Au Naturel

I think I may have mentioned before that I've been switching over to all-natural products to reduce the amount of chemicals we use at home. I've switched a lot of our cleaning products, laundry detergent + softener, and most recently, my cosmetics. I figured I haven't been doing my skin any favors with the chemicals that are found in regular make-up and skin cleaners, especially since I've struggled with mild acne. So, my most recent purchase is one of my new favorites! I was using Alba Facial Cleanser, which was really good, ph balancing, and it smelled wonderfully fruity, but the closest health food store doesn't carry it anymore.























So then, I decided to try Burt's Bees Cleansing Cream.


















It is amazing! It smells great, it's also ph balancing, and it leaves your skin feeling tingly and SOOO fresh! I got it for $12 at a health food store, but I recently looked online and found it for $9 which included shipping, or there was a company that sold 2 for $13 which included shipping. So then I won't be paying any more for it than I would if I bought a regular cleanser from a grocery store. I'm very happy with my latest discovery and I get excited to wash my face every morning and night!

Another Good Week-end

On Friday night, my Mom took me shopping.  She wanted to buy me a couple more t-shirts.  To date, I have not bought any maternity shirts!  I either buy a regular shirt in a larger size or I buy shirts with empire waists.  After trying on quite a few t-shirts and not very many of them fitting properly, I finally found a red t-shirt and a black t-shirt in a size large that fit me and will fit me until the end of my pregnancy.  Thank you Mom!

 

On Saturday, I worked 8-5 and then we baby-sat our friends’ son who is 2 months older than Kiera.  They always have a lot of fun playing together and it’s nice that he entertains her, so then we don’t have to!  Now I can see the advantage of having twins.  It’s interesting to watch them together…she talks way more than him, but his motor skills are way better than her’s.  He can climb on furniture no problem and go down the stairs by himself.  Kiera needs help with both of those.  Kids totally develop at different paces, but when they’re older, it won’t matter who did what first since they’ll all be more or less at the same level.  I have to keep that in mind and try not to compare them which is hard for me to remember sometimes!  Oh, and my parents bought us pizza for supper and spent the evening with us and the kids which was great!

 

Yesterday, we went to church and then spent the afternoon relaxing at home.  We went to our friend’s house in the evening for a games night.  She usually has a games night about once a month, which we really enjoy!  Kiera did very good with playing on her own most of the time and happily eating popcorn twists.  Jared left an hour before me to go put Kiera to bed, so that was nice of him!  Now it’s time to go read my library book that is due back today.

Potty Time

A week or two ago, Kiera started asking if she could go on the potty. Well, the exact words she usually uses are, “In a potty?” She gets her little Winnie the Pooh seat from beside the toilet, sticks it on the toilet, and then we sit her down on it. The first time she ever sat on it, she loved it so much, she sat there for about 20 minutes.

She has yet to actually do anything on there except sit, so we’re eagerly awaiting the day that she does. She knows the potty is for pee and poop, so it’s just a matter of time. Once she’s done, she says, “Out,” and then we take her off, she puts her little seat away, and then closes the toilet lid! Here’s a video I took of her recently.

She also has a hat that she loves to wear. She likes to bounce around on our bed and look at herself in the dresser mirror while wearing the hat. I think she’s the cutest little cowgirl!

A Fun Week-end

We had a busy and very fun week-end.  Jared wanted to go out on Friday night, but it was 8:30 by the time we would have made plans and I wanted Kiera in bed by 9:30, so Jared went out for a bit to a friend’s place while I stayed home.  Then, a friend came over once Jared got back and we played Bohnanza.  I stayed up too late since I had to get up at 6:30 for work the next morning.  For some reason, my body always wakes up extra early on Saturdays and I lie there wide awake, yet totally exhausted.  This past Saturday, I woke up at 6 a.m., which is better than 5 a.m. like I’ve woken up on some Saturdays.

 

On Saturday, I worked from 8-5, then I came home and we had supper.  We’ve been feeling very strapped down at home because of Kiera’s bedtime, so we decided to not care about the bedtime for one evening and join our friends for bowling and take Kiera with us.  She had never been to a bowling alley before.  On the way there, we picked up a friend who was visiting his sister + brother-in-law and their 3-day-old daughter.  They all go to our church, so we stopped in there and got to hold their little baby!  I seriously don’t remember Kiera ever being that small.  It blew me away and made me so excited to meet our next baby!  We went bowling with a bunch of guys (there were 5 guys plus me + Kiera) and the first time I beat 2 of them, so that was a record for me!  We played 2 games and I got several strikes and some spares.  I don’t know why because I hadn’t bowled in over 2 years!  Kiera got passed around the whole evening and really enjoyed bopping up and down to the music and looking at all the lights.  Kiera kept wanting to run in front of us while we were bowling, so we took turns holding her back.

Then, she went to the lane beside our’s where there was a couple (we were the only 2 lanes of people there…the place was so empty) and started dancing for those strangers and then she handed her book to the girl and said, “Read!” so the girl read to her.  It was hilarious!  No fear of strangers whatsoever!  I think she would have gone home with them too, had we let her.  After bowling, we went out for ice cream and I had a strawberry oreo flurry!  Yum!  We really felt the need to get out and do something fun as a family that evening, so we totally ignored Kiera’s bedtime and she did really well!  We got home at 11:30 that evening and then had to wake Kiera up at 10 a.m. the next morning for church.

 

On Sunday, we went to church and then went to my parents’ for lunch.  We ate outside on their deck, spent the afternoon there, put Kiera down for a nap, and then went to a friends’ house for a bbq supper who live close to my parents.  We spent the evening outside on their deck and it was great!  Then, we went and picked Kiera up at my parents’ and came home.  It was just the kind of week-end we needed after being at home too much.  Now I’m enjoying our absolutely gorgeous, hot weather! :)

Recent Events

I woke up in the middle of the night last week Friday night and just felt horrible.  It was around 4 a.m. and I was sick with a cold and I just didn’t know how I was going to make it through work + my cousin’s wedding the next day.  I lay there praying and asking for healing and suddenly I felt God literally breathe into me.  I don’t know how to describe it, other than I felt a “whoosh” go right through my body, my sinuses immediately cleared up, I felt almost tingly, and the heaviness I had been feeling was immediately gone!  I knew it was the presence of the Lord filling me up and I knew I was going to be just fine the next day, which I was.  Praise the Lord!  I don’t think I’ve ever had an experience quite like that before and it was amazing. :)

 

I was going to post pictures + videos from this past week, but I’m exhausted from cleaning up Kiera’s biggest poop storm of all time.  When I went to get her from her crib this morning, the poop had come out of her diaper, onto her shirt, pants, hands, feet, blanket, sheet, and mattress.  So I had quite a bit of cleaning up and laundry to do!  Time to rest.  Have a great week-end!

Good Food

Last week-end was a week-end full of yummy food!  On Friday night, my Dad took us all out for supper to Olive Garden for my Mom’s birthday.  I had the Italian Feast which is 3 pasta dishes of your choice.  I chose spaghetti, fettuccine alfredo, and cheese ravioli.  Amazing!  I took half my meal home with me, since I also had salad + bread sticks before the meal.  On Saturday, for lunch at work they ordered pizza.  Then, for supper at the wedding, they had Mexican food.  It was a huge chicken burrito, spanish rice, vegetables, and then either strawberry or chocolate trifle for dessert.  Again, I didn’t finish my meal.  SO much good food!  On Sunday, we had our leftovers from Olive Garden for lunch and then bbq’d burgers for supper.  It was a week-end of almost all my favorite foods!  This pregnant girl was very happy! :D

My Cousin’s Wedding

On Saturday, I watched one of my closest friends from my growing up years get married.  My cousin, Kristie, got married to a man named Paul.  2 years ago, I bought a pink princess dress at a garage sale when I was pregnant, hoping desperately that I would someday have a girl who could wear it.  It’s 24-month size and on Saturday, my dream came true.

My Dad spent the ceremony walking with Kiera outside, so Jared + I could enjoy the ceremony.  Thank you Dad!

Kiera from the back

Me + my princess

Kristie was a pretty bride and here we are laughing

The happy couple

After the meal at the reception, my parents entertained Kiera outside the auditorium and in the nursery. 

She was not happy to be taken out of the car when it was time to go.  I think she’s so cute!

 

Kiera had no nap that day and she did SO well!  It was a great day! :)