tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40395012790870305392024-02-19T04:25:22.397-05:00The Chemistry of a MomThere's no way to be a perfect mother, and a million ways to be a good one" - Jill ChurchillNataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16225189765230401639noreply@blogger.comBlogger287125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039501279087030539.post-77613892853999257432013-01-22T18:30:00.000-05:002013-01-22T18:30:01.553-05:0040 Years Ago40 years ago the decision of Roe v. Wade made abortion legal. Since then it is estimated that over 55 million abortions have taken place.
A few months ago, I saw a post on Facebook by someone in support of abortion and a women's right to choose to have an abortion. I read through some of her comments and was shocked when she said that a fetus wasn't human life, it was only the "Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16225189765230401639noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039501279087030539.post-52650956026668029712013-01-20T16:30:00.000-05:002013-01-20T16:56:08.971-05:00Hello 2013!Well, a lot has been going on around here... and yet, not that much all at the same time! The holidays were filled with family and fun to be had for all. Matt and I just celebrated our 5 year anniversary. We've certainly managed to have a lot going on in the past 5 years... and there's no slowing down for us anytime soon!
1 day shy of 13 weeks with baby #3!
That's right Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16225189765230401639noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039501279087030539.post-7823786232244059802012-11-24T14:30:00.000-05:002012-11-24T14:30:00.861-05:0030 Days of Giving Thanks: Day 24Today I am very thankful for being Catholic. I was born and raised Catholic and I think some people attribute to me still being Catholic to "not knowing any better". That could not be further from the truth. Throughout my relatively short life I have been blessed to experience many different ideas/belief systems and cultures (most of them through Catholic schools) and I continueNataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16225189765230401639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039501279087030539.post-53699206857192294712012-11-23T23:15:00.000-05:002012-11-23T23:15:00.358-05:0030 Days of Giving Thanks: Day 23Today I am thankful for my nephews. Right now, we only have nephews on my husband's side of the family and we all have boys... that's right, NO girls in that generation!
This past weekend my brother-in-law & sister-in-law drove up from Texas with their 3 boys. Sunday we were able to get all of the boys together and it was so great to see them all playing together! Jack had Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16225189765230401639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039501279087030539.post-52357761112981603992012-11-16T22:30:00.000-05:002012-11-16T22:30:01.290-05:0030 Days of Giving Thanks: Day 16Today I am thankful for Thanksgiving! It seems a little cheesy but I LOVE everything about Thanksgiving.
I love the food... oh, how I love the food! I can out-eat pretty much anyone at the Thanksgiving table. Turkey, mashed potatoes, rolls, green beans... then comes the pies! Cheesecake, pumpkin pie, or pumpkin cheesecake. I really love baking for Thanksgiving Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16225189765230401639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039501279087030539.post-69981269057152455422012-11-12T12:00:00.000-05:002012-11-12T12:00:06.413-05:0030 Days of Giving Thanks: Day 12Today's post is about being thankful for diversity for thought.
Now that the election has wrapped up, most of the posts (Facebook, blogs, etc.) around politics have died down. (That's another thing I am definitely thankful for.) I am not terribly political in the sense that I follow all of the politicians all of the time (career politics = yuck)... but don't take that to mean I am Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16225189765230401639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039501279087030539.post-6274679312830404242012-11-11T22:30:00.000-05:002012-11-11T22:30:01.376-05:0030 Days of Giving Thanks: Day 11Today I am grateful for weekends, so VERY thankful for family filled weekends. After being away from my boys for 3 nights (and almost 4 full days), I was very thankful to have a whole weekend to enjoy my little guys. (Unfortunately, Matt had to work today so it wasn't a whole weekend with all of my guys.)
Yesterday, Jack and I had our own little Mother-Son outing. We only went Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16225189765230401639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039501279087030539.post-77346374872994247072012-11-07T21:00:00.000-05:002012-11-07T21:00:04.741-05:0030 Days of Giving Thanks: Day 7Today I am thankful for my job. Sometimes it is hard for me to remember to be thankful for my job... that really sounds terrible, doesn't it? In this economy I should always be thankful for being gainfully employed, right? No matter what path I take (or am dealt) in life, I know there is stress and aspects I will not like.
I work with a pretty awesome group of people... Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16225189765230401639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039501279087030539.post-75889568830735323712012-11-05T21:45:00.000-05:002012-11-05T21:47:07.553-05:0030 Days of Giving Thanks: Day 5I know, I know... I've already missed 2 days. Oops. The weekend really got away from me apparently... you would think I would actually be able to blog over the weekend?!
Today's post is how thankful I am to have such an amazing support system. I've already posted about my husband, but this is a more general post about my/our support system. They say it takes a village to Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16225189765230401639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039501279087030539.post-85055701129115820642012-11-02T12:00:00.000-04:002012-11-02T12:00:08.427-04:0030 Days of Giving Thanks: Day 2Today's post is about my awesome husband! He is truly the most amazing husband and father to our children a girl could ever want. Matt does so much for us it constantly amazes me. Not only does he work very hard all day every day at work, he is very involved in helping take care of the boys and our house. He does things around the house that he knows I hate to do, like Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16225189765230401639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039501279087030539.post-67505482745486112382012-11-01T22:00:00.000-04:002012-11-01T22:00:02.048-04:0030 Days of Giving Thanks: Day 1I'm participating in the 30 Days of Giving Thanks Challenge over at Blessed Beyond Words for the month of November. I try to really be thankful each day, but I know I am not perfect. I hope that putting one thing in writing every day I will truly remember to be more appreciative in my daily life and prayers.
Today I am very thankful for my little boys! They constantly amaze me Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16225189765230401639noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039501279087030539.post-19799179273238873622012-11-01T21:15:00.000-04:002012-11-01T21:15:01.016-04:00My Baby is 1!I know I have been terrible about posting as of late... I chalk it up to being busy at work and with things for the local ACS section, as well as other general life stuff! But on to the fun stuff...
My baby boy is officially 1! He turned 1 last Saturday and definitely seemed to have a lot of fun at his party. His 1 year check up at the pediatrician's was on Tuesday and he was Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16225189765230401639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039501279087030539.post-64364330805936357552012-08-27T22:00:00.000-04:002012-08-27T22:00:04.622-04:00That Awkward Moment: Breastfeeding & Working (part 2)(I know, I know, I've been terrible about blogging lately...)
In honor of Christopher being 10 months old today and the fact that I have officially made it to 10 months of breastfeeding my little guy, something awkward had to happen around the topic of breastfeeding right?
Monday's are a special little day we like to call at work "war room day"... I sit in a conference room all.day.long. with Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16225189765230401639noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039501279087030539.post-85355377601967870842012-07-20T07:00:00.000-04:002012-07-20T07:00:08.567-04:00Summer Swim LessonsSummer means swimming and pool time to me! Growing up we always did swim lessons during the summer... I can remember taking classes up until middle school/junior high time frame. I am very fortunate to have a pool at my company's park that is open ever summer. It is free for employees and they offer 3 sessions of [dirt cheap priced] swim lessons! We did them last year withNataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16225189765230401639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039501279087030539.post-72443449786244591302012-07-15T20:15:00.000-04:002012-07-15T20:15:00.095-04:00Happy National Ice Cream Day!So, today wasn't just National Ice Cream Day... it was the day on which I braved the grocery store alone with two children for more than just a gallon of milk. I must say, the boys did excellent! Jack did have a minor freak out at the fact that there were NO car shopping carts. The only way we made it into the store was by me carrying a 33 lb. 3 year old while pushing the Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16225189765230401639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039501279087030539.post-32752062375767508182012-07-08T21:00:00.000-04:002012-07-08T21:00:02.305-04:00In Desperate Need of A Creative OutletI am in major need for a creative outlet... feeling a bit stuck in the "everyday" of everything. I am definitely not unhappy by any means, I am loving every minute of my family. I loved my art classes in high school and never got to take any in college (due to my course schedule to complete my requirements). I am just feeling like I need to do a little something creative to windNataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16225189765230401639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039501279087030539.post-16452087912561761042012-07-07T15:00:00.000-04:002012-07-07T15:00:05.644-04:00Times to Treasure Scrapbooks Candy Jar ReviewI recently won a candy jar set in a Facebook giveaway from Times to Treasure Scrapbooks owned by Jackie. Here's a little bit about Jackie and how she started her business:
My name is Jackie Henderson and I have 3 grown children. I am a Reading Enrichment Teacher. I have been doing crafts since I was very young(that was a LONG time ago)! In 2005 my friends convinced Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16225189765230401639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039501279087030539.post-66104438274829267772012-07-04T20:25:00.002-04:002012-07-04T20:25:40.955-04:00Happy 4th of July!Happy 4th of July everyone! Here are some fun family pictures from our HOT day today!
Christopher hanging out on my back before our town's 4th of July parade! I absolutely love being able to walk to our city's downtown from our house!
My favorite guys watching the parade... that's a yawn from Jack, not a surprised look.
Hot baby playing with the flag that was passed out... Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16225189765230401639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039501279087030539.post-17840160756429193672012-07-02T22:00:00.000-04:002012-07-02T22:00:03.704-04:00And We're Off!
Christopher is officially 8 months old and approximately 19 pounds (as measured by the weight by loss method on our home scale). He has been crawling for a couple of weeks now and is getting quicker every day. His favorite room to go to is our bathroom, hence why Matt is standing in the bathroom as Christopher makes a beeline for the doorway. He also heads straight for hisNataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16225189765230401639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039501279087030539.post-72411791397267370282012-06-17T10:00:00.000-04:002012-06-17T10:00:04.109-04:00Happy 3rd Birthday Jack!On this Father's day, we're also celebrating the very person who made my husband a father. Jack turns 3 today!
June 17, 2009
With Mommy & Daddy at his 1st birthday party!
Jack's first day of school! (September 15, 2011)
Dear Jack,
My sweet baby boy, I can not believe how big you have gotten this past year! I don't mean big in the physical sense but you have Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16225189765230401639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039501279087030539.post-2640685249008341802012-06-15T22:36:00.001-04:002012-06-15T22:37:07.997-04:00My Almost 3 Year OldJack: I don't want to be 3 on my birthday!
Me: What do you want to be? Jack?
Jack: I want to be 4!
Oh baby boy, don't try to grow up too fast!Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16225189765230401639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039501279087030539.post-79560291235099645032012-06-06T10:00:00.000-04:002012-06-06T10:00:03.769-04:00Family Circus!I've been pretty terrible about doing family updates lately, so here's one to try cover the month of May!
Matt and Jack on the see-saw at our parish elementary school (where we hope to one day send Jack).
Jack eating ice cream at Dairy Queen with Bapie and DzaDza (Matt's parents)!
We got to go to the circus on my birthday and it was awesome! I hadn't been to the circus in years, butNataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16225189765230401639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039501279087030539.post-11984304582104110052012-06-03T14:00:00.000-04:002012-06-03T14:00:02.606-04:00Baby Boy is 7 Months!We had Christopher's "6 month" check-up the Friday before he turned 7 months. He was 18 pounds 8.5 ounces, 27 inches long and had a 43 centimeters head circumference. That puts him in the 50th percentile for height and weight and between the 25th-50th percentile for head size.
He's easily sitting up unassisted and trying to climb and even starting to get on all fours to try crawlingNataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16225189765230401639noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039501279087030539.post-82256941434864741072012-05-28T12:00:00.000-04:002012-06-03T13:22:13.240-04:00Flats and Handwashing Challenge: The ConclusionWell, I/we did it for a whole week... Matt asked "are we doing it again next year?" Well, the jury is still out on that one. It was a bit crazy because I had an "extracurricular" activity that week so the hand washing was rough that night. Here are some of my final thoughts on the challenge:
Handwashing was definitely not as hard as I thought it would be, but I did get Nataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16225189765230401639noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4039501279087030539.post-4949668988066676582012-05-25T00:33:00.000-04:002012-05-25T00:38:44.350-04:00Flats and Handwashing Challenge: Day 4 - Musings on Handwashing
I am taking part in the Second Annual Flats and Handwashing Challenge hosted by Dirty Diaper Laundry. For a week I will be using only flat cloth diapers (in covers or stuffed in pocket diapers) and handwashing them in an effort to prove that cloth diapering can be affordable and accessible to all. You can learn more about the rules and why this challenge was started byNataliehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16225189765230401639noreply@blogger.com0