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12.31.2016

Life.. Reimagined

I never imagined I would be a military wife.

Having to be 2nd priority in your husband's life and knowing that he could very well have to leave and may be across the globe for months at a time was not my idea of marriage....but....Guess What?

Here I am.... Military wife plus 2 Military kids!

My husband has always been the "tactical" type. Everything he owns is black and has a multipurpose use. I should have known that eventually this would have been my lifestyle. His dad was in the Army and they traveled quite a bit so this has been engrained in him since he was little.

One day I remember my husband tossing out the idea of enlisting in our Air National Guard. I vaguely remember saying it would be a great back up plan for our family if our economy does go completely downhill.... and then BAM...He is off to Basic Training and I'm traveling 12 hours in a car with a 3 year old to watch him graduate. (Thank God for portable DVD players)

Even though this life isn't easy...it sometimes has more stressful moments than happy moments...

it also makes me utterly grateful for every little thing I call mine. It makes me look at marriage in a new perspective, it makes me stronger, it ...like it or not.. makes life very busy and exciting and I wouldn't trade it for anything! Not many wives can say that they burst with pride for their husband, not many wives have a support group that will walk to through fire to help with anything needed, and not many wives experience the homecoming kiss after a long deployment...but us chosen ones..although hard...take it one day at a time with a smile!

And I couldn't end this without saying a HUGE thank you to everyone..absolutely everyone..who has not only helped mow my yard, watch my kids, or help fix something... but also to everyone that has had just a kind word or a word of encouragement for my family. You are greatly appreciated!!





4.24.2016

Morning Routine

Our family will be going through a change soon so right now I'm trying to nail down a great routine that I can keep up with. I've always thought routines are necessary for a comfortable life. When I had my babies they were put on a routine as soon as possible.
My present morning routine works but every once in a while you need to check in and update.

In the morning I try to wake up before Brewer boy and get some mommy time in. I read my bible, pray, and plan my day.
Most of the time ..Brewer boy wakes me up..so of course I go get some morning snuggles and change a diaper and put on his clothes for the day. Then I fix a bottle and feed the baby. Once he is happy then I start getting dressed myself. I try to pick out my clothes the night before so there isn't a huge thought process to getting dressed.
My daughter wakes up at 7am so if it's about that time I go ahead and get her up. She has her own routine that she follows each morning to make sure that she is ready for the day.
It's then time to check all bags and lunch boxes to make sure they are ready. I load up the car. Double check my daughter to make sure she has everything. Put baby in carseat and head out of the house for work and school.

What does your mornings look like?

2.22.2016

Marriage Monday

I feel like in our day and time now that the sanctity of marriage is nothing more than a piece of paper that you pay for to make it "official" so the woman can change her last name.. yet again.

That's is so far from the truth. Marriage is a commitment. Marriage is work and it gets hard sometimes. But if done right.. it is the most rewarding thing you will ever experience. There is nothing like the feeling of knowing that in this world of 6 billion people.. someone has your back.. at all times. To support you , love you, listen to you, ..and annoy you. Let's be honest if you live together long enough.. you get annoyed with each other.

I want to use my little space here on the world wide web to hopefully inspire someone to not quit.. to work at it.. make it work.. at all costs...you won't regret it.


2.21.2016

True Beauty







If you have read my blog long enough then you would know that I have had a burden to homeschool Lyla since she was about 3. She is so interested in learning and I feel like if we could focus on that interest then she would go so far in life. Also this momma thinks about the things you get exposed to in public schools. The character traits of others that are not acceptable but can't helped to be picked up if you are with them all day....The words that a child should not know...The innocence that could be lost in a moment .. when I am not there...and can not explain ..I can not fix. Once that innocence is lost.. it's gone.. forever.

Although there is a few things that my child has already picked up and learned that I am not happy about.. we have gotten to the stage of "boyfriends" and "who likes who". We are asking about makeup and jewelry.

I ask why she thinks she needs all that...she is to young. She says so she can look good and be beautiful.

So I go straight to the Bible to get something.. anything.. that will grab her attention and let her know that God made her without jewelry and makeup ...and she is perfect just the way she is.

So here is the lesson we are learning right now:

1 Peter 3:3-4
Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.


Your beauty is your spirit, your character, your joy, your friendship to others, your love for those that are unloving, your faith, your prayer life
Your beauty does not come from gold, glitter and all things that sparkle. Yes, they are nice and lovely to look at..but it does not make your beautiful.

You are beautiful .. just being You.





Repost from 2008 - Baby Dr Appt


I love going through old posts on my blog and reading what I was doing and how life was like at the moment. Sometimes Gregg and I chat about how we can not even fathom our lives right now without our kids or each other. We sit and think about how our lives would be different if we hadn't met each other.. or if life went a different way. Earlier in our marriage.. we had a "maybe" answer for that question..but now.. we both just look at each other and think.. I don't know.. I can't even imagine what life would be like with out our family. I don't want to know. I don't want to know what life would be like without them. I am happy.. beyond happy. I am content. Safe. Secure. Settled. I am settled. And I love it.

So grab a drink with me and let's go back to 2008 when I was pregnant with Lyla and I guess I had just went to my 3rd Dr appointment and it was Gregg's first time going with me. He worked a lot. He always has. When I met him he worked two jobs and he has always been one to work .. even overtime.. just to make sure that I have never "wanted" for anything. So funny to see that we already had Levi's name picked out back in 2008 also.

Ok .. I will stop rambling.. let's take a trip to the past......


Dear Baby,So I had dr appt number 3 Monday and your daddy got to go with me!!
This was the first one for him to go to! It was just a check up but the dr brought in that thing and let your daddy listen to your heartbeat. He was excited...your heartbeat was loud. Dr Haraway said your heart rate was about 154...which means that the old wives tale about the baby’s heartrate being over 140 means you might be a girl!
We made the appt for the Big ultrasound to see what you are going to be...it is March 24 so we will see if that old wives tale is true! Now you just have to turn the right way so we can see. That way daddy and  I can get your room ready! 
I thought I wanted a girl ...I think because I lost your sister Natalie....but the further along I get I don’t think I will prefer one over the other as long as you get here and healthy!
I have almost past the point of when I lost Natalie which might not mean anything but it means alot to me for some reason. Here lately I have been so nervous over everything...knowing that this is close to when my water broke with Natalie and i don't wanna lose you.
I already love you so much! We have discussed a few names.....so far we have Levi Greggorey if your a boy and Lyla Faye if your a girl.
Well it is time for me to head to chuch so i had better get going!!!! Please don't kick my bladder while we are praying and make me run to the bathroom!

Sincerly,
Your Momma



2.14.2016

Drama Club Play - Enchanted Woods

Disclaimer: I'm done editing and worry about grammar, perfect sentence structure, etc. So my posts here on my blog is my voice. Me just talking to a friend.. YOU. I hope you hear my voice and enjoy my blog.


To my surprise this year Lyla wanted to be in the Drama Club which puts on a play each year.
This year it was called Enchanted Woods. We got a list of characters that were going to be in the play and the kids got to pick their top 3 to audition for. I tried to prep her that most of the older kids were going to get the parts with a lot of speaking parts but still she chose Narrator 1, Narrator 2, and Narrator 3 as her top 3. This girl just loves to read.
Well the list came out on who was what character and Lyla got "Happy Dwarf"

Yea.. a little less than a Narrator but I told her that she will do her best and be the best little happy dwarf they have ever seen ..then next year I bet she will get a bigger part.
I'm kind of thankful for the Happy Dwarf part because she was also in a church play.. and had to practice for a piano recital all at the same time.

So we got a shirt made specifically for her part.. so everyone would know that she was a happy dwarf. We had to wear a yellow shirt, rolled up jeans and yellow socks..
here she is in her play:




she did have one line
She jumped gleefully and said "Snow White Get Up!" after Snow White fell down when she took a bit of the apple. And if I say so myself.. she did great with her one line.

I love this girls drive and her confidence. I love her perfectionism and competiveness. I love her.

2.01.2016

Lyla's Toy Brew with Audree

So.. my daughter has found Shopkins.

She found them about a year ago and has been completely obsessed since. I thought it was just a phase and we would eventually move on..
but no..

Moose toys is very smart.

About the time we are done collecting a season of Shopkins.. What do they do? Yep. They come out with a whole new Season!! Yay! Which keeps my child ... obsessed!

She found Shopkins on a YouTube channel (parental controls do apply) when they were in Season 2. We have almost all of Season 2. Then her Dad and I bought her a whole case of Season 3 Blind Baskets for her birthday. Now we are collecting Season 4. *fingers crossed we find a Limited Edition*

Don't know what a Shopkin is?

Here .. allow me to show you..

A few weekends ago Lyla had a friend sleepover and they HAD to do a YouTube video of their own showing off Shopkins. Like Totally HAD to!! or the whole 7 years that they have been alive on this Earth would just be for nothing.

Anyway.. I set up the camera.. and said "Have Fun!"

I caught up on my binge watching of the Big Bang Theory and their YouTube video kept them happy for about an hour.. Your Welcome though because I stayed up one night and edited it down to just under 30 minutes..

Yes... I edited it DOWN to less than 30 minutes. Love them girls though and I'm so happy that they are friends. They make me laugh. Sometimes.. as adults.. we just need to laugh at some like totally funny girl stuff and forget about all the adult stuff in our brain.

Enjoy!



1.18.2016

One Little Word 2016

I know it is half way through January .. I know that most people pick their One Little Word before the new year.. or right at the beginning of the new year.. but I didn't.

The past few years I have picked a word to focus on for my upcoming year. I enjoy focusing on one word instead of failing at resolutions. I'm not a good resolution person. I can totally make them.. I just suck at seeing them through. It is much easier for this momma to focus on one word.

This year I wanted to give myself a little time to make sure that this is the word I want. In years past I have focused on strength, prayer, memory, etc. It's worked.. I feel like I actually work on the specific word but this year the word didn't come to me as quickly as it had before.

To pick my word I take an initial stock of my life at the moment... we as women go through phases of life.
The fiancée stage.. planning a wedding
the new wife stage
the new mom stage
mom again stage
everyone comes before you stage
exhaustion stage
getting it back stage..

I've realized that the phase I am in is the exhaustion stage.. but I am determined to move on to the next stage of getting back to being me. I've put everyone and everything before me.. my husband, my kids, my house, the laundry, the dishes.. I literally put everything as a higher priority than myself. For some reason women tend to think that if you are a "real" woman then you can take care of your house, your kids, your husband, your garden, your friends, work a full time job and still look like you just got out of the spa.. Let me tell you honey... That is crap! It doesn't happen. Sorry if I busted your bubble.

I realize that something is going to have to give if I plan on taking care of myself.. but I'm not quite sure where I want to fail .. to be able to succeed in being me. Do you have this problem? We can't keep all the balls we juggle in the air all the time.. One of them has to fall for us to pick up another. Let's face it.. I'm not a good juggler to begin with.

So no matter what I have to do.. my One Little Word for 2016 is:




Become:
A verb... An action word..

to come.. come into myself.. to realize who I am.. as a person.. not just a mom.. not just a wife.. not just an employee.. but as ME.. as a person.. a child of God.. What am I created for?

change.. something has gotta give..I can't keep putting everything ahead of myself.. I have to have something in my cup to be able to pour out to my family.. something has to change .. I do not want my children seeing me exhausted every day..I want them to see joy and life in their momma's eyes.

grow to be.. this will take time.. it is a growing process.. but in 2016 I will work toward...

Becoming Nikki




1.03.2016

Sunday Song

This is a song I've been listening to quite a bit this week. It has a great message and is my pep talk in the mornings reminding myself that I Choose Jesus.

No matter what's going on around me..the drama, temptation, etc. ...I will choose Jesus because he first chose me.



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