a personal struggle.

I've realized lately that I am really struggling with things in life that are beyond my control. I'm so afraid to lose my husband and my son. It's always been a fear but it become very stuck in my mind last week when I had a scary incident with Aiden (that all turned out just fine).

We had just got home from the baby sitter's house and Aiden was asleep in his car seat carrier. I decided since we was still asleep I would let him stay in the seat and left him in our living room while I worked in the kitchen. I almost always take him out whether he is sleeping or not but didn't want to wake him this time. After about 30 minutes I decided he needed to be taken out of the seat even though he was still sleeping. As I unbuckled his straps and even moved his arms to pick him up he never moved. Not at all. I said (quite loudly) "hey buddy" as I tickled his belly but he didn't move. It wasn't until I actually picked him up that he began to stretch and wiggle. He was so sound asleep. Through out this 10 seconds my heart stopped. My hands trembled. My face went pale. My whole world was falling apart.

I immediately felt silly for becoming so frightened but his still, little body seemed so lifeless. I sat down on the couch, cuddling my sweet, sleepy boy and wept. I cried out to God, thanking Him for our son. Thanking him that it wasn't time for him to take Aiden from me.

Since then I have become the paranoid mom that I thought I would be from day 1. I'm not only a paranoid mom but a wife as well. I worry about my loves constantly. Whether Chris is at the fire station, sitting in a deer stand, or driving down the highway - I worry. It's not until he is curled up next to me that I have a peace.

This worry is not something new to my life. I was very similar to this as a child. I didn't like staying home by myself (even when I was clearly old enough) and I always thought the worse when someone was running late or something didn't go quite right.

Last night, I shared this struggle with Chris a little bit more. Although he was compassionate to me, he ended the conversation with "there's nothing I can do, this is between you and God." He is so right (and I knew that too). Today I'm trying to dive deeper in to scripture and prayer on this. Here are a few scriptures that are so on spot.
 

Those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.  Isaiah 40:31

Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.  Psalm 62:6

They will have no fear of bad news;  their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the LORD.  Psalm 112:7

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 4:6-7

Having such a compassionate heart can be such hard work sometimes! Any suggestions beyond prayer and scripture? Any personal experience with this? I'd love to hear!

Be a blessing to someone today!

My Adventures of Going No Poo-Week 1

Week 1 is Done!

Hey Y'all! Sorry I'm a couple of days behind on this. I was trying to post on my lunch break at work since we don't have internet at home and I've been working through lunch.

Anyway, it has now been a week and 2 days since I cut out traditional shampoo and conditioner and switched over. Did you see the first post about it? If not, check it out here! I am so happy to report that I am a huge fan (at this point) of this new concoction! My hair feels clean, has a good shine, is very manageable and is actually curling better for me. I don't feel like I have gone through that transitional period that some go through where their hair gets frizzy or oily.

The only change I have made to my routine is that I have started putting the baking soda solution on before I get my hair wet in the shower. This makes me feel assured that my whole scalp is really getting scrubbed clean because I know exactly where its going. Then when I step in to the shower I just dip my head quickly into the water and then go about my shower. I wait until I've finished everything else before I rinse the baking soda and do the vinegar solution. I don't start the vinegar solution at my scalp though, its more the length of my hair instead. I will say that I think the vinegar solution gets smellier the longer its in the bottle (I get about 4 washes out of the 8 ounce solution of each.) I have contemplated using some essential oils to tone down the vinegar smell but I'm not sure its worth it. Once I blow dry my hair or style it curly then I don't smell the vinegar any more.

Have you tried it? I'd love to hear you experience or your apprehension if you any!

Be a blessing to someone today!

Kayla

no more dryer sheets.

I have a quick trick for you to save a little money! Next time you run out of dryer sheets don't run to the store for more. Just wad up a couple simple balls of aluminum foil. I have been doing this for a couple weeks now and it's been great! I use three balls and it's been working for me! I'm definitely not buying more dryer sheets! The aluminum balls will last so long, use them over and over!

The foil cuts down on static and helps to keep your clothes bouncing around so they dry faster. You can't use dryer sheets with cloth diapers anyway so this works great when I'm in a time crunch and need the diapers dry quickly! (although I try not to dry them in the dryer)

Tune in Monday for my week 1 update on no 'poo! I will also be doing a couple Christmas decor tutorials next week!

Have a great weekend!

My Adventures of Going No 'Poo - Day 1

 
Ok, so last we talked I was taking some steps to a more natural way of life. Cloth diapers, homemade laundry soap, etc. I have found a new way to cut out chemicals and save loads of money. Homemade "shampoo and conditioner." I have made alternatives to these with a couple of basic ingredients already in my home: baking soda, apple cider vinegar, and good ol' H20.

When I first starting reading about no 'poo (the method of not using sham"poo") I was not convinced. I really like using shampoo that smells flowery and tropical and leaves my hair feeling soft and pliable. However, the more I read the more I saw that is exactly what people were saying the no 'poo method was leaving their hair (minus the yummy scents). Not trying to brag here but I love my hair. I've always loved the color of my hair but mostly I love it because it is beyond easy! Its a good thickness and curls or straightens when I want it to (generally speaking at least).

Reading and doing research about no 'poo really brought some interesting points to mind. Shampoo is really a detergent that strips your hair of oils even more than we need it too. It takes away the excess oil that causes greasiness but it also takes away the oil that is good for moistening your scalp and keeping your hair shiny in a good way. By taking away the good oils your hair and scalp can end up drying out which then causes your body to over do it and produce to much oil.. It's a vicious cycle I tell ya! Plus, if you're using a shampoo that is not all-natural (which I NEVER have, I go for decent price and smells nice) then it likely contains chemicals that could potentially be harmful to your body or to the environment. (By the way, I have more to say about chemicals and such soon.)

Photo from The Crunchy Wife

I made the plunge and tried it this morning. I made both of my solutions in peri bottles (you know the kind you get from the hospital after having a baby. I bought some in bulk off of eBay that were super cheap and use them for a few things around the house). I used 1 Tablespoon of baking soda to 8 ounces of water. And about 2 ounces of apple cider vinegar (maybe a little more) to 8 ounces of water. These are done in separate bottles.

It seemed a little strange to me when actually applying it because the baking soda fully dissolves in the water so it feels like you're just squirting water (in my case cold water) on your head. The same with the vinegar mixture (I put the vinegar mixture all over my head but I know most people seem to just put it on the ends). However, after rinsing my hair it wasn't tangled (when my hair is wet and I haven't used conditioner it tangles very easily) and although it didn't smell like flowers it smelled clean and fresh.

My hair is pretty thick and I was afraid I would need to use more to truly clean my hair but after blow drying and straightening it I had no issues at all. Today my hair feels normal to me, maybe even a little bit lighter than normal. I'm fully aware that this might not stay as easy as it is right now. Most people going no 'poo go through a transitional time where their hair is overly oily or overly dry as your scalp tries to figure out whats going on. We will see! 

Day 1 with no 'poo

We'll see how my hair does over the next couple of weeks. Fairly healthy as of now.

Be a blessing to someone today!!
-Kayla

becoming a hippy.

I've come to the conclusion that I am becoming a hippy. Yep, a hippy. I'm a cloth diapering, laundry detergent making, going green kinda momma. OK, so maybe these things don't constitute me as a hippy but I realized this morning how much I really am leaning towards this natural (cutting chemicals and processed foods out as much as possible) lifestyle. I'm not a health nut by any means but caring for our sweet boy has made me more cautious of the things I do and use.

This all started when I decided to cloth diaper Aiden, a few months before we even knew he would be Aiden. I have been so pleased with our diapers and am very thankful to have this alternative from buying costly diapers that are just going to be thrown away and then off to a landfill. Not only do I wrap his cute little booty in cloth rather than plastic but I make the detergent to clean them too. It's a very simple, basic solution that seems to do a great job and isn't costly like some name brand detergents. We're even going as far as using cloth wipes more lately. I decided I might as well since I'm washing the diapers anyway. I'm amazed at home many wipes we've gone through in the 16 1/2 weeks of our sweet boy's life.

Here is the recipe for the cloth diaper detergent:
Equal parts of: baking soda, washing soda, and oxiclean
(I did just see a post about adding essential oils to this make it smell good, I'm considering trying this but I also don't really mind that something my babe is gonna poo in doesn't smell like flowers as long as its clean)

This is my routine for diaper laundry: "Express wash" (a setting on my washer) on cold, then a "normal wash" on hot with an extra rinse. I generally do a large load of diapers and in that case I would add one tablespoon to the express wash and then 2 tablespoons to the regular wash. It seems to work well for me. I did have an ammonia problem this weekend but I think I probably got in a rush getting diapers ready for a weekend away messed up on more routine.

I have just been using water for my cloth wipe "solution" but I'm going to be making one tonight. Once I figure out what that will be I'll post it too!


I make our regular laundry detergent as well. I've been using this recipe for about 3 months and I've had no problems with it at all. It smells great and is cheap to make! Click here for the recipe! It really does make a TON! I bought a five gallon bucket to store my excess in from Home Depot which is great to mix it in too. I just made sure the lid was on tightly and rolled the bucket back on forth on the floor because all that detergent weight a lot!


In just two months sweet boy will be ready to start out baby foods and I'll be making that too! I'm soo stinkin' excited for this! My parents gave us a Baby Bullet as a baby shower gift and I can't wait to get started. I'm glad that I'll know exactly what is going in to our boys body and I'm thinking its gonna help me (and hopefully Firefighter Hubby too) eat healthier as well.

At this point, I'm still mostly using the typical household cleaners for my kitchen, bathroom, etc (but really who am I kidding, when do I ever really clean) but I'm starting to look in to more ways to cut those chemicals out and use natural cleaning methods, especially when it's usually cheaper to make them than to buy them. 

Other "natural things" I'm planning to try:
-amber teething jewelry
-homemade facial wipes
-cloth "paper" towels
-wool dryer balls - I can't use dryer sheets with cloth diapers anyway
-cloth menstrual pads - TMI maybe but I'm ok with that.
-dog treats

Have you had any luck with trying new "natural" ways of life? I'd love to hear what you're doing!

mini getaway.

Chris and I are celebrating our 1st wedding anniversary a couple days early! We are (me..) being brave and leaving sweet Aiden with his Moppy and Poppy and two aunts! I am SOO looking forward to the time away with my sweet husband! We are heading to a Cardinals game tonight which seems fitting since our wedding was baseball themed, staying in a great hotel, and then spending the day just hanging out tomorrow before returning to the babe!

I am kinda feeling guilty for being so excited for time away with hubby minus the baby. I thought I would struggle more with it. Chris made a good point a couple weeks ago though. We've only been married for a year. As much as I wouldn't change it for the world we got pregnant so quickly that we lost some of that time as newlyweds. So now that I am not lugging around a watermelon belly we can take advantage of awesome family that will love on Aiden while we have time together. Don't get me wrong I am going misssss my boy but he'll be in capable, loving hands!

I feel like a giddy little school girl looking forward to a hot date! :)

Side note:: My sweet boy is two months old as of yesterday! Goodness, how did that happen! More to come on that as well!

Pictures to come!

Be a blessing to someone today!

i am in love.

My, oh my! How times have changed! It's been over 2 months since I've been on here! Sorry for the delay, although I don't know that you noticed I was gone! ;)

I am indeed a Momma to the sweetest little boy there is! Aiden Christopher Wescoat graced us with his presence 16 days early on July 27, 2012. I promise to write a birth story out asap! I am in love with son.

6lb 13 oz, 20 3/4 inches

So peaceful

So tiny

So precious

 Being a Momma has been amazing! I spent 5 weeks at home with him before heading back to work. (Heading back to work is a whole different blog post waiting to happen - I am blessed!) The first couple weeks were tough on me as I was figuring out caring for a sweet boy that didn't want to eat, couldn't keep it down, and was losing to much weight. After a few weeks of regular weight checks, switching up feeding, and lots of tears we got him figured out. ;) I am in love with being a momma.

First time holding baby Aiden

Aiden is blessed to have an amazing Daddy. Sweet hubby has been the greatest! I have always known he would be a good dad and he is living up to that plus so much more! He is not only a great daddy but a great husband. And he's had almost a year to get that figured out, we're celebrating our first anniversary in 5 days! I am in love with my husband.

Aiden's first bow hunting trip @ 7 weeks old :)

As much as I love this picture, I wish I had at least one other picture of us together at our wedding...

I have said it so many times and I hope you believe me when I say I truly mean "I am blessed!" God has taken care of our little family in so many wonderful ways over the past couple of months. He's blessed me with a wonderful support system to lean on when times get tough and to celebrate the happy moments. I am in love with my Lord and Savior!

Be a blessing!

I'm Back!

Hello there!

Chris and I on 4th of July
watching the Springfield Cardinals!

Thanks for sticking with me while I've been taking a break! The last several weeks have been a whirlwind of excitement for Chris and I!

I'm going to just stick with a baby update for today but I can't wait to share my experience with my first craft show and where to tell about where I plan to go with the sewing biz!

We are now 35 weeks pregnant! I know, right?! Where has time gone! I was just telling Chris last night that I really do feel like the time has flown by and its kind of sad to me! Not only has the time flown by through the pregnancy but life in general! Chris and I have been married for just over 9 months now and I feel like there is so much more we could have packed into our first months as newly-weds! Luckily, we have the rest of our lives together to make those memories!

Ok, back to baby. ;)

I went to the doctor yesterday and had my first exam to check for progression. (If you don't want the details scoot on down to the next paragraph!) I was dilated to a 1-2 and my cervix has softened. Hearing this totally blew me away! Umm.. really? Not that it means I'll go before my due date but we're heading in the direction of labor! Reality check!! We're having a baby!

Ok, its safe here. Aiden's room is coming together a bit slower than I would have liked but I've decided to quite worrying about it because even if it's not together when he arrives life will go on! My parents came down a couple weeks ago and we did some serious DIYing! We painted a twin bed that was in their basement to be the spare bed in his room. I'm SO pleased with how well it turned out! I've also painted a dresser, end table, and a couple of shelves for his room. Pictures will be posted when it's all done. I'm working out with my sweet cousin to get his crib in the next week or so and I think that'll send me for another reality check!

We were thrown 3 baby showers for this little man and let me assure you God has blessed us! We feel like we have what we need for him to arrive plus so much more! I really have a bad relationship with laundry but I have loved washing and folding his tiny little clothes and diapers! I can't remember if it was ever brought up on here but my cousin and his wife gave me their entire stash of cloth diapers! Yep, I told you we were blessed! I have purchased a few newborn diapers if I found them for a steal but I haven't had to put much in to them at all! I can't wait to see all of this cute fluff on him! Here are some pictures from the showers!

Chris and I at our shower at his parents house!
I need to track down some more pics from here from my SIL!
It was a fire truck theme and they were so creative! It was adorable!

My fun siblings! I think Justin is trying to compete
with the watermelon I have apparently swallowed!

33 Weeks along!

Me and my amazing parents!

And here is a shot of the diapers!
Plus we have inserts, wet bags, and a Moby wrap!

taking a break.

I'm going to be gone from blogging until at least the beginning of June. Not that I am around here too often but I don't keep up with it well. So, blessings until I "see" you all again. I will have so much to share when I return!!

Baby Wescoat: 24 Weeks

My oh my! We're 24 1/2 weeks along! The reality of everything has totally set in and I cant wait to hold my little man! The thought of him is totally mind consuming now and as I was explaining to my sister last week I think it is that way because he makes his presence known so often! I feel him squirming around all through out the day now instead of just when I'm relaxing.

I've developed quite the baby bump and there are very, very few pairs of regular pants I can comfortably fit into anymore. I can still wear the majority of my shirts but they are starting to become quite short. Weight gain has kind of hit hard this past week. I have been gaining the right amount of weight since my last appointment but I am starting to really notice my body expanding other than just the tummy. I struggled for a few days with this because although I knew it was coming it still is hard to just move on and be "OK" with such quick weight gain(especially for a newlywed!). I have been really blessed by friends letting me borrow maternity clothes though!

I am so excited to tackle Mr. Aiden's room. I'm starting to form it in my mind but I am still on a hunt for a changing table/dresser and a rocker. We've decided to go with a fire fighter theme. I really wanted to do either a cowboy or dinosaur theme but I decided that we'll always have fire fighter decor mixed into our regular home decor so it'd be easier (and more cost effective) to stick with the fire stuff. And sweet hubby is kind of a fan of fire gear too! ;) My mom  and I hit the garage sales this weekend during a quick trip home and I got lots of sweet little onesies, a spider and a penguin Halloween costume (they were 50 cents a piece so it was worth it to buy both!), and some fire fighter toys too.

Please keep praying for Chris and I as we still try to grasp the reality of raising a child and seek what God has for us as a young married couple and parents. My nerves seem to be shot lately and stress is way to high some days which is just something I have to work on. Pray for little Aiden too! We go back to the doctor Thursday, I always look forward to hearing the doctor say, "everything is fine."

Here's a link to our registry! I'd love any opinions or suggestions on products! We'll be registering at Target soon too!

Babies"R"Us - Baby Registry

Be a blessing to someone who needs it today!

fun filled Easter.

Well, I called it! It was a wonderful Easter/Birthday weekend! Sunday was not only a day of celebrating a Risen Lord but also the 26th birthday of my hubby! Friday and Saturday were mostly filled with fishing and shooting guns. Lots of good food was had too! We're always spoiled when we are with family!

Pictures pretty much explain it all! :)

Easter weekend.

I am so looking forward to this Easter weekend! Chris and I are going to his parents house and I am SO looking forward to it. I'm pretty certain that the weekend will be filled with fishing, shooting guns, lots of laughing, egg hunting, and a wonderful church service. Sounds like a good weekend to me!

I love knowing that next Easter we'll have little mister here to celebrate with. To share the Easter story with. To dress up in darling clothes for church.

I feel like the true meaning of Easter, even more than Christmas, is forgotten in the egg dyeing and the pictures with the Easter bunny.

Here's a poem I found that really does remind us of the true meaning of Easter.

Easter Joy

Jesus came to earth,

To show us how to live,

How to put others first,

How to love and how to give.

Then He set about His work,

That God sent Him to do;

He took our punishment on Himself;

He made us clean and new.

He could have saved Himself,

Calling angels from above,

But He chose to pay our price for sin;

He paid it out of love.

Our Lord died on Good Friday,

But the cross did not destroy

His resurrection on Easter morn

That fills our hearts with joy.

Now we know our earthly death,

Like His, is just a rest.

We'll be forever with Him

In heaven, where life is best.

So we live our lives for Jesus,

Think of Him in all we do.

Thank you Savior; Thank you Lord.

Help us love like you!

By Joanna Fuchs

I've had quite a rough week so I'm looking forward to being reminded of the joy! I hope you are too! I'll be sure to actually post some pictures from this weekend! Be a blessing to someone!

chick-fil-a knock off

I love me some Chick-fil-A! Seriously, I could eat there several times a week and not get tired of it! Yesterday morning as I was trying to rack my brain for something to do with the boneless skinless chicken breast that I already had, Chick-fil-a started to sound so very good! So I looked on Pinterest for a knock off recipe and found an amazing one! Here's the recipe I used.I can't find the one that I sort of followed but I changed it quite a bit anyway. Enjoy!!

Chick-fil-A Bites

Serves 2

Ingredients:
2 large chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup pickle juice
1 egg
1 1/4 cups flour
2 Tablespoons powdered sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup vegetable oil

Directions:
1. Combine egg, milk and pickle juice in a large ziplock bag or bowl. Add chicken pieces and marinate in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours.

2. Mix the flour, powdered sugar, salt and pepper in a large ziplock bag. Pull the chicken out of the "marinade" and add to the breading mixture. Shake to coat the chicken completely.

3. Heat the oil in a large skillet (I needed my burner on a 5 out of 10) Add the chicken. It took about 4 minutes on each side for my chicken to really brown up and cook well. I used a large skillet but this may need to be done in two portions so the skillet isn't to full.

4. When the chicken is done, use tongs and remove it from the pan on to a plate lined with paper towel.

Here is the sauce recipe I found too. I will say, I couldn't find the right brand and my sauce was good but not exact. So, if you can find Ken's honey mustard, then go for it!

Chick-fil-A Sauce

Serves: 1 cup
Start-to-Finish: 5 minutes
Recipe By: www.food.com

Ingredients:
1 cup Ken's honey mustard dressing (no brand substitutions or lite versions here, it makes a difference)
2 tsp smoky barbecue sauce

Directions:
1. Combine ingredients.
2. Cover and refrigerate until serving.

I bought a hickory smoke barbecue sauce and it was so good. I can't remember the brand for sure but it was just a basic one. This is what I used in the chick-fil-a sauce and just as a barbecue dipping sauce as well. Delicious! 

I bought frozen waffle fries and added a little seasoned salt to top it off. Oh wow! This will be a regular dinner for me to fix!!

baby things.

Now that we know Baby is a He I am so ready to start looking at things for him! You know, bedding, clothes, stroller, and probably most important, cloth diapers! So lets start with cloth diapers! I would love some "been there done that" mommas and dads out there with tips and tricks!

What brand?
What kind? (all in one, pocket, etc.)
Where to buy?
What detergent?
What rash cream?
What else? :)

Baby Wescoat: 20 Weeks

Yep, Baby Wescoat is a boy and now even has a name! Aiden Christopher Wescoat looked precious in the ultrasound and was an active little guy! It was SO fun to watch him kick and move around! It was totally surreal watching him kick and move about and not feel it. But there were a few good kicks that I felt and Chris saw which was a real neat thing too!

I wasn't actually able to meet with my doctor after the ultrasound as planned because he was delivering another little bundle of joy but I met with the nurse and that was good too. I gained a little more weight in the last 4 weeks than I should have so I really have to start watching that but I kinda knew that anyway!

Little Mister is quite an active guy, I've been able to feel him for 2 weeks now and its definitely getting stronger! It's been a fun couple of weeks!

I am already looking in to what to do his room in! It's kinda funny, although I really did want a boy I think I had it in the back of my mind that he would be a she. I definitely had more ideas going through my head for all things girl! No complaints here though!! :)

Yep, a boy, he sure is!

HIS sweet profile!!

Go Green::Give Charity Giveaway!!!

Welcome to the Go Green ♥ Give Charity Cloth Diaper Giveaway Event sponsored by Booty Buns Cloth Diapers! Over 175 blogs have teamed up to present this amazing cloth diaper giveaway hosted by Daily Mothering.

Here's your chance to win an entire stash of one-size cloth diapers!

This amazing cloth diaper prize pack includes:

20 Booty Buns One-Size Cloth Diapers

(these true one-size cloth diapers fit 3-45 lbs!)

20 matching flannel/terry cloth wipes

40 microfiber inserts

20 cotton flannel liners

(picture does not show inserts or liners also included)

First, a little about Booty Buns...

In case you haven't heard about them, Booty Buns Cloth Diapers are incredible one-size cloth diapers that truly fit from birth to potty training! They feature a snap-down rise with 5 different snap settings (most one-size diapers only have 3!) and a waist with 10 regular snap settings plus 2 crossover snap settings. The diapers have hip snaps to prevent wing droop on smaller sizes. The incredible size range of this diaper fits from 3-45 lbs!

Booty Buns Cloth Diapers are pocket diapers and each diaper includes 2 snap-on microfiber inserts that can be stuffed into the diaper or laid on top with the included cotton flannel liner against your child's skin. The diapers have a waterproof PUL outer and a soft suedecloth inner with dual gussets on the inner lining to ensure everything stays IN the diaper! Booty Buns One-Size Cloth Diapers come in an assortment of bright colors and each diaper includes a matching handmade flannel/terry wipe. You can find out more about the diapers at Booty Buns, or check out the detailed Booty Buns One-Size Cloth Diaper Review at Daily Mothering!

Booty Buns is dedicated to encouraging others to "go green" and "give charity." Shannon, the owner of Booty Buns Cloth Diapers, leads by example. For every diaper that Booty Buns sells, she donates one Booty Buns Cloth Diaper to a child in need in the US and third-world countries. Booty Buns is the exclusive cloth diapers donator for Operation Showers Of Appreciation, and they are also donating diapers to babies that have severe medical issues here in the US. Shannon hopes to donate a lifetime supply of cloth diapers {20 diapers} to every baby in need around the globe. You can join in this effort by purchasing your own set of Booty Buns Cloth Diapers and telling your friends about Booty Buns!

Make sure to stop by and follow Booty Buns via Facebook, Twitter and Blog for news and giveaways!

And now for the giveaway!!

ONE WINNER will receive this gigantic cloth diaper prize pack valued at $546!

And, the winner will get to select their choice of diaper colors!

This giveaway is open to U.S. and Canada.

Use the Rafflecopter form below to enter.

Sign in using your Facebook account OR your name and email address.

Click "Do It" for instructions on how to complete each entry.

There is no mandatory entry. Complete as many entries as you wish.

The more entries you submit, the better odds you have of winning!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Baby Wescoat: 19 weeks

Baby Wescoat is the size of an Heirloom Tomoato!

How far along? 19 weeks and 5 days

Maternity Clothes? Yep, pants especially. I can still wear my jeans but I have to use an elastic hair tie on the button and just make it work.

Stretch marks? no

Sleep? I'm trying to work on sleeping on my side because I've always been a belly sleeper so I have a hard time getting comfy at night

Best moment from last week: Spending time in Colorado for a delayed Honeymoon with my husband! We weren't able to take one right away so we went while I was on Spring break from work.

Miss anything? I wasn't able to ride horses last week in Colorado and it kind of made me realize that its more things like that I'll miss rather than food or drinks

Movement? Yep! Little one decided to start poking around while we were in the car on the way to Colorado! It was amazing! Chris has felt a few kicks too!

Food cravings? I am really wanting cold things like popcicles, icees, and even just ice.

Anything making me sick? No! I am still just so thankful I've been so well!

Gender? We'll know in just 6 more days!! eek!!

Labor Signs? Nope!

Wedding rings still on? Yes! My hands did swell pretty badly a week ago that made me kinda nervous but its all gone and the rings are still on!

Happy or Moody? Honestly... I've been a bit cranky this week.. Partially because a few frustrating things have happened and partially because I'm tired! But its Friday which always helps and Chris has tomorrow off which helps even more!!

Looking forward to? Feeling even more movement. Any to really be able to feel it from the outside too. I want Chris to really be able to feel it often!

Sneak Peek: $500+ Cloth Diaper Giveaway Starts Saturday!

Would you like to win a LIFETIME SUPPLY of cloth diapers?!

The Go Green ♥ Give Charity Cloth Diaper Giveaway Event sponsored by Booty Buns Cloth Diapers starts this Saturday, March 24th!

Over 175 blogs are coming together to present this fantastic fluffy giveaway hosted by Daily Mothering. Mark your calendar because you don't want to miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to win an entire stash of one-size cloth diapers!

ONE WINNER will receive a gigantic cloth diaper prize pack valued at $546!
And, the winner will get to select their choice of diaper colors!

This amazing prize pack will include:

20 Booty Buns One-Size Cloth Diapers
(these true one-size cloth diapers fit 3-45 lbs!)
20 matching flannel/terry cloth wipes
40 microfiber inserts
20 cotton flannel liners

(picture does not show inserts or liners also included)

This giveaway will be open to U.S. and Canada.

Come back March 24-31 for your chance to win it all!

you gotta call 911

LRFPD
I don't have a picture from today but this will still make since shortly... :)

OH good grief! I had quite a busy morning and afternoon running errands and visiting with some really great friends. By the time I got home at 4 I was wiped out so I laid down for a quick nap. When I woke up I wasn't feeling well. From my shoulders down to my hands were really stiff and seemed swollen and all around my mouth was numb. The stuff with my arms and hands has been going on for a couple days but the mouth thing was new. So I text my "under paid doctor" hubby who is actually a EMT and firefighter and he asked me a few questions about other health things and told me to try to just relax and let me know if anything changed.

So I go get my phone charger and decide to camp out on the couch for a while to relax... A moment later I heard something "pop" so I looked behind the couch and saw nothing so I didn't think anything of it. Within a few moments Dakota was very alert to the back of the couch, sniffing around and such and I began to smell smoke. So what do I do? I call my hubby that is working at a fire department and hour a way, of course! His reply, "Well, you gotta call 911." Ugh... I was hoping he had magic fire skills and could solve it through the phone. ;)

911 was called and Dakota and I head outside. Dakota was sniffing around the yard and I standing there feeling quite silly (you know that feeling where your paranoid that you just called 911 and all of your hubby's co-workers are going to come to your house in a great big red truck with flashing lights and making lots of noise and its probably not going to turn in to anything at all? Ha!) as I'm finishing that thought my arm about get pulled out of socket and Dakota is chasing 2 baby rabbits while holding another in her mouth... Say it with me.. good grief! Luckily when I yelled her name she dropped the one in her mouth but was still pulling like a work horse! Two of the bunnies run to safety in our neighbors yard but the other runs toward our house and right in to the garage that is open...

At this time I start to hear the sirens so I cant mess with the stinkin (oh so cute but kinda an issue right now) bunny. I put Dakota in my car and explain to the assistant chief, who I have met a few times, what was going on. Luckily, it turned out to be my phone charger that had shorted out and smelled so it wasn't anything (like I figured!!) but like they all said "better safe than sorry!" And I think they are all just ready to give Chris a hard time about this tomorrow when he's working here in town.

So they all leave and although I still felt a bit silly but I really am glad I called rather than being nervous all night since hubby wont be home until a bit later. But now I have to deal with the bunny! Thankfully, little Bugs was just curled up in the corner by the door and I scooped him up with a cup and set him free. Whew! So much for just sitting back and relaxing for a bit! I am happy to report that my mouth is no longer numb though. :)

Any suggestions on why these strange symptoms are happening? Should I be concerned?

Well, I'm off to make cookies for Chris to take at shift change tomorrow to the sweet firefighters in the morning. Maybe they'll take it easy on him then!

planning for baby

Have I mentioned that I am just a bit excited to become a Momma! I bought some maternity clothes today  (thanks to my wonderful in-laws for the birthday money!!) and it made me even more excited to be pregnant and get a big ol' belly! Not to mention I found some steals on clothes. I found a few shirts (one was brand new) and a pair of jeans at Goodwill and got a few more things from clearance racks at Target! I had been saying that I didn't want to spend money on maternity clothes and I would just make my stuff work for as long as possible but my pants especially were already getting pretty uncomfortable and I'll need work clothes before the end of the school year anyways.. ok enough justifying spending the money. ;)

I have been researching more and more on cloth diapers and I am getting excited about them too! I've been interested in them long before I got pregnant but now I'm really learning about them and the benefits of using them. My friend Kassie from Mommy to a little lady[bug] is going to make me a couple to really look at and I'm hoping eventually I'll be able to sew my own! I've been really looking into the cost efficiency of using cloth diapers and it is kind of bind blowing! Especially if I'm able to eventually make my own! Any tips on cloth diapers or suggestions? Please let me know!

Here are a few of the diapers I think are just too cute! All found on sew is your baby!

Found here.

Found here.

Found here.

We're 17 weeks today! I'm so ready for the 29th to be here, the day we finally get to find out if the little one is a boy or girl! I'm definitely back to wanting a boy and Chris is just certain it will be! I was reading today that at 17 weeks unborn babies have their own set of fingerprints already. WOW, isn't God just amazing? I like to sit around and think about all the things that Baby Wescoat will accomplish in life but more than anything I can't stop thinking about holding him or her for the first time.

What have you been up to this wonderful weekend? It's been kinda chilly here in Missouri but it was still such a pretty weekend!

I'll be sure to take a photo of the new maternity clothes tomorrow! I'm pretty excited because they definitely accent the bump! Here's the most recent bump photo! I just happened to be taken on 80s day at school! :)

Everyone in our classroom had quite a bit of fun!