Happy Birthday Little Man

I can't believe this picture was taken 5yrs ago today at roughly 5:30am while my husband scarfed down a sausage biscuit and me...I couldn't eat squat. Yeah That's love right there.

Yes I totes wore that shirt to the hospital and I got RAVE reviews!

 Every women has a birth story and I will spare you mine. It was a perfect delivery well almost if that blasated student hadn't put the infant rectal thermometer in my mouth and then could figure out why it would take my temp. Yeah that happened too....

This is one of my fave post birth pictures of me and my sweet baby boy. He was so tiny and perfect and I can remember holding him right there just like it was yesterday.My heart breaks to think of how fast he has grown but at the same time it is filled with so much joy and pride as a momma it feels like it will burst at times.

Our first family picture the following morning. It was within those 2 days that I feel even more deeply in love with my husband. He was my rock during delivery and the way he would just gaze at our son with tears in his eyes melted my heart. I seen deep into his soul that day and realized that God truly created this man perfectly for me.

Now I get to take our son on HIS Birthday to do whatever his little heart desires. It is HIS day and from dawn to dusk we are celebrating him. Each of his accomplishments from the past year, his growth and learning and celebrating him being one of the biggest blessings in my life.

Today is your day little man take it and run!

CAMP KINLEY BIRTHDAY

I had an absolute blast this weekend but holy moly I was so tired I was in bed and asleep by 8:15 last night. My weekend started with a 5.5mile run early Friday morning and didn't end until yesterday evening when all the cleaning from family and birthday party was finished.

If you know me then you know that my real career should have been party planning. I LOVE it and live to plan my children's birthday parties...and sometimes even one for the hubs. I do however try to set a budget and stick to it so the planning can get a bit stressful at times but when it's all said and done with I wouldn't do it any other way!

For Kinleys' 5th birthday he wanted a campout party. Boy did pinterest give me some awesome ideas then I had one or two of my own I threw in there! I am just going to take you on a picture tour with explanations in between! If you have any questions about anything just email me or comment here and I will be happy to help. Seriously if only I could make a living at this I would be the HAPPIEST CAMPER EVER!!

The Camping printables I got from Simone Made It Party Printables on ETSY. I love this kit because 1) it was only $15 & 2) I got to edit it with all my information. This was perfect for me because I tend to change my mind alot so this was easy to just go back and change and print. Without any fees or anything like that! Plus there was a ton of things to print with the Kit including the invitation! The only bummer is she does not do custom orders...wah wah wah...now I'm looking for someone for Lanies Minnie Mouse Party!

The Tie-Dye Station was a HUGE hit with the kids and parents! I forgot how fun this was and since I hadn't done it in years I also forgot how messy! oooops :)  It was well worth it though and each child got to take home their own T-Shirt!

This was one of my fave pics of most of the shirts! I loved seeing how they all turned out!

Then the kids got to "Fish" for party favors!

I just picked up a bunch of little <$1 toys from Party City and put little Velcro circles (from Hobby Lobby) on each of them the the fish had the other velcro and with each cast they caught something!

The cake turned out way better than what I would have imagined. It was a chocolate bottom layer with Peanut butter buttercream inbetween the layers. Then a white cake on top covered in Homemade Choc buttercream icing! oh and the cute little campfire on top! Kinley LOVED it and so did the kids since it had like 5 finger swipes before we even cut into it! Atleast I think it was the kids but now to mention it there were a few lingering adults over there too! ;)

(oh and I made it too) SCORE 1 for MOM

These cupcakes were to DIE for but man were they time consuming to make! They have a homemade graham cracker cake on the bottom, marshmellow in the middle, covered in homemade chocolate cake mix, baked then cover with a Chocolate Ganche and homemade Marshmellow Buttercream Icing....YUM YUMM!!!

Seriously I can't believe how fast he has grown...  :(

CAMP KINLEY wouldn't be complete without a camp fire...and no one got burned! SCORE 2 for MOM!

The party was 3hrs but even with that much time we didn't have time fore the Nature hunt so each child got to take one home with them to hunt with their parents!

Then they also got to make their own Trail Mix to take home too!

We planned a Movie under the stars but didn't consider that his birthday party was literally on the LONGEST day of the year. It wasn't dark until like 9:20 so only a few were able to stay but it was so much fun that I think we will just do this a few times this summer with the neighborhood kiddos!

After the movie all the kids went home except for Kinley best friend Mason. He stayed and they camped out with Camp Counselor DAD in the tent in the back yard. For his birthday we got Kinley a real guitar. He LOVED it and this was by far my fave moment of the night. I hooked up my Ipod to the mic he got from Mason & Owen and played "Pontoon" and he just strummed away on his guitar while me and Mason sang (not really sure what mason was singing but it was too cute). Kinley was so serious and just bobbing his head while he played. I LOVED every minute of it! Even if it looks like we are raising little hippies in this picture!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY little man! I hope this party was something you will NEVER forget!

CAMP COUNSELOR,

~MOM

Thankful Thursday

Well I have been relatively quiet on the blog lately. Supermom has been working her fingers to the bone and the blog has been suffering. :(

After finishing Jamie Eason LiveFit I decided to try out Jillian Michaels 30DS. I'm not really a fan. I mean it's an ok workout but after doing some seriously lifting for 12 weeks it just isn't cutting it. I am contemplating going back and starting at LiveFit Phase 2 and upping every weight and seeing how that goes.

I haven't ran in about a week either. It is just so blazing HOT but man and I getting the itch. After half a mile outside I feel like I'm dying! Good thing I didn't sign up for an summer Halfs...don't think I would have made it through.

We are still cleaning eating about 80% of the time. The other 20% is left to pizza and well pizza. Gosh why do I have to love pizza so much?!

I have been enjoying the extra day off every week with my babies. I know that we all make difference decisions about working vs staying at home but I have to say that since I am a full time working momma this extra time I have at home is spent making memories and lots of them! This works for my family perfectly and I honestly don't know that I would have it any other way. Well maybe I would only work 3 days a week for forever but since it's only for the summer I will take it and run.

My mind has also been in Africa the past few days. Zawadi started there yesterday and oh how I long to be there. Once Zawadi is over (it's about a week long process) I will do a big post with all the pictures from it! I hope that you will join me in prayer over the next few days that these students will feel the love of Jesus and the love from others around the world who want to show them what genuine love and giving is all about!

The next  few weeks are super crazy for me. Little mans CampOut Birthday party is next weekend and if you know me its "Party Big or Go Home"! I love me some party planning but I will be fully immersed in it for the next week then the week after that will be "His" birthday day where we will do everything HE wants to do. Then we have Bible School and we leave for the beach on the 28th. Not to mention I plan on training in #beastmode for the next 2 weeks before the beach! I am seeing changes and happy with them so I want to keep it up!

I will follow up though with a new "Transformation" picture right before leaving for the beach in one of the new bikini's I ordered! It came yesterday and I almost feel 100% comfortable! SCORE! There will also be party posts, birthday posts and Zawadi posts!! WHEW! Now where did I put my cape~~~~~~


I'm thankful that I have been given this gift of raising my children to LOVE with a heart like Jesus'




This bag was filled by Kinley and he prayed for David and now to see it in the hand of David just fills my heart with so much love and joy! I <3 both of these boys so much!




Free Movie wednesday with friends!


Oh and I tried to get crafty but couldn't even get the dang sewing machine to work, UGH! I wanted to give away some cool stuff! :(


Can you guess what I was trying to make??




Finally tall enough for bumper cars, YAY!




and big enough for the bigger slide!



I swear this girl will drive me to drink...more heavily but Lord how I love her! #sheishermothersdaughter





10 Mannerisms I want to teach my Children

Raise your hand if you think your children are the spawn of Satan...that is until you are around other peoples children...then you realize just how blessed you are

Raise your hand if on a daily basis you feel like you just won the award for "Worst Mom of the Year"

Raise your hand if you have been around another adult and you plead with God "Please don't ever let me child speak like that or act like that as an adult"

Ok you all can put your hands down now. We have all been there and it seems like lately it has been revealed to me even more how important it is for my children to have certain mannerisms as adults.

No one is perfect and I surely don't expect my children to be but I recall once standing in someone's home as someone repeated to us that in a heated arguement they told a family member "I hope you get in a wreck and die on your way home" this person also had a small child with them.

At that moment in time I realized how important "MY" influence was on my children. But not only my influence but the influence of "WHO" I put my children around.

After pondering this question for quite some time this is what I have come up with.

10 Mannerisms I Will Teach My Children

1) Always THINK before you speak. Ask yourself "Is this really necessary?" So often hurtful things are said because someone doesn't "think" about the consequences of their words. Yes I 100% believe there are consequences to our words. Words can NEVER be Unsaid. Also in this day and time so may things are not "said" but they are typed. Through social media and texts. This is hard because someone might not be able to tell your "attitude" behind the text. If you are texting with someone always REREAD your message and think about it as if you are the person receiving it and how you would take it. ALWAYS be sure your words are kind and NEVER hide HATEFUL words with a smiley face and think that covers up your deceit.

2) Be RESPECTFUL of others PROPERTY. Accidents happen but it burns me up to see another child viciously play with a toy that is not theirs and just destroy it without consequence. If my children learn at a young age to treat others' property with respect then  hopefully as teenagers and young adults they will veer away from the acts of Egging cars/homes, Vandelization (that is a Mel's vocab special) and purposeful property damage.

3) Do not HATE nothing or no one. The word hate is not a part of our vocabulary nor will it ever be in our home. One of my brothers old girl friends used to say "I hate you" in this little playful joking way....it drove me and my parents bonkers!! I couldn't stand listening to her talk to him because even though she didn't mean those words they still sounded AWFUL coming from her mouth. Much less the fact that the bigger sister part of me wanted to punch her in the face every time she said it to my "baby brother". Shew thank goodness he grew up and realized that she was about as coo coo for cocoa puffs as they came. Fact is that if we don't say it now they are less likely to say it and hopefully they will stay away from such strong mean feelings. I never want their hearts to be hardened with hate.

4) Do not be a RUMOR WEED. *anyone catch that veggie tales reference?* If you didn't see it with your own eyes or hear it with your own ears then don't repeat it. Nobody likes a Gabby Gracie...period.

5) RESPECT YOUR OWN BODY. Oh my, has this went by the wayside the past 15-20years or what? This doesn't just apply to sex, this now applies to drugs, alcohol, food, etc. Our body is a temple that was given to us by God and I want my children to have enough respect for themselves that before they act they give true thought to how their decisions will affect their body. As parents we want to shield them from the cold hard ugly truth of what some of these things can do but if we don't show them what consequences look like then how will they know what they having coming if they make these decisions? Herpes, warts, IV Tracts, Meth Sores, Cirrhosis, Morbid Obesity. Mine will know what all of these look like at a young age. They will NEVER be able to say "I didn't know".

6) I do not want them to FEAR the DISABLED. As my son has gotten older he has asked questions, very vocally I might add, about children in wheel chairs or someone who walks or talks "different". I have tried my very best to answer him in a very open honest way. I do not want him to fear those people but be willing to offer a helpful hand if needed. I want to teach them that we all have different struggles and we should be thankful everyday for the health and abilities that God has given us.

7) The PAST is the PAST. As a parent I think this is one that we have a lot of control over. Once a child has done something, been disciplined and paid the consequence, then it is done and over. No need to bring up their past mistakes when they have already moved on. There is no quicker way to bring a child down then to remind them of all the times they have failed. I also know that as adults we will fail daily and we don't like it when it gets thrown up in our face. But how are we to blame the adult if they were never shown to forgive and forget? God has wiped my sins away and will continue to do so and I want my children to be able to look past others failures and point out the good in them.

8) DO NOT BRAG about what you have. Be Thankful but keep it to yourself.

9) Be KIND. Kindness and a smile can change someone in more ways than you could ever imagine. Be the CHANGE we need in the world today and let it begin with a smile and friendly Hello.

10) LOVE and when you love, LOVE with ALL YOUR HEART. Heartbreak hurts and in life you will be hurt by family, friends, bf/gf but with pain comes healing. The feeling you have when you LOVE with all your heart is greater than the pain and you will always remember the love and the pain will slowly ease.

So there are thousands of things I want to teach my children and I hope that my everyday actions teach them more then my words can but these few things I think often get over looked. We are not born as cynical, hateful, unforgiving people. We are born innocent babies and are taught by those who we are surrounded by the most. If we as parents are cautious of our own actions then we will raise a generation to be proud of.

We fear the future of our country and what our children and grandchildren will be exposed to but truth is WE are raising the future and it is in our hands now to start molding them to be the Change the future needs.

Happy Monday Ya'll!



The One Series Winners (for real this time)

Hey ya'll!!This is going to be short and sweet tonight. 

I am working for a girlfriend at another dr office and I am twice as busy and do not have my computer. :( WAH WAH WAH!

With that being said I have been super tired as I scanned 22 patients today and ran 2 miles on my lunch. 

This momma is wore plum out.

Anyways in my stupper of putting the last post together I totally realized I didn't display the winners on the rafflecopter! OMG, I swear if I get out of routine then it messes everything up!

So without further adue adoo ahdu how the heck do you spell that word?  HERE THEY ARE

 

CONGRATS to SARAH HANNON You won the Signed copies of The One's Series by Laural Ulen Curtis

A 2nd CONGRATS to LAURYN ROTH!! You won eCopies of The One Series!

Please email me at sweetsouthernmel@gmail.com within 72hrs to claim your prizes :)

Now if you are up for another awesome WorkOut Giveaway then please head on over to my BBFF Mere's Blog IS THIS THING ON?! She just posted a great giveaway today with super duper easy entry! Plus she is just plain fantastic and you need to check her out!

 
Now I am off to bed! Big day at Splash Country tomorrow with both kids...by myself...oh what was I thinking?! EEEEK If I don't make it back alive you all were wonderful readers ;)

Oh and are you following me on IG? If not you totes should because that is where most of my posts start! @sweetsouthernmel

Sweet Dreams,

~Mel

Clean Eating & Jamie Eason & Giveaway Winners!

Well I completed the Jamie Eason LiveFit program on Saturday. I was happy but also sad to see it end.

This 12 week program is probably the longest program I have ever done and stuck too. It workouts changed every 2 weeks so I didn't get bored. In the beginning the 4 days a week I thought was a little amount but man did I miss those short weeks come week 9-12!

My weight is has stayed the same for the past web weeks but my body has seen huge changes. Even before I had kiddos my weight hovered around 130. If I could get the 127 I was doing good. I was in a size 6 and medium tops. Well now staying around 134 I am in a size 4 and wear mostly small tops and dresses! SCORE!

I highly encourage you to add lifting into your workout regimen. It has changed my body drastically.

Before and After! The picture is a little hard to tell but the black bathing suit is actually a litle big!

I will do some more Before/After pics of muscles that I have seen huge changes in hopefully this week sometime!

Throughout the past 12 weeks I have also been running (more in the beginning but less now) and did a squat challenge and a AB Challenge. I have ate about 70/30 paleo and am now getting through a clean eating challenge.

So lets move on to the challenge.

Last week was awful! It started with prepping for the Memorial Day Bash. I didn't have time to food prep for us for the week so I decided we would just wing it.....that was a bad idea. I did great for breakfast, forgot to eat snacks, and did bad for lunch and semi ok for dinner. Then we made a trip to Dunkins Donuts on Saturday, holy cow batman that was the most delicious bad decision I have made in 3 months!

So we (the hubs did better than I last week but still wasn't as good as the first)said this week we would do better. Only 1 trip to the New Mexican Restaurant is in our future for this week. I did food prep yesterday and made my menu from last week. I had most of the stuff and we had the Zuchinni for dinner yesterday and have leftovers tomorrow. It was delicious!

Here is the link to last weeks Clean Eating Menu I am using.

For June I have started Jillian Michaels 30Day Shred, I am doing the mile a day Challenge and I am restarting the Squat Challenge. I decided against the Arm Pyramid Challenge for this month only because I didn't realize that the Shred has a lot of muscle work in it. I had never done it before and don't want to over do it!

26days til I leave for the beach 

so I gotta make each one count!

How are you all doing with your fitness programs this summer? It is the hardest time for me because I love summer and all the stuff that comes with it! Camp fires, pool time, wine, birthday parties and vacation!

Stay strong and imagine where you will be at the end of summer!

Here is a little Food Prep for ya! If you aren't following me on IG ya totes should! @sweetsouthernmel

Left is Jamie Eason Protein Bars (these are actually really good) & Zucchini Lasagna. Top right is veggies and fruit for the week. Bottom right is almonds with raisins (the hubs fave snack)

Each bag of veggies and Container of fruit is to last us 2 days

 

That Lasagna was delicious! These recipes on linked on my Week 2 Clean Eating Menu

I have not tried this yet but it is the Honey Chipolte Ground Chicken that we will have for lunch with homemade quacamole and sweet potato! The hubs said it was good but a bit spicey! (I even halved the red pepper) 

Can't wait to try it tomorrow!

 

I hope you all have a great week and forgive me if my posting is off a bit! I go to my first short week this week and I have loads of fun stuff planned for the kiddos and I!

Much Love,

Mel 

Oh yeah! Who wants to know who won The One Series Book Giveaway?? If you didn't win please go over and buy her books on Amazon now!! You won't be disappointed! 


a Rafflecopter giveaway