Just one of those days!!

Today just didn't go very well. There's alway tomorrow! 

Funny Friday

Shawn noticed the clean clothes were not on the chair. He said to Laura, "So you put the clothes away! Thanks!" Laura said, "Yes I did!" After a few minutes Shawn asked, "where are my pants?" Laura stared for a minute and said "With the clothes I put away..." "Where?" "ummmm back in the dryer!"

Therapy saved and saves my life

I am not ashamed to admit that I am in therapy. I have been going for over 8 years, 6 of them with the
same therapist. I have been through so much with her that I give her a lot of credit to helping me discover the true Laura I am today. It also helps that she has a therapy dog!

Every other week I look forward to my brain dump. It is an hour that I can tell her everything that is bugging me, everything I am scared of and I mean everything and anything! It is so nice to know that it is someone who will not judge me for the things I have going on in my mind. Because I will admit it's not always pretty!

I believe that everyone should have a therapist. A lot of people think that it's weird or they will bring things up from your childhood that will ultimately blame your mother. Yes it does bring up a lot of things but it helps put things into perspective as to who you are and why you react in certain situations.

Six years ago when I first walked into Therapist's office I was broken. I was scared of EVERYTHING. I couldn't even go into the grocery store alone. I would panic and run out of the store. I was terrified to leave the house during winter months. I didn't stand up for myself and say no to others. I was miserable and depressed. And the worst I didn't want to have children due to fear.

Working with therapists I have been able to sit back and realize that it's ok to be afraid but I have to face my fears.  Our motto is: Facing Fear is the Death of Fear. I love and live by this.

I am a fan of different techniques when it comes to therapy. Here are a few that work for me:
- Deep Breathing
- Progressive Relaxation
- Visualization
- Facing Fear
- Accepting that "I can't change it right now"
- Patience
- Accepting that my experiences and talents are gifts and need to be shared

When i found out I was pregnant I cried in her office. I was happy and excited yet I was scared to death. And I mean death. I didn't think I would make it the whole 9 months and I couldn't even begin to figure out how I was going to take care of a tiny human when I couldn't even take care of myself.

We worked through visualizing myself with the baby inside and how beautiful and wonderful my body was that it was able to grow a human inside of me. It helped so much! She talked me through my fears of getting morning sickness and getting sick during labor. We worked together every week for 40 weeks. And guess what?! I did make it through the entire pregnancy! Therapist was one of the first people we called when Reid William was born. And she rejoiced along with me. We celebrated my success. I faced my fears and I succeeded.

She has been there for my lowest lows and my highest highs. She has never once judged or laughed at my wacky irrational thoughts I can conjure up. I mean doesn't everyone believe that Isis will use chemical warfare and release Ebola in Fort Worth, Texas? Because I sure do!

So in conclusion I will continue therapy for the rest of my life. I there ever is a time when I don't need it I will be amazed. I don't look at it as a negative but a positive. Without it I wouldn't be who I am today!

Laura's 3 Things

Three things you can't go without:

- family

- crochet hooks & yarn

- my phone (embarrassingly)

Three celebrity crushes: 

- Leonardo Dicaprio (seriously the dude doesn't age)

- Charlie Hunnam

- Matthew Morrison

Three favorite book characters: 

- Beth from Little Woman

- Jo from Little Woman

- Meg from Little Woman

(surprisingly not Amy....we are too much alike!)

Three favorite things to wear: 

- black yoga pants

- white tank tops

- long shirts

Three things you take when evacuating the house:

- computer/hard drive

- baby pillow and Fifi

- box of past planners

Three pet peeves:

- snoring (sorry Shawn)

- constant touching 

- people being late 

Three favorite TV shows: 

- Friends

- Big Brother

- The Bachelor/Bachelorette

Three things you would do if you weren't afraid: 

- sky dive (HA)

- get a tattoo

- chase a tornado

Three favorite movies: 

- Apollo 13

- Little Woman

- The Sound of Music

Three places you want to visit: 

- the Swiss Alps

- Fiji

- New York City (at Christmas)

Music Monday - 10 Songs

If I could only listen to 10 songs for the rest of my life it would be these songs:

1: Bohemian Rhapsody - Glee Version
2: Only Time - Enya
3: Laura - Live Ray Young Trip
4: My Heart Will Go On - Celine Dion
5: The Best Gift - Barbra Streisand
6: Defying Gravity - Original Score
7: With of Without You - U2
8: Fix You - Coldplay
9: Feels Like Home - Chantal Kreviazuk
10: Luck be a Lady - Sinatra

1: I don't exactly know why I love this song so much but I do! I could listen to it over and over and I do! When we say Shaping Sound Travis Wall danced with all the male dancers. It was hot hahaha!

2: This reminds me of freshmen year of college. It was connected with 9-11 and that event had such an impact on me. I can't help by cry every time I hear this song.

3: My piano teacher, Ray, always played this song for me when I would have piano lessons. It is such a special song for me. Even to this day when my parents are at the restaurant that he plays for entertainment on Friday night they call me and he will play my song for me! Very special. He even played it at our wedding.

4: Ok this is one of those songs I am embarrassed to like but I love it! I loved the Titanic movie, another guilty pleasure! This was one of the first big songs I learned how to play on the piano.

5: LOVE this song! This reminds me of my grandma. For my grandparents 50th wedding anniversary this song was on the video. It also reminds me of my babies.

6: I have never seen Wicked, on my bucket list, however I love the soundtrack. This song has a lot of meaning to me. It's time to close your eyes and leap. So much meaning to my life. Facing my fears. Overcoming anxiety and depression. All ties back to this song.

7: Friends. Rachel and Ross. Enough said! Love.

8:  This song also has a lot meaning for my anxiety and depression. "If you never try you'll never know just what you're worth." This has huge meaning for me. I have the hardest time putting myself out there and accepting my talents. But in time I am slowly getting "fixed!"

9: This was our wedding song! I have loved this song since watching  the movie How to Lost a Guy in 10 Days. The words are so fitting for our relationship.

10: Vegas baby!!! For our honeymoon we took a big road trip out West. First stop was Vegas. We stayed at the Bellagio in a corner room overlooking the strip. It was amazing! Also winning $1,600 wasn't too bad either! This song is Vegas to me and our wonderful first adventure while married.

Rhino Challenge Accepted

Recently Reid and I were looking at costumes for him to wear for Halloween. I showed him all his choices on Amazon...dinosaur, fireman, dog, policeman and all were rejected. It wasn't until he saw a picture of a boy dressed as a rhino that he got excited. A rhino?? Seriously?? Of course the only one they had was a large size 6-7, and he's a 4. So I guess this was going to be a challenge for his crafty mom.

I waited and waited showing him many other fun costumes but every time he said that he wanted to be a rhino. Finally I decided to make the costume.

Supplies: 1 grey shirt
               7 sheets dark grey felt
               1 sharpie black marker
               1 crochet har
               1 toy rhino
               Glue gun

I studied the toy rhino and looked at how the plates on his back were shaped. I then cut the corners to form a round edge.

 Then hot glued them all down and cut around the back of the neck. Then I added the texture and 3D with the black sharpie! It's amazing the things you can do with a sharpie, they are my life. HA that's just sad.

I crocheted a hat for him following this basic pattern I found on Etsy. I added the ears which I am scared to say do resemble a pig too much, but I couldn't get the shape of the rhino ear. I added a horn which I also found this pattern from Pinterest.

And here is the finished product!!!! A Rhino for Reid!!!

xoxo
Laura

Emmy turns 1!!

We did it!! We successfully made it the first year with Emmy Katherine! 

These are a few of her favorite things: 

- Loves to eat however the slowest eater we have ever seen! 

- Huge sweet tooth. Haven't met a sweet she doesn't love. 

- Sleeps 12 hours a night and takes a 2 hour nap. 

- Laughs constantly especially at her brother. 

- Still in the 99th percentile for height! 

- Favorite animal is her panda bear and Jerry & Larry her pacifiers. 

- Extremely girly! Shoes, makeup, necklaces, pink, babies...

- Very quiet, only says 3 words. Favorite is "un-oh"

- Refuses any and every sippy cup. 

- Loves kitties! 

- Great at snuggling and prefers to be held most of the time by CeCe!