to document how much both of us change from year to year.

It isn’t easy for me to get in front of a camera, especially for a close up of my face, but I love that we will forever have these memories to look back on so its worth it.

This year however, I made a mom fail during our yearly picture. To find out what I did, check out my post on Scary Mommy.

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

The post I Did Something I Said I’d Never Do appeared first on The Glaze Brigade | Official Blog .

Easter Is In The Air

Tue, 22 Mar 2016 19:02:00 GMT

Easter is such an important day for me and for Christians everywhere. Easter represents the pinnacle of Christianity. We worship a living God and Easter represents the day Jesus rose from the dead after a horrible crucifixion. It is a beautiful day that must continue to be celebrated.

This year the kids and I worked together with some friends and some amazing companies to produce this beautiful Easter themed photoshoot. I am completely obsessed with how beautiful it all turned out.

Of course we focused on all of the Easter cuteness like eggs and bunnies, but that doesn’t mean I have let the true meaning of Easter slip by the wayside. Instead, this is a way to represent the beauty found during this time of year thanks to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

Thank you God for sending your one and only Son to die for me.

Lead Stylist: Christine Martin

Fashion Stylist: Jessica Glaze

Clothing: Wheat Canada

Photographer: Elza Photographie

Flowers: Mint Floral Co

Sugar Cookes: Sugar Sugar Ottawa

Balloons: Sugar Girlee Co

Bunny Bags: Life Is A Party

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

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Visiting the Toronto Zoo

Fri, 04 Mar 2016 14:48:00 GMT

Its been snowing for the last three days and my happiness scale defiantly falls with the temperature. Its just so hard to be excited about life when it takes 20 minutes to pack up all the cold weather gear every time we want to leave the house, when your breath gets knocked out of you as you step outside, and when all you want to do is thrown on flip flops instead of snow boots. But… this last weekend we did have an amazing day as far as winter weather is concerned so we took full advantage and headed to the Toronto Zoo.

This past Christmas, I took the advice plastered all over multiple parenting blogs that “experiences” are better then presents and asked my dad for passes to the Toronto Zoo instead of gifts. I am so glad we did. I don’t think my kids are quite old enough to really appreciate experiences over gifts, but my husband and I certainly are so in stead of sending my parents an amazon wish list of stuff we don’t really need, I landed on asking for an “experience” and it was a good choice.

The Toronto Zoo is very similar to the San Diego Zoo, a lot of greenery, a lot of walking, not the best for close ups with the animals but probably better for the animals then the steel cages at Brookfield Zoo in Chicago. I happen to really like Brookfield Zoo because you get to see every animal every time, but animal rights and whatever… Anyway, we had a really great time walking around and enjoying the beautiful weather.

I see many trip to the Toronto Zoo in our future and we can’t wait to see what the place has to offer in the summer. Let me know if you are a GTA local and would like to plan a zoo playdate. We would love that!

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

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DIY: Easy Tea Tree Moisturizer

Mon, 29 Feb 2016 17:01:00 GMT

I haven’t talked much about essential oils on the blog so today I want to share a really simple Tea Tree Oil moisturizer recipe with you. I use it every day on my face and I love it.

All you need are two ingredients.

It is seriously so simple. You put 1 cup of coconut oil in a bowl and whip it with a hand mixer or kitchen aid mixer on high for about 4 minutes or until peaks start to form. Then add 25 drops of essential oil and mix it for another 30 seconds. Thats it!

Just a few tips… Be sure to store your moisturizer in a glass dish because essential oils can break down plastic and you do not want and residual chemicals from the plastic getting on your skin. You may feel like 25 drops isn’t enough, so just add more until you reach your desired potency and mix it for another 30 seconds. Like I said before, you can use a different essential oil, or you can add another oil to the tea tree moisturizer, its really up to you and what you like to use on your skin.

Easy Tea Tree Moisturizer Recipe

What to learn more about essential oils? Click here.

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

The post DIY: Easy Tea Tree Moisturizer appeared first on The Glaze Brigade | Official Blog .

Doing Our Best to Embrace Winter

Wed, 24 Feb 2016 21:12:00 GMT

We are doing our best to enjoy winter.

It has clearly been better for us this year then it was last year. Last year, I was very open about my depression and how hard the winter was for me. This year, it has been warmer over all, it hasn’t snowed as much, and because we are more familiar with Toronto, we have been able to venture out and try some outdoor activities.

Two weekends ago, we tried sledding. I wish I had some amazing pictures to show you of our fantastic adventure but I don’t, because it was a major flop. We started out by driving to the local Canadian Tire to buy a second sled, we figured both kids needed a sled. A 10 dollar sled is worth it when the other option is two kids fighting over one sled, but I digress.

Anyway, after buying a sled, we spent about a hour driving around trying to actually find a sledding hill. This of courses causes my anxiety level to rise because I all I can think is… we are wasting gas, we are putting miles on our car, we are running out of time, the kids are going to lose their patiences, and so on. Anxiety causes frustration and frustration causes fighting and that means Rusty and I started bickering.

At that point, I decided to learn from my own life lessons and just keep my mouth shut and let life happen. Finally, Rusty parked our car in front of a near by park and I instantly knew that the hill would not work for sledding but I committed to keeping my mouth shut so all I said was, go check it out first. The kids and I had a pretty good laugh as Rusty did his best to scoot himself down the ~~hill~~ slightly elevated land, but he didn’t make it very far. At that point, I was not interested in driving around more so I decided, “what the heck this might actually be the perfect ~~hill~~ slightly elevated land for the kids.” Well it wasn’t.

We had to basically run behind the sleds to get them to go down the slope and they would travel on their own for about four whole feet before they would screech to an abrupt halt. Doesn’t really matter, because the kids HATED it. I mean seriously hated every part of it. They would scream their heads off during those four exhilarating feet. They were “too cool,” “too tired,” and way too whiney to even try to enjoy a second of sledding. The whole ordeal lasted about 15 mins and then we were all back in the car. So fun, not.

This past weekend we decided to go with what we know and we went ice skating, again. We like ice skating. Every one was in a much happier mood and no one screamed in terror. Its always good when no one screams in terror.

So there you go. A little update on what the Glaze Brigade has been up to this winter. I hope those of you that are in the midst of winter are doing your best to cope and those of you that live in the year-round summer, go get a sun burn in my honor.

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

The post Doing Our Best to Embrace Winter appeared first on The Glaze Brigade | Official Blog .

A Prayer Request for Monroe

Fri, 19 Feb 2016 17:46:00 GMT

I’ve been very open on my instagram but I haven’t really talked much about it anywhere else,
Monroe has asthma.

This has, of course, been hard on Monroe, every time he gets even the slightest stuff nose, I know that an asthma flair up isn’t far behind. They last for weeks and there are endless amounts of sleepless nights. He is crabby and cranky and can’t blame him, he can’t breath. It has been rough. It has also been tough on me.

I am certainly not the one with a sore diaphragm from coughing for hours and hours on end, I am not the one struggling to breath or dealing with low oxygen saturation levels, so I really have no right to complain. What has been tough for me though, is giving in to the medical side of it all. I have spent 4 parenting years staying away from doctors and prescription medications, opting to chose a more holistic path. I stuff my kids full of healthy food, immune boosting probiotics, use essential oils , and regularly visit a chiropractor and until now, all of that has worked. But recently, I have been forced to give up just the slightest control and give into what our asthma doctor believes is best.

So, I am reaching out to ask everyone to who reads this to say a little prayer for our family. We are in desperate need for relief from the coughing, the endless, endless coughing. Of course, it is generally worse at night when we are all trying to get some rest and let our bodies reset for the next day, and the coughing definitely prevents a restful sleep for everyone in the house.

I am asking that you pray for Monroe’s little body and that he will get some relief from the constant pain that his body must feel. I’m sure you can remember a time that you coughed so hard your abs started to hurt from the wrenching. Now just imagine that feeling lasting for months.

I am asking that you pray for patience and peace for my husband and myself. We get irritated at each other over things we can’t control, angry that Monroe can’t seem to catch a break, and upset that we have to go against our holistic parenting style by using in prescription medication.

Finally, I would like to ask that you pray for long term healing of Monroes lungs. It is more then I want to think about when I imagine every winter following this path. His asthma has actually never been this bad before so we don’t even know if it will all end when the weather gets better. Either way, it would be amazing if we could toss out the steroid inhalers and never have the need to bring them back.

Thank you all so much for your constant support and for keeping our family in your prayers.

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

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Babysitting Swap

Wed, 17 Feb 2016 15:58:00 GMT

We recently found out that Carter has a friend from school that lives in the neighborhood, only a street away. This is actually the first time for us that Carter has brought people into our lives instead of the other way around and its been nice. We see them of the weekends at gymnastics, sometimes in the morning for kindergarten drop off, and at the occasional birthday party or playdate. We are slowly building a friendship with our daughter’s parents and its been great but what is even better is that has opened up the opportunity for a babysitting swap.

We did the swap for the first time on Valentine’s day weekend and it was awesome. On Saturday night, our lovely neighbors dropped off their two little girls and we hosted a play date for a few hours while they went out for sushi. Then the next day, Valentine’s day, we did the same. (Except we got some amazing cajan chicken from our favorite Canadian restaurant, not sushi.) It was so nice to get a night out without the added pressure of finding a babysitter and then budgeting that cost into the night, especially because we do not have family in Toronto.

This works best if…

Side note: I hope you enjoyed this walk down dating memory lane. <3

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

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How To: Keep Your Toy Room Organized

Fri, 12 Feb 2016 18:23:00 GMT

If you have ever been to my house, and I am sure most of you haven’t, you would know that we have two, large, beautiful (in my opinion) toy rooms. Yes, two. No, I am not crazy. No, my kids aren’t spoiled with an over abundance of toys. It might seems a little excessive to have two toy rooms but we had the space and I really didn’t feel like buying any more furniture so we went ahead and designated two spaces in our home official toy rooms .

Our first toy room is on the second level of our home. It is the larger of the two toy rooms and it is also where I keep my desk and desktop computer. It works great because while I am trying to write or edit photographs, the kids can play and still be near me. This toy room is where we keep a majority of our toys.

Our second toy room is on the third level of our home with the kids bedrooms and it is actually more of a loft type space. This toy room is use for our larger toys like Carter’s play kitchen, her doll house and Monroe’s tool bench.

Now at this point you might be thinking, how in the world can any mom keep her head on straight with that much to keep clean? Well I am going to walk you through 5 easy steps to keeping your toy room clean and organized. Side note, you do not need all of the space we have to keep things organized, we did this same thing with in our toys in our tiny 900 sq/ft apartment and it worked just the same.

How To: Keep Your Toy Room Organized

Step One: Storage, Storage, Storage

I can’t tell you how important it is to have a designated storage spot for each toy or at least each type of toy you own. We have a wire rack for our puzzles, a basket for our crayons and markers, an ikea bin for our car collection and a rubbermaid bin for our Mr. Potato Head parts. Like I said, a specific spot for every toy. It doesn’t matter if you want to store things in zip lock bags or bins from ikea, give every toy a specific spot to be stored.

Step Two: Keep Toys in Working Condition

I joke around with people and tell them I keep inventory of our toys but in reality, I’m not joking. I really do keep inventory of our toys and when a piece goes missing, I write down exactly what is missing. If I haven’t found the piece after a few weeks, its bye bye toy. There is just no point to keeping half working toys around. Do you have a wooden pizza with only five pieces when it should have six or a tea set with four saucers but only three cups? Ditch the pizza, ditch the tea set.

Step Three: Buy Quality Toys

Buying quality toys means buying wooden toys, like a Melissa and Doug play food and toys that you can continually add to, like Legos or a Thomas train set. One, these toys have longevity and foster creativity and imagination. Plastic toys with batteries generally only have a few functions and those one or two functions will get old pretty fast. Two, quality toys are usually pretty enough to use as toy room decor and don’t all have to be hidden away. Decor that can be played with is always a plus in a home with small children. Three, you won’t have to deal with step two as much when you have good quality toys.

Step Four: Update Toys Regularly

I rotate toys out pretty often our home. I would say every 6 months, I go through and clean out the toys that the kids have grown out of, the toys that are more for babies than for preschoolers or toys that are no longer played with and get neglected. This part is always hardest on me because I don’t like to think about my kids growing up and moving on, but it must be done.

Step Five: Take Pride in the Play Space

I love to host playdates because I love our toy rooms. I love the way they look, I love that I can offer good quality toys that work and have all of their pieces. Kids don’t have to dump out an entire toy box in search of one tiny piece to a puzzle or that missing tea cup. I also love that I can let kids go wild. They can turn the place into a level ten disaster, but because of how organized I keep it, it really only takes 15 minutes tops to clean. Maybe some day when my kids are older, I’ll grow up too and take pride in an adult part of the house but for now I am so happy that I can offer my kids an amazing place to play, learn, and explore.

Clear eyes, full heats, can’t lose.

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Carter’s Birthday + Legoland Discovery Center Review

Wed, 10 Feb 2016 18:27:00 GMT

Unfortunately, for my little Carter girl, her third birthday rolled around just two months after we moved to Toronto. This means we had very few friends to spend the occasion with, very little money (because moving is expensive), and I had no idea how to throw a birthday party in the dead of winter. So, I did the best I could, threw together a dinner with the few people we knew in town, family that was visiting and that was about it. She had fun but I felt bad that I couldn’t do better for her especially after such a major disruption to her normal.

Needless to say, I decided I wanted to do better this year and I think I managed. A few weeks before Carter’s fourth birthday, I asked my darling daughter what she wanted to do for her special day, and true to who is she (not the girlies of girls) she quickly said, “LEGOLAND,” so Legoland it was.

Some of you are familiar with Legoland California, we lived only a couple miles from it back in San Diego, but this is different. In Toronto, we actually have a Legoland Discovery Center and it is indoor. Thank goodness it is indoor because who wants to play with legos in the snow?

Anyway, the Legoland Discovery Center is in the Vaughan Mills Shopping Center just down the street from our neighborhood. It is basically a giant room filled with a bunch of different attractions for kids ages 3-10. They have a play structure, a couple of Lego pits, 2 rides, a Lego car race track, a 4-D movie theater, Lego Mini-land, and they even have a cafe with a pretty good lunch deal.

So here is my opinion of Legoland….We had a great time. My kids, age two & four, especially loved it but my brothers age nine & eleven enjoyed it too. The kids meal deal was only 5 bucks and included a sandwich, a drink, and two snacks of the child’s choice. That is a pretty good deal if you ask me. There was a lot to do considering it is a smaller indoor venue. Everything was clean and well kept and that is always a plus.

I have to be honest though, we went on a really busy day and it was hard to really enjoy everything they had to offer. We did have to wait quite a while to get onto the two rides and there just wasn’t a lot of space to move around. Thankfully, we did have the opportunity to go back for a second visit and this time there were far less people and we had a lot more fun.

Overall, I would say it was a great place to celebrate Carter girl’s birthday. She is the perfect age to enjoy Legoland Discovery Center and there was a lot for her to do. Plus, who doesn’t like a good deal on food? I would suggest calling ahead to make sure it isn’t one of their busier days and if you can, visit in the middle of the week. You will have more fun if it isn’t busy.

In the end, I am so thankful I was able to make up for last years lackluster party and give my girl a birthday party she will always remember.

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

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I Confess, I am One of Those Wives

Mon, 08 Feb 2016 14:49:00 GMT

Yes, I am one of those wives.

I am not talking about a perfect house keeping wife. The kind that is ready to open her door to a guest at the drop of a hat. The kind that makes her bed in the morning and puts away the clean laundry every night. You know the kind, right? The kind that never has a dirty dish sitting in the sink or on the counter? If you knew my aversion to cleaning then you would know that, no, I am not one of those wives.

I am also not talking about one of those beautiful trophy wives. Nope, I am not one of those wives. One of those wives that never leave the house without their hair perfect and full make-up to match. The kind that gets to the gym every morning before the rest of her family wakes up and is back in time to actually get a shower and brush her teeth before school drop off. The kind of wife that shops at Nordstrom and not Target’s t-shirt and sweats section. You can usually find me running up the stairs at 5:15p.m. to brush my teeth, comb my hair, and change from pajamas to yoga pants just seconds before my husband walks through the door so nope, not a trophy wife, thats for sure.

I am one of those wives though. You know, the kind of wife that makes my husband a lunch every single day. The kind of wife that makes sure a hot dinner is on the table or at least in the oven when my husband walks through the door. The kind of wife that will stay up until 2:00a.m. to wash the one shirt my husband decides he must have for work tomorrow. Yes, I am one of those wives.

I am also one those moms. I pack my daughter a lunch every day. I know I could pay for hot lunch but I actually enjoy carefully curating the perfect healthy lunch. I drive her to and from school everyday, even though it would be so much easier to put her on the bus. I will even drive back to school with the perfect hair bow she forgot but she “reeeally wants to wear.” I get excited for our Friday doughnut and hot chocolate dates and I get sick to my stomach when I think about letting someone else spend 6.5 hours a day, 5 days week with her. I am one of those moms and wives, and I am not going to apologize for it.

It almost never fails that when I mention one of these daily duties, like if I tell someone I make Rusty’s lunch every morning before he leaves for work, I get a giggle in response with a casual, “oh I miss the honeymoon stage, enjoy it while it lasts.” Well, I don’t think we are in the honeymoon stage anymore. We have been together for 11 years, married for 5.5, we have 2 kids, have moved 3 times. We have been through job loss, multiple career changes, and have even uprooted our family to another country. I think that is more marital stress then some couples will ever have and it certainly gives us a ticket out of the “honeymoon stage.”

I get the same reaction from people when I mention that I drive my daughter to school everyday or that I don’t put my son in pre-school. I often hear, “oh that will change, you will get over driving her,” or “but don’t you need some time alone?” Those things might be true for some moms and that is fine, but that is not what I want for me or my family. I am a stay at home mom for a reason, I don’t want to share the honor and responsibility of raising my kids or caring for my family.

I am one of those wives because I want to be one of those wives. I want to try and take care of the emotional and physical needs of my family. I want to be the one in charge of nourishing their bodies with healthy, home made, food. I want to be the one making sure my daughter arrives safely at school and I want to make sure no one spends more time with my children then I do. My husband married a caretaker and that is a title I am happy to have, not one that I hope fades away over time. Yes, I am one of those wives, and believe it or not, am proud of it.

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Conversations with a Four Year Old + Carter’s School Uniform Fashion Rewind Vol. 5

Fri, 05 Feb 2016 18:38:00 GMT

Every age so far is my favorite age and that hasn’t changed with year four.

I am obsessed with how her little mind thinks and how she is able to communicate those thoughts without any inhibition or embarrassment. I seriously want to record ever single conversation we have, but since I can’t possibly do that, I will write down as many as I can. I hope you enjoy each of these little conversation snippet as much as I do.

Carter: It would be cool if we had someone that was bigger than me.

Me: Like a big brother or a big sister?

Carter: Yeah.

Me: I always wanted that too.

Carter: Well, maybe we can have another kid and he can have FAST birthdays. Wouldn’t that be cool?

Me: Carter, why are you so beautiful?

Carter: Love makes me beautiful.

Carter: We play a game at school called “Bad Word Bathroom.”

Me: Oh. Well how do you play?

Carter: You say bad words and then you run away from the Toot.

Me: Okay…well… what kind of bad words do you say?

Carter: Bathroom bad words like, poo poo, toilet, toot, toilet bowl.

Me: (sigh of relief, hahaha)

Carter: (With the sweetest voice possible.) Roe, do you want me to get sick?

(Roe just looks at her with a confused face.)

Carter: (Again, with a very sweet voice.) Roe Roe, do you want me to get sick?

Roe: No.

Carter: THEN WHY DO YOU KEEP COUGHING ON ME!?!?

Carter: We need to get up really high so we can see the whole world.

Me: How do we get up really high?

Carter: A big plane or a big helicopter or a big big big big ladder. What would you like to use?

Me: I think we should use a ladder.

Carter: But… the top step isn’t big enough for all our foots. I think we should take the air plane.

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

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Yummy Banana Pancake Recipe

Wed, 03 Feb 2016 00:09:00 GMT

I must be strange because while other parents are complaining about “no school” days, I am always excited for them. I am excited for a break from the normal routine, I am excited for a chance to spend extra time with Carter, and I am always excited for lazy mornings and homemade breakfast. On this cold February day off, we decided to make some yummy banana pancakes.

The kids and I spend a lot of time together in the kitchens so now its pretty easy for me. I do all of the measuring and the kids take care of the rest. I have always had the philosophy that even if, in the beginning, its a little more effort on my part, I never want to turn the kids away from helping and its paid off because now they love to help.

This recipe is super simple so its great for the kids. First, mix together the few dry ingredients needed and the add the liquids. I think that might actually be backward from normal baking standards, but I don’t care, its what works for this recipe.

After adding all of the liquid ingredients, add the bananas. I used frozen bananas, that why they are so ugly, but I often just add whatever is sitting on my counter. I don’t even mash them up before I add them to the batter because we like the chunkier pieces of bananas in the pancakes. If you don’t like the chunks, just mash them up a little before you add them to the batter. Also, I used almond milk, its better for Roe-Roe and his asthma but you can use whatever type of milk you have on hand. Plus, they are so much fluffier with cows milk instead of almond milk, but we do what we gotta do to keep this boy healthy.

I spent years throwing away burnt pancakes that were still goopy in the middle. I was the worst pancake maker of all time, and then I got this electric pancake griddle and everything change. I am the pancake queen now. So, I suggest if you struggle like me, that you get yourself an electric griddle. I also like to make mini pancakes, they are just easier to handle so I use a dough baller to evenly pour the batter onto the griddle. One more thing, if the batter is a little too thick for you, just add a dash more milk.

Yummy Banana Pancake Batter

Makes about 24 mini pancakes

1 cup unbleached flour
1/2 whole wheat flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 and 1/4 cups almond milk (or whatever milk you have)
3 tablespoons butter, melted
2 ripe Bananas

Instructions:

Mix together all dry ingredients.
Add all liquid ingredients and blend well with a stand mixer or hand mixer.
Add un-mashed bananas (or mashed if you prefer no banana chunks) to the mixture and lightly beat them in until they are evenly dispersed throughout the batter.
Use dough baller to pour batter onto medium heat griddle.
When you see a lot of bubbles, flip and let cook for another minute.
Serve hot and enjoy.

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New Year, New Tradition

Thu, 28 Jan 2016 16:24:00 GMT

Like half of the kids born in the 80s and 90s, my parents are divorced. Its no real shock or surprise, lets be honest, its a pretty common for our day and age. I am not going to go into any real detail of my childhood and how things between my parents went down, honestly its not my business to share, but what I will tell you is that they separated when I was four and I have spent very little time with my parents together. Please don’t confuse that with a lack of parenting from either of my parents because that is certainly not the case. Their parenting style was absolutely 50/50, its just that, like any child of divorce, I celebrated Christmas with mom and then with dad, birthdays with mom and then with dad, vacationed with mom and then with dad, and so on. They were both at the major events like, award ceremonies, dance competitions, graduations, and of course my wedding, but how often do these events roll around? Honestly, I didn’t mind it much at all, its all I really knew.

Fast forward to December 2014 and for the first time my parents wanted to visit Rusty the kids and I at the same time. Both wanted to spend time with Carter on her birthday (December 30th) and then stay though New Years Day. I was so torn, I didn’t want to tell either parents “no” and it didn’t even cross my mind that they would visit together. What was I supposed to do? Well, I just told them what was going on, I told them that both of them wanted to visit, they were both welcome to visit, but I wasn’t going to pick who could and could not come to Toronto. Then, to my surprise, they decided they would both visit.

Like I said before, I didn’t know any different so I had no idea how much it would mean to me to spend a holiday with both sides of my family. We had a blast all together. I had no idea what there was to do in Toronto, we had only lived here 2 months, but all together we ventured out and found some things to do and good places to eat. We spent time at our home playing card games and eating home made Mexican food, and we celebrated Carter turning 3. We made memories that I thought would have to last me a lifetime, but I was actually wrong.

This year, it happened again! It turns out, everyone had such a fun time last year that we decided to do it all again, and that is when the tradition began.

This time around, I was much more knowledgeable about Toronto and winter activities, plus, I was much more prepared to host such a large group. It went even better and was even more fun then last year. We went to Legoland for Carter’s birthday, we went ice skating on New Years Eve, enjoyed great food out and at home, and of course, we played more card games. The best part of the visit? Hearing everyone make plans for next year.

2014

2015

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

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Spreading Holiday Cheer + Purple Lemon Designs Review

Thu, 03 Dec 2015 18:52:00 GMT

So, the other day I shared that I love Nativity scenes . I think having a nativity scene (or multiple nativity scenes) displayed proudly during the Christmas season is a great way to remind everyone that Jesus is the reason for the season. Well, another very important Christmas tradition in our family is sending Christmas cards to our loved ones.

It would be great if we could see everyone we love on Christmas Day, but that just isn’t possible, especially because we don’t live near our family. So the next best things is sending a Christmas card to let those most important to us know that we love them and we are thinking of them during this special time of year.

Rusty and I have a little bit of a background in graphic design, so each year, we work together to design our Christmas card. I think it makes it even a little more special because its custom to us and can really reflect our family.

The only problem with sending out Christmas cards each year is all the work it takes to collect addresses, and then address, stamp, and seal each card. It all just takes so long! But this year to make the process just a little but easier I used a rubber address stamp for the return address on each card and it really made things easier.

The really cute address stamp I used this year is from Purple Lemon Designs . They offer so many different designs including Christmas themed stamps. I chose to go with a neutral design that I can use all year.

Something else that I love about Purple Lemon Designs is how quick they responded to me and how fast I received my custom stamp. Within days of contacting them, I had a proof ready to approve and then after just another day or two, a shipping notification popped up in my email. There is nothing worse than being excited for a package that takes weeks to show up and that did not happen with this company.

For our family’s safety, we have blurred out part of our address in the photographs.

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Christmas Theme Art Project + The Creative Beaver Review

Sat, 28 Nov 2015 15:46:00 GMT

It’s finally here. Halloween is a distant memory, Thanksgiving has passed, and now, it’s finally time for Christmas!

Every year, it becomes more and more important to me that as a family we focus on the real reason for the season, Jesus. Without the birth of our Lord and savior, Jesus Christ, there would be no Christmas, no Santa, no Christmas carols, and no Christmas presents. Life is so much better with Christmas; everything is so much better with Jesus.

One way I make sure we keep the focus on Jesus during this holiday season is through the nativity story and making the nativity scene a staple Christmas decoration in our home. I think I have 5 different nativity sets and setting them up is definitely a highlight of Christmas decorating each year. So, you can imagine how excited I was when I stumbled upon The Creative Beaver and their cute little nativity sets.

Creative Beaver makes adorable figurines out of pine including farm animals, sea animals, dinosaurs, and many more. I, of course, fell in love with the nativity set and I instantly thought about how cute it would be to let the kids paint the raw wood and create a nativity scene that is special and unique to them.

I went to Michael’s and picked up a few bottles of washable kids paint and some paintbrushes, the kids could hardly wait until we got home to bust it all open. At home, I covered our kitchen table with construction paper and just let the kids go to town. No rules on what or how they could paint, I let them go wild and everything turned out so cute with such a personal touch that will help me freeze time, at least a little bit. The kids had a blast and it is something that we will be able to bring out year and after year.

If you are interested in purchasing anything from The Creative Beaver , please email thecreativebeaver@gmail.com or check them out on Facebook and Instagram .

Merry Christmas!

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Carter’s School Uniform Fashion Rewind – Volume Four

Wed, 25 Nov 2015 15:15:00 GMT

I often think about how I power through each and every struggle that comes with Carter’s current age without really appreciating the moment. And like every parent, when that struggle has past and a new obstacle arises, I think to myself, “Why did I think that was hard, this is hard!” I don’t want to parent like that any more. I miss so much of the now waiting on the next stage.

Right now, in the land of Carter, we are dealing with a lot of fighting with little brother. All day, every day, fighting. “He is touching my blocks!” “He is drawing on my paper!” “He knocked over my blocks!” By the end of the day, I am completely losing my mind.

I have a degree in Psychology and a Master’s degree in School Counseling. I have had ample training in conflict resolution. I could sit here and break down step-by-step instructions on how to nip the conflict in the bud , but let’s be honest, sometimes that junk just doesn’t work. And on top of that, no one wants to hear it.

So instead of breaking down what does and what doesn’t work for me and my family, I am actually going to tell you this; enjoy it. What!? Enjoy it!? Am I nuts?! Yes, I am nuts. I don’t always enjoy it. Actually, I almost never enjoy it, so this post is as much for me as it is for you. But if I look at the window of time between the fights, I can see my kids playing with and fully enjoying each other. That is where I need to keep my focus.

Eventually the fighting will stop, but so will the playing together, the innocent childish conversations they share, the games they make up together. Over time they will grow apart, they will make their own friends, Carter will want to do girl things and Monroe will be off doing boy things. They will no longer work together in their kitchen and bring down breakfast for Rusty and I on a lazy Saturday morning. I’m guessing there will be a time in the future that they will actually fight with each other and it won’t be hair pulling or toy stealing, it will be with nasty hurtful words because all siblings go through that stage. They will shut each other out of their lives and by the time they find their way back together, they will be at a totally new, different place in life and childhood will be left behind.

So if I have to trade in my sanity for a bickering brother and sister that so purely and deeply love echother, I will do that and I will enjoy it.

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

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Would You Love Me Less?

Mon, 23 Nov 2015 18:03:00 GMT

“Would you love me less if I had a giant scar across my face?” I stared blankly at him for a minute and thought to myself, “how could he even ask that?” Of course, if my husband somehow got a large scar on his face or any part of his body, it would, in no way, effect how much I love him.

So why exactly do I feel like I need to apologize every time I take my shirt off in front of him?

I grow ~~large~~ giant babies, and when I’m pregnant, my stomach gets as big as a normal woman when she is carrying twins. There is plenty of research that says it’s all genetic, stretch marks, that is. I have stretch marks. Well, not just marks. They certainly look nothing like the stretch marks women proudly display in pictures plastered all over the internet. Mine are rippled, dimpled, doughy looking scars that now cover my flabby, loose-skinned stomach, and for that, I apologize every time my husband sees them.

I wish I was writing a self-confidence post. I wish I could tell you that they are my tiger stripes that I fiercely earned or my motherhood battle scars, but this isn’t and they aren’t. I think platitudes like that hurt especially bad because I see thousands of moms who have carried multiple children and have just as much or even more experience with the battle of motherhood, but no body disfigurement to go along with it. I’m also guessing those moms don’t lay in bed wishing they had the scars to prove they are some kind of mother tiger , but I lay in bed wishing I didn’t. No, this isn’t a self-confidence post.

Instead, I am going to tell you this; no matter what it is that you try desperately to hide from your loved ones, you can’t hide it and they don’t care about it . You don’t have to love your body or embrace your imperfections, you do not have to pretend like it doesn’t bother you, but you also do not have to be ashamed of your body in front the people closest to you, the people that matter most. Your kids do not care if your skin starts to sag, your sister doesn’t like you less because you have cellulite on your butt, your parents aren’t any less proud of you because you can no longer squeeze into your skinny jeans, and in this instance, my husband doesn’t love me any less because I have scars stretching across my stomach. I’ve been apologizing to him for the way my body looks for years and all it took was one simple question to turn my thoughts around.

“Would you love me less if I had a giant scar across my face?” After a dumbfounded minute I responded, “No, of course I wouldn’t.” He replied, “Well then stop apologizing, I am not going to tell you again, I don’t care, I don’t even think about it.”

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

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The Walking Dad

Fri, 20 Nov 2015 15:12:00 GMT

The WALKING DAD.

Sometimes that is just how I feel after I stay up late to do some extra work and then get up early with my kids the next morning. Don’t they understand what a clock is? My wife gets a large dose of crazy every day trying to get Carter to school so I try and give her those few extra minutes of sleep each morning. I stumble my way through a shower, into my closet, down the stairs and finally end at the kitchen. I brew a fresh pot, start breakfast and begin my day as The Walking Dad.

As an avid fan of AMC’s The Walking Dead and a father of two, the Walking Dad shirt fit me just perfect. I was excited when Jessica came to me with the tee and asked if I would like it to be my first product review. It is such a cool shirt and now I have something to throw on during episodes like an avid sports fan who puts on their sports memorabilia for the big game. A hour of end times survivors whacking zombies in the head is kind of like a sport, right?

I was surprised by the quality and softness of the shirt from Still Rad Clothing . Normally you get a shirt like this on the basic cotton t-shirt but The Walking Dad design comes on a super soft tee. I usually wear a large, so Jessica had them send me a large and it fit me just right. You can catch me every Sunday evening wearing it while I cheer on zombie killers. Combo with a tactical jacket from Badlands to really feel dressed for the occasion.

It might be hard to get your hands on this exact tee shirt but I definitely recommend checking out the collection at Still Rad Clothing for the latest designs of the Walking Dad tee. They also carry a Mombie tee for your wife.

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Halloween Wrap up 2015

Mon, 16 Nov 2015 23:03:00 GMT

I know halloween was a while ago, but I realized the other night that I never shared our halloween pictures, so here they are.

If you haven’t figured it out yet, you will now, I am a stress case 95% of the time. I don’t know if it’s because I am the family event planner in our house or if it’s because I am a realist (others might say I am a pessimist, but I disagree) and I expect things to go wrong, but either way, I am always on red alert on holidays and special occasions.

This year, I was stressed because Ontario doesn’t have official “trick or treat” hours. What?! How am I supposed to plan with no frame work to plan around?! Back in Illinois (where I grew up) or in California (where we moved from), your town always announces its official hours and they are usually 4 to 8pm or something in that range. Nope, not here in our new town. So, because I had no idea what time trick or treating would start, I did what every sane mom would do… I glued myself to the window and stalked the neighbors to see when they were going to start.

Around 3:30pm, I started getting the kids dressed thinking it was about time to go. At 4:30, we still hadn’t gotten a single door bell ring. At 5:00, I started getting really crazy, I thought for sure we missed the whole thing or maybe no kids were going to trick or treat. I made Rusty load up the kids in the car and drive around our neighborhood to try and spot some children, but there was nothing! At 5:30 we finally asked a random person watering his grass and he said his kids were about to start. So for my sanity, we decided we should just lead the way and get the fun started.

I think we were the very first trick or treaters for about the first 2 blocks, but after that, things started getting busy and it was about that time that I realized I spent the day panicking for no real reason. I always realize I panic for no reason, but it doesn’t stop me from going through the cycle again the next time.

At the end of the night we had way too much candy, we had way too much fun, and the kids were allowed to dig in and eat as much as they wanted. We actually said the words, “eat as much as you want!” Carter picked a lollipop which took her almost a half hour to eat so she didn’t get much eating done. Monroe took one bite of about 20 different candies and then asked for an apple. Yes, he asked us for an apple.

This was our first Halloween in Canada and our last, first experience with a holiday here in Canada. We have now officially experience every major and Canadian holiday here in our new home. Oh yeah, and, we learned that Canadians hand out potato chips on Halloween. I think we got as many bags of chips as we did candy.

In the end, we had a pretty perfect Halloween. The kids couldn’t have looked cuter, we made out like bandits in the candy department and we learned about the Canadian tradition of handing out potato chips. I’d call that a successful holiday.

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

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Carter’s School Uniform Fashion Rewind – Volume Three

Wed, 11 Nov 2015 15:41:00 GMT

For this edition of Carter’s Uniform Fashion Rewind, I’ve decided to give you all a little look into life with Carter Glaze. Enjoy!

Me: Do you have a boyfriend?
Carter: I have so many. I choose to love Mathew because we laughed together on the bus. I choose to love Mateo because we pretend to be friends.

(Carter singing Canada’s National Anthem)
Carter: I stand on God for you.
Me: It’s actually I stand on g uard for you, Carter. It wouldn’t be very nice to stand on God.
Carter: No, it’s I stand on God.

(something hanging from a crane at a construction site)
Carter: What is that mom?
Me: I’m not sure
Carter: Yes, you know. It’s the ball inside your brain, from the song.
Me: Ohh, a wrecking ball?
Carter: Yes! Thats what is inside your brain. I heard that in a song. (Fight Song by Rachel Platten)

(10:45 p.m.)
Carter: I lost my sticker
Me: Aww, you did?
Carter: Yes, I gave it to my friend and she lost it. (tears)
Me: Aww, we will get another one sweetie.
Carter: But, I want to go to the office at my school.
Me: To see if someone turned it in?
Carter: Yeah.
Me: Okay, sweetheart.
Rusty: Zero percent chance that happened…

Oh motherhood, you are seriously amazing.

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

The post Carter’s School Uniform Fashion Rewind – Volume Three appeared first on The Glaze Brigade | Official Blog .

#TorontoBloggersSoiree

Tue, 10 Nov 2015 17:59:00 GMT

There is nothing like a good “girls night out,” am I right? After moving to Toronto, I had no group of girlfriends to turn to when I needed a break and that was definitely hard on me. I fiercely missed my group of girlfriends, girl talk, and the uncontrollable laughter that always goes hand and hand with a good night out. But after months of feeling lonely and out of place here in Toronto, I received an invitation for an amazing opportunity to attend #TorontoBloggersSoiree and I don’t think I could have said, “Yes, I’ll be there,” any faster!

The night couldn’t have been more beautiful! Thanks to the amazing sponsors, Minted and Tonic Blooms, the table was gorgeous.

The dinner was hands down my favorite meal ever. I have honestly never had fresh made pasta before and it was so good, I would have eaten the whole bowl without any sauce. And dessert? The most amazing chocolate mousse I have ever tasted. Would you expect anything less from a contestant on Master Chef Canada?

I can’t thank Christine from Amidst the Chaos enough for the invitation. I had a much needed girls night out, I made some fantastic connections with other blogger women in Toronto, and I had the chance to giggle the night away with a bunch of women I now consider my friends. I cannot wait for the next one and if you are in the Toronto area, I would love to see you there!

Thank you to the sponsors of #TorontoBloggersSoiree

@amidst.the.chaos

www.amidstthechaos.ca

@2beansmeg

www.2beanscatering.com

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Embrace the MESS

Wed, 04 Nov 2015 16:38:00 GMT

Our house is always a mess. I used to get agitated when things were out of order, toys were not where they should be, dishes in the sink, multiple shoes flung about and coats on the ground. I would think, “what the hell, why is this not cleaned up?” Then I stopped and began to imagine how these messes came to be and that gave me a new perspective. I began to embrace the mess.

I pictured my kids having a blast, dragging all the toys out and playing with them how they want, undisturbed and using their imagination. The placement of the toys seem chaotic to me, but how they got there was a complete adventure filled with fun and enjoyment for my children. The entire reason for having toys is for my kids to learn, play, and enjoy. So, when I see a pile of out-of-place toys, I no longer stress, I smile and know that my kids had a great time.

Instead of seeing a sink filled with dirty dishes, I now see that my wife has prepared food and fed the kids. They have been nourished and it didn’t involve a trip to a fast food restaurant. I see the healthy meals that my wife carefully planned and prepared for our family. I know she sat with the kids and engaged in conversation while they ate, instead of running off to tend to the sink. All of this is reflected in those dirty dishes.

If the shoes and coats are out in the foyer, that now signals to me that my family has been doing something outside of the house, which is what I want. The shoes resemble some sort of fun or adventure that was had. There might be different types of shoes and jackets, each one represents something different; a day at school, a trip to the park, or riding scooters. They all have a story if I just take the time to imagine how the shoes got there.

Eventually things get put back in order, everything goes in its place. The MESS will eventually be straightened out. Life does not have to stop or be restricted in order to keep up with itself. I want my kids to play how they want to play, drag out as many toys as they want, freely without restriction. When they get older, I will teach them to clean up the toys, but for now, I just want them to play. I don’t worry about the dishes, they won’t be sitting in the sink forever. I don’t ever want my wife or myself to waste the time my kids are awake, doing things we can do when they are asleep.

I Embrace the MESS.

The post Embrace the MESS appeared first on The Glaze Brigade | Official Blog .

Apple Picking and Picking a Fight

Wed, 28 Oct 2015 16:12:00 GMT

The Fight Picking

Of course we argued on the way there. Many couples are afraid to admit that they fight but I am not. I might have given off the impression that Rusty and I are all love and hugs all the time, but that certainly isn’t reality. We argue a little, but what we do more often is bicker.

I think we like to push each others buttons. When leaving our house, at the end of our alleyway, you can go left or right. I like to go left and leave out of the back entrance of our neighborhood and Rusty, of course, likes to go right. We were on our way to go apple picking as our first time as a family. We constantly argue over which way is the faster way to get anywhere – I know my way is – but this time we should have definitely drove my way because the apple orchard is down a road directly accessed from the back entrance of our neighborhood. He sat at our alleyway exit for just an extra second and I could see it in his eyes, he was thinking, should I go her way or should I assert myself and go my way. He chose his way.

Why does it bother me so much!? I know it shouldn’t. I am going to be the first one to say I was not being a good biblical wife, I was not being a good example of a wife to my kids, I was so not being a respectful wife when I started chewing his head off for never caring about our timeline and being selfish with his decisions and purposely trying to push my buttons. (A little over dramatic, I know.) The car ride was 20 mins long and I think we yelled at each other for 75% of it. Yeah, not our best husband/wife moment, but every moment can’t be the best moment, right?

The Apple Picking

By the time we got there, we had both cooled off. It was time to stop being petty and start enjoying the first paintball free weekend we have had in a while. It was a beautiful fall day, blue sky, not too cold. Just perfect. The apple orchard was beautiful and even though the end of apple season is quickly approaching, the trees were still busting with beautifully colored, perfect for picking, apples.

The kids loved it and we loved it. We walked around realizing that we know very little about different types of apples, but we did our best to find what we wanted. The kids ate all that they could while we walked around filling our 5 pound bag. If you have never gone apple picking, I highly recommend you pack up your family and go.

Let me not skip over the part where Rusty busted his shoe. That was great. Thankfully, we were almost done when it happened. He first attempted to fix it with two baby wipes tied together (not his most brilliant idea ever) but then he agreed (after I strongly insisted) to try using a string that I found in my purse. The string worked well enough to get us back to the car, but I think the shoes need to be retired. RIP expensive leather boots.

Before we headed home, we stopped by the little farmers market at the orchard and picked up some pumpkins, fresh apple cider, and a pumpkin pie. And of course the second we walked in the door of our home, the kids begged for cider and pie, which I happily served up. We had a really fantastic day.

Why the heck we had to start our day out fighting, I don’t know. I know we shouldn’t, but I also know we communicate our feelings much more freely with each other than some of my other married friends do with their husbands and I love that. I am never ever afraid to tell Rusty anything, or speak my mind and I never worry that he is hiding something from me. Our marriage may not be textbook healthy, but it certainly is a rock solid one and that is all that really matters.

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

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Bath Time Woes + Wash With Water Product Review

Tue, 27 Oct 2015 11:29:00 GMT

A few weeks back, on Instagram, I was asked to share something that keeps me from perfectly fitting into the mom mold. You wanna know my answer? I don’t like coffee! Yes, I said it, I don’t like coffee. I never have, not any kind, not even a pumpkin spice mocha choca frappe latte blended with whipped cream and splenda. I’ve tried it all, I just can’t get down with coffee. But that, of course, isn’t the only thing that keeps me from being a real mom, I also don’t like bath time! (insert horrified emoji here) That’s right, I think bath time is so super annoying and I don’t like it.

I have shared this with a few other moms and they have suggested that it’s because I don’t do it right. Apparently, what I need to do is pour myself a giant glass of wine and bring a good book along and use it as my “me time,” but the problem there is that reading and wine in the bathroom is the last way I want to spend my “me time.” Maybe, if I could drag the couch and the T.V. in to bathroom with me? Oh, and maybe if I could have two tubs so the kids don’t have to interact with each other, screaming because one poured water on the other ones head? Maybe, if bath time looked more like me in the bath and the kids sitting by the side quietly sipping down milk and reading books? Who knows. All I know is, as it stands, I don’t like bath time.

The worst part about not liking bath time is that it means my kids don’t get many baths. (insert another horrified emoji here) No, I do not bathe my kids every night. They are lucky to get baths twice a week. Yes, I am admitting, my kids only get baths twice a week, but before you judge me too harshly on this fact, I have to tell you it’s half because I hate doing it, but half because their skin is just so sensitive and baths too often are just too harsh for them.

Carter has always struggled with eczema, so we had to be very strict with what would actually touch her skin and for a long time it was nothing but this oil bath stuff or essential oils. Now she is able to use a few more options, but even still, we are very choosey with what we put on her skin. Enter, Wash With Water.

Wash With Water

We are loving Wash With Water, right now. It is free of synthetic colors, some products in their line are fragrance free, which is super important to me, other products in their line are organic. All of their products are always free of petrochemicals, phthalates, sulfates, parabens, which if you are a health nut like me, you know that is the most important thing to look for when shopping for baby/child bath products.

So as much as I dislike bath time, I do enjoy when I can find someone or something that can make it just a little less annoying for me. Now, if only they made a couch that could fold up and be carried into my bathroom… Here’s to dreaming.

Please enjoy 20% off of your purchase at Wash With Water by using the code {KISSES} at checkout.

The post Bath Time Woes + Wash With Water Product Review appeared first on The Glaze Brigade | Official Blog .

Fall Fall, Go Away

Mon, 19 Oct 2015 17:19:00 GMT

Fall Fall, Go Away

It seems like everyone and their mom can’t stop talking about how much they love Fall; changing leaves, pumpkin spice everything, and warm sweaters. What? Are you all nuts?! All Autumn is to me is the precursor to icy cold, bitter freezing, hate my life, six month long, winter.

Okay, now that I have gotten that out, let’s move on. I am doing my best to enjoy the time we can still spend outside, even if all it does is remind me that summer is gone and big bad winter is lurking, so a couple of weeks ago the kids and I visited our tiny town’s yearly fall celebration, The Binder Twine Festival. Yes, it was cold and even rainy, but I have to admit, we did have fun.

It was very small and we walked the entire thing in about an hour, but the kids enjoyed checking out all of the vendors, especially the vendors that had food. I let them each buy something small and they both chose these really cute hand carved wooden cars. (Children after my own heart. I love wooden toys.) And of course, we left the fest with an apple pie in hand.

You might notice that Rusty was missing and that’s because of paintball , of course. All summer long (and the beginning of fall) Rusty travels a ton because that is paintball’s busy season, which means there are clinics, tournaments, and other events that he must attend. I’ve talked before about how I have a love/hate relationship with paintball because I love the extra income it brings in, but I hate how it limits our time with our favorite guy. In all honestly though, this summer hasn’t been that bad. I think I am really getting into a parenting groove or something. It could be that the kids are getting older so they are a lot less hands-on work or it could be that 4 years into this parenting thing, I finally feel like I am in control. I’m not sure, but either way, it’s getting easier.

After the fest, we went to dinner. I don’t usually go out to eat with the kids alone, but we were having fun on our little adventure and I didn’t want it to end just yet. We tried out a new restaurant and loved it. I also loved the opportunity to sit around the dinner table together, chat about what we enjoyed seeing at the fest, what they would like to do when we get home, and what we should do tomorrow. If you don’t regularly sit down for a family meal, I highly recommend it, I feel it really keeps our family connected.

After dinner, we headed home and by then it was time for bed. When Rusty is out of town, Carter gets to stay up late, eat a dessert with mommy in bed (we busted open the apple pie we bought earlier), and watch a movie. I really enjoy my special girl’s nights with my number one girl, another tradition in our family that I highly recommend you try.

And that is it, that is the story of how I am coping with fall, winter creeping around the corner, and the tale end of paintball season. I am really enjoying motherhood right now and although I am starting to feel a little panicked about winter, there is a bright blue sky outside, so I am going to enjoy it while it lasts.

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

The post Fall Fall, Go Away appeared first on The Glaze Brigade | Official Blog .

Carter’s School Uniform Fashion Rewind – Volume Two

Thu, 15 Oct 2015 15:12:00 GMT

Carter’s School Uniform Fashion Rewind – Volume Two

So far Carter still loves school. She is a little less excited to get dressed and get out the door in the morning, but I am not sure if the slow start is a sign of excitement wearing off or just because it is starting to get really cold out there.

——-

So a little bit of honesty right now, it is certainly not easy to get pictures of Carter each morning. I may have bit off a little more than I can chew when I decided to blog all of her outfit choices. To be on time to school, we have to allow ten mins for pictures and car loading each morning and even though that might not seem like much extra time, when Carter cannot find her other shoe or Monroe refuses to leave the house without his lost water bottle, 10 minutes can really fly by.

—–

The other problem is that sometimes Carter just isn’t feeling it, which you can see in the pictures above. Hahaha. I can totally understand that feeling. I would have never allowed my mom to take pictures of me each morning, I don’t think I would have even allowed her to take pictures of me once a month, but Carter is a good sport so even when she doesn’t want to, she stands there and does the minimum.

—-

How cute is she on the days she is into it though? I am just obsessed with that little delicate face and giant belly. I also love when she gets into the picture taking and whips out some awesome moves.

—-

Okay, even though the picture taking is a lot of extra work and dealing with Carter’s ever changing mood is even harder, I am so glad I took on the challenge because I am going to just ~~love~~ ball like a baby over these pictures one day and I so look forward to that day. Besides, some day soon she won’t let me help her get dressed in the morning and I am going to seriously miss it.

—-

I hope your kiddos, if you have school-aged kiddos, are loving school as much as Carter does. If you don’t have school-aged kiddos, I hope you can at least find enjoyment in the many ways we push the boundary with Carter’s school uniform.

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

The post Carter’s School Uniform Fashion Rewind – Volume Two appeared first on The Glaze Brigade | Official Blog .

Top Gear New Dads Need At Home

Wed, 14 Oct 2015 03:15:00 GMT

Top Gear New Dads Need At Home

If you are a future dad, the day will come when your pregnant lady will ask your opinion regarding baby things. Before me, you would have been forced to make a fool of yourself by sitting there with a dumb look on your face, but now you can totally blow her away with your impressive baby gear knowledge. I will even let you take the credit, no need to tell her I told you what to buy.

I am a working dad with a wife who is a stay at home mom. I was fortunate that my wife, Jessica, had a lot of experience as a nanny and was able to figure out on the job what baby care products were great and what baby care products suck. She has good taste and she wanted some items that cost a bit more than average but I now know they were well worth the investment. Like a typical man having his first kid, when she asked for my suggestions, I just said, “yeah, get whatever.”

After getting some experience under my belt, as a veteran dad with two kids, I know how important it is to get the right stuff. Over the years, I have been asked by a couple of my friends who have expecting ladies in their lives to share my knowledge, so here it is. I will share the top gear new dads need at home. This one’s for your future.

The Diaper Genie

Lets face it, changing baby diapers suck, for those that have not done it yet, spoiler alert – it will suck. What sucks more than changing the diapers, is having those dirty diapers stinking up the joint. I could not have made it without the Diaper Genie, unless I wanted to take every single diaper out to the street. I don’t even know what people did before the Diaper Genie was created. This thing is a magical container that holds the dirty diapers, keeps the smell contained and makes it easy to take them all out at once. I recommend the model with the foot pedal. When you have no spare hands to lift a lid, the foot pedal is clutch. If you really want to level up, get two Diaper Genies and put them in different locations in your house!! The Diaper Genie is definitely high on the list of Top Gear New Dads Need at home.

Learn more about the Diaper Genie

Swing

The swing is the ultimate calmer of the babies. Babies cry when they are hungry, have a dirty diaper, or just to drive you mad. Whenever my babies would cry, I would put them in the swing . Notch the speed up, turn the sound on and my problems were solved. It’s a sure thing, put them inside the swing and it knocks them out COLD. The swing has multiple speeds, various configurations, little moving animals and sound options. If you really want to dominate watching the baby, put the swing below your flat screen TV and watch some sports.

More info about the a Swing we have

Bouncer

The bouncer works the same magic as the swing with equal knock out power. The advantage of having the bouncer is when you need to move it around the house. I remember when Jessica needed to take a shower, she would just place our baby in it right outside the shower. Other times, I would set it up near my desk and work away.

Details for the Bouncer

Bumbo

One of my favorite gifts to give new parents is a bumbo . It is an odd looking thing, when I saw it for the first time I was thinking, “what the heck is this thing for.” Its main use is to help teach babies to sit up. After years of using it, I found other uses and it has become one of my favorites. I would sit the kids in it and trim their finger nails, feed them, and have them sit with me as I used the bathroom. Most times, the kids would sit on my desk as I worked, sometimes falling asleep. Now that my kids are bigger, the bumbo is still a favorite because they can sit in it and get stuck.

Learn about the Bumbo

Velcro Swaddle

I used to take pride in my ability to swaddle the kids. My second baby was like the great Houdini, no matter how tight or well I did the swaddle, he would manage to get an arm out of it. Once free from the grips of the swaddle, he would cry and wake me up in the middle of the night. Then I upgraded my swaddle game to a velcro swaddle . I was actually pumped when this thing arrived, it was like I finally got the trump card to defeat my infant child. I wish I had this from the very beginning, it’s really easy to use and requires no training. Every future dad should put one on the wish list.

Get a Velcro Swaddle Here

Get ahead of the game and research some of gear that I listed. This will give you a great start on winning dad of the year from your wifey and you could even earn a few extra special nights!!

Stay tuned for my Top Gear New Dads Need on the GO…

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Thirty Things You Might Not Know About Me

Wed, 23 Sep 2015 00:57:00 GMT

Thirty Things You Might Not Know About Me

I turned 30 today. I feel exactly the same as I did at 29… old, tired, and definitely not at my peak. Anyway, I thought it might be fun to share 30 things you might not know about me in light of my 30th birthday. I hope you enjoy these as much as I enjoyed the walk down memory lane.

1. I am a believer in the one true God, Jesus Christ. Okay, you probably already knew that but what you might not know is that Job is my favorite book of the bible. Being the pessimist that I am (I like to say realist actually, but others disagree), I feel like I have a lot to learn from Job.

2. When I was 4 years old I swallowed a bouncy ball and I told myself, “I am going to die now,” but then I rolled over to my stomach and the ball rolled out of my throat.

3. When I was in 4th grade, I was a bully. I am ashamed that I treated other kids the way I did, and I regularly search the internet for one specific girl that I would like to apologize to, but I can never find her.

4. I had braces in 5th and 6th grade and when I got them off, my friend told me I looked better with them on.

5. I don’t eat red meat (or any meat besides chicken breast) and even though there were times in my life that I did eat hamburgers or pepperoni pizza, my moms says I wouldn’t even eat baby food with meat in it.

6. I cannot smell. Yeah that’s right, I cannot smell. My nose has been damaged from a life-long battle with allergies.

7. I am one of 9 kids in my family. My blended family consists of 2 step sisters, 2 step brothers, 3 half brothers, and 1 full sister. I am the oldest.

8. I really like to scare people to the point that I’ll even spend a long time waiting behind the shower curtain just to jump out and scare someone when they try to use the bathroom.

9. After my driving test, the instructor told me I passed, but to hurry up and get out before he changed his mind.

10. My mom taught me to drive a manual transmission when I was 16, then I taught all of my friends using my car. (Not a good idea. Sorry, dad.)

11. I left home when I was 18 and moved to San Diego for college. Best decision I’ve ever made.

12. My grades weren’t good enough to get into college, so I had to pass a summer program the summer before college started to prove myself. I passed the summer program, completed a Bachelor’s degree, and then went on to complete a Master’s degree. High school grades don’t mean everything.

13. I have gone camping under the stars twice in my life and I recommend everyone try it at least once.

14. I hate country music, but in college I was obsessed with line dancing. You would still find me at Incahoots every Wednesday night, if I still lived near there.

15. I was stupid and naive enough to go to Tijuana a bunch of times in college, even though I was warned not to go. I even went once with just one other girl, which was a really stupid idea.

16. I was once driving with a friend who got pulled over twice in the same night for suspicion of drinking and driving and I promise, she did not have a single sip that night. #worldsbestdriver

17. I did so bad in French class that during my French final, the last one I needed to take and pass before college graduation, I sat out in the hallway crying while people walked by and gave me answers so I could go back into the class and write them down. I passed.

18. I threw up during my college graduation ceremony. I was in the front row and I had to run off to the side and vomit – in front of everyone.

19. I was the first person on my dad’s side of the family to graduate from a university.

20. I attended Point Loma Nazarene University, in the heart of San Diego. The campus has a million dollar ocean view and the students can walk to the beach. What a dream.

21. I met my husband, Rusty, at a paintball tournament just a few months after I moved to San Diego. My son’s middle name is Gregory after the man who introduced us.

22. I’m obsessed with top 40 pop music and I am not ashamed of it.

23. My husband and I dated off and on, but mostly on, for 6 years before we got married. We have now been married for 5 years.

24. For almost the entire time Rusty and I have been married, we were filmed for a paintball documentary that is finally in the final stages of editing and should be out soon.

25. On our honeymoon, I fell down the grand staircase of our cruise ship, all the way from the top to the bottom. Rusty rushed me off to a hallway to ask if I was okay and I sobbed, “EVERYONE SAW MY UNDERWEAR!”

26. I pushed for 4 hours to deliver Carter, but only 20 minutes to deliver Monroe.

27. Leaving San Diego was the hardest thing I have ever done in my life. I cried almost the entire drive from San Diego to Chicago, and I cried even harder on the drive from Chicago to Toronto. I know it is what God ask us to do, but that did not make the move any easier.

28. My husband is my best friend. I always said he was my best friend without really considering if he was or not, but now that we have gone through such a huge life change and our relationship has only grown stronger, I am positive he is my best friend.

29. When I make side money, I keep it and spend it. When Rusty makes side money, I keep it and spend it. I’m just kidding (kind of), I am the fiscally responsible one in our family; therefore, I have been voted in as the CFO of the Glaze Brigade.

30. I’m praying in my 30’s, God will bring us 2 more babies, home ownership, and an ocean view.

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

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Carter’s School Uniform Fashion Rewind – Volume One

Mon, 21 Sep 2015 14:38:00 GMT

Carter’s School Uniform Fashion Rewind – Volume One

So as you probably know by now, Carter has to wear a school uniform. Well, the school calls it that, but it is really just a strict dress code. It might seem crazy, but when I was deciding which school to send Carter to, the dress code thing did play a factor in my decision making. Most moms would probably say, “YES, bring on the dress code.” I do understand that it can make life easier, especially when you are trying to rush out the door 5 mornings a week, but I am one of those crazy moms that actually thinks it’s a drag. I love helping Carter develop her personal style and, lets face it, I love dressing her.

Once we decided on the Catholic school for Carter, I marched over to the office with a list of dress code questions. I knew that she had to wear black or navy bottoms, and white, grey, maroon, or navy tops, but I wanted to know exactly where the boundaries lie.

I happily found out that although she cannot wear any prints, fabric choice doesn’t matter, so Carter is welcome to wear a tutu or even leather leggings, as long as they are black or navy. On top of that, footwear doesn’t matter, so she can wear any shoes she wants.

I think I went into every store that sells her size and bought everything I could find in a solid navy, black, grey, and maroon and I was able to find plenty to work with. We, of course, bought a bunch of school uniform staples like pleated skirts and jumper dresses because, lets face it, those are pretty darn cute too.

So, I am going to regularly post Carter’s fashion rewind and share our boundary pushing, uniform options with you every week (or as often as I can). We hope you enjoy!

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

The post Carter’s School Uniform Fashion Rewind – Volume One appeared first on The Glaze Brigade | Official Blog .

Shop Review // Tink & Key

Sun, 13 Sep 2015 21:08:00 GMT

It takes about 1,000 shots and 100 M&M’s to get through a photoshoot with Monroe and, even then, we can’t be sure we got anything useful, but it’s all totally worth it when we get shots as good as these. I know I go a little overboard with the pictures and the documenting of every single thing we do, but I do it because I don’t want to risk forgetting even the smallest moments.

I should probably use this as an opportunity to say sorry to my mom for always rolling my eyes and making funny faces when she tried to get a good picture of me as a child (or even much older). I think of that every time Monroe flat out refuses to look at the camera. But, even now, I am far more comfortable behind the lens than in front of it.

Unfortunately, not all moms have the opportunity to take pictures of their littles, cooperative or not. Too many little ones find their way to Jesus’ arms long before they ever should. Too many mama’s miss out on the chance to see their little ones grow. I know you all see the stories of sick children on Facebook and plastered all over the internet every day, but it’s even better when we see that something is being done about it. That is where the amazing company, Tink & Key, comes to the rescue.

Tink & Key is a t-shirt company that donates 10% of its sales to a different charity or family in need, each month. What better way to spend your money than with a company that will donate a portion of your money to charity? This month they are featuring a family who has a child that is currently suffering from San Filippo Syndrome. You can read more about it on their website under the “fundraiser tab.”

In addition to the donations Tink & Key makes, their tee’s have a fantastic message. It is no secret that we are believers in Jesus Christ, and if there is ever something we, as a family, can do that gets the message of Jesus out to the masses, we do not shy away. T-shirts from Tink & Key, donning a message of love and faith, are the perfect addition to our trendy collection of kids tees.

Please visit their website www.tinkandkey.com to see their entire collection of t-shirts and apparel. If you would like to make a direct donation to their monthly charity, please click here .

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Our Little School Girl

Sun, 13 Sep 2015 18:36:00 GMT

Our Little School Girl

So our little school girl Carter started school! And we had a successful first week. I am both excited and sad at the same time. I am so excited for her to try new things, spend time with new people, and start learning things that she hasn’t yet learned at home. But just like every mom before me would say, it is so bittersweet to watch our babies grow up.

I didn’t cry a ton when I dropped her off. If you know me at all, I’m sure you don’t believe me. For those of you that don’t know me, I cry daily and pretty much anything can set me off. I might be little overly sensitive. I honestly didn’t cry a lot though, I am really looking forward to one on one time with Monroe, so I had that to keep me bright-eyed. I did, however, cry the hardest when she gave her stuffed penguin, Hugsy, a big hug and kiss and said, “Bye Hugsy, I’m going to miss you.”

As I have mentioned before , Ontario has a 2-year kindergarten program that consists of jr. kindergarten and sr. kindergarten. Children from both levels are mixed into the same classroom. Jr. kindergarten starts the year the child turns four and because Carter turns four this December, she needed to start JK this year. JK in our district is full day, five days a week. Like I’ve also mentioned before, Carter is attending a public Catholic school. Although we are not Catholic, we are Christians and we felt that since private Christian school isn’t an option for us, due to high costs of tuition, Catholic school is the next best option.

I do have to admit that she seems to love it. She was disappointed on Friday when she figured out that there would be no school for the next two days. I know over time the excitement will fade, but for now, I am so happy for her.

The Catholic school in our district has a uniform. It is more of a strict dress code than a uniform, but the color options are limited to navy or black bottoms and grey, white, maroon, or navy tops. I was a little bummed at first, but I am excited to work within the guidelines and still make sure my girl looks on point. She also gets a “civvies day” once a month and she already had her first one. She was a little disappointed when we went school clothes shopping and she couldn’t get anything pink or purple, so on “civvies day” she could not wait to whip out her pink tutu.

So, I asked Carter a few questions to document her thoughts at this moment in time and I want to share the cuteness with you.

Q: What do you want to be when you grow up?

A: Umm, a mommy. (Swoon.)

Q: What is your favorite color?

A: I have so many colors, but right now it’s pink.

Q: What is your favorite food?

A: Cantaloupe

Q: What is your favorite thing to do?

A: Play on the iPad. (For a “zero screen time” mom, this makes me cringe.)

Q: Who do you love the most?

A: Daddy. (Of course, I love him the most too.)

Q: What is your favorite part of school?

A: Eating snacks. (Who’s isn’t?)

For Carter’s safety, we have blurred out the name of her school in the pictures.

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

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Into the Mist at Niagra Falls

Tue, 08 Sep 2015 15:06:00 GMT

Into the Mist at Niagra Falls

We had family in town the past weekend, so of course we induced in touristy activities. My mom lives in Chicago, which is only an eight hour drive so she visits fairly often. We try to pick out a few new adventures to do each visit and this time we decided to head to Niagra Falls.

Rusty, the kids, and I visited Niagara Falls when my sister was in town a few months ago – find that post here – but we did not take the boat ride over to the falls that time, so we were excited to try that out this time.

Here are a few recommendations and tips to help your trip go more smoothly…

1. I recommend you buy your tickets online. The line to get the tickets there was over an hour long. They do allow you to show the tickets on your phone, so you do not need access to a printer. Also, I was told that it does not matter what time slot you buy your tickets for, you can get on to the boat at anytime of that day.

2. They do provide a pancho. It kept me completely dry, so you do not have to worry about your clothes, but I would wear sandals or your feet will be soaked!

3. I recommend staying on the bottom level. It seems like the top would be more fun and we were disappointed that the top level was at capacity, but the bottom turned out to be a much better option because there are glass walls that you can stand behind when the mist gets to be too much, especially if you have small children.

4. The boat ride is very short so make sure you pay attention and stay in the moment because by the time you snap a few pictures in the middle of all the soaking wet commotion, it will pretty much be over.

Overall, I think the boat ride into the falls was fantastic! I highly recommend everyone try it at least once. I am sure we will do it again when more friends or family come to visit. For the second time in a row, we give Niagra Falls two thumbs up!

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

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The Birthday Boy

Tue, 08 Sep 2015 14:40:00 GMT

I am not a huge birthday person. I think it’s great to feel extra appreciated every once in a while, so I think that is a fantastic reason to celebrate birthdays, but I also think it is easy to get carried away with “birthday months” and giant expensive birthday parties. I certainly have gotten carried away a few times, specifically with Carter and Monroe’s first birthday parties, but I have always said that those parties would be few and far between. So, true to form, Rusty and I decided to throw Monroe a very modest, stress free, but extra cute, birthday breakfast.

After we put the kids to bed on Friday night, Rusty and I whipped out the balloons and streamers and went to town on our kitchen. It is tradition in our family to make a black and white poster sized print of the birthday kiddo. Side note: these prints only cost about 6 bucks from FedEx and they make fantastic party decor. Just bring in a digital file of the picture you want to print and ask them to use the blueprint printer. It will not be a high quality print, but it is perfect for a throw away party decoration.

Instead of a birthday cake, we decided on birthday pancakes. I have an amazing pancake recipe I will definitely share with all of you as soon as I have time and I added some cream cheese frosting and sprinkles to top them off. They were so yummy that no one even missed the birthday cake. And of course, there were presents. Mommy and daddy bought Monroe an awesome battery-powered Mario Kart. I’m a little obsessed with it myself.

After breakfast and presents, we all headed out to the Canadian National Exposition. It’s basically a fancy way to say “we went to the fair.”

Getting there was a little bit stressful seeing that it was our first time and we had no real plan of action, but we made it. All of us had a fantastic time exploring the Expo, hanging out with GWiz, Pop, and some of our friends and celebrating the birthday boy. I would say that Monroe’s birthday was a complete success.

Of course it is cliche to say that time is going too fast, but it really is going too fast. I cannot believe that my baby is already two! He wears big boy undies, dominates his scooter, and loves loves loves food. Monroe, I am so excited to see what this next year brings us! Mommy and daddy love you!

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

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Inspiring Parents // Courtney Westlake

Tue, 01 Sep 2015 23:10:00 GMT

When my daughter was first born, I thought they just needed to wipe her off.

At first glance, she seemed to be covered with a thick coating of white, causing confusion and near-panic with the medical staff in the room. It soon became clear that the towel the nurse was using to clean her wouldn’t alleviate anyone’s concerns.

Because the white covering was her skin.

Our daughter Brenna (our second child and sister to our now five-year-old son Connor) was born in 2011 with a very severe, very rare genetic skin condition called Harlequin Ichthyosis (har-le-kwin ick-thee-oh-sis).

This severe disorder means that Brenna’s body has trouble with things like regulating her body temperature – she can’t even sweat – and keeping bacteria out, so she can get skin infections easily. It also means that her body produces skin about 10 times too fast, leaving her with very dry, peeling skin that looks like a sunburn all over her body.

Brenna’s condition affects our lives very profoundly every day and has caused the last three years to be filled with surgeries, doctor and therapy appointments, and a lot of health issues. But my husband, Evan, and I have never questioned why – we have believed from the very beginning in God’s plan for Brenna’s life.

We are often asked what is “wrong” with Brenna, with her skin or her face. But to be wrong is to be mistaken… and I don’t believe that mistakes happen with our awesome God.

When Brenna was just a few days old, critically ill in the neonatal intensive care unit, a family member came to us and said: “I haven’t talked to God in years… but I’ve been praying for Brenna.”

It was in that moment that I was assured that God had an extraordinary purpose for her life, and that he was bringing his children closer to him through our daughter and working through her to reach the hearts of others.

And, as I soon discovered, God was also working through me, by giving me the courage to stand up and say that my daughter is not wrong, she is beautiful.

God has given us the courage to find the beauty in this life, not the tragedy. We believe whole-heartedly that Brenna was given to us uniquely and beautifully created by God, not that she was given to us broken.

Within this, we are learning every day how to discover the beauty in the different and the unexpected. Where society often mocks different, we have found God’s beautiful creation in our differences and are learning to glorify his awesomeness through our distinct personalities, talents, and yes, appearances.

And yet, as we learn to appreciate and to celebrate our differences – our own and each other’s – it also serves as a great reminder that the God who created each of us with unique purpose and talents also created us with a likeness in his image.

We are different, and we are the same – none of us perfect, but formed purposely by a perfect Creator. And there is nothing wrong about that.

Learn more about Courtney and her family by visiting BlessedByBrenna.com

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Are You Sure This Isn’t Europe?

Mon, 17 Aug 2015 15:07:00 GMT

I had no idea what to expect when we moved to Toronto. I had never been. Rusty had visited here a few times before, but he isn’t much with descriptive words.

People told me it was beautiful, clean, and very similar to Chicago (which is where I grew up). I imagined in my mind that it would feel very different from the U.S. The only thing I knew for sure is that we would have snow.

I have to admit that I was a little disappointed when I realized Toronto was pretty much exactly like Chicago. Ontario is very much like Illinois, and Kleinburg (where we live) is pretty much identical to any Chicago suburb. I was craving different, but it wasn’t very different from what I already knew. Yes, different from California, but not from what I grew up with.

But then we visited Montreal and that changed everything.

My husband and I decided we want to make sure we see as much of Canada as we can while we are here. Carter has been begging us to take a train somewhere, so we decided Montreal would be a perfect little vacation spot to celebrate our anniversary and spend some quality family time.

A few of my new Canadian friends have warned me about generalizing all of Canada into one category. It make sense because the west coast of the U.S. is certainly different than the east coast, but in my opinion, the center of the U.S. is all pretty similar, so I didn’t think Canada would be much different. I certainly didn’t think that a 5 hour train ride would transport us to an entirely different dimension.

I honestly kept forgetting that were still in Canada, that we didn’t get on a plane and fly to Europe. Although a majority of the people we crossed paths with spoke english, french was always written and spoken first. Old Montreal is filled with cobble stone roads, gorgeous old buildings, sidewalk cafes, and the cutest ice cream parlors on every corner. I was in love.

We took the kids hiking, biking, and to play at a nearby playground. We took a ferry to a nearby man-made island. The exploring we were able to do was endless. The kids did amazing with all of the walking and we all had an amazing time.

This is the Canadian experience I imagined, this is the change I had desired. I highly recommend visiting Montreal, especially for those of you that would love to get to Europe, but you just don’t see it in your budget. I’m sure we will be back before we leave Canada.

I sometimes wonder if moving would have been easier or harder if there were bigger changes to our regular life. I think to myself, maybe the extra expense of living in Toronto would feel more worth it if it didn’t feel so much like living in Chicago. Who knows. I can tell you this, I certainly wouldn’t turn down the chance to live in Montreal or at least have an extended stay to see what that town is really all about. And, I am definitely excited to see more of what else Canada has to offer. This country is our new home and we have so much more to explore.

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

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Inspiring Parents // Raynna Myers

Sun, 02 Aug 2015 20:37:00 GMT

A wholehearted parent is what you and I want to be when we grow up. It’s either that or when we become like the little children Jesus talked about, because it’s this desire born from God’s Spirit in our lives. It’s a bit difficult to define or understand outside of that. It looks different from family to family by design. This is due to its nature—it’s not a thing that can be acquired. It is a gift of God, that can only be received with open hands, also known as “empty”.

To be empty is one of the most painful places to be in life and all at once, the very most important.

God’s mercy and understanding are so great. He knows our struggles and our fears. If you’ve been a parent for any period time I’m sure you’ve experienced both. The good news is that these things are not the enemy of being the parent God designed us to be, they are the vehicle.

I would love to write for you an article full of steps to “wholehearted parenting”, but I know only two.

One: Come as a beggar to God’s open door. He is this gift Giver, the only Source of all these things we want to characterize our parenting. Come with empty hands, and humble hearts.

Two: Do NOT give up. Keep our hand to the plow. Never stop pouring our heart out to the Father who is pleased to give us His kingdom, His heart, and His gifts.

He is said to lead gently those with young and I have found Him faithful. He brings rest to our turmoil in perfect and unique ways when we seek Him. And we need that because being empty can be dangerous. The sense of desperation that it stirs up leads us to buy into thoughts that, in a more rested state, we might otherwise kick to the curb. Thoughts of comparison, guilt or lack of hope for the future in the midst of a toddler tantrum or teenage immaturity. We wonder if we could do good enough, try hard enough, if we could keep it together long enough…But we fail. We all do. Don’t be afraid.

Some have strengths we don’t, productivity that we can’t obtain, but “having it all together” is an illusion. Being found and fought for by Grace Himself in the midst of daily life is REAL. We must hold onto this when we get that fire in our chests, because if you’re alive, it will come. Stress, anxiety, pain, discouragement or depression—here’s what I know: all of those things serve a purpose in God’s hands. The goal is to teach us to hear Him call our name, our truest selves, alive in God. Can you think of a better way to be a parent? Me either.

Choosing to believe that He can give us what it takes to be wholehearted in our parenting means walking through excruciating difficulty, but that’s where miracle is always waiting for us. He hears the cry of the broken-hearted.We need to know this truth like we need to know our address.

If we think about it for a moment I’d guess each of us reading this probably knows at least one (or more) parent who has thrown in the towel. If that is an action that is difficult for you to understand, I’d like to shed some light on the fact that it’s a place not so hard to get to. It just takes one essential ingredient chewed on long enough; believing we don’t have what it takes and we never will.

And here’s the truth, we don’t. But that’s not the end of the story. Being a wholehearted parent, reflecting the reality of God to our children, even a little, is a gift. It cannot be manufactured. It’s a gift and we’re built with the capacity to receive it. Strangely one of the more marvelous ways His gifts go on display in our life, that woos the children’s hearts to Himself, is through our failures and our willingness to admit them and begin again. This is God’s way, upside down, inside out. If we are willing to bring Him our emptiness, He’s willing to fill us up.

It is a gift like love, joy and peace are gifts; like patience, kindness, goodness and faithfulness are gifts. And if you are tracking with me, that these things named are what the Bible calls “the fruit of the Spirit”, then you might remember two more belong in this list: gentleness and self control. Have you ever really wanted to be any of those things as a parent and felt as though it was entirely out of your reach? Of course you have. We all have.

God gave us all those words, all those virtues I named above. He also gave us the secret of how those come about in our ordinary, potty-training-toddlers, going-to-work, daily lives right in the middle of those words—but we often miss it, the same way I lose the keys to my car.

Here’s the secret: This way of living, is the fruit of His Spirit. It’s the result of His life breath in our life, His power filling in our gaps and weaknesses, our tragedies and losses. I know, I know, it’s not really a secret, but we live like it is. I live like it is.

I stress out and give up because even though I know these things in my mind I wake up in the morning and operate like I’m going to kindle a fire of passion in my kids hearts, clean the garage, pay the bills, look into everyone’s eyes when they talk to me oh and feed the poor—by noon. Insert muscular flexed arm emoji here.

I often don’t want to wait for the uncertainty of what a day of walking in His strength might look like. I have preferred to know where I am and where I’m going, measured and expected. It doesn’t feel as scary that way, acting like I’m in control. But it doesn’t feel like I’m living awake either.

Is it worth it? Is it worth it to act like this is all up to me and not pray continuously like my family’s life depends on it (because it does)? The mess I generally find myself in a little ways down the road would suggest I need a new way of doing things. When I see Scriptures talk about His Spirit and His power, I’m training myself to take a deep breath and relax, because what He’s trying to tell us is, “Look kids, here’s a gift!”

This is hard territory, and by that I think I am right to say, the very hardest. The reason for that is because this is where the most is at stake. But don’t take my word for it, I’m echoing the last chapter of the Old Testament where it pivots on this one need and this one miraculous possibility…Malachi 4:6…he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.”

Lots of people like to leave the last part of that verse out these days, but like I said, don’t take my word…

The truth about wholehearted parenting: it’s as important as we think it is. God will turn the world upside down through the discipleship of our children. The other part of that truth: It’s not as impossible as we often feel it is. This is a call to perseverance not perfection, remember? This is His gift.

—

www.raynnamyers.com

Do you know an inspiring parent? Do you have an inspiring story to share? Click here to nominate.

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Product Review – Bright Eyed Baby Flash Cards

Mon, 27 Jul 2015 14:23:00 GMT

With Kindergarden right around the corner, we are focusing heavily on reading, letters, and word recognition. There are apps that we sometimes use for this type of learning, but we are old fashioned and we really try to limit screen time. So in our attempt to limit screen time, we turn to books and flash cards to practice reading skill. The problem we have found with most flash cards is that they bend and rip and our toy room quickly becomes a flash card explosion scene and I’m left cleaning up the aftermath. This is exactly why I am in love with the flash cards I found from Bright Eyed Baby .

The Bright Eyed Baby flash cards are thick, sturdy, and durable flash cards. They also have a super glossy finish which keeps them mostly water-resistant. That is definitely a plus with kids and leaky sippy cups around. The artwork is fantastic and they are full of fun, bright colors. The best part about these flash cards is that each set has the theme of a U.S. state and are full of unique words you wouldn’t find on your run of the mill flash cards.

So here is the deal, Bright Eyed Baby currently offers a California, a Washington, and a Colorado set, but they are working hard to offer sets for each of the states and need your help. Right now you can pledge to their Kickstarter campaign and help them offer Florida, New York, Texas, and an America themed set. There are a bunch of pledge options, but with all of them, you end up with a deck, or a couple of sets, of these awesome flash cards. So go make a pledge right now!

We love Bright Eyed Baby flash cards and I know you will too, so we want to give our followers the chance to win a set and see for yourself just how cute they are. Visit my Instagram for the details on how to enter, but don’t forget to subscribe to my blog before you leave for 5 extra entries.

Good luck everyone!

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School Options

Sat, 25 Jul 2015 15:01:00 GMT

We are still very busy with our summer vacation in Chicago, but I cannot stop thinking about Carter starting Kindergarden very soon! I have been working hard to make sure her last few weeks of freedom are a blast and that we take full advantage of our days together. But, I want to take a short break from the fun to tell all of you a little about Ontario’s school system.

The school system is very different here in Canada. Well, it may be just Ontario, but either way, it is a big change for us. Ontario offers four different types of public education; secular public education, secular French immersion education, Catholic public education, Catholic French immersion education. All of these options are tuition free.

Having so many choices is fantastic, but I was not prepared to make any education decisions so soon. After moving here, we found out that Carter would be starting jr. kindergarten in fall of 2015. This means she will be starting first grade when she is only five years old!

French immersion does not start in our district until first grade so that helped rule out that option for this upcoming school year, but in just over a year we will have to make that decision so it is not much more time.

After ruling out FI (French immersion) for now, we were left with deciding between secular or Catholic. We actually registered her to both options and visited both open houses. There are pros and cons of each school. The secular school is newer and has a little better reputation so that’s a pro for the secular school. On the other hand, we are not Catholic so I struggled with sending her to a school that would teach her Catholic traditions and that is a con. However, Ontario has a very liberal sex education program and we feel like discussions of Jesus and biblical teachings could help balance it out so that is a pro for the Catholic school. Also, the Catholic school is closer to our home and a brand new Catholic school is being built in our neighborhood which will be complete by fall 2016, so that is definitely a pro. This is just a sample of all the back and fourth I did.

I think I made Rusty listen to my pros and cons list for each school 15,336 times, but in the end, we decided on the Catholic school. We felt more comfortable sending Carter to a school where Jesus is welcome to go with her, a school where her friends will also know and welcome Jesus. Even if Catholicism is not what we practice in our home, Christianity, in any form, is really about accepting Jesus as your Savior and Carter will definitely learn about that as part of her Catholic education.

So, school starts in just a few short weeks and I will need your prayers of peace and calming as I send my first baby off to kindergarten a whole lot sooner than I planned. As a stay at home mom, I have very little experience with child care in any form, so full day kindergarten is a huge change for all of us, one we are excited for, but a huge change, none the less. For now, I am going to take the next 6 weeks (school starts September 7th) to really soak up the time with my daughter and have as much fun as we can possibly have together.

Mommy and daddy love you, baby girl. You are going to do amazing.

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

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Product Review – Over The Moon Apparel Co.

Mon, 13 Jul 2015 02:38:00 GMT

Alright everyone, I am introducing you to the cutest little girl’s clothing company, Over the Moon Apparel Company .

I have had my heart set on a pair of these yoga pants for Carter for years, so I was ecstatic when Carter was chosen as Over The Moon’s first Instagram brand rep! They are so comfy and so cute, and I can hardly handle the ruffles and the fold-over waist bands. I love the mature look they give Carter without sacrificing comfort, durability, and sweet girly style.

Sizes for Over the Moon yoga pants range from 3-6 months to size 6. They are also made with a little extra length, so if you are like me and have a girl with a tiny booty and long legs, these are perfect! We love the simple black and white, but black and white is certainly not all they offer. Visit their website to see all of the colors and pattern choices available.

Megan Orr is the amazing mama behind Over the Moon. She is a wife and a mommy of two sweet kids, Lexi and Dillon. In 2012, after having her daughter, Megan just could not find much in kids clothing that fit her style and her desire for her daughter to be comfortable, but still stylish, so she decided to just make her own and that was the start of her girl’s yoga pants endeavor.

Since 2012, she has gone from doing all the sewing herself to sourcing an ethically sound manufacturer in the United States and she has been featured in children’s clothing boutiques across the midwest. This year, Megan launched her first official Spring/Summer collection, congrats Megan!

I am so excited to announce that I have partnered up with Over the Moon Apparel Company to bring you their very first giveaway! We love their pants and I know you will too, so we want to give our followers the chance to win a pair and see for yourself just how perfect they are. Visit my Instagram for the details on how to enter, but don’t forget to subscribe to my blog before you leave for 5 extra entries.

Good luck everyone and thank you Megan and Over the Moon Apparel Company for making us a part of your brand!

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I Will Come Home

Thu, 09 Jul 2015 16:17:00 GMT

We are on vacation in Chicago right now. The first 11 days were spent as a family and the next 3.5 weeks will be just me and the kids because our bread winner must head back to Toronto. When I dropped Rusty off at the airport the other day he said, “I’ll see you, IF you come home.” He was of course joking, but I have a feeling that deep inside he is nervous I won’t come back to Canada.

I have been very open about the struggles I have dealt with after moving to Canada. I have dealt with depression and anxiety, I have spent weeks at a time angry, I have spent way too much time distracted from my beautiful family. If you follow me on Instagram you know that I have had trouble getting the family signed up for Ontario’s health care program, I have had trouble registering our cars, and I also had a hard time signing Carter up for school. All of these minor irritations have added up to one giant annoying experience with the Canadian government. But, through all of the storytelling I have done on this blog, there has been one thing I have forgotten to share… all of the things that have gone right.

We eventually received our health care benefits and we finally registered our cars. In September, Carter will be starting junior kindergarden at the nearby catholic school. And, on top of all those annoying logistical things working out, we have had some pretty fun adventures in Canada so far, this summer. We have visited High Park, we visited Niagara Falls, we bought season passes to Canada’s Wonderland, we took a trip to Cottage Country, we have hosted a ton of dinner parties with our new friends, and on top of all that, we took an 11 day family vacation.

Every couple of days, Carter says, “We have done 4 special things. 1. High Park 2. Niagara Falls 3. Wonderland 4. Naperville River Walk (something we have done on vacation here in Chicago).” It wasn’t until the 6th or 7th time she went through her list, totally unprompted, that I realized how silly it is that my 3.5 year old is so good at counting her blessings and all I do is complain.

So this post is me counting my blessings. We are so blessed that we live 5 miles away from a giant amusement park. We are so blessed that catholic education is free in Ontario and even though we are not actually catholic, we are able to send our daughter to a school were Jesus is welcome to go with her. We are so blessed that we were able to take an 11 day family vacation, our first long vacation that didn’t involve working from location or a paintball tournament. All of this is possible because we moved to Toronto and I almost let all of it pass right by me because I was so busy blaming Canada for my problems.

So, if the heartfelt blog posts are few and far between this summer, please forgive me, it’s because I am busy soaking up summer blessings with my family. And Rusty, don’t worry, I will come home.

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

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Inspiring Parents // Bridget Shank

Wed, 01 Jul 2015 12:17:00 GMT

Before I became a mom, I spent years working in an office. I showed up to work (mostly) on time, did my job, and went home. Never once, did I feel threatened. Never once, when I stopped for coffee, did anyone hate me simply because I was an office manager. While I was often the first person in the office, I never walked into a dangerous or gruesome scene or a woman giving birth (though this did ALMOST happen once!). I never had to worry about someone hiding a weapon from me, never had to search someone for drugs. I’ve never watched a man take his last breath or had to hold a child, petrified of her own father, or a baby who only knew pain. I never had to deal with people screaming in my face while I was simply trying to do my job. But then, I’m not an officer. I’m the woman behind the man with the badge.

It’s hard for me to understand his life. You see, I spend most of my days with a 2 year old and a 4 year old, shrouded in innocence and good, where our difficult days consist of burnt bage ls, or an errant pea that rolls onto the spaghetti side of the plate. I can’t imagine the things he sees, the fear he experiences, the atrocities to which he is the first responder. Together, we walk a fine line, delicately balancing his work life with that of our family. When he needs to unload, to cry or scream, or just stomp his feet in frustration, I need to be the one standing there beside him, I need to take that weight when he’s no longer able to carry it, and it’s hard for both of us. My heart can barely remain beating at the stories he unfurls, and it simply breaks me that this man, this honest, caring, faithful father and husband, has seen things no person should ever have to see. I sometimes hear him talking in his sleep, and I understand that even when he sleeps, he is an officer. His days do not end when his shift does, his nightmares wake us both.

Yes, he signed on for it. He knew going into this that there would be nights with no sleep. He was more than willing to sacrifice his time, his energy, his peace of mind, in order to make a difference. He wanted people to call him when they needed help, he wanted little kids to feel safer when they saw him, he wanted to take away the bad guys, to clean up the streets, to be on first name basis with the people who call Charm City, ‘home.’ The amazing thing is, he is doing all of these things, every day, and I could not be more proud of him. Each time he walks out that door, I fall to my knees and beg God for his safety, I pray that his Kevlar is not tested, that his gun remains holstered, and mostly I pray that he comes walking back through our front door, back into our oasis of innocence, where little legs run down the hallway, shouting for him, simultaneously demanding to be held, I long for our hallway to be filled with the echo of sweet voices whispering ‘I love you Daddy’, their sticky breath warm against his ear. I often stand amazed at this man whom I am honored to call my husband, he, who despite working upwards of a 15 hour day, is never too tired to hold our little girl, or toss our son high into the air, just to hear that giggle escape his sweet innocent soul. I want him to have a chance to unwind, to shower, to decompress, to just breath without a bulletproof vest on. I desperately want to give him that time, but I look into the eyes of our little ones, and I know that this love between them, it is everything. This love, it is what makes us laugh on the days we once thought laughter impossible. On days when they don’t even get to see Daddy, or when I have to try so hard to hold it together, to not show fear, or worry, when I haven’t heard from him. This love is what saves us, it is what makes us feel worthy even when we are at our worst. This love gives us strength when we are on our knees and casts light in our darkest hours. It drives away doubt, squashes insecurities and obliterates jealousy. This love is the most powerful emotion we are given. I chose to root my soul in it, to bask in its glory, to let that light shine through me and radiate to my children.

I often tell my 4 year old son that Daddy isn’t home because he has to protect other little kids who don’t have anybody else to do it for them. I used to wonder if he understood what I meant, but then, one night, when I was getting their jammies on, my daughter asked for ‘Dada,’ and my amazingly sweet, crazily charismatic little boy, without missing a beat, took my daughter’s hand in his own, and leaned down to her ear to whisper, “Hart, it’s ok, don’t be upset Daddy isn’t here. Remember we have to share Daddy, because he’s so brave, other people need him too.” Oh this love, you can’t measure it, you can’t quantify it, but sweet Lord, you sure can feel it. This love, it is EVERYTHING.

Do you know an inspiring parent? Do you have an inspiring story to share? Click here to nominate.

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Music Review – Take Me Outside by Jessie Farrell

Thu, 18 Jun 2015 16:07:00 GMT

The other day a man from the cable company came to pick up our no longer needed cable boxes. (They actually haven’t ever been used, but we were given 6 months free when we moved in.) He asked,”is Rogers giving you a hard time?” I replied,”nope, we just don’t need cable.” Then he looked at me confused and said, “then what will your kids do all day?”

What do my kids do all day? Whatever it is, it certainly doesn’t involve cable television and it actually doesn’t involve much screen time at all. I have written in the past about way to keep the T.V. off , so I won’t go over that again, but I do want to take this chance to focus in on a specific activity we love to do. We love to listen to music and dance!

It isn’t always easy to find music that the kids and I both love and since we listen to music basically 12 hours a day, we are constantly trying to add to our playlist. So in our search for good kids music we stumbled upon this very cute kids song album, Take Me Outside . On top of the fact that the cover art couldn’t be cuter, the songs are so sweet and just perfect for the littles. You know what’s even better? I don’t mind listening to it and that is also a huge plus when it comes to kids music.

Jessie Farrell is a crazy talented Canadian singer/songwriter. Her album ranges from get up and dance around with your kiddos to lets just sit and cuddle and relax . The lyrics are cute and catchy. The entire album has a country/folksong vibe. My kids’ favorite part of her album is the kiddos with the adorable voices that help Jessie sing a few of her tracks. I am super excited to help Jessie promote her new album. So, go visit her website www.JessieFarrell.com and buy a copy of Take Me Outside for yourself. Your kids will love it!

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#CreativeGlazeChallenge // Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies

Mon, 01 Jun 2015 18:26:00 GMT

Are you guys ready for our first #CreativeGlazeChallenge. Don’t forget to follow both myself @jessicaglaze and @creativewifeandjoyfulworker on Instagram. After you bake these cookies, post a picture of them on Instagram using the hashtag #creativeglazechallenge for a chance to be featured on our Instagram accounts and for a chance to host the next challenge with us.

Okay, so on to the delicious part. You know when you find a cookie recipe on Pinterest and it has 92,385 ingredients and it’s super complicated and ends up either a Pinterest fail or you never end up making them? Well this cookie recipe isn’t like that! This cookie recipe is super easy.

I did all of the measuring, but my kiddos did basically all of the work. That’s how simple it is. The hardest part is remembering to set the butter out an hour or so before you start so that it has time to warm up to room temperature.

And because these are mini chocolate chip cookies, they turn out super tiny and cute.

So here it is…

Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies by Jessica Glaze

Prep time: 20 mins

Bake time: 5 mins

Yields approximately: about 10 dozen

1/2 cup butter , at room temperature
1/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons packed light or dark brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 tsp baking soda
Heaping 1/4 tsp salt
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup mini chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper, cooking spray, or a silicon baking mat.

In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugars together with an electric mixer until very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add egg and vanilla, beating until incorporated, and scraping down the bowl as needed. Beat in salt and baking soda until combined, then add the flour on a low speed until just mixed. The dough will look crumbly at this point. With a spatula, fold/stir in the mini chocolate chips.

Scoop dough out with a slight heaping 1/2 tsp at a time and drop onto baking sheet. Leave about an inch between each ball of dough.

When over is heated to 350°F, bake in cookies for about 5 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on baking sheet several minutes. They should still feel soft and slightly under-baked when you remove them from the oven. They will continue to cook slightly once removed from oven, so be careful not to over-bake and do not remove them from the hot cookie sheet.

And that’s it! Easy, peasy. Now go get started and don’t forget to share your pictures on Instagram with #CreativeGlazeChallenge.

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

The post #CreativeGlazeChallenge // Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies appeared first on The Glaze Brigade | Official Blog .

Inspiring Parents // Leighann Marquiss

Mon, 01 Jun 2015 14:10:00 GMT

I’m twelve weeks into an unplanned pregnancy. I always silently cluck my tongue when I hear couples say, “We don’t know how it happened!” Let me tell you, I know exactly how it happened. As a consummate planner, the last few weeks have been surreal. The first time I was truly excited about this baby was ten minutes ago as I watched it swimming contently on the murky screen.

My shirt is pulled up to my chest exposing my stomach. It’s a position I’ve found myself in a few times over the last four years, each time getting more brazen and nonchalant. I grew up in a household where modesty was cherished, and even now, as an adult, find it hard to walk around my house half-clothed, for fear the neighbors might see me. My husband is completely the opposite – comfortable answering the door in his boxers. “They’re shorts, after all,” he reminds me.

The technician spreads cold, blue goo on my stomach with the bottom of her Doppler wand. The screen is fuzzy, like a TV whose antenna is out of alignment. She retraces her movements, clicking pictures and taking measurements. We silently wait for her to finish her task.

My husband, Henry, is sitting at my side switching back and forth from watching the screen and checking email on his Blackberry. He works as a director of finance for a major government subsidized entity, so his days are filled with meetings, emails, and phone calls. There’s never a moment’s rest, even if you’re meeting your third child for the first time.

“I’ll be right back. I need to get the doctor,” the sonographer says.

Having been through two other first-trimester sonograms, one where a doctor was called and one where she wasn’t, I know the procedure. “Is something wrong?” I ask.

“The doctor will be in to explain everything to you,” she says softly. “The only thing I can tell you is it’s the heart. It doesn’t look good.”

My eyes follow her as she leaves the room. “Maybe it’s Chiari,” I say, referring to a condition that runs in Henry’s family. “It affects the heart sometimes.”

Ever astute, he says quietly, “Maybe. It sounds worse than that, though.”

My throat tightens as blood rushes through my veins. Tears manage to find their way down my face and into the crevices of my ears. Henry moves to my side and gently strokes my hair. His large hands wipe tears gently from my cheeks. Those few small gestures are enough to grant me my sanity.

He moves into the hall. He’s calling work, taking the rest of the day off. Snippets of his conversation waft through the door. “There’s something wrong with the baby . . . I’m going to stay with Leighann . . . something with the heart. We don’t know yet . . . we’re waiting for the doctor.” My husband doesn’t take time off work. Ever.

The sonographer and Henry rejoin me. “There aren’t any doctors in the office today. The doctor on call is across the street at the hospital OR. She’s going to talk to you over the phone. I’m so sorry,” she says.

A nurse leads us to the doctor’s empty office. We put the phone on speaker and listen as she says, “I’m really sorry to have to tell you this over the phone. We’re concerned there is something wrong with the fetus’ heart. In situations like this, we send you to a specialist to confirm our sonographer’s suspicions. She sees a lot, but we want you to see someone who looks at abnormalities day in and day out, to make sure she’s right.”

“What are we talking about here?” Henry asks. “Will this baby have a normal life?”

There is a pause on the other end of the line. “We don’t expect the fetus to make it to twenty weeks. With this condition most fetuses die in the first trimester. If it does live, we’ll do a c-section to avoid putting any stress on the heart.”

I suddenly can’t understand a single word being said. I look at Henry and see his mouth moving . . . the doctor’s voice . . . it’s there, too, but it’s all gibberish. I try to gain some sense of understanding, but it’s as if I’m standing at the mouth of a cave, straining to hear voices deep in its caverns. There are echoes and intonations, yet nothing comprehendible. Twenty weeks . . . twenty weeks. It reverberates through my brain like a mantra. Twenty weeks minus twelve. I have eight more weeks with this baby. Eight. More. Weeks. Numb and confused, I close my eyes, shutting out the world around me. I feel Henry’s hand reach out for mine. He curls his fingers around my tightly closed fists and strokes them with his thumb. All I can do is sit and weep puddles on the pretty mahogany desk.

Pregnancy makes your body do funny things. It pulls on muscles you think are strong, and pinches nerves you didn’t know existed. The week after diagnosis, I’m hypersensitive to every stretch, pull, and cramp, wondering if today is the day I’ll have a miscarriage. I can’t feel the baby move yet, so there is no assurance that it’s alive, other than my raging morning sickness, which is really more like all-day sickness. I spend a lot of time in the bathroom, hugging the toilet, and the rest of my time lying down as much as possible to ward off nausea.

I once asked my paternal grandmother what she did while my grandfather was serving in WWII. She said, “I was morning sick.”

“Yes, I know,” I replied. “But what else did you do?”

“Nothing. I was sick all the time,” she said.

I didn’t get it then. Okay, so you were sick. But you just did nothing? I thought. I completely get it now!

The phone rings off the hook, even though Henry swears he told everyone to give us time. I’m still not ready to talk. I need more time to process the nightmare that has become our life. I let the answering machine handle the calls.

Knowing I can’t ignore them forever, I start talking to family on the third day. I find myself repeating the same phrases. “This baby won’t have to know pain. There are worse things in the world. Think of all the moms in Haiti who can’t feed their children tonight and are watching them die a slow death by starvation.” Thoughts like these help me distance myself from the reality that my baby is dying and there’s nothing I can do.

Henry takes on the role of informer, shielding me from having to tell most people what is going on. He answers the phone, unless I step in to do it myself. I realize I’m holding the girls tighter, cuddling with them at night and rocking my two-year-old in the middle of the day, since I’m not sure when I’ll be able to rock another little body. I cry into her back, or hair, so she doesn’t see. I tell everyone and myself I’ll be fine. I verbalize that while I believe God can heal, I don’t want to assume that’s what He’ll do in our case. The reality is people get sick. People die. Miracles are hard to come by.

I learned this lesson while a junior in high school. My sister, Amy, who’s younger than me by twenty-one months, had a friend who was battling bone cancer. Muriel must have spent several years in the hospital, in and out with different chemo treatments. She was in remission a couple times. I remember her coming to our house wearing a wig. It looked great, but you could still tell it was a wig. Then we found out she had another tumor in her hip. The doctors suggested amputation at the waist. She’d be strapped to a chair to sit up for the rest of her life since they’d have to amputate so high. She refused the surgery. She was fourteen. She’d seen too many of her friends (they were her friends now that she’d been in the hospital so long) get body parts amputated, trying to cheat death, only to have another and then another part removed. She didn’t want that life.

I prayed for her healing every night. I begged God, literally crying for her life. She died.

I don’t know that I got mad at God for letting her die. However, I did question why He let her die. I never got an answer. Oswald Chambers, an early twentieth-century Christian teacher and writer, once said, “God doesn’t reveal to us what He is doing, but who He is.” God is good. That doesn’t mean He doesn’t allow bad. I’ve experienced both. There’s nothing easy about realizing God isn’t Santa Claus.

I once again find myself on my face, before the Almighty. This time, my tears are not watering a garden of hope, but one of grief. My heartfelt pleas are not for healing. They are for a quick end. The days are so tedious and heavy; I’m not sure how many of them I can live through. They stack up like bricks on my back and I’m afraid that one day, they will literally crush me. I pray for the load to be lifted, to be taken away.

It’s incredibly selfish, I know. I want it all to be over for my sake, for the sake of getting on with things. The longer I’m held up by this child who won’t live, the longer it’ll be before I can begin again.

It’s here where the Creator of the universe tells me He won’t take my load. He refuses to do things my way. He doesn’t tell me in an audible Burning Bush sort of way, but it’s just as effective. And, just like Moses, I’m not sure I’m the right one for the job.

I’m doing a Bible study on The Fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience). It turns out the focus of this week is faith. In the text, the author asks, “What are you not trusting God will do because you are afraid of disappointment?”

Seriously? Hoping for healing and not getting it is the biggest disappointment I can think of. Why don’t you believe I will heal your baby? The thought flitters across my mind, out-of-place, like a butterfly through a burned-out forest. It’s so the opposite of everything I’ve believed the last few days, that I sob uncontrollably. My brain pulsates with the thought, like it has sprouted its own heart, and has a sinus rhythm all its own. Is it possible that God will heal this child?

I decide I’ll no longer walk around on pins and needles waiting for this baby to die, no longer pray for a quick ending to the pregnancy. I’ll trust that healing will take place. What that healing looks like, I don’t know. But what I do believe is that we’ll meet this baby; we’ll hold it in our arms. I’ll celebrate my baby’s life until it’s taken from me. Instead of living with the fear of death, I’ll live every day nurturing this life inside me.

(selected excerpts above from  Showing Heart: The True Story of How One Boy Defied the Odds)

At 22 weeks into the pregnancy, we consulted with a pediatric cardiologist to formulate a treatment plan. Although Ryan’s odds were very slim, we are grateful to this cardiologist who convinced a team of renowned surgeons to give him a chance.

Early on a February morning in 2009, Ryan was born via c-section at our local pediatric hospital amidst two teams of operating room personnel adding up to over 30 people. Another team consisting of critical care doctors and plastic surgeons stood waiting in an adjoining operating room to cover his exposed heart to protect him from infection – the leading cause of deaths in ectopia cordis patients.

It took the critical care team 15 minutes to stabilize him and make him comfortable on a ventilator. Beyond the unbelievable news that Ryan survived birth is the fact that his tiny heart was covered by a thin membrane divinely protecting it from outside germs.

The bad news was that doctors confirmed Ryan’s right ventricle was underdeveloped and doesn’t work (Hypoplastic Right Heart Syndrome – HRHS) in addition to several other heart defects.

This was our greatest fear. In our pre-birth consultations we were advised that the chances of survival for an ectopia cordis baby are very slim (roughly 10%), but that the chances of survival for an ectopia cordis baby with the addition of heart disease is nil. As in, there’s never been a survivor.

Ryan is the first survivor of this combination of defects!

Ryan continued to grow in the hospital where his team worked for 11 months to get him stable enough to come home. In that time, he survived multiple procedures and surgeries to get his heart re-wired enough to come home and his lungs stable enough to breathe without the assistance of a machine.

Today, Ryan is a thriving preschooler who loves Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and superheroes. His health didn’t come easily. We lugged around medical equipment the first year he was home and have spent countless hours with occupational, speech (for feeding) and physical therapists. But his spirit is priceless. His smile can light up the darkest day. People who meet him and know nothing of his story remark on what infectious joy he brings.

Our story is one of hardship, but one of hope. We are beyond grateful to the medical staff and beyond grateful to God.

Leighann Marquiss is the author of Showing Heart: The True Story of How One Boy Defied the Odds, You Are Not Alone: An Insider’s Guide to Facing Prenatal Diagnosis, and the devotional Looking Toward the Cross (all available on Amazon ). She blogs frequently at www.leighannmarquiss.com where she writes openly about brokenness, living with special needs, family and marriage topics, with a little bit of fun thrown in for good measure. She and her husband, Henry, have four young children and live in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Please stop by and check her out.

Do you know an inspiring parent? Do you have an inspiring story to share? Click here to nominate.

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Things We have Learned so Far About Canada

Fri, 29 May 2015 14:50:00 GMT

We have officially lived in Toronto (well actually Kleinburg, right outside of Toronto) for 6 months now. I cannot believe how fast that went. It hasn’t been easy, but it has been eye opening for sure. Now that I have gathered up six whole months of Canadian wisdom, I thought that I would share some of it with you. Here are 10 things I have learned so far about Canada, or at least Toronto.

(I have been told that some of these things may not apply to all of Canada, so if you are from other parts of Canada, share the differences and similarities in the comments.)

1. It is expensive! Homes in the Toronto area average $900,000.00 dollars CAD. Sales tax is 13%. There is even a 13% sales tax on services. Gas is over $ 4.00 a gallon. Our car insurance has doubled, but more on that later. There is almost no way to eat out for under $20.00 a person unless you eat fast food and even McDonald’s is about $10.00 a person. Our cell phone is the same price, but we went from unlimited data for very limited data. All of that to make my point clear, it is expensive here!

2. There are no garbage disposals! They are actually against the law in Toronto municipal area. And, what makes it even worse, we have a little garbage can that is just for food. This means, at all times, I have a bucket of rotting food sitting under my sink. This might make me sound a little spoiled, but this whole no garbage disposal things has brought me to tears quite a few times. You cannot judge me unless you have lived without a garbage disposal in your home. There is nothing more nasty than scooping soggy food mush out of the sink and throwing it into a bucket of rotting food.

3. They have bags of milk. I think that there are other countries that do this too, but they definitely don’t have bags of milk in the States. It isn’t the worst thing to adjust to, but it is certainly strange at first.

4. Although school starts a year earlier than it does in the states, something I was totally not expecting or ready for, the school system is pretty cool. Ontario has 4 public school options; basic public school, Catholic public school, French Immersion public school, and Catholic French Immersion public school. In the past few months, Ontario has passed a sex education law that is much too liberal for our family’s standards, but we still have 2 years before we have to start thinking about how to deal with that small issue.

6. I completely failed to realize that we would have to learn the metric system. We also have had to learn to use Celsius. Most of the time I just say miles, and gallons, or check the weather in Fahrenheit, but when I am talking to Canadians, they always look at me so confused.

7. Canadians have 1 and 2 dollar coins and they don’t have pennies. The 1 dollar coin is called a Loonie and the 2 dollar coin is called a Toonie. If you are paying for something in cash, the register will either round up or round down to eliminate the need for pennies.

8. Ontario is a “no fault” providence when it comes to insurance. It drives me nuts! Basically, if I am in a car accident that I didn’t cause, I still have to go through my insurance to get it fixed. The “at fault” driver’s insurance is never responsible for the cost of the damage done to my vehicle. I was told by State Farm that they will not raise my premium on “not at fault” car accidents, but I have been told by other Canadians not to trust what they say. Also, it is highly recommended to have a million dollar policy. The reasoning is complicated, but it has something to do with how the health insurance works. For both of these reasons, car insurance cost is astronomical. We were able to get a policy that only doubled our US rates and we shopped around for a really great deal. Most people can’t believe we found such a low rate policy.

9. Winter is long and cold. We moved here in November and it wasn’t that cold yet. I thought we would have to deal with a cold December, January, and deal with the worst of it in February, and then spring would start to arrive in March. I was wrong. By the end of November, it was already as cold as I thought I could handle and it wasn’t even close to the coldest it would get. I was right about February being the coldest of December, January, and February, but I was so wrong about March. It stayed bitter cold and even snowy all through March and even April! We were finally able to leave the jackets home a couple of days in May, but that was after 6 months of deep freeze! The other day, I saw frost on the rooftops outside of my bedroom window and I almost cried. Come on winter, just leave us alone.

10. There are almost no stay at home moms. This has been one of the hardest lessons to learn. Back in San Diego, it wasn’t hard at all to schedule play dates or lunch dates or middle of the week trips to Sea World because all of my many mom friends were stay at home moms. Because almost all of the children are put into daycare at 1 year old, after the 1 year maternity leave is up, there isn’t even a lot for kids to do during the day. All extra curricular activities are at night or on weekends, organized playdates meet on Saturday mornings, and our neighborhood or near by playgrounds are pretty desolate until school lets out. I am thankful that God crossed my path with someone who runs a mom’s bible study on Tuesday mornings at our church, that has been a life saver. Through that bible study, I have been able to meet a few stay at home moms and a few part time working moms, which has led to a fun-filled schedule.

Thank you for following along with us as we figure out our new life here in Canada. It has been a crazy 6 months, but it has helped us really bond as a family and I am forever thankful to God for that.

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

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Niagara Falls // Victoria Day

Fri, 22 May 2015 16:01:00 GMT

So, Canada has a lot of statutory holidays, a lot. In the U.S. basically one day a year, Christmas, the whole country shuts down. That means there is one single day when you have to prepare the day before, but even then, there is usually something open in a pinch. That is not the case in Canada. I would say every 6-8 weeks there is a stat holiday that shuts everything down, and I mean everything! These days usually involve tears on my part because every time I am not prepared and, every time, I am frustrated at how consumerism is put to a complete halt so often. Of course, the benefit is all of the extra days off for Rusty, but that doesn’t make me any less frustrated when I pull into an empty grocery store parking lot.

Not this time! This last stat holiday was Victoria Day and we actually planned ahead. We decided to visit Niagara Falls! Of course, even in Canada, you can always count on a hot tourist spot to be alive and well any day.

I have never been and Rusty had never been to the Canadian side so, we had no idea what to expect. It was fantastic! Of course the falls were gorgeous. They didn’t look exactly how I had imagined them to look, but gorgeous none the less. The surrounding area had a little bit of everything, which made the day even more fun. There was a cheesy tourist side of town with rides, mini golf, a Ripley’s Believe It or Not museum, an arcade, a million restaurants, and a ton more. There was also a side of town that was just a beautiful park that over looked the falls. We decided to have a picnic in the park and then head over to a restaurant for dinner.

Because it was a holiday, there were Fireworks. There are also fireworks every Friday and Sunday during the summer. Carter obviously loved the fireworks because nothing scares that girl, but of course, Monroe was terrified; he is my little chicken. He just kept pointing at the fireworks and yelling, “NO!”

Lessons learned on our first trip to Niagara Falls? 1. It’s a lot closer to us than I thought it was. 2. Drive around and check parking prices. We actually parked in a lot that charged $15.00 on one side and $10.00 on the other side of the exact same lot, but we didn’t know to check the other entrance. There were also a bunch of lots that only charged $5.00 for the day. 3. There are a bunch of activity passes for really good prices, so check those out. 4. The fireworks go off near the bridge to the U.S. so sit somewhere with a good view of the bridge.

We definitely enjoyed our entire Victoria Day experience. Point for Canada.

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

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6 Tips to Help Parents Keep The TV Off

Fri, 20 Feb 2015 06:00:00 GMT

In general, I hesitate to give parenting advice. I mean, who am I to tell people how to parent when I have only been one for three years? I am fully aware that it takes years of experience, multiple children, and at least a peek at the end result to know if I was a successful parent, so I will hold off on writing my parenting advice book until then. �� With that being said, there actually is a parenting goal that my husband, Rusty, and I set out to achieve and we were successful twice, so I am going to share that parenting tip to anyone who wants to listen.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children have NO screen time until the age of two. And by no screen time, they actually mean no screen time. That doesn’t mean have the T.V. turned on to a news channel, in the car, at a restaurant, or use it as background noise, the AAP actually means NO screen time. Screen time includes T.V.’s, computers, tablets, and smart phones.

I have a pretty serious television addiction and I did not want to pass that on to my kids. Don’t get me wrong, the hubs and I enjoy plenty of T.V., it’s just after the kids are in bed for the night. It is pretty clear with all of the ADD and ADHD going around that kids are having their brains fried one way or another and we wanted to try and prevent that from happening to our kids, especially at a time when their brain is developing the fastest it will ever develop in their life. Rusty and I set out to enforce a “no screen time rule” in our house and guess what? We actually accomplished our goal!

**Disclaimer** I totally understand that sometimes screen exposure is out of your control so I’m am specifically talking about time spent in your own home that you can control. Babysitter’s homes, Sunday school, friend’s homes and grandma and grandpa’s home are places where screen time is likely out of your control and everyone can relate to that! We also have allowed movies in the car if the drive is over two hours.

Trust me, I know moms need some space throughout the day or a chance to just get stuff done, like take a shower for instance, and Bubble Guppies works as an effective and free babysitter, but I am going to share with you some great alternatives to that enticing black box in your living room.

6 Tips to Help Parents Keep the T.V. Off

1. Don’t even turn it on.

Oh, I know how tempting it looks, just sitting there in front of your couch. It holds useful information for the day and some light comedy to get your day started off on a happy note, but don’t let it trick you! It is a slippery slope! Once the T.V. gets turned on, it is likely not going to be turned off. Sometimes, I even hide the remotes from sight to make it just a little more inconvenient to turn it on.

2. Turn on some music.

So many people say to me, "it's just for background noise." I also hear, "my kids don't even like it. We just have it on, but they don't watch it." Even having it on when the kids are not paying attention to it can be harmful. Read Background TV May Harm Young Kids' Development for more on that.

You know what works better as background noise? Music! You will feel so much more energized after a day of listening to music than a day of watching t.v., plus your kids will learn about beat, rhythm, rhyming, and retention and memorization.

3. Nap time.

I highly recommend enforcing a proper nap schedule. I feel that naps should be taken around the same time everyday and should be in their beds, obviously naps have to be flexible when you have plans outside of your house. If you have multiple kids who nap, try to adjust their schedules so that their naps overlap. This will give you plenty of time to do whatever you want to do for yourself. I usually like to take a looong shower or eat junk food in bed (I know, that isn’t healthier than watching T.V., but what can I say, I am an adult).

4. Independent play.

I’m not sure I can fully express how important independent play is, but I will do my best. It is SO important. Did that work? No? Okay, well here is a study about the importance of independent play,

The double-edged sword of pedagogy: Instruction limits spontaneous exploration and discovery.

And, here is another great article about independent play, 7 Myths that Discourage Independent Play . Convinced yet? It is not beneficial to your children if you are constantly playing with them, showing them how to play, or being their constant source of entertainment. Kids need freedom to explore and become creative without restriction (within reason, of course). We live in a three story townhouse and yes, my kids are allowed to play all the way upstairs without supervision (even my 1 year old, gasp, I know). They have a toy room on the third floor and we are confident that it is a safe environment for them to play unsupervised. That unsupervised toy room access will often allow me the time to clean an entire floor of the house uninterrupted and it is amazing! And honestly, the only stair related accident we had was when my husband fell down the stairs. (Oops, I think that was supposed to be a secret.)

5. Shower with your kids.

Another excuse I always hear in defense of screen time is, “it’s just while I take a shower and get dressed for the day.” At the risk of sharing TMI, showering with your kids is a great way to get in your much needed daily grooming without putting the kids in front of the T.V. I bring the kids in the shower with me starting at a pretty early age. If a shower during nap time wasn’t an option, I would put them in their Bumbo in the corner of the shower and do what I needed to do to get ready for the day. As they get older and can actually play in the shower, it gets even easier. Another benefit, no need for a separate bath time and that saves you money on your water bill.

6. Let the kids help you.

Obviously, most kids can’t help you in a way that is actually helpful, especially if they are under two, but that doesn’t mean their help should be discouraged. I surly don’t want to send the message to my kids, I would rather you watch T.V. than help me. I will often give the kids something to do that is entertaining for them, but is also cleaning related so they can feel helpful and have fun. Even when the kids were just babies, I would have them sit with me while I folded laundry and talked to them about the different colors or article of clothes that I was folding. You might like cleaning or you might be like me and hate cleaning, either way, it is always nice to have company while doing your daily chores.

I want to challenge you to try out these tips and tricks. I can assure you that they work because we have actually accomplished no screen time until two years old for both our kiddos. Let’s encourage kids to enjoy what they have right in front of them instead of enjoying a fantasy world on a screen.

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

To My Darling Daughter

Thu, 12 Feb 2015 06:00:00 GMT

Carter,

I don’t always wipe your face when it’s messy. It is not because I am a lazy or forgetful mom. It is not because I don’t care about keeping you neat and clean. One reason is because you hate it. Before I even open up the box of wipes, you start panicking, “I don’t like wipes, I don’t like wipes.” It’s usually not worth the battle if other people aren’t going to see you anyway.

But do you want to know the bigger reason why I don’t always wipe your face? You are just a child. There is no need for you to strive for perfection. There is no need for me to constantly remind you that you are a sloppy, messy, grimy little kiddo with room for improvement. You are not born with a desire to be perfect, but you learn from example. Every time I apply make-up to cover up a blemish or complain about my weight, I am teaching you, training you, to also point out and work on your own imperfections.

You will spend the rest of your life striving to be perfect. You will go to school and be scared to eat your lunch because something might get stuck in your teeth. You will go to high school and be afraid that other girls will call you fat or make fun of you for whatever reason. You will keep a mirror in your locker so you can constantly see how you look. You will go on a date and be self-conscious about what you order. Will it make your breath smell? Will it make you look unhealthy? You will hide everything about you that isn’t perfect and be extremely cautious in situations that make you vulnerable to imperfection.

One day, you will have babies and your body will change. All the wipes in the world won’t wipe away the scars and the stretch marks left behind from pregnancy. All of a sudden your body will be full of imperfections that you will desperately try to hide. You will be embarrassed that you can’t hide these imperfections from your husband, but you have to be confident that your husband loves your body anyway. You have to love your body anyway.

Desiring perfection starts much too early. It is believed that 24 million people suffer from eating disordersand 95% of them are between the ages of 12 to 25. 12 years old! At 12 years old, you should be playing with toys and having fun with friends, you should not be worried about what your body looks like. At 12 years old, you should never feel pressure to be any more perfect than you already are.

Sweet girl, by not wiping your face, I am trying to whisper to your heart. I am trying to make it clear to you that you are already perfect. Regardless of the food smudged on your face, the stain on your shirt, or your precious little pot belly, you are already perfect.

It isn’t possible for me to love you any more than I already do. There is no need to strive for perfection, you are already there.

Love,

Mommy

“Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing,

but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.” Proverbs 31:30

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

Five Budget Friendly Winter Night Activities

Tue, 03 Feb 2015 06:00:00 GMT

It's COLD outside (well, most places) and that can make it hard to come up with budget friendly fun for the family. Most indoor activities cost a whole lot more than the outdoor activities available in the summer and if you are on a tight budget, that can be frustrating and make the winter feel even longer. So, the Glaze Brigade is going to let you in on our favorite Friday night activities that don't break the bank.

1. Red Box movie rental and a 5 dollar "Hot and Ready."

Going to the movies on a Friday night is always fun and might be ideal but at 12.00 a ticket, your night starts out at a minimum of 24.00 and that does not include the kids or dinner. Redbox comes in at about 1.20 per rental so when you add Little Caesar's Pizza at 5.00 per pizza to that total, you can easily have a fun Friday night in for under 20 bucks. You will actually have enough money to buy some candy and popcorn when you are at the store picking up your movie. And did you know you could reserve your rental online? Reserve online and you won't be stuck driving all around town trying to find the movie you want.

2. Dine in and go out for dessert.

If you are like me and you don't mind cooking, this gives you a chance to save by eating in but you can still get out of the house after a long week of routines and schedules. Make something easy like burgers or spaghetti and then jump in the car and drive to your favorite local ice cream shop or even a restaurant. My family loves Chocolate Molten Cake from Chili's so sometimes after dinner we head over to Chili's and just get dessert! Order two molten cakes to share between a family of 4 and you will spend less than 20.00 and walk away full and happy.

3. Costco.

This might seem crazy but I think this is our favorite Friday night activity. Costco is usually a madhouse on the weekends but on Friday night, it is fairly empty. This is great because I get help with the kids while I grocery shop for the upcoming week and the kids get to watch fun demos or grab a few pre dinner snacks (free samples). After we check out, we stop at the Costco cafeteria and grab 1.50 giant hot dogs, 2.00 giant pieces of pizza, and 2.00 ice cream cones. Our family of four can easily stay under the 20.00 mark and that includes dessert. Disclaimer: If you grocery shop, you will obviously spend more than 20.00 but groceries should come out of a different part of your budget anyway.

4. Crock Pot meal and craft night.

No mom (or whoever is in charge of dinners at your house) wants to cook and clean while everyone else is enjoying Friday night so a great alternative is a crock pot meal. Your meal will basically cook itself and clean up is as easy as putting dishes in the dishwasher and rinsing out the crock pot. After your super easy clean up, try one of those 5,000 crafts you pinned on Pinterest. I always pin away and never actually get around to trying any of them, but here is the chance. The other night, we made Valentine's for all of our friends back in California. It was fun and pretty much free! I spend 1.00 on a box of Valentine's Day cards and we already had stickers and markers to decorate the cards.

5. The mall food court.

Okay, so the food a the mall food court isn't the healthiest option but its usually pretty delicious. The mall is a fun place to spend a Friday night, especially if you have little ones and you pick a mall with a play area, a pet store, or a toy store. Eating at the mall food court gives everyone the chance to eat what they want, which is always fun, and it is also stress free for the person that is usually in charge of decision making. This might be the most expensive option on this list, but you can still stay close to a 20.00 budget and have a bunch of fun. After dinner, walk around and window shop. The mall in a wide open space and if it isn't super busy, I let the kids run around and act a little wild. Bonus: The mall has free heat in the winter and also free air conditioning in the summer!

We hope this helps you enjoy the rest of your winter! Feel free to comment below with your favorite budget friendly indoor activities.

Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose.

The Whole Picture

Fri, 23 Jan 2015 06:00:00 GMT

A few months back I started to write a post about Instagram, about how fake it is, about how I personally know a “popular insta mom” and I know that her pictures portray something that is not the truth. I sat at my desk fired up and determined to put out on the internet the truth about social media. But nothing good comes from putting other people down, so I saved the draft and never went back to finish it, until now.

I first want to say that I love social media. I wouldn’t call myself addicted or say that I have FOMO (fear of missing out, lol) but I am a little obsessed with my kids and love to share all about them and their accomplishments. I especially love social media because for all of my adult life I have lived far from my family and it the best way to keep everyone updated on our lives. Lets face it, personal phone calls would be nice but who wants to talk to me while I have two loud toddlers running around, demanding my attention. Social media is a free and easy way to stay in constant contact with loved ones even when we live hundreds, or at times, thousands of miles away. But here comes the honesty, what you see on social media… LIKELY ISN’T REAL!

Instagram and Facebook has tricked us into believing that a 2″ x 2″ picture tells the whole story. All day long I look at little square pictures posted by random moms of their perfectly designed homes, hipster children, Pinterest worthy meals, and their teeny tiny selves. (My favorites are the ones when the moms look like they didn’t know someone was taking their picture but we all know it was a self timer.)

It’s crazy how we can feel like we know so much about some mom or her family just by seeing a few choice pictures that are posted each week. We use her Instagram posts or Facebook posts as a ruler to measure our own quality of life. We tell ourselves; “I wish my husband was as sweet as hers.” “I wish I could keep my house as clean as she does.” “Why can’t I lose my baby weight?” “Her family is amazing.” “Her life is a dream.”

Instagram isn’t real life. Facebook isn’t real life. It is very easy to fit what we want the world to see inside of a 2″ x 2″ box and leave all of the ugly out. It’s easy to post a beautiful picture of your husband kissing your baby and forget to mention the screaming match you were in last night. It’s easy to post a picture of your weekly shopping trip and forget to mention you are drowning in debt.

I am guilty of both sides. I have posted pictures that would imply my life is drama free while knowing the truth. I have also sat around thinking, “Why can’t we be that perfect?”

I recently had someone tell me that Rusty and I were an “amazing and inspiring parenting team.” (Cue the blushing cheeks.) I love that compliment. I think that Rusty and I are doing a pretty awesome job. If I can take a second to brag, I have never left the house without getting a compliment on how well behaved my kids are or how cute they are dressed, and its an awesome feeling. But what my dear friend doesn’t know, is that just moments before she commented on how inspiring we are, I was crying in my car screaming, “I fricken hate Canada.” And although the Glaze Brigade does eat 95% of our dinners at our kitchen table as a family, last night I pouted while doing dishes, my husband pouted on the couch with his iPad and the kids ate alone.

So, the next time you look at an Instagram or Facebook post and feel that sting of jealousy, think about what might have been cropped out of the picture.

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

What Lens Should I Buy?

Sat, 17 Jan 2015 06:00:00 GMT

I get asked pretty often what kind of camera I use, so I thought I would share it here for all to see.

I didn’t know anything about photography when I purchased my first DSLR a few years ago, all I knew was one thing, I needed to take pictures faster. I felt so frustrated that I was missing all of Carter’s cute moments because it took so long to take just one picture with my basic “point and shoot” camera.

We were on a pretty tight budget considering we were new parents who were adjusting to life on a single income so that limited my options, but it wasn’t impossible for me to get what I needed.

After a bunch of research, I decided on the Canon T3i. It wasn’t the best camera that Canon has to offer and it was actually on the lower end of quality but it had a fast shutter speed and that is all I really wanted at the time. I do recommend this camera to anyone starting out and on a budget.

The trickier part of the process was choosing a lens. I had no idea the difference between lenses, I didn’t even know what the numbers meant, I especially didn’t like the price tags. So, as usual, I started at the bottom of the price list and worked my way up. After a bunch more research, I landed on the Canon 50mm lens. Its a fixed lens, which means I cannot zoom in or out at all. This can be very hard to adjust to when you are learning, but like everything, practice makes perfect. It is a tight crop (very zoomed in) and that can make it difficult to take pictures indoors or in settings without room to back up, but how to use the lens properly is something you will quickly learn through practice. I highly recommend this lens because of its price tag (under 150.00), its ability to make the user look professional without any real photography knowledge, and because it is great in a low light setting.

My second lens a Canon 85mm lens, which is also a fixed lens but with a not so tight crop, so I can use it more easily indoors or when there isn’t a ton of room around me. Again, I highly recommend this lens. I think I use the 50mm and the 85mm equally depending on if I am taking pictures inside or outside.

Side note, most basic Canon cameras will come with the Canon 18-55mm as its stock lens unless you choose to purchase the camera as body only. This lens is not a fixed lens and novice users will likely feel more comfortable using this lens, but like I said before, I highly recommend the 50mm or the 85mm for much better pictures quality. I promise you will master a fixed lens in no time with just a little practice!

After I learned more about my camera and its functions, I decided I wanted to upgrade my camera body and I purchased the Canon SL1. This is a slightly more complex camera but it still has a fully automatic setting to rely on if that is your comfort level. This is a very small, compact, and light weight DSLR that can easily be tossed in my diaper bag or purse.

Finally, learning how to use your camera can be daunting. Often times people suggest reading the manual but if you don't understand terms such as "ISO" or "Aperture" then the manual isn't much help. You can rely on an automatic setting, but that will not likely get you the quality photos you are hoping for after purchasing a DSLR. I started my education on photography with a class from the series "Take Your Camera Out of Program Mode." The guy that teaches this class goes all over the US following around is favorite baseball team (lol) and he is amazing. I am not saying you will never need to practice on your own or educate yourself, but he will give you the basics and a great starting point.

I hope all of this information was helpful.

Clear eyes, full heart, can't lose.

Monroe's Room

Thu, 08 Jan 2015 06:00:00 GMT

We moved into our last condo in September, 2013 but we knew by October that we would soon be moving to Toronto, so we didn’t ever really move in or make it our home. I felt sad that we brought Monroe home to an empty unfinished nursery but we didn’t know exactly when we would be moving and it just wasn’t worth the time and effort to decorate and then pack it up a few months later. Now that we are in a home that we love and won’t be moving out of any time soon, it is time to give Monroe a proper nursery!

We went with an “outdoor” theme for his new room. The moon was a christmas gift last year. The kids really love it! The wooden US map is from my favorite store Hobby Lobby!

Our rocker was a gift from a family I nannied for after college. It is very special to me because I rocked their babies, who I love, in it for many years and then I was able to use it to rock my own babies. They had it reupholstered as part of the gift and I am obsessed with the wild fabric. The owl pillow is from HomeGoods.

We started calling our little man “Roe-bot” and it just stuck so of course I am always on the hunt for cute little robots. The red one was a gift from my sister and she got it from a small toy store in San Diego. The tin robot can be found here. The vintage picture is a picture of Rusty taken by his mom. The whale chalk board and the buck snow globe were also gifts. The Boy’s Book; How to be the Best at Everything, is part of a really cute series of books for boys and you can check it out here.

Everything on this wall is from Hobby Lobby or Michaels, except for the San Diego print. That print was a gift from my sister and it definitely made me cry when I opened it on Christmas morning.

I made the bible verse print on Photoshop. The frame, the clock, and the bookshelves are from IKEA. The other print and the framed buck are again from Hobby Lobby. I am not sure, actually, if I love Hobby Lobby or IKEA more.

We love books! Every night before bed, the kids get a reading from their devotional. They each have their own and Monroe’s is The One Year: Devotions for Preschoolers. I highly recommend adding it to your bedtime routine. We read through it twice with Carter and then she finally passed it on to Roe.

Other books we love are from the Good Night series. Good Night San Diego, Good Night California , Good Night Chicago, Good Night Beach. We love the BabyLit book series. The Jungle Book, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Sherlock Holmes, Frankenstein I also recommend the Hello series to help vocabulary growth. Hello, Bugs, Hello, Animals

One of the easiest and most inexpensive ways to spruce up a rental is to change the light fixtures. Everything in our place is builder grade so in other words…ugly. I am obsessed with these hardwire kits from World Market. These kits are cheap and you can add any lamp shade or pendant light from them. Our lamp shade is from IKEA, of course. The “Monroe” banner was a birthday party decoration but it was too cute to store until next year.

Finally, his bedding is from Pottery Barn Kids, his pillows are from HomeGoods and IKEA, his rug is from IKEA and his little buddy is an UglyDoll we named Eddy, you can find one here. Thanks for joining me on a tour of Monroe’s new nursery!

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

December Rewind

Sun, 04 Jan 2015 06:00:00 GMT

December was crazy!

Words that describe Demeber 2014…

Fun, Snowy, Cold, Busy, Stressful, Anxious, Depressing, Devastating, Humbling, Joyful, Exciting, New.

Between all of those emotions, there was very little time for blogging, so here is an overview of our December.

I started December with pretty severe anxiety. If I could climb out of bed at all, I couldn’t do much more than that. One day it started snowing and it didn’t stop for about 12 hours. The result was stunning. At that moment I decided not to let irrational anxiety take away precious moment. So I put Roe down for a nap, Carter and I put on our warmest winter gear (which for me included 15 year old snowboard pants), and we headed out to play. In a few months, I’ll forget what I was even anxious about but I will never forget the first time I played in the snow with my daughter.

I also headed home to Chicago for a couple of days before Christmas. It was really nice to spend time with family and my parents but it was especially nice because my sister was also visiting from San Diego. She missed the kids and the kids missed her and they were able to reconnected after months apart. During our time home, I watched my sister experience a great loss and that was devastating but I am glad I was there with her to share in her pain.

Christmas of course brought a lot of joy and excitement. It was the first year Carter understood Santa and presents but it was also the first year we could really teach her about Jesus. On Christmas Eve, a friend kindly invited us to join their family for dinner. We also tried out a new church. It was really a great Christmas.

Squeezed between Christmas and New Years Eve is Carter Maxine’s birthday. It was a little heart breaking because she kept asking for her friends to come to her party but of course that wasn’t possible. She also asked if we could rent a bounce house but again not possible in zero degree Celcius weather. But, I did my best to plan a party fit for a threenager and I think I was successful. We went to an indoor playground with a bounce house during the day and then at night we partied. We had a bunch of family, new friends, good food, pink cupcakes, and princess dresses. What else could you need?

Finally, it was time to ring in the new year. I hosted my mom and her family and my dad and his family. It was the first time I’ve spent New Years Eve with both of my parents in at least 27 years. It was so much fun! We walked around downtown Toronto, ate homemade mexican food, played board games, and forced our eyes to stay open until midnight. It really was a blast. A time I will never forget.

Thank you God for such an amazing year. Even through the lowest times, I know you were there. I’m excited to see what You have waiting for us in 2015.

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

To My Beautiful Sister

Tue, 23 Dec 2014 06:00:00 GMT

The notion that God never gives us more than we can handle is wrong.

God is constantly giving His most faithful servants far more that they care bare on their own. It is through our reliance on His strength to get us through these hard times that our humility and God's grace and love shines brightest.

My beautiful sister isn't feeling much joy this Christmas season after the loss of her beloved puppy Hercules. If you know me, you know I don't care much for animals but I do love my sister and for that reason, I am just plain heartbroken.

"Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." 2 Corinthians 9:7I have watched my sister give up a good paying job, her apartment, most of her belongings, and a majority of her free time all with a cheerful heart and a great desire to better serve Jesus and the community of San Diego. Then I watch as she was stripped of one of the few things she still called her own.

Of course it makes me mad. It makes me want to throw a tantrum, 2 year old style . God never says we can't be angry. "'In your anger do not sin': Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold." Ephesians 4:26-27 But as He warns, we also cannot let that anger cloud our thoughts and keep us from following Jesus or from Jesus' plan for our lives.In just a few short days, my sister will board a plane to Haiti where she will serve in orphanages, serve the community, and ultimately spread God's love. Her first reaction was to not go, to be mad at God for letting this tragedy happen, to fall away from God's plan for her but then she decided she would not give the devil a foothold in her life. She would not let him win. God will win this time.

Breezy, I am so proud of you. I am so heartbroken for you but watching you these last few days, you have proven again that you are truly the stronger one. I have always thought it was my job to take care of you but time and time again you prove me wrong.

Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose.

The Truth Is...

Tue, 02 Dec 2014 06:00:00 GMT

The truth is… this is hard.

People keep saying, “You have your husband and your kids, thats all that matters.” In reality, they are right. I am under far better circumstances than many other moms around me. I should be loving the new adventure, showing my kids that it is important to be flexible, understanding that life changes are a blessing, but I just can’t. I can hardly make myself crawl out of bed. I can’t unpack the boxes and settle into this beautiful condo. I snap at the kids way more then I want or than they deserve. I can’t stop myself from missing my friends and my sister.

Every once in a while, I forget. I will be walking around the grocery store and everything feels normal. Canadians don’t look different from Americans. They don’t act or dress different from Americans. I’m wearing a winter jacket, but I do that sometimes in San Diego. Then all of a sudden it just hits me like someone punched me in the stomach. I’m not in San Diego, I don’t live in California anymore.

I have to keep reminding myself that I wanted this. I was begging for a change. I tell myself we will make friends, we will learn the area, we will find a playground and other activities. But right now, I don’t believe it. I guess partially because I don’t want to believe it. I don’t want new friends and a new playground. I want to go back to what is familiar, comfortable, safe. I want weekly playdates with my friends and their kiddos. I want Friday movie night with my sister. I want Sea World and sunshine and saltwater in the air.

I guess until I settle in, until Toronto starts to feel like home, I will continue to remind myself that we are blessed. We are so blessed. I can't let myself believe otherwise. It's just really easy to lose sight of blessings right in front of me when I keep focusing on the blessings we left behind.

Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose.

Our House Before it Becomes Our Home

Wed, 26 Nov 2014 06:00:00 GMT

This is our new house. At this point in our lives, we are renter. We have spent the last 4.5 years working hard to put ourselves in a position to finally buy a house but we just aren't there yet. So until that time comes, I am very excited to live in this brand new property. We love our landlords, we love the floor plan, we love the neighborhood. It's perfect.

Our new place has a foyer, a laundry room/mud room, three bedrooms, two and a half bathrooms, a bonus room, a basement and a loft. It's also three stories plus a basement! So many stairs!

Our view from our front door.

Kitchen

Laundry // Mud Room // Door to Garage

Toy Room // Second Family Room // Bonus Room

Master Bedroom

So many stairs...

Loft

Monroe's Room

Carter's Room

This is not only a walk through of our house, but it is also a peek into what our life looks like right now. Crazy, messy, hectic, disorganized. Every time I open a box to see what is inside, the kids take it upon themselves to empty it. It's okay though, there would be no point to this beautiful house if we couldn't fill it with love, fun, laughter and a little bit of crazy.

Please pray for us as we continue to unpack, organize, and turn this place into our home.

Clear Eyes, full hearts, can't lose.

PODS, Panic, and Crossing the Border

Mon, 24 Nov 2014 06:00:00 GMT

First conversation with PODS went like this…

Me: We need a PODS to get our stuff from San Diego to the Toronto Area.

PODS: No problem. We drop it off, pick it up when it’s full, store it in San Diego, then deliver it when you are ready.

Me: Perfect.

Next conversation went like this…

Me: We are ready for our PODS delivery. Here is our address.

PODS: No problem. It will be delivered 11/11.

November 7th…

PODS: Oops you didn’t fill out a detailed list of everything in your PODS including serial numbers of electrinics so now your PODS delivery is delayed. When your paper work is in we will give you an ETA. Oh and your PODS can’t cross the border until your whole family has cleared customs but it will still be a week between border crossing and delivery to your house.

Me: WHAT?!? No mention of this ever before!

Obviously we had to fake the list and the serial numbers! Hahaha

Paper work was turned in within the hour, but radio silence from PODS until 11/11 at 11 a.m….

PODS: Your ETA of the PODS to the border is tomorrow early morning. Please clear customs before then.

Obviously I was in a complete panic! I had plans to stay at my mom’s at least another week. I didn’t even start packing up everything we took with us to my mom’s. I had no plans set with anyone to help me pack and move. On top of everything, I had 13 hours to get the kids, myself and our stuff to Canada. 8 hours drive BTW… So basically I had to just start throwing our things in our car as fast as I could, I couldn’t say bye to anyone, I had to cancel plans to see more family, and I had to leave a bunch of our stuff behind.

I am so blessed that I had my amazing friend Heather there to keep encouraging me when I would break down sobbing. She organized my customs paper work that of course wasn’t ready, she watch the kids, and packed boxes. I just love her. Thank you to my brother too who was also an amazing help.

Late in the evening, the kids and I finally hit the road. The kids slept which was perfect. I blasted the radio to keep me awake after the last few exhausting hours. I was so glad to have an easy drive after the stressful day.

After crossing the border and clearing customs in the middle of the night (pretty much morning), we stopped at the first hotel and passed out!

So that's it. That was how we became Canadiens.

In a hectic, stressful, tear filled day and night, we left behind our home, our friends, and our family and drove into the next chapter of our lives.

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

A Quick Weekend Visit // Halloween

Tue, 04 Nov 2014 06:00:00 GMT

Rusty came down to visit us this weekend. The kids were in heaven. We were so excited to see how happy Carter would be to see Rusty, that we brought her into our bed at one in the morning (rusty got in to town around midnight) but true to form she quickly asked to be put back in her bed. (Our kids are amazing sleepers but they need to be alone to sleep.) Of course, after Carter’s alarm clock turned green (when it’s green she can leave her room), she ran out totally excited to spend time with daddy!

First thing we did was surprise Carter with a cow costume for Rusty. Here is the story behind that… I decided I had one more year of picking out Carter’s costume for her so a few months ago I picked little red riding hood for Carter and the big bad wolf for Monroe. All of a sudden, Carter started telling everyone she was going to be a duck for Halloween and rusty was going to be a cow. Huh?! I had no duck or cow costumes and no intention of getting them. But of course, the more she talked about it, the weaker I became until I was walking around Walmart on October 30th trying to piece together a cow costume. My mom had already given in a few weeks back and bought Carter a duck costume. Oh well, the cuteness was so worth it. ��

Next we went to a pumpkin patch! When the weather was still in the 60s and even the 70s I promised Carter we could go to a pumpkin patch with daddy. I obviously wasn’t thinking that the nice weather wouldn’t last forever and of course it actually snowed on Halloween morning! Regardless of the weather, I made a promise and I wasn’t going to let Carter down so on to the pumpkin patch we went.

It was so COLD! I’m guessing not even close to the coldest weather we will deal with this winter but much too cold for this Californian. The cold didn’t stop Carter though! Even after an hour of strong icy winds whipping us around, we still had to bribe Carter with a trip to Starbucks for a kids hot chocolate to get her to leave the pumpkin patch.

We got home with just enough time to thaw out and switch costumes before we headed out for trick or treating. Carter was excited but didn’t fully get it until we hit the first house, after she realized people would be handing out candy at every house and all she had to do is say “trick or treat” and “thank you” she started running from door to door. It was so cold that kids were being driven from driveway to driveway but again, the cold didn’t slow down Carter and because she was just so darn cute all excited, we powered through until sun down. I think poor Monroe was frozen solid!

Little side note… Some random kid dressed up as Rusty for Halloween and then posted it on Instagram. How funny!?

Saturday was Rusty’s birthday. I am now married to a 34 year old. We went to breakfast (had the worst service of our lives), took the birthday boy winter clothes shopping, and then headed to downtown Chicago for some delicious mexican food. Apparently, there is a lack of Mexican food in Toronto so Rusty requested Mexican. We had a great time with my mom, step dad, dad, step mom, and little brothers. We missed Breezy, Drew, and the Ader crew but I’m so thankful for my family that got together to celebrate my awesome husband on his birthday.

Sunday came too fast. To make the day just a little harder, Carter woke up and right away said, “Dad, can you put on your cow costume and I’ll wear my duck costume?” I thought about just loading up the car and driving back with him but it just isn’t time yet. A few more weeks and our stuff will be delivered, then we can finally get our family back together. I don’t know if the distance is hardest on me, Rusty or the kids but either way, none of us like it. I’m so thankful for even a quick weekend together. So thankful rusty didn’t have to miss the kids in their cute costumes or Carter’s excitement for all things Halloween. So thankful we were able to spend Rusty’s birthday with him. I’m just so thankful.

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

Paintball Wife Life

Tue, 21 Oct 2014 05:00:00 GMT

Most of you probably don’t even know what my husband does for a living. What could possibly bring us all the way to Toronto, Ontario; Canada? His career really isn’t what he does, it’s who he is. Paintball.

WAY back in high school, I worked at a little shop in Naperville, Illinois called Bad Boyz Toyz. They sold skate boards and a bunch of my friends were skateboarders so they got me a job. BBT also sold paintball equipment. I knew NOTHING about paintball, but I learned and became pretty competent in the sport at the time so when I moved to San Diego, a friend offered me a few days of work at a paintball tournament. That is where I met Rusty. That is where I first saw the passion that man has for something I considered just a random hobby.

Some of you know that my husband actually played and now coaches professional paintball. Yes, that is a real thing! Magazine covers, autograph signing, pictures with fans, have all been a part of our life. We have also both been filmed over the past few years for a documentary coming out soon. Crazy, I know.

Through the years I have had a love hate relationship with the sport. I hate that it takes Rusty away from us many weekends. Not nearly as many now, but at a time it was most weekends in the year. I hate that I am constantly fighting with paintball for the number one spot in Rusty’s life. Okay, not true, but it does feel like that sometimes! I hate that our life, our schedule, our family revolves around the sport, its basically the fifth member of our family. But even with all that frustration, I love that it is my husband’s passion. I love that I have a husband so passionate about something. I also love the extra income. (Insert giggling emjoi here!)

So what my husband does for a living is live his passion. He is now the marketing director for a paintball and airsoft equipment distribution and retail chain that is nationwide in Canada. He has always (except for a few brief months) worked in the paintball industry, but now he is doing what he loves most and that is a combination of marketing and paintball. I have never met anyone who LOVES their job like my husband does. I mean, he never ever ever stops thinking about work and what he can do next for his company. If we won the lottery today, he wouldn't quit his job. How blessed are we that my husband is able to use his passion to financially support our family?

Source: http://www.badlandspaintball.com/welcome_rusty_glaze

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

A Blessed Wife

Sun, 05 Oct 2014 05:00:00 GMT

Can I have just a few minutes to brag about my husband? I live my dream everyday only because of my amazing husband. I never miss a second with my babies because of my husband's hard work. I am fiercely confident in my marriage because I know there is no one better for me. I am a blessed wife.

Today we watched Rusty drive away, as he began the final leg of our journey to Toronto, alone. He has made the hard decision to go ahead to Canada without us so he can get settled and find us a home.

It will be a month until he gets to see the kids again and I think that is the hardest part of watching him go. At least he got a, “Daddy, I love you so much!” from Carter before he left the house!

We will miss you so much Rusty, but the time will fly by with the excitement of your new job, World Cup, and shopping for our new home. Thank you for being our protector and our leader. Thank you for going alone to set up our new home. Thank you for working so hard to support our family. Thank you for making my dreams come true.

Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose.

Road Trip // Part Four

Tue, 30 Sep 2014 05:00:00 GMT

We do not see Rusty’s parents nearly enough, so I am glad it worked out for us to see them during our road trip. Granny and Paw Paw Glaze live just west of Knoxville in a small town called Madisonville. They actually live in Monroe County, what are the chances?

Granny and Paw Paw just love spending time with the kiddos and the kids love spending time with them. They definitely get spoiled with sweets, handmade gifts, and hugs and kisses. We also got to spend time with another one of Rusty’s sisters, Dustie.

A tip to Tennessee wouldn’t be complete without a trip to the local BBQ restaurant. Yummy!

After lunch we stopped by the Tellico River. It was beautiful! Carter was a little confused because she has only seen a “lazy river” at a water park so when we got there she said, “Hey, there are no floaties. We have to go to the store and buy some.”

Before we got on the road, we made a stop at the worlds largest knife store, Smoky Mountain Knife Works. Before today, I didn’t know you could spend two hours looking at knives but I guess you can…

We had a great last stop before our final destination, my moms house in Plainfield, Illinois.

I couldn’t have imagined how amazing this trip would turn out. We each had the chance to meet family members we haven’t met before and that alone made the whole trip worth it. I can’t say I didn’t get sad or even cry a little the further we drove from California but the adventure we have been on made this move a little easier for me. I know Carter is still expecting to eventually make our way back to San Diego and back to her friends because she has already asked to go home and play with her little buddies. But for now, until reality really sets in, we are having an amazing family vacation and I wouldn’t trade that for anything! Well, maybe I would trade it for a winning lottery ticket and the chance to move back to San Diego!

Yes, she slept with her sunglasses on because it was too bright in the car for her.

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

Road Trip // Part Three

Fri, 26 Sep 2014 15:25:34 GMT

Black out curtains are seriously amazing. The four of us shared a room and we all slept until 9:00. Sweet potato pancakes are also seriously amazing. We woke up to a full breakfast of eggs, bacon, potatoes, and sweet potato pancakes. Food might be the best part of this road trip.

After breakfast, rustys’s sister Misty stopped by for a quick visit. Her daughter Sadie is only two weeks older than Monroe. Even though it was a short visit, it was great to finally meet another one of Rusty’s sisters. Two down, one more sister to meet!

If you know me at all, you know animals aren’t my favorite thing on this planet (they might be my least favorite thing), but I now know the same isn’t true for Carter. Carter’s inner worker bee was shining bright in barn. She helped feed the horses, dogs, and cats. She carried hay around for the horses. She even fed them treats right out of her hand. Her favorite part was definitely getting to ride a horse. It was a proud moment for me too because she just looked so natural and confident all they way up on that huge horse. We heard “Can we go back to the ‘farn’?” a million times through the rest of the day.

We have been lucky enough to have a pool at every stop so far. Swimming is the perfect way to enjoy the hot afternoons and for the kids to get good and worn out for our car rides.

After horse back riding and swimming, it was time for a delicious dinner. BBQ chicken, smoked king crab legs, and ten different grilled veggies. We topped off dinner with some famous Blue Bell Ice Cream. It was amazing! Our family sure knows how to feed us!

We spent one more night in Aunt Sandra’s comfy guest bed and then pack up and headed out to see the rest of Rusty’s family.

On our second day we visited Rusty’s Grandma McDonald. She is over 90 years old, blind, and almost def, but she never stops taking about how God has blessed her so much throughout her life. She was so excited to spend a little time with Rusty and his babies.

After hugging Granny Mac, we headed over to visit with Rusty’s dad’s side of the family.

I met aunts, uncles, and cousins, Carter had a blast making some new friends, and like any good family reunion, we looked at old pictures.

Rusty and his cousin.

The Glaze Family.

Rusty’s dad Donnie holding Gator, his three sisters, and Rusty with long blonde locks.

Rusty in 4th grade.

Look at Rusty’s cute cheeks!

We had another perfect stop on our road trip. I am so happy to finally meet Rusty’s family and so happy they were able to meet the kids. Now we are off to Tennessee to spend sometime with Rusty’s parents.

Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

Road Trip // Part Two

Thu, 25 Sep 2014 22:59:25 GMT

Rusty has a million talents but night driving isn't one of them. We decided that driving through the night would be the best option for the kids so they could sleep during the whole drive. What that means for me is driving us from midnight to sunrise. After hugging our friends goodbye in Arizona, we started our 1100 mile drive to Dallas, Texas at 8 p.m. The kids crashed fast just as planned. Rusty easily stayed awake for his 8 to midnight shift with the help of Dr. Laura, chatting about our amazing kiddos (we might be biased), and my beautiful (not) voice. Then, at 12:15, it was my turn to drive us safely through the night.

It actually wasn't very hard to stay up thanks to a little caffine (by "a little" I mean two large cans of red bull). I also had a great entertaining moment when Carter woke up at 3a.m. and started begging for a treat. "Can I have a treat? I love treats. Mom, I love treats. I really love treats." "No Carter, you need to go back to sleep." "But mom, treats are my favorite! I really really love treats!" She must have been dreaming about something yummy!

At 7 a.m. I finally woke everyone up for a Mickey D's breakfast stop and to let Rusty take care of the drive from that point on. Things didn't go quite as planned though... Good old Google maps estimated our drive time at 14 hours when I was planning our road trip but when we put the address in our car navigation it said 19 hours. So instead of the kids spending 2/3 hours awake in the car, they would be spending 7/8 hours awake but even that would have been better than the 22 hours the drive actually took! The kids seriously did amazing though. A few times they took turns fussing and Carter broke my heart when she started crying, "Can we go home now?" but overall we couldn't have imagined how patient they would be with the drive.

At 8p.m. we finally pulled up to Rusty's aunt and uncle's house in Mabank, Texas. They had the best food grilled up and ready to eat (which was amazing after a day if McDonald's and Pizza Hut!) and a cozy bed ready for us to crawl into. Although the drive was long and exhausting, we are blessed to have family so ready to take us in and take care of us. We are excited and ready to spent time with Rusty's extended family that lives here in Texas.

Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose.

Road Trip // Part One

Tue, 23 Sep 2014 22:19:27 GMT

“Um, Rusty?… I don’t think we are going to make it.” Not something I wanted to say at 11:00 p.m. with two sleeping kids, a snoring husband and a uhaul trailer attached to the back of our SUV. Our fuel range said 34 miles and we had 28 more miles to the closest gas station. Thessalonians 5:16-18 says to pray without ceasing and that is exactly what Rusty and I did for 18 mins as we drove down the 8 freeway. Of course God provided but we learned our lesson! After that we continued on our journey to our first stop, Surprise, Arizona.

Rusty and I decided to take the drive east as an opportunity to see family we haven’t seen in years so our first visit was with my Grandma’s brother Vincent and his wife Rose.

My aunt Rose makes hands down the best Mexican food I have ever eaten. I couldn't wait to share the goodness with Rusty. We had the best time eating, swimming, and hearing old stories. Rusty really enjoyed meeting family that he never met before and they really enjoyed spending time with the kids. My aunt even got me a cake for my birthday!

The 18 hours we spent with them was not nearly enough but we will cherish the quick visit forever.

After leaving my aunt and uncle's house, we made our way to visit friends in Gilbert, Arizona. Rusty has made so many friends through paintball and a few of them have become family to us. The Fows are definitely friends that have crossed the line into family.

We spent the day eating more amazing Mexican food (We are trying to eat as much as we can before we get to Canada!), swimming, and watching our kiddios become fast friends. It was a great way to spend the day before we get back on the road and continue to our next stop.

Thank you to our friends and family in Arizona that took us in and loved on us during our crazy cross country trek.

Off to our next stop...Dallas, Texas!

Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose.

To Our Dear Friends

Tue, 16 Sep 2014 21:24:21 GMT

Friendship is at the top of the list of things we take for granted.

We have spent the last couple of weeks saying goodbye to our closest friends and family. It never fails, we get in the car, I start sobbing, and we both agree, “Why was that the most fun we have had with them?”

Why did we wait until it was our last chance to make sure we have the best time? Why didn’t we get way too loud, stay up way too late, and laugh way too hard when we had the chance to do it again the next weekend?

There is no point in being sad about missed opportunities but there is a lesson to be learned. Slow down. Be in the moment. Stop thinking so much about tomorrow. Take a second to notice what is going on around you. Tomorrow is going to happen if I plan for it or not.

To our future Toronto friends, we promise to say “yes” more. To our San Diego friends and family, the time we spent with you is more important to us than you could ever know.

Clear Eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.

Soaking in San Diego

Tue, 02 Sep 2014 20:35:50 GMT

As excited I am for the change, I never let myself think about moving for too long.

My trail of thoughts usually start with the excitement of a new life and quickly leads to our friends, my sister loving on our babies, hot winter days, Carter searching the sand for sea shells, our San Diego life. That’s when my eyes start to sting and I quickly switch my focus to today, to enjoying the time we still have here, to soaking it all in.

Our moving date is September 22st. It was supposed to be the 19th, but I keep pushing it back, like even a day or two will make leaving easier. I know it won’t. I know there is a good chance I will sob for most of our drive east. I also know there will eventually be a point when I start to feel excited and ready for our new adventure. I know our new life is going to be amazing.

In preparation for moving we have been trying to purge. It’s a great way to add insult in injury… haha. If it wasn’t hard enough to move so far away, I now have to decide what isn’t important enough to take with us.

Digging through our bins of "hand me down" clothes definitely brought on the tears. Its crazy how 12 inches of pink fabric can bring so many sweet memories rushing back. I feel like I could remember every single time Carter wore each little outfit I pulled out of the box.

I just keep reminding myself that all we need is each other and God and everything else is just stuff. Like almost everything it in life, that is easier said then done, so, as we pack, purge, and soak in San Diego over the next few weeks please keep us in your prayers!

Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose.

Away We Go!

Wed, 27 Aug 2014 20:01:05 GMT

San Diego has been good to me. I have lived here just shy of 10 years. I always dreamed I would spend my entire life looking at waves rolling in, smelling the sea salt air, and taking my kids to the nearby slash pad in the middle of December. I found Jesus here. I graduate from college her and then later I earned a Master's degree here. I found the love of my life here and brought my babies into the world here. I live the dream here in California.

Rusty and I were presented with an opportunity to give our lives a 180. We spent weeks going back and fourth with our decision. Can we leave our California life for a new start? We have friends here. Friends that have been around for years and friendships that are just starting to grow. We have friends that have children who are best friends with our children. We have family here. Family that moved here to be near us. Can we just pack up and leave our family behind? We love our church here. How can we leave the church that has shaped our faith into what it is today? But what if this opportunity is God knocking on our door telling us it is time to find something new?

So after praying, and crying, and discussing, and researching we have made our decision. We believe with our whole heart that God is calling us to move away from everything we know and put our trust in him as we move to a place we know very little about. The Glaze family is moving to Canada.

Leaving San Diego is going to be one of the hardest things I have ever done. I cannot believe I will no longer have weekly playdates with my dear friends. Carter is going to miss her friends so much. She already asks to play with them almost every day. I am going to miss my sister more than anyone can imagine. Carter is too young to even realize that she won't be seeing "Auntie Bweezy and Hersh Hersh" very often, but I know it, and it breaks my heart. Just the same, Rusty is very much going to miss his brother and his beautiful family that Carter has grown very fond of over the past few months. But the truth is, the internet is a beautiful thing. We will never be completely out of touch with our family and friends here in San Diego. Plus, California will always be our choice vacation spot!

The Glaze family is moving to Canada. Man, that is crazy to say... It will be a huge adjustment, obviously. Goodbye 80 degree winter days, hello freezing cold! My kids will now have a childhood similar to mine; winter jackets, cabin fever, and possible snow days. We will also be a short 8 hour drive from Chicago. That means much more time spent with Grandmas and Grandpas. Canada will give our kids the chance to grow up in a different culture with different opportunities, opportunities that we likely wouldn't be able to offer our kids if we stayed here in San Diego.

We have made our decision and there is no looking back. Contracts have been signed. Visas have been approved. All that is left to do now is pack up and move. I know I will be a sobbing mess our last few weeks here in California. It is always hard to say goodbye, but it will be exciting to find a new church, a new home, make new friends, and put Carter in a french immersion pre-school! I am anxious to see what God has waiting for us in Toronto, Ontario.

Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose!