Goodbye Huggies

The daunting task of potty training is overwhelming for any mom, BUT the idea of saying "Goodbye Huggies! We won't miss you." Drives us all to do it eventually.
That and hope that our children will be able to be self sufficient one day.

It took us 5 years till we felt the Rock (who are we kidding?) till I was ready to potty train. Because of the whole potty training experience I almost decided not to have my two boys after the two girls because the girls were all done and I didn't want to start over.

Potty Training a child with special needs child like everything else we teach him is broken down to the tiniest of steps and takes oodles of patience from us. The Rock could not have done a better job. Yes for the most part I've thought we were the ones potty trained and not him but then this weekend he walked into the bathroom by HIMSELF and goes! I could not contain from jumping up and down and crying. The next time he came and grabbed my hand and took me to the bathroom. (remember he's non-verbal)

This is a MAJOR victory on the road to being self sufficient. I'd like to thank his incredible teachers who show me the way, our loving children that jump in and celebrate all the victories, my husband who withstands my meltdowns and my brilliant beautiful boy for over coming SO much on a daily basis. He shows us all how to Carry On.

Goodbye Huggies!

The Croods = Speech Surprises

You may not think that bribery is a good way to parent but I believe in a reward for a job well done, and that's what my kiddos got tonight. We cleaned the basement SO we went to the movies. Little did I know this "Wild Child" below would spark something in MY non-verbal/echolalia wild child to say a word I haven't heard in a while, DaDa. 

Daddy wasn't even there to hear it. Don't worry I hurry and recorded it.

The Rock doesn't mimic us or movies all the time so we are genuinely surprised when something sinks in and he mimics something or someone. 

The Croods was a great movie for the whole family, from the 34yr old to the 5yr old we all were entertained and inspired to speak out about it.

you know you're a M.O.M. when....

.....validation is all your heart desires most days. Today is MY day! 

Thanks to Mom It Forward for honoring me as Mom of the Day.

This means so much to me because of how much I admire the women and men that work so hard to make Mom It Forward such an incredible place of inspiration. Mom It Forward has an incredible mission to uplift and make the world a better place, goals that I share with them.

For me I wonder all the time if I'm doing enough for my family, myself and those I come in contact with. It's a battle of balance and peace, but it's days like today that show me I'm achieving my goals to make a difference by someone noticing and sharing what they've noticed with others. 

Thank you so much to all the magnificent people at Mom It Forward. 

I challenge each of us to give someone a little validation today and share with them how much you see they make a difference in the world. 

Story@Home Instagram Contest

A picture's worth a thousand words right?

When I remember my past, I remember in pictures. You could see this picture and come to a 100 different conclusions. It all started with dinner and girlfriends, it lead to shopping, a little sidewalk piano playing and watching strong women battle on the roller derby rink. 

Where did this piano come from?

Have you seen it in your city?

What's roller derby?

And many more questions to be answered in what could be a very entertaining story. The truth is there's a reason stories, journaling and blogging are interesting. We learn from them. We learn from ourselves as we write our stories out or as we get lost in someone else's story and learn from them.

I'm looking forward to attending the Story@Home Conference next month, where I will learn and mingle with new and old friends and learn how I can be better.

You can come too, FOR FREE! 

Story@Home is hosting an Instagram Contest deets below.....

Instagram Photo Contest

Prize: Full-conference Story@Home pass ($79 value)

Dates: February 20th-24th

To participate in the contest:

• Snap a picture you think tells a story. Examples include family, friends, places, events, mementos--anything that has meaning for you.
• Upload the photo to Instagram and share with us what story your photo tells. Include the hashtags #tellyourstory and #storyathome.

Winner will be announced on the Story@Home Facebook page Monday, February 25th. "Like" us on Facebook to find out if you've won: https://www.facebook.com/pages/StoryHome/175409965858537?ref=ts&fref=ts.

All I need to know I learned from Enizio Salon

I had the privilege of meeting the genius behind Enizio Salon, Alex.  Enizio started out as a mobile hair & make up salon, that's right they come to YOU. I absolutely love this feature, but sometimes you just want to get away and their brick and mortar salon is just that, A GET AWAY. The pics, don't quite to do it justice but don't you want to see it for yourself? Do it, GO, book your get away now at Enizio Salon. I learned so much this night and I'm sharing it all with you...........

These beautiful ladies above are Morgan, red head hairstylist guru and the stunning Carrian from Oh Sweet Basil. Morgan is Carrian's stylist and I'm so glad she shared her with us. Carrian was the hair and makeup model for the evening, lUckEE (napoleon dynamite). These are some of the brilliant items that have now been put on my makeup shopping list. Below is how to use them.......

Embroylise: Moisturizer and Primer; a must for every day and especially photo days. 

Mac Paint Pots: Soft Ochre or Painterly (primer for eye for long wearing) 

Eve Pearl Trio Eye Concealer: You must go darker and then gradually blend to lighter in order to actually lighten the under eye. 

Makeup Forever HD Foundations; powder T-zone and under eye, Contour palate or bronzer under jaw, cheek, forehead in a 3, draw lines up

Makeup Forever HD Setting Powder; helps your makeup last all day and through a photo session. 

Eye Shadow; 
light color as base all the way to the brow line
slightly darker in crease
make this< on each side of eye > point is at the end of eye, this can be any color you want
Eyeliner line changes with shape of eye, the more the smaller the eye becomes
Smoke eyeliner by brushing is out
Did you know, the waterline is in between eye and bottom lash? I didn't until now.

Lips;
Cream sheen by Mac beautiful
line lips for photos, more definition

Hair

Onesta Setting mist to give hair memory to hold curl

Dust It by Osistextured hair powder

Headshot Tips by Heidi Ann

• Never face the camera full front. Always angle away from the camera with your weight on your back leg. 
• Avoid white and black (usually). 
• Choose colors that make you look good. 
• Don't stick your chin/neck out no matter what the photographer says. The trick is to use darker pigments (makeup), not MORE makeup.
• Make sure you tell the photographer what you want. If you hate the urban background you'll end up hating all of your photos. 

Thank you Emily,  Is This Really My Life, for the invite, The Chocolate for delicious desserts, it was a wonderful evening out, even if I was in my workout clothes, doi (as I hit my forehead).

You know you're a M.O.M. when.....

.....a moment in the sun can be like a vacation to HAPPYland.

In the winter when the sun is shining, you can find me inside the house (because its still too cold to be outside) at any window soaking in as much Vitamin D as possible. I've even been know to lay down in the sun rays and go to sleep as long as the sun is on me. A moment like this can give me just the push I need to get through the day.

Boy, did I need the sun. I needed it so much I could call it a miracle it's out. The last few days I have been inside non-stop potty training (autism style) my little guy. He's done so well, but I don't do so well being inside for that long and I'm not sure how long it's going to be before its ok to take him out while potty training. I'm so grateful he understands what I'm saying when I say lets go to the bathroom, He couldn't do that last year. I don't know how long it will take for him to understand he needs to talk and tell me he needs to go.
I'm grateful for his progress. It would be so easy to throw my hands in the air and throw a fit saying This isn't fair! He's five and can't talk! How hard does life have to be?! Sometimes I do, but today I'm grateful for the sun and the strength to do my best and just love all my babies and all the ARE ABLE TO DO.

you know you're a M.O.M. when.....

you can find every stinky camouflaged item a child has left behind and wonder why they consistently leave a trail behind them.

Maybe the story of Hansel and Gretel was a legend from mothers long ago after spending their lives picking up the trail of garbage left behind from their children.

Maybe children really do need a trail in order to find their way back to bed, toy room or bathroom room. That would explain why when I ask them to go to any of these places the reply is always "I can't!" Maybe because I've picked their trail they left behind they seriously can't.

I think I may have solved a really life everyday mystery, what do you think?

Can you find the camouflaged item that's been left behind?

Oh my Cricut!

Cricut Instagram Contest

Cricut is having a fun Instagram contest going on to giveaway some of the awesome Tool Kits they have… Follow them on Instagram (@OfficialCricut) to find out how you can be a winner. They announce winners every day on their IG and FB pages.

I am astonished at the kindness and happiness that has brought to my life. I love working with companies that care so much about others that they give whatever they can to make a difference it the world. Don't think I'm crazy I know that the Cricut is a machine, but the incredible people behind the machine are what make the magic happen. I am always on the look out for good customer service and wow do Nathan, Mallie and Cara stand out! Thank you.

Recently I had the honor of helping a friend make 18 of these beautiful paper flower balls in honor and for the funeral of beautiful, little Emilie Parker.

(photos by Lucky Red Hen)

There was no way we were going to make 18 flower balls in 1 night without some Cricut help. At one point we had 4 going at once in order to cut out the thousands of tiny paper flowers we needed. Thanks to Cricut, friends and some caffeine we were able to make all 18 flower balls in 1 night. You never know what will bring PEACE to the souls of others and I'm honored to have helped in a very small way for the family of Emilie Parker.

I look forward to my next Cricut project. What's yours?

you know you're a M.O.M. when......

the word mom and children causes a heartache like you've never known due to the loss of a child (in any way) and/or infertility.
Katherine Nelson's song What's Mine is Yours is a brilliant piece of art that puts my experience at that of so many others to music. I am strengthened by Katherine's courage to write, sing, act and produce this beautiful video.


I don't talk often of my miscarriage. Miscarriages happen so often, 1 out of 4 on average, therefore I feel that I don't need any sympathy I just need to pull up my big girl panties and move on. HOWEVER I am wrong. I would never expect anyone else to do that. The lessons I learned during that time have helped me throughout my life and have given me the knowledge and strength to sympathize with family and friends in similar or more difficult situations. So here is my experience, I hope that it will help someone out there, in their time of heartache. (warning: descriptive)
         My baby was nine months old and I was going into get birth control from my OB. She asked if I was pregnant and I said no but for some reason I hesitated and she suggested we make sure. To my surprise the nurse came back fairly quickly to congratulate me on being pregnant. "Oh my!!! Wow! Ok, I can do this!" were my thoughts. Over the next few days my thrill for a new little baby to hold over took my worries and my love for the child that was growing inside me swelled within my heart. We had guessed that I was about 8 weeks along, therefore we hadn't announced our news yet to family and friends.
          A week later I started bleeding and was told that I was most likely having a miscarriage. I was crushed and fell into despair. Over the following week as the bleeding continued and worsened I didn't understand and didn't know how I would over come this loss. I had already accepted and loved this child. Every time I went to the bathroom I was terrified of what I might see, until the dreaded hour when I looked and saw my precious baby before me. Although we thought I was not very far along in my pregnancy and that I probably wouldn't notice when the baby had passed, we were wrong. Before me lay my baby, with teeny tiny arms, legs, fingers and the beautiful outline of the face. I dropped to the floor and bawled, like I never had before. I knew what I was suppose to do, but how could I leave my baby? How was I suppose to get up and walk out of the bathroom like nothing had happened and go on with my life? No one would ever know about this baby or that a part of my soul was gone unless I relived this dreadful day. I wanted to stay curled up on the cold tile floor, crying endlessly for the rest of my life to mourn the loss of my baby.
         As my sweet husband picked me up in his arms and held me while I cried and then began to cry with me. I realized I was not alone, in many ways. I realized how blessed I was to have a baby girl and loving husband. They needed me. Some how I was going to have to get up and take on one more day and then another. Although I knew I had to do this I had no idea how to do it. I was incapable of moving, I was paralyzed with devastation.
         After what felt like hours of torture trying to decide what to do a peaceful feeling and thought came into my mind "You must let this baby go, it's not yours now. This is what the Atonement of Christ is all about and you must give this pain and sorrow to him and know that all will be well."My mind became clear and I knew that I would be able to go on. It was as if the weight of despair had been lifted and paid for and I was able to get off the floor, say goodbye and walk out of the bathroom door.
         The saying "when one door closes, another one opens" rings true, you are never the same once you let go of the past, close that door and step into the door of the future, a changed soul forever.

My word for 2013 HAPPY

HAPPY

I have made the choice to acknowledge the things that make me happy on a daily basis this year. I hope that this will cultivate an attitude of happiness at all times.
The last two years I have been in a search for PEACE. By counting the small pieces of peace,  I have found that myself at peace with where I am, at any given moment even in times of great trial (for the most part...at least better off than where I was).
For me PEACE had to come before I could choose to be HAPPY at all times, especially during great trials. I have hated the fact that happiness is a choice, but I must admit it is. I have a choice to dwell on the all that is difficult or on the goodness. I believe that happiness is simpler and less complicated than trials, nevertheless a choice that we must all make. So here's my challenge to you.......

(you can pin this pic and other Happy quotes that I've pinned on my Happy Board)

Join me this year and choose to be HAPPY, post a daily picture on Instagram of something that made you happy with the #happy2013. At the end of the year you'll have 365 pictures to remind you the rest of your life why you are HAPPY.
I look forward to seeing your pics. Make sure to tag me too @cobilynn.