Marriage Takes Work

For those of you who are married, you know exactly what I mean by marriage takes work.  At least if you want a happy, successful marriage.  Nick and I have been married for over 4 1/4 years and I will tell you ere have been some rough times in that short amount of time.  It takes a lot of effort to work through your issues and come out stronger on the other side.

A lot of the time it starts out to be just small problems, but they can build up.  10 small problems become one large problem.  Now, if you're like me, you try not to say too much about the little things.  I'm not trying to start arguments over dirty socks.  But sometimes, those 10 little things become combined with a bigger thing.  Maybe he wants to hang out with his friends on the weekend, and suddenly you seem to be spending more time alone, and less time together.  Mix that with the 10 small issues that you may already be a little irritated about and you could end up in a fight.  

Unfortunately, this happens to every couple, and living together takes some getting used to!  Its normal to have little quarrels about things.  But what if you begin really missing each others signals.  What if you start fighting over everything.  You're stressed, he is stressed, the electric bill is way higher than you anticipated and someone is to blame.  It happens.  The point is that you have to be rational and understanding of one another.  

It takes hard work to make a marriage run smoothly.  As humans we fend for ourselves.  There is a definite learning curve to accepting maybe a different way of doing the laundry, of drawing up the budget.  You have to learn to cohabitant and that can take some getting used to.  Don't feel bad!  It is okay and a normal part of every relationship.  You need to find your groove as a couple and once you find that, life becomes smoother once again.

Adding children into the mix can take a perfectly happy marriage and jumble it all around.  When people are exhausted, frustrated, and are dealing with caring for a new life, things can get stressful!!  Try to remain connected and be a team.  Life can be stressful.  You just have to try to find a balance.  Finding time for each other is key.  You have to remain connected.  Making time each day, even if its 5 minutes a day to just reconnect, give each other a hug, talk about your day, or just say "I love you"  Investing just 5 minutes a day in your marriage can pay you back big time in the long run.  

You are in this together.  Sometimes you may feel more like enemies than partners.  But at the end of the day when you go to bed, you are a team.  Keep in mind that you chose each other, in good times or in bad.  Never go to bed without a kiss and saying I love you.  It re centers you and reminds you that "hey, i do love you, and were going to be OK"

We are now VLOGGERS!

Thats right folks.  We have started a daily (almost) vlog channel on youtube that you should check out!!  Dont forget to subscribe to get updates!  We are doing this because I feel like I miss so much, and when I video tape things, I can just look back on them and remember!  Also its nice for Nick to get to see all the things he missed while he was at work.  Its mainly all about the girls, and thats the awesome part!! 

 
See our VLOGS here!

thanks!
Sam

HAPPY EASTER!

I hope everyone had as good of an Easter Sunday as we did!  It was pouring rain and thunder this morning, and we thought our Easter egg hunt wasn't going to happen :(

Thank God at around 1pm the clouds parted and the sun (and the HEAT) came out and we were able to do our first Easter egg hunt!  It was a beautiful day that ended with corned beef and cabbage! (we missed making it on St Patrick's day, so we did a make up!)  Enjoy!

 

Thankful for the Pictures

So I may have just been looking at all the photos of the girls from the day they were born.  I may be crying as I type this....

This will forever be my favorite photo.  About 20 minutes after the girls were born, I was still in surgery getting put back together, and Nick was with the girls back in our room.  I wasnt here for these first moments with them, but I am so thankful to have them in pictures.

It brings back everything from that day.  Its odd that I forgot all the small details up until now.  I remember asking over and over again if they were okay.  I remember feeling the last 10 minutes of being stitched up.  I remember signing in, I remember everything.  I am so thankful for all of these memories.

Even this memory....the very first time holding them, and feeling so nauseous that I had to hand them off.  I nursed them one at a time, and held off throwing up for 2 hours.  It was amazing and beautiful!  

Right now, these same little girls are DESTROYING their bedroom instead of napping.  But that okay, because I am beyond thankful to have them.

Up, Down, Side to Side

We are so lost in life right now its stupid.  No it really is.  We havent had an income of any sort for TWO MONTHS and were living on savings that are about drained.  Now youre going to ask the question that we are asking ourselves.

WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO?!

I know, we have no idea.  We live with my mom (bless her heart) in a small Northern California town with zero opportunity.  We own a home in Missouri (AKA the last place I want to live in) and thank God for good renters!  We wanted so badly to move back ere because all of our family is here, but homestly, with no work and no opportunity what are we to do?  At this point it seems like Nick is going to have to leave and find work elsewhere, while we stay here until there is enough money for us to move out there too.  So I know what youre thinking...

WHERE WILL WE GO?!

I have no idea.  We want to live in the country, preferably Montana-esque (yup) or Montana.  Or maybe Washington, that would be great too.  I am just terrified that were going to run out of money before we figure it out!  I am just so thankful that we have each other.  Without my amazing hubby and the cutest almost 2 1/2 year olds ever, I would be a disaster :) 

Whole Wheat Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Bread

Oh my goodness ladies, this bread is to DIE for!  I found the recipe here and it is amazing!  Its hard to find things to make that don't cost an arm and a leg, and aren't full of preservatives.  This is definitely going to be added to my weekly breakfast meal plan.  I altered the recipe to fit my liking, but you can do it however you want :)  Lets get to it.

INGREDIENTS

1-1/3 cup flour (I used whole wheat flour)
2/3 oats, rolled or old fashion
1/3 cup white sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup chocolate chips (I used 1/3 cup of each white and semi sweet)
1 egg
3 TBSP, melted butter (i used margarine)
1 cup buttermilk (i used light soy milk)

 THE HOW TO

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees, and grease a 9x5 loaf pan.

Mix all dry ingredients together in a mixer.

  In a separate bowl combine milk, egg, and melted butter.  

Pour wet ingredients in your mixer with everything else.  

Bake in the oven for 40-50 minutes or until knife inserted comes out clean.

ENJOY!!!

Were Back!!!

Hello and welcome back to the world of blogging!!  I have really missed my blog, and all the blogs I used to read.  I have thought about writing here many times, but with all that life has thrown at us in the past year, I just haven't got around to it...SHAMEFUL!!

Heres whats new with us!

Last year I lost 50 lbs, and I am still chugging along!  We have become a far more healthy family (posts on that to come!) and much more active too!!  

The girls are HUGE!  seriously yall, they are almost 2 and a half now and so freaking adorable.  now you may think I am just bias but seriously, I almost cant stand how cute they are!  They talk, they sing, they run and play and ride their mini horse Eeyore....so much has changed!!  They are starting potty training and its going great!!  My babies are growing up right in front of my eyes!  Dont believe me?  see for yourself.

 

What else...  Nick got out of the Army in November, and we moved back home to California.  Neither of us has been able to find a job yet, but all in good time.  We are living with my mom, which we are so thankful for!!  The girls have their own room (my childhood room) and we converted the family room into a bedroom for Nick and I (pics to come!!)  

I have quite a few posts in the making, so stay tuned!!  Were back and were here to stay!!