Living and Loving Every Minute of It!

Meowza....wowza....

livingandlovingblog@gmail.com (Corey~living and loving) — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 05:16:00 +0000

......has kitty been busy!

Day 50
(faxing, faxing, faxing ALLLLLLLLLLLLLLL DAY!)

Day 51
(Amazingly beautiful fall day. Had to take some time to stop and sit a spell.)

Day 52
(Infant/child CPR class is NOT a laughing matter, but we had a little fun.)

Day 53
(Happy birthday to a very special little Niece.)

Day 54
(Kitty got a little too close to our monster Jack! Don't worry, Sugar saved him.)

Day 55
(rain rain....go away.....)

Day 56
(If you can't beat em'.....Join em'.....floating away in a puddle.)

In case you are wondering....that brings us to October 27th....whew....how on earth did I get so behind in my posting of Kitty?????

A bit of Kitty This and That

livingandlovingblog@gmail.com (Corey~living and loving) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 01:54:00 +0000

Day 43

(The first rainy day we had in a long long long time.)

Day 44

(Kitty waiting in line for dance class to begin.)

Day 45

(Spent a great deal of time at the copy machine, preparing for a training I'd be conducting.)

Day 46

(This time of year, the needles seem to cover everything I see.)

Day 47

(Kitty helped The Sugar and I carve our first Jack O' Lantern of the season.)

Day 48

(Wash wash washing day.)

Day49

(Kitty was pretty flattered that we made a kitty Jack O' Lantern.)

There you have another week in the life of Kitty (and Corey). I am soooooooo very behind in posting these. I will be posting another week of photos this weekend. This project is still a joy, but it is becoming more of a challenge, which is actually a good thing. What fun is it, if it doesn't make me stretch my imagination?

Tell Me Thursday~ Thoughts on Dancing

livingandlovingblog@gmail.com (Corey~living and loving) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 01:12:00 +0000

As you can see, from yesterday's post, my little Sugar Bear is in her first year of dance. Her class is made up of 3 and 4 year olds, and basically focuses on music and movement. I had my doubts that this activity was the right choice for her, and had actually set her up to play fall soccer instead. When that fell through, I felt strongly that she needed something to get her body moving more. I am a firm believer in physical activity, and even more so a supporter of finding an activity a child loves, to give them focus, and purpose.

The only dance school in our area is a very traditionally run program. It is quite focused on the discipline of dance. The children are to wear a plain light pink leotard and footless tights. Her hair must be UP, and out of her face. Those are pretty easy to accommodate.

The one rule that had me thrown for a bit of a loop was the fact that parents are not allowed in the dance class, and we can only watch through a little window in the door. For some reason, this felt very uncomfortable to me in theory, but in reality....it has been fine. The very first day, we were allowed to participate with the children, and observe for a portion of the class. THAT is when I got these shots. Since then, we are to kiss our little dancers, and wait in the chair lined hallway for the 45 minutes to pass by. The purpose behind this is to ensure that the parents are not a distraction to the children, and it is clear to me, that we most definately would be just that.

Once I knew that Sugar Bear was enjoying the class, and wasn't worried about me not being in her sight, I quickly decided that I wanted to make sure that I made use of my 45 minutes (twice a week) in a way that honored me. I didn't want to waste it. You see, I am go go going every day. Rush the Sugar to school, head to work, work, work, work, rush to get Sugar, head home, make dinner, play, bath and bedtime. THEN spend time with The Hubby. When he falls asleep, I stay up late editing photos, and posting to my blog. I feel like I'm constantly connected to something....or someone. I decided it was time to pick back up something I dropped when Sugar came along.

PLEASURE READING!

I used to read at least one book a week. The library and I were good friends. I would read for a couple hours each night, and sometimes a whole day on the weekends. Let's face it. I was home alone a lot. The Hubby's job took him away for a week to a few months at a time, and I had no kids. My books were my company. When Sugar came along, I had my company....and I was TIRED at night, so the reading didn't happen. Then The Hubby sort of retired, and is home every night. Then BLOGGING, and PHOTOS, and everything else I love to do replaced my beloved books.

I decided it was high time I got back to it. Instead of using my waiting time to chat with other parents, or making a phone call (let's face it...those that know me...know I can talk someone's ear off), I made the choice to read. It has been WONDERFUL! I have officially been sucked back into the world of reading. Seriously....I woke up at 5:20 am today, a full hour and a half before I normally wake, and decided to turn on my bedside lamp and READ. People....this mama is NOT a morning person. I am a "push the snooze 5 times" sort of person, but I just couldn't resist my book. I'm also going to bed about an hour earlier than usual, and reading. Yes....I'm behind in other things, and I'm wondering how to fit it all in, but I'm thrilled to be reading again.

This new adventure has been wonderful for both of us. Sugar is very much enjoying her dancing time, and has improved many of her large motor skills in the past month and a half. She has learn to deal with her teacher, who is fairly strict, and a bit ruff around the edges. Her confidence has soared. I have found myself lost in the world of literature again, and feel like a better person for it.

I am keeping a running list of books I have read recently, down at the bottom of my home page. I'd love if any of you would leave me some comments with book suggestions. I pretty much read anything except for "smut books". tee hee....I like romance, but only if it has a major factor of something else in it.

Wordless Wednesday~ Someone I know is finding her inner ballerina

livingandlovingblog@gmail.com (Corey~living and loving) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 01:43:00 +0000

For more Wordless Wednesday go HERE and HERE!

It's What's on the inside that matters

livingandlovingblog@gmail.com (Corey~living and loving) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 04:23:00 +0000

Lying next to my Sugar Bear while she settled down to sleep the night of Halloween, I found myself feeling extremely squishy on the inside. You know what I'm talking about. Those moments when you feel like your heart might turn to mush under the pressure of all the love you have inside it.

Snuggled up close to my girl, I slowly breathed in all that is her sweet, sweet innocence. I buried my face in her hair, and held her close to my thumpin' heart. Feeling her squirm a bit, as my breath tickled her neck, I smiled into the dark.

Relaxing into our embrace, I decided to risk hyping her up again, in favor of hearing her thoughts on the events of the Halloween holiday.

I whispered into her tiny ear, "Sugar, what was your most FAVORITE part of Halloween, this year?", expecting the obvious answer, "CANDY!"

But what sang from her lips was far from that. As she turned her face towards mine, my little love uttered, "You Mama! You! All of the best things start with YOU!" ♥ ♥ ♥

I was caught off guard by her heartfelt remark, I found my eyes fill with tears of gratitude for this precious gift laying by my side. Once again, I buried my face into her silky hair, and murmured over and over again, "Thank you, Baby! Thank you, Baby!"

My girl truly understands the importance of telling those we love, exactly how we feel. It is never a good time to hold back sharing our inner emotions. Now's the time. There is no reason to wait. Just look into your heart, and speak the truth.

In fact, tonight, Sugar Bear informed me of a very important word she created. HUGGAFUL. According to Sugar...it simply means be so very thankful for hugs. "Mama, I am so huggaful tonight!", as she squeezed her little arms tightly around my neck. I simply squeaked out, "Me too, Baby! Me Too!"

Are YOU Huggaful today?

I ♥ Faces~Balloons

livingandlovingblog@gmail.com (Corey~living and loving) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 04:31:00 +0000

This week over at I ♥ Faces, they are showcasing photos that involve balloons. I knew right away where to go to find my shot, but hardly had the time to edit my favs. I actually did this photo shoot back in June....and hadn't touched them. Sigh...Summer is so crazy for me. I take 4789641 bajillion photos, and don't find the time to edit them. I play catch up all winter.
This particular set of photos did not turn out as I imagined. The wind was a major factor in that. I'm looking forward to trying again this spring.
Regardless of all that nonsense.....here is one of my favorites from that day.

Head on over to I ♥ Faces for more of the Balloon party!

Costume Parade

livingandlovingblog@gmail.com (Corey~living and loving) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 04:45:00 +0000

You gotta head on over to Make it and Love it, to see the Costume Parade.

All handmade costumes.....WONDERFUL!

Oh and Sugar Bear is there......she is among such crafty company. :)

Photostory Friday~ This girl is Fierce...and Fun!

livingandlovingblog@gmail.com (Corey~living and loving) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 03:53:00 +0000

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

A few months ago....my girl asked me if she could be a cheetah for Halloween. Being the crazy mama I am I said, "Sure.....I'll make a costume for you!" And the planning began with a trip to the fabric store. I found the perfect fabric, and then just wandered around aimlessly hoping for inspiration. Soon I had a few ideas....and away I went with supplies in hand. In the end it was a snap to make. I didn't use a pattern. I just winged it. wang it...wung it! (whatever) :)

The spirit of a cheetah really does fit my girl, at. She can be a real go getter. She is sassy, and fun. However, a lot of the time she is shy, and sits back observing from afar. She takes it all in, and makes sense of it all before jumping in. Oh, and she is really proud of how fast she can run. :)

The other day, when I finally completed all the pieces of her costume, she took a moment to try it on. She looked so cute, I couldn't help but snap a few photos. At first...she was holding back...

and a bit sassy, a bit feisty, a bit like a teenager (eekkkk)...

And then....she just broke down, and remembered that she is a delightful four year old girl, and it got better and better.

All those fun and games can mess up even the most serious of cheetah's outfit, and a girl has to take the time to adjust. I was surprised to see that not only did the costume get an adjustment.....

the attitude did too, and suddenly....she was one FIERCE Cheetah!

She has it all. The fun...the sass....the frill....the thrill. I am one lucky mama!

The Joy of a Good Cause

livingandlovingblog@gmail.com (Corey~living and loving) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 05:23:00 +0000

It just doesn't get much better than this. Good times at the pumpkin patch. Last weekend, marked our third annual trip to this special place. Even though it is quite a drive, there are several reasons we find it such a treat to take part in this particular pumpkin patch. Not only does Sugar get the chance to ride in the pumpkin ferris wheel......

take several turns around the joint in the pumpkin carriage.....

to smile and wave from the train as she goes round and round the village.....

try her hand at fishing....

catch a few ducks.....

toss a few rings......

eat some REALLY yummy food....

and get her face painted....

100% of the money spent goes to a camp for children with cancer. While watching my child blaze through the activities with such ease, such vigor, such joy, I say a few prayers of thanks for her health, and spend a few extra dollars in hopes to bring a few smiles to a child who isn't so very lucky.

Wordless Wednesday~ When mom makes you sit on a pumpkin

livingandlovingblog@gmail.com (Corey~living and loving) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 01:19:00 +0000

For more Wordless Wednesday go HERE and HERE!

5 Little Pumpkins.....Sugar Style!

livingandlovingblog@gmail.com (Corey~living and loving) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 00:29:00 +0000

Boy howdy, do I have a special treat for YOU today!

Hang on to your socks.....The Sugar is performing!

♥♥♥♥

Don't you just want to eat her with a spoon?

NO?

huh.....must just be me!

I ♥ Faces~ Halloween Dress-up

livingandlovingblog@gmail.com (Corey~living and loving) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 03:19:00 +0000

Of course this week over at I ♥ Faces, they are featuring DRESS-UP. I'm soooooooooooooo looking forward to seeing all the fun shots of kids dressed-up. Seriously.....it just doesn't get much cuter than a child all dressed-up in character. LOVE IT!

The photo I choose to share is a shot I took of Sugar Bear last Halloween. She was TOTALLY into the Cowgirl character.

YEEEEEEEEEE HAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!

Head on over to I ♥ Faces to get in on the dress-up fun!

Sunday Citar~ All Aglow

livingandlovingblog@gmail.com (Corey~living and loving) — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 05:14:00 +0000

Welcome to Sunday Citar! This blog quote meme was created by Tabitha @ FreshMommy. You can stop by her blog to see the quotes and photos that she and everyone else is loving right now.

"When we recall the past, we usually find that it is the simplest things - not the great occasions - that in retrospect give off the greatest glow of happiness." ~ Bob hope

If the pumpkin fits..........

livingandlovingblog@gmail.com (Corey~living and loving) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 05:11:00 +0000

...WEAR IT!!!

There is just something about holidays that make me start feeling all nostalgic. I post this every single year, but I seriously can't help it. Wasn't Sugar Bear the sweetest pumpkin you have EVER seen?

......and a really good sport, as well! ♥ ♥ ♥

And the Kitty is BACK!

livingandlovingblog@gmail.com (Corey~living and loving) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 05:23:00 +0000

Day 36

(Spent what felt like the entire day in the car traveling to an out of area training for work.)

Day 37

(Do YOU take the toiletries...even if you don't use them? Kitty wanted to, but I reminded him that we converted to only using natural products almost two years ago.)

Day 38

(So very glad to get home and UNPACK!)

Day 39

(Stacks and stacks and stacks of work awaited my return....sigh.....)

Day 40

(For the first time in 5 years, upon waking, I stayed in bed and read for a few hours. LOVE IT!)

Day 41

(Sugar Bear made it home from Grandma and Grandpa's house, just in time for some marble races. She won.)

Day 42

(Typical Monday at work.....on the phone the entire time, diverting crisis, answering big questions, and making decisions.)

As you can see, I'm back in business. My photos are secure, and I'm editing like crazy. Now I just need to figure out how I can continue to do everything I've been doing, AND get back to blogging. There are simply not enough hours in the day to do all the extremely cool things I want to do. CHOICES....CHOICES....CHOICES!

Tuesday night musing

livingandlovingblog@gmail.com (Corey~living and loving) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 04:27:00 +0000

feeling
extremely crafty lately. I can't get enough of creating. I am literally jumping from one project to the next, and most are only half done, but I eventually come back to it. I'm not talking about doing this in a month...or a week, I'm talking about an evening. I jump from project to project every half hour or so. I am just so excited about everything I'm making.

wondering
if it will take all night for my NEW external hard drive to copy over all my files from my portable hard drive. I'm so glad it came today, but it is quite a chore to get all the files backed up.

missing
sharing my photos with my friends. I haven't taken very many since my hard drive crashed, but I am certainly missing the process of taking, editing, and sharing. Can't wait to get back to it.

looking forward to
getting my blog caught up with my Kitty Project. I've kept on snappin' throughout this hard drive fiasco, but haven't uploaded a single one. There will be a plethora of Kitty pretty soon. :)

also looking forward to
going to the pumpkin patch this weekend. Crossing my fingers for NO RAIN! We love the pumpkin patch. It is really more like a harvest festival, than a pumpkin patch, but it is tradition for Sugar and I. Can't wait! ♥

grateful for
all the wonderful contributors to the Gabriella Fundraiser. We raised just over $1000. WOO HOO!!!!! what a blessing!

hungry for
nearly everything I see. Man, I want a pumpkin pie blizzard......drooling.....droooooooling........

excited
to be finally back to reading books for pleasure. I used to read 3-4 books a month, but for the last 5 years, I've only read blogs, magazines, and parenting/educational books. I made it a goal of mine to get back to leisure reading, and in the last month I've read 2 books. I'm easing into it, and loving every minute of it.

should
get back to coping over my files, if I want them to ever be done.

Have a great Wednesday!

Gotta Love It

livingandlovingblog@gmail.com (Corey~living and loving) — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 20:59:00 +0000

Because my new External hard drive still isn't here, and I haven't uploaded photos in over a week, but I really wanted to blog today, I have decided to make a list of some of the things I LOVE. This was inspired by Carol, of InkyBlog.

~crisp fall leaves.

~library books.

~fuzzy slippers.

~carving jack o' lanterns.

~cool water to drink.

~making just about anything for Sugar Bear to wear.

~coming home to find dinner already made.

~fresh baked bread.

~good back up systems.

~a fire in the fireplace on a cold day.

~a surprise in the mailbox.

~kissing the warm cheek of a sleeping child.

~seeing the number on the scale go down.

~the purr of a kitty.

~learning something new.

~movie theater popcorn.

~hearing the words, "I love you!"

~the feel of my camera in my hands.

~holding a finished project.

~making someone smile.

~sticky notes.

~80's music.

~warm pumpkin muffins...or scones....or well....anything pumpkin, really.

~hot glue guns.

and

~bedtime stories, and lingering snuggles.

While, I've been away....I've been so very fortunate to take part in many of the above mentioned loves.

LIFE IS GOOD! Hoping yours is too!

Okay....Gabriella Fundraiser....take TWO!

livingandlovingblog@gmail.com (Corey~living and loving) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 20:17:00 +0000

Hey there friends! I've missed you. ♥

I have GREAT news! Gabriella is going HOME tomorrow. :) Isn't that wonderful? I'm so very happy for them.

There have been some changes to the fundraiser we had started. Please visit Megan's blog to get the NEW skinny on it. Even if you aren't interested in donating, please consider sharing the news on twitter, your blog, or facebook. We'd love to cover the expenses of the Ronald McDonald house (approx.$400, I believe). Every little bit counts.

Have a great rest of your week!

When things don't go as planned.... (raffle update)

livingandlovingblog@gmail.com (Corey~living and loving) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 16:07:00 +0000

There has been a small snag in the Gabriella Raffle. Thus putting a small hold on the proceedings. Please see Megan's blog for explanation.

We will be moving forward, and are so very thankful for all the generous donations so far. :)

Very Important reason to Break my week off of blogging promise

livingandlovingblog@gmail.com (Corey~living and loving) — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 17:14:00 +0000

See, I totally can't stay away. :)

okay...really, I'm just a major dillweed, and forgot that something super wonderful and exciting is happening today through Thursday.

You all might remember my sharing the story of little Gabriella Vega. She is constantly in my prayers, and I hope some of yours too. A great friend of mine, Megan, has arranged a really AWESOME.FANTASTIC.EXCITING.AMAZING raffle to benefit the Vega family. PLEASE head over to her blog to read all about it. Even if you THINK you aren't interested in the raffle. Just do me a favor and read about it. Then.....if you feel so inclined, please pass the word. Tweet it, Facebook it.....mention it on your blog. WE would really love for this raffle to be VERY successful.

The prizes are INCREDIBLE! Tons of stuff....TONS! handmade, handcrafted.....super cool stuff!

Oh and if you liked my little Octopus I made for Sugar....well, there is a very special little red one over there as a prize. I made it with hearts in honor of Gabriella. It is VERY cute!

You don't want to miss this opportunity to not only possibly win some very cool stuff, but to support a young family in great need. If you have any questions or concerns regarding this raffle please let me know. I know Megan VERY well, and have been a part of planning this raffle.

Have a super great day!

I could be stressed out.....but.....

livingandlovingblog@gmail.com (Corey~living and loving) — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 03:38:00 +0000

I'm not! Want to know why?

Because I have a very GOOD backup system. A GREAT backup system. A "so very GLAD I have it" backup system.

You see, my desktop external hard drive that houses ALL of my photos since 2004, decided quite suddenly, after nearly two years of service to just up and quit with NO two week notice. IT.JUST.UP.AND.DIED!!!!!!

I could be freaking out. I could be crying, and moaning, and rolling around on the floor in despair.

But....I'm not.

You see, I have a mini portable external hard drive that I used once a week to backup my desktop external hard drive. Not only do I use it to back up my precious photos each week, I then take it to work where it lives for the rest of the week, in case of a house fire. Having my photos stored on TWO hard drives, and kept in TWO different buildings, has to be a very AWESOME back up system, right?

Let's just say, instead of losing 5 years worth of precious photos, I only lost 4 days worth. While, I'm a bit sad about losing 4 of my Kitty Project shots, it seriously could be a lot worse. WHEW.....

However, while I'm waiting on my new desktop external to get here, I am NOT accessing my photos. It worries me to do so when I have only one set of these precious memories available.

So...I'm doing what any crafting crazy, having six sewing projects waiting for me to finish mama would do.....I'm taking the week of blogging off.

Well....I think I am....something might call my name, but honestly, I could use some time away from the computer.

Catch ya on the flip side.....and I have one question for YOU.......

DO YOU HAVE A GOOD BACKUP SYSTEM?

Sunday Citar~

livingandlovingblog@gmail.com (Corey~living and loving) — Sun, 11 Oct 2009 00:20:00 +0000

Welcome to Sunday Citar! This blog quote meme was created by Tabitha @ FreshMommy. You can stop by her blog to see the quotes and photos that she and everyone else is loving right now.

“You don't love a woman because she is beautiful, but she is beautiful because you love her.”~ Unknown

Tell Me Thursday~ Kitty Project Notes

livingandlovingblog@gmail.com (Corey~living and loving) — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 16:24:00 +0000

Yesterday's post was simply a quick share of the most recent week of The Kitty Project.

Day 29- Work was C-R-A-Z-Y, and I was quite literally feeling like I'd been pinned to the wall.

Day 30- The season of a REALLY dirty truck begins, and I loved the "real" kitty footprints on my hood. Unlike some folks, who can't stand to see cat prints on their vehicle, it makes me smile each time I see them. Such sweet little prints. ♥

Day 31- Just us girls at home tonight, so we snuggled with our quilt, watched a movie and ate popcorn. ♥

Day 32- Sometimes I just feel so very stuck in the middle.

Day 33- Spent the entire day crafting, sewing, and creating with my Sugar. These are some bits and pieces to be thrown away after making Sugar Bear's Halloween costume. I set Kitty up with a fun ensamble, and when Sugar saw is hours later, she said, "Tee Hee....Kitty is from Russia!" What a silly little cookie that girl is.

Day 34- Sugar spent a good deal of her time on Sunday learning to play darts. I was the audience.

Day 35- Took this while hanging out by the recycle bin with some friends at work.

Not only did this past week, start off the second month of this project, it wraped up September. I had a little fun, and made up a collage of all the photos I took in that first month. They are not in order of how I took them, however.

Wordless Wednesday~ The Kitty Adventures Continue....

livingandlovingblog@gmail.com (Corey~living and loving) — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 00:13:00 +0000

Day 29

Day 30

Day 31 (October begins)

Day 32

Day 33

Day 34

Day 35

For more Wordless Wednesday go HERE and HERE!

Bigness comes in small packages

livingandlovingblog@gmail.com (Corey~living and loving) — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 05:05:00 +0000

Ever feel like you were given the BIGGEST gift in one of the smallest packages?

Today, I read something that seemed to fit perfectly with what I've been feeling as a parent, and something I touched on in yesterday's post.

":: Small Body, Big Spirit ::

Mother Nature doesn't aim for mediocre. She imbues every child with HUGE creative potential.

Children are born *knowing* they're supposed to be BIG -- innately powerful, free, and continuously expanding to new horizons.

Today, no matter how physically small your child may be, notice and appreciate his or her BIGness in spirit. That spirit is easy to see when your child is expressing pure Love and Joy. But it's no less present when s/he's "misbehaving." In those trying times, remember...

Our children are always doing the best they can to stay connected to their BIGness -- in a world that expects them to be small."

~ Scott Noelle of The Daily Groove

Scott Noelle's website, Enjoyparenting.com , is one of my favorite parenting resources. It's philosophy sits well with my own beliefs, and I never fail to find something to inspire me.

It is amazing to realize that my child was born to be something special...something BIG, and that it is my job to not squash it. It is my HONOR to nurture it, and watch it grow. This parenting stuff isn't to be left to happenstance. It is to be embraced, and purposefully tended.

Later in the day, as I set to relaxing with a book, I read something that certainly did NOT mesh with my thoughts on parenting, and in fact made me quite sad. It read:

"At MOPS International, we often say a mother of preschoolers is like a cardboard juice box--with umpteen straws stuck inside. Her little ones gulp and gulp until she feels sucked dry."

~ Eliza Morgan, President and CEO of MOPS International.

I sat there dumbfounded.....wondering if THAT is how most mothers of young children feel....as if they have been sucked dry. As if, their little charges have taken everything she had to offer, and left her empty. Is this how mothers feel?

In my experience, motherhood has filled me up. It has given me more than I had before. I enjoy parenting. I look forward to being with my daughter, and find myself eager to see what is next in our journey.

It is my greatest hope that those mothers out there that are feeling empty, will soon realize how nourishing their child can be to their souls.

*** edited to add***

I firmly believe that if you are always feeling like you are EMPTY at the end of the day. If THAT defines motherhood for you. Something needs to change.

The main point of this post was to say that we can either choose to be inspired and filled UP by our lives (children) or we can focus on the hard times, and how it is completely bringing you down.

I understand, and probably didn't explain very well, that there are DAYS like that. There are times when things are hard, but we need to decide if that is what you want to define your children's childhood as.

I feel very strongly that we are in control of our happiness, and must choose to find the GREAT in it.