How to survive as a stay at home mom

Y'all. The struggle of being a stay at home mom can be SO real. Sometimes this life can become so repetitive, and you feel like you are burning out at both ends of the stick. Trust me, I know. I have been a stay at home mom since I was pregnant with my first child, so roughly 5 years. I have had babies back to back, and my husband being in the military has proven to make this SAHM life even harder some days. 

One thing I have learned over the years is you don't HAVE to sink, heck, even drown in this lifestyle. You dont HAVE to loose yourself to your new motherhood adventure. Along the years I have learned so much about myself as a mother and staying home with my little ones. 

Find a routine. 

I know, most of you moms are probably thinking- yeah, no duh-Kodie! What I mean by 'find a routine' is really, find a routine that WORKS not only for you but for your children. For us, we wake up and head downstairs for breakfast. While the kids eat i use this time to clean up around the house, its the best time of day for me to get this done because they are entertained with cartoons and food. Easy, Peasy! Our oldest is in Pre-K so after breakfast/clean up I use the next hour or so for baths and getting the kids dressed for the day. Most of the time we literally sit at home so this is not something fancy, do not stress yourself over minute things. If we aren’t going anywhere that day we stay in comfy clothes. We drop Kyler off for school and head back home for lunch & naps. Soon after its time for sister to come home from school. And the day goes on with dinner and bed time. Obviously I am not going to go into every step of our routine because honestly, its pretty boring but a routine none the less. 

If you feel like your days are just crazy, chaotic and overwhelming I highly suggest implementing a easy routine for you and your family to follow. Tweak it to work for everyone! On days I know that will be busy I do a lot of things the night before. I will clean up the house after dinner, get the kids bathed and clothes picked out, diaper bag packed, etc. I have noticed on days that I have a heavy schedule, trying to get everything ready the day of sends me into panic mode which usually brushes off onto my children. So routine for us is VERY important. We need structure. 

Implement a Nap or Quiet Time. 

I know this can be hard for some kids, and if you have a child that just doesn’t like to sleep during the day, try doing a quiet hour. I have found that during the day I NEED this time of quietness. I need a break from the sound of cartoons, and bickering over toys (be real, you know you do to!) I have been very lucky in the fact that my kids LOVE to nap, they have all been really easy sleepers, but we are entering the age with my older two girls that some days they choose not to nap. On these days they are allowed to play quietly in their play room or watch a movie upstairs in their room but THEY HAVE TO “Take a rest” as we say. For their sanity and mine. A cranky, over stimulated and tired toddler is not fun for anyone. I promise you that. 

Don’t compare your life to other moms. 

We all do things differently. For example, my kids suck pacifiers, a lot of my friends kids do not. Does it make them any better of a parent than me, nope! We all do things that make our lives easier, and those things all differ from each family. Stop worrying about what so-and-so are doing in their home and wondering if you are doing it wrong. You’re not. Do what works best for your children and your home. You will drive yourself insane if you worry about keeping up with the parenting trends or what everyone else is doing. Find your parenting style, do what makes your kids happy and stick with what works for y’all. 

Remember, Its okay to have bad days. 

None of us are perfect, and parenting is not always peaches. Days are going to be hard. Your kids are going to test you, you are going to lose your patience (at least once) and that is OKAY. You are a human too. Sometimes it feels like we are supposed to morph into these perfect women who never get frustrated or upset after becoming mothers and I am here to tell you, that is just not the case. It is okay to feel the emotions of a bad day. Cry if you need to, go on a long drive listening to music to clear your head, anything that works for you- DO IT! But never forget you are an amazing mother and its okay to embrace the way motherhood can make you feel some days! Not every day can be a great day, and thats okay! 

This is a job.

I went though the emotions of not feeling like I was doing enough around our home finance wise. After years of sitting home and money being tight its hard not to feel this way. But. We have to remember that we are doing a job, staying home with our kids is our career for now. I am blessed to have an amazing husband who has to remind me of this more often than not. When the bills start coming in, the holidays are around the corner and you are wondering how the heck are we going to pull this together on ONE income, those thoughts of “am I really doing enough” come flooding back in. So I am writing this next paragraph for you and ME!  This is a full time job. We clean, cook, take care of children literally 24/7. One day I am sure we will all be back in the work force wishing for these days back, but for now, this home- these babies are our place of employment. And, even when its hard to see- we are doing enough! 

So, for any stay at home mom out there struggling to see her worth, or keep her head above water. Remember these few tips and that you are doing a great job! 

You are not your label.

Today we had an AMAZING service at church, let me start this post off with this- if you are in the Fayetteville/Fort Bragg and surrounding areas and looking for a phenomenal home church check out Crosspointe Church! Plan a visit!

So today we continued on our Christmas series which has been great, but todays topic of labels really, really sank in a bit for me. We all one way or another carry a "label" whether is positive or negative, one we have acquired by others or given to ourselves, we have one. Labels can be a nice thing to have when they are bringing our positive traits to the forefront of peoples minds. Cheerful, appreciative, friendly.. there are so many you could name off.  I've never met anyone who didn't like being known as something uplifting or positive. Its the negative ones though that I am going to touch on in this post. The negative ones that are hard to talk about, that hold us back from things. Things like, trying something new, reaching out to new people, a relationship with God.

Trust me when I tell you, I have been there. I have labeled myself as so many things. I wont give you the list, but just know- if this is something you have done or do, you are not alone. We have to learn how to rip these labels off! If you feel you are unworthy of a relationship with Jesus because of your past, let me tell you right now- you are so wrong. I know it can be hard to fathom that God could love someone with a rocky past but let me remind you of something- WE ALL FALL SHORT OF GODS GLORY. We could never measure up to the perfectness of our Savior. Never. Stop letting your "label" decide whether or not you are worthy. Because you are. You are worthy of love. Happiness. Forgiveness.

We all have a past. We all have something we have done that does not sit well with us. We all have something we may be dwelling on and not proud of. BUT. We are all so lucky to have a forgiving God. A god who cares more about walking with you in your FUTURE than dwelling on the mistakes of your past. You don't have to be cleansed of your past to walk in faith, you just need to believe and accept the love of Jesus Christ.

My husband and I were talking months ago once we started to attend church regularly. He was telling me how it was hard for him sometimes to be close to God because of his job. He is a soldier. He asked me, how could God forgive him for things he may need to do when at war? How could he really lean into his faith knowing the things he is trained to do to others? That he kept his relationship with God reserved because he would not be forgiven, basically.
I didn't have an answer for him, all I could do was pray and ask God to show him understanding and to guide him . Today listening to this sermon, it clicked.
My husbands label is "SOLDIER". There are many hard things he must do to ensure he gets himself and troop home safe. He has a job where he has to do things that go against the bible and God's word. His job though does not label him in God's eyes, when his day comes he can repent just the way we all can. His label does not hold him back from a relationship with Jesus.

If you are a just now finding your faith, if you are struggling with your past, I urge you to read this passage and always, always remember it.

Romans 3:23 

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

I Surrender | Living with a Threenager and "Terrible Two" Year Old

Y’all- I have the best kids, ever. They are compassionate to others, caring, have amazing manners for their age, CUTE but don’t let that stuff fool you, they. are. crazy!

I am home all day, every day, with my two toddler girls. Kyler is three and Charlee is two. You’d think it would be a smooth, simple task. That they would keep one another busy playing, watching their favorite princess movies, dress up, ya know all the normal things toddlers SHOULD do. Nope. Not these girls.


I am proud to be raising kinda independent young girls. I say kinda because they do rely on me for many things like food for survival and ensuring they wipe their butt properly after using the bathroom. But I think I get independent and headstrong confused when it comes to these two.

Before I became a mother I never knew how quickly I could be mentally over ran by toddlers. Physically at times too! They are master minuplulators, extremist, ticking emotional time bombs. And I have TWO of them walking around my home. DAILY! #jesusfixit

My three year old, bless her heart. She keeps me in line. She is my stubborn, older than her years, stern but sweet girl. She will say something so sweet like “mommy, you are the best mommy ever!” (Seriously, her exact words one time. #swoon) but then whip back at me with “you are so mean!” as hot tears run down her face because I forgot to get her a glass of milk for the seventh time this morning. She does things like color on walls or put eye shadow on our couch but blame her baby sister. Grabs toys out of her sister’s hand but profusely says sorry when she is caught. Has AT LEAST one PMS worthy mental break down a day leaving me wondering for my own sanity.

The two year old, lord help me.  No like for real. Help. This child y’all. She keeps me on my toes. She is tiny and MIGHTY! Not scared of a thing in the world. I used to see articles about children being found outside after wandering out of the home, and judge the parents. Like, how could you not know your kid left the house. Charlee gave me clarity on this. She will walk out of the house to go see the cat next door with no regard to strangers. Run out into the parking lot just because she knows it makes me crazy, and laugh as I chase her. If I ask her to do almost anything she puts her little finger up and request “one second!” She can climb pretty much anything. Walls, backs of couches, counter tops. If you see a news report about a young mother having a heart attack it was me! She demands coffee almost as soon as her eyes open, and lord help me if we are out of creamer that day. (Her version is milk with a splash of coffee cream)



Once you get these two together is a done deal. They will fight. Play. Run around the house. Gang up on me. Demand YouTube slime videos until they eventually pass out on the couch together. These girls are not for the faint of heart. They are hilarious to watch and be around and I am so blessed they are mine. No day is the same, each presents its own challenges and I question my sanity on the regular. They fight, they cry- a lot, they whine, and I contimplate waving the little white flag to surrender. Then I remember, they are looking up at me as an example. I need to teach them things like patience, understanding, and the list goes on. So yeah, they drive me absolutely crazy from day to day, but I cant imagine my life any other way.

A New Name | New Direction

Dogtags Diapers Deliverance

When I started this blog a few months back (Diapers and Dumbbells) my main focus was fitness, and while I am still very active in the gym I found my most popular post were not fitness related. The easiest post for my to write about were personal- mom, babies, faith and military. So after a bit of thought, I decided to take my blog in a new direction. One where its easier for me to write and express what I want without trying to fit a theme. Will there still be fitness related post on this blog, you betcha! Im just simply moving the theme into a different direction. I feel like this is whats best for not only myself but for the people who read my blog, I will be able to reach moms on all levels versus those who are in the fitness community.

If you follow me and notice I took a hiatus, this is why- I was running out of fitness related ideas to keep this blog afloat, but last night in the shower it hit me! (don't most moms get their best thinking done in the shower?!) So here is what to expect in post coming forward.

Sundays- You better PREACH and PRAISE
I have started a new church since I last wrote and it has me all fired up in my faith. I would love to come back here to just unload my love for Jesus and the things I learned in service that morning. As well as post some of my favorite praise music.

Mondays- Military theme
I feel the tittle is pretty obvious, these will be my post to help fellow milso, or talk about whats going on in our Army life adventures.

Tuesday- Toddler Tales
I have a two year old and three year old, Lord help me I feel thats explanation enough. These post will be dedicated to the crazy things my kids do, say or fun ideas for crafts/snacks/ things to keep you from going crazy while raisin' babies.

Wednesday- Work it
Fitness themed post. This can include work outs, fitness clothing, meals. etc.

Thursday- Mommin aint easy.
The struggles of a stay at home mom, or any mom for that matter. Okay, maybe not always struggles- but you get where I am going with this.

Friday- Favorites.
Anything from my favorite food to moment that week.

Saturday- I havent figured Saturday out yet, but we will get there! haha.


So thats what I have planned, if you followed my blog before it will now be called
"Dogtags Diapers Deliverance" so remember that when you are looking for the old forum. I hope you all enjoy what I have in mind for the future and I am excited to be back doing something I enjoy.

While the Husband is Away | MIlitary #MOMLIFE Chronicles

I live an amazing life. I honestly could not imagine living in any other community, military just runs in my blood. But. With that said, it definitely is not a life for the weak hearted, and to be honest- I can be. Especially now that I am a mother.

Before I had children, my husband leaving wasn't a HUGE deal. Did I miss him? Hell yes. Were things challenging? Of course. But I knew I would be okay, that I would get through it and he would come home soon.  Throw a clueless, three year old crying for her daddy and there is nothing you can do about it and things change. DRASTICALLY. Time passes much differently for children versus adults. What we see as a short time away can feel like an eternity to a toddler.
I am a mother to three, two toddler girls and one baby boy. Our son obviously does not notice much, but the girls are very sensitive when it comes to Daddy leaving. So many times while he is gone they ask for him, cry at night when he isn't there in bed with
us, and the list goes on, and on.
As we get ready this week for him to leave again it weighed on my heart to write about the bittersweet moments of being the parent to a military child.

It never gets easier explaining to a child that their parent is going away, and no they can not go with them. It seems they cant process that daddy is leaving, which in a way I guess can be good- but on the other foot it gets tricky for me to explain that he isn't coming home for a while. If you have a three year old at home you know all to well that the questions never end and their new favorite word is "why?". No matter how many times I have explained why my husband had to leave, she still asks over and over, why?

We are upfront about where he is and what he is doing. If he is going away for school or training, we tell her. If he is deploying, we explain to her where he is going and why he has to be gone for so long. We chose to tell her the truth (well, the watered down version) so she grows up KNOWING what her daddy does. Others may not like this approach or use this method in their home, that is okay too! Our three year old is SMART, like too smart for her own good. So telling her daddy was just at work did not cut it for her. We would go on post and she would want to see him at work, and then Id have to explain that he is not there, its just easier for us to be upfront with her. The pride though my little girl has for her daddy and her country is worth every ounce of heartache we have to endure when he is gone.

It can be challenging for me too when he is gone.. you know that old wives tale about how if things can go wrong while he is gone, they will? Yeah this applies to me but with my children. Daddy leaves and something triggers in them that they need to loose their minds at least once a day until he comes home. This can be in the form of tantrums, climbing the walls, pouring ranch all over the kitchen floor, or wetting the bed. That list can go on, and on. I am not a regular morning coffee drinker, but when my husband is gone, fill her up! Someone usually gets sick, including me. Life all together just gets complicated. Super. Duper. Complicated. You would think by now I would have some sort of a system that I follow when he is gone, but nope. I fly by the seat of my pants. If you are military wife and have mastered a "dad is away system" I long to be like you, teach me your ways.


Being a mom is hard enough as it is- for anyone! Add in a military schedule and a couple toddlers, you are in for a ride! The best part though has to be when they are reunited. I get teary eyed the second they embrace and I hear them squeal "daddy!" If you are enduring time away from your spouse and parenting solo around the house, my heart is with you and my prayer is for strength and patience cause, girl, your gonna need them BOTH!

The Whirlwind of a Military Marriage

I have been married to my husband for almost six years. SIX- and there has not been a dull moment since. Like a lot (maybe even most) military couples, we got married quickly. When I say quickly I mean, I have known my husband longer NOW than I did when the day we eloped.

We started dating and both knew instantly that this was it for us, we wanted to be together for the long haul. The life of the military though does not always give you the option to date for a while before marriage. Soldiers come down on orders quicker than you know, its a career that is hard to grow complacent in since it is ever changing. Duty stations change, deployments pop up, you catch my drift? While none of this was really happening around the time we got married, we both knew the life well enough to know that it COULD happen. Shortly after being married, it did. We moved to Texas and started life as a young couple. Its weird to think that if we didn't jump the gun and get married, where would we be today? Would we have dated long distance and let it fizzle out? Would we have three kids and a handful of memories? Maybe, maybe not.

Military marriages look like a fairy tale to most on the outside, and let me tell you they can be. All the homecomings, the balls, the handsome man in a dress uniform.. but a lot of people don't think of the craziness on the other side.

Soldiers are gone, A TON! You get married, probably move away from everyone you know and then your husband leaves too for training. You learn a new town, make new friends, basically start from scratch all while learning to be married, sometimes on your own. Anyone who tells you a marriage in the military is easy is lying. Sure it can be easy being married, but throw in every obstacle the Army can throw at you and it complicates things!

On top of them being gone, there is SO much to learn! Things like the difference between brigade and battalion, a battery and a company, do you want to join FRG or not, your husbands rank and what that means, how to wash uniforms. I almost get a headache thinking back to all the things I had to learn.

Then comes the 'beloved' DEERS photo.. if you are a spouse you know what I am talking about. Shortly after getting married you get your govt. ID card and spend an hour getting ready for the picture, only to get it back and see that NONE of your efforts are showing in that horrid photo. Jesus fix it.

You hear words like "dependa", "tag chaser" cringe and pray people aren't referring to you as one. Meeting new friends feels like your back in high school, only worse this time you are the new girl in town. You miss being home with YOUR friends, YOUR family, YOUR routine.

The great news is- things get easier as you go. You get used to him leaving now and then, and you find a grove you follow in those moments. Well, at least until you have babies and then you beg him not to leave you alone for weeks with the crazies! Or is that just me? Almost six years later and I am still learning things about being a wife, let alone a military wife!

Life Lately

What a ride we have been on around here. Between a sick baby, my husband preparing to leave for two back to back Army trips, and a BIRTHDAY coming up its been pretty hectic!

Our son has FINALLY beat pneumonia, thank the Lord. That was no joke and took forever for him to get to feeling well again. Although his sleeping habits are still not back to how they were, I am happy that he is getting back to himself. (but really need him to start sleeping better, haha)

My husband leaves for a couple weeks for a job fair at West Point to talk to Cadets about his MOS (job) in the Army. Shortly after he comes home for that he will leave yet again for a month. That one is a *little* more exciting because it leads to a promotion in the following months. I guess I can survive some time away if it means he progresses his career.

Our middle child, Charlee turns TWO while her daddy is away so we opted to move her party up a couple weeks so we can all celebrate together. Our little bean LOVES doughnuts so it was only fitting that we chose the "Donut grow up" theme. Tomorrow starts the craziness of running around and picking up the odd and ends left for the party. I seriously can not believe our little feisty, premie will be two. She is still so tiny, but mighty.

On top of all these things going on in our lives Ive managed to work my Scentsy business well enough to earn a promotion and add one lovely lady to my team this month! Today is the last day of the month and I closed it out with a nice paycheck coming and a promotion to a Lead title! So thats exciting.

I know this next month will be just as busy as our new catalog releases, I parent solo for a bit and we get ready for all things Fall and pumpkin spice. Not to mention a few work outs need to be sneaked in there and meal prepping!

Whats been going on in your neck of the woods lately? Leave a comment letting me know what you have been up to!

Toddler Tales | My three year old and her SLIME obsession

I know I can't be the only mother facing this! Slime has taken over my three year olds life. If she is not begging to make this random concoction, she is crying to watch ample hours of slime videos on YouTube.

This all began because our niece showed her a few of these videos that she enjoys watching. I know, I know- there are so many other things I could be battling right now- Lego Tetris on my floor, gum in baby dolls hair, crayon on the walls.. but until you have lived this toddler slime obsession life YOU. HAVE. NO. IDEA.

At first I was like, okay this isn't so bad. She will watch a few videos, we will make a batch together, we will play with it as a family, throw it away and clean up. HA! Never that easy. #Nope.

Her dad went away for a week for work so i figured it would be the perfect time to try this out to keep her occupied. Who knew there was such a delicate process to making this stuff. Use too much borax and you get a rubber ball. Use clear glue and it turns into a hockey puck. Too much saline solution and baking soda the stuff literally oozes fluid. All the while my child is crying because it's not like Gillian's. Sorry kid, this was not in the parenting job description when I signed on! Btw- gillian is a Australian girl who has a slime channel on YouTube. Sad that at 28yo I know this info. Although I'm betting that if you are reading this you may know her too from your own personal struggle with this craft from hell.  

We literally can not go to a store with out my child verbally listing off the ingredients it takes to make slime. She is three, she JUST learned to wipe her but on her own but she can remember a list of household ingredients?! I don't get it.

So, how are we surviving these days? After too many failed attempts to make decent slime and a few patches of my carpet having permanent gunk in them, I have boycotted the making of slime in the Simon home. We are done. It doesn't matter if you follow the recipe to a T it never ends up quite right. At this point I'm better off paying one of the kids on Instagram to make it for her!

If I never see Elmers glue, borax and contact solution again it would still be too soon. From one momma to another, stay strong in these slime infested streets y'all!

Falling off the Wagon

 I knew the day was going to come when I ran out of steam. Going from business owner, mom of three littles, military wife and the gym there wasn't much left of me to stretch. 

In July my son came down with pneumonia and after a LONG night in the emergency room, little to no sleep and a very sick baby I finally crumbled. If you have ever had a sick baby you know the challenge it is to nurse them back to their healthy self- pneumonia is a million times harder. 

I fell completely off the wagon. I stopped going to the gym, I picked up my old terrible eating habits, every single thing I had worked so hard to get started to vanish, and now is completely gone. 

I haven't been to the gym in a month, I eat poorly, I've gained weight, I don't feel good. Life is kicking my ass and I am just taking it at this point. Instead of rising up and motivating others I have taken the back seat out of embarrassment. How am I supposed to run a fitness mom blog if I am not even in the gym. Where is my motivation I had earlier this summer?! 

I'm not sure where the girl I was a few weeks ago is hiding, but I desperately need her back. 

I have put my business and kids on the front burner and that's totally okay, but I need to remember my preaching and take my own advice, I need my hobby too! My health and body image are important too! Self love is IMPORTANT! 

If you ever find yourself in this same rut, remember it's okay to fall- just remember to get back up! Do not stay down, claw your way back to your goals. 

So with that saaaaid- DnD is back and ready to start this journey over again, and again, and again. No matter how many times I fall off the wagon. 

Working With What You Have

Trust me when I say that I know what it is like to pinch pennies. I know that not everyone has the extra funds every month to spend on a gym membership that depending where you go can be pretty costly. The great thing about fitness though is that it can be done ANYWHERE.

Outside my husbands unit and the tire we were lifting

Yesterday my husband and I were motivated to do something out of the gym after watching the Crossfit games. Anyone else swoon over Matt Fraser like I do? Anyway. We headed up to his work on post to use some of the PT equipment they use in the mornings.  Great thing about being on a military post there are plenty of tires to flip, heavy jugs to carry and places to run. We started with a run, he did a full mile while I did half. I am so not about that running life. Then we went back and did a small circuit of tire flips, jug carries, sit ups, push ups and pull ups. Well, he did pull ups- Im not quite there on upper body strength.  It was hot, we had five finger death punch blaring on our portable speaker, and it was honestly just what we needed to get out of the house and moving. So if you are a military family, I encourage you to do some exercise on post!

Tire flips are heavier than I thought, so I had a little help from my husband. BUT. I eventually got it myself and was able to do FOUR flips on my own! woot*woot! 

Side note- if you are military there are always FREE gyms on post to ID card holders. Some even have family rooms that you can bring your children to and work out while watching them. I never used that option because I have overly attached little ones who if they see me in the room they instantly want on my hip.

Working out in our apartment gym with our
youngest in his car seat

Another option is apartment gyms.
Raise your hand if you live in an apartment. *insert hand raise* While its not my favorite type of living, it works for now and there are a few great perks. Like the pool and the gym. I used the gym in our complex when my son was too little to go to the kids care at our gym. Of course some gyms are better than others when it comes to apartment fitness you will have to assess yours and what your goals are. Mine is pretty impressive for being a small gym so I was able to get a decent work out in. One thing you can always count on being in there is some type of cardio equipment.




Which ever option you choose, the important part is that you are taking the steps to exercise and be HEALTHY! Fitness does not have to be expensive or taxing on your bank account. Find local resources available to you and utilize them!

Gym Child Care For The Win

I had my first baby in 2014 and when she was about nine months old I began going to the gym with my husband. We signed up, excited to start and impressed with what the child care LOOKED like. We loaded up on our first day and I never knew the nightmare we were about to encounter. The women running the daycare in the gym for whatever reason would not speak english to us, we knew that they COULD but for whatever reason they chose to speak to us and our daughter in Spanish. Weird, right? Our daughter had a complete meltdown, and that was the day I decided no more day cares. I gave up going to the gym because I was not going to put her in that situation again.

My husband requested they paint her face as Braveheart. 

Flash forward to this year. We started going to the Gold's Gym in our town. The gym is great but the child care is what won us over. THEY. ARE. AMAZING. They know our daughters by name, they console them if they are upset, they do crafts, they play movies and have a ton of toys for the kids. My favorite thing though is every day they have a special activity. Like, face paint Friday's and pajama day Saturday. We love it. Our six month old also started going, and yes some days its hit or miss with him because he is a teething, temperamental mess lately but they are just as great with him. They even have work out activities for the kids on Sunday's and a mommy and me class for baby-toddler ages. The amount of thought that went into this child care is very impressive. Its so much more than sitting them in front of a TV or in a room full of toys. The teachers are interacting with the kids, they are helping them make crafts, they are doing everything they can to make sure mom and dad get the time in to get a great work out.

Every day leaving, she goes to the weights and does squats. 

It has been really fun going to the gym as a family. Our daughters get excited to go and play which helps hold me accountable for my work out that day. Its something they look forward to doing, and they are watching us better ourselves which in return is teaching them the importance of exercise.

I encourage ALL moms to find a gym with awesome childcare. You don't have to sit at home and put your health on the back burner like I did. There are great gyms that provide good child care. If you don't like how something is being done, or how your child is being treated speak up and voice your concern. Before I was quite and timid- now- you better watch out when it comes to my babies. I haven't had any problems at our gym, our girls love going just as much as we do! If you are at Fort Bragg I urge you to try Gold' Gym of Hope Mills! The gym is great and the childcare is even better!

The Little Boy I Never Knew I Needed

When I became pregnant with my third child I was anything but excited. We were on the verge of a cross country move, deployment pending upon arrival, and I just was not ready to have another baby. I was not even sure that i wanted more than two at the time. I was okay with the idea of only having two babies, especially since they were sleeping through the night.


My husband and I have a joke that we have a nine month "curse". We have always gotten pregnant when the older baby is 9 months old. So it came as no surprise that when Charlee was nine months old I became pregnant with Colt.

D was excited, supportive and ready for baby number three. Me on the other hand, I took some convincing. I was worried about what other people would say about us having ANOTHER baby. I was worried about disappointing our families. I was worried about my sanity having three kids, three and under. Honestly, I did not want to be pregnant.


Luckily those feelings started to vanish away as my belly grew and I could see the excitement grow in my oldest daughter. Unlike before, this time she knew what was happening. She understood there was a baby growing in mommy's belly and our family was expanding. She will never know how much she helped me during this time in my life. A time I was struggling to love my own child.

I know, I know- you are probably judging me hardcore right now. But I never said I was perfect, and being a mother is hard work. I am human and I was scared of the journey I was embarking on. Now, before you go and pull the "you should have been on birth control" card on me, in my defense BC sends me into a Crohn's flare, any time hormones are involved... actually you know what- no. I am not going to defend or explain my choices on why I was not on birth control. Sorry. Back to the story.

I really thought we were having a baby girl. I mean, we already had two and so far in the gender gamble we were 0 and 2. I was fine with that, I knew girls. I understood girls. They have cute clothes, shoes, bows this was my comfort zone. Another little girl was a-okay with me!

Then, laying on a bed, on a random afternoon with our daughter, extended family and parents on Facetime we found out. The technician said "Okay, I know what you are having", I anxiously waited for her to type on the screen the gender-

ITS 

A 

... 

BOY!!

Tears ran down my face, excitement BURST inside of me. A little boy, wow. What a completion to our perfect family. Finally, I get to experience this boy mom love my friends talk about. What a blessing.

They were so right too. From the moment they placed him in my arms I melted. My little boy. He is the most loving, chill, smiley, little guy I have ever had the chance to love. I didn't know a little boy could be so sweet.  Anyone he meets he greets them with a wide, gummy smile. He loves to love.
I pray that he is forgiving when he hears stories of our time together in the beginning when pregnant. I truly had no idea what I was in store for. The love this little boy has brought not only my husband and I but our daughters makes me so emotional. If you want to give your child the ultimate gift, give them the gift of a sibling.

I know there will be hard times ahead, I am sure he will test my limits and patience like only a boy can. I know there are messes to come, ouchies to kiss, and girls to chase off. Luckily, I have help of the big sisters with that one.

I may not always be the perfect mother, but I know I will love him perfectly for the rest of my life.

Small Business Saturday | Scentsy Boxes

I tried something new with some of my customers this week, and I am pleasantly surprised how well it went! A fellow Scentsy sister of mine came up with the idea of a monthly box full of Scentsy products, kind of like a subscription but not really because we do not keep your payment method on file or draft a monthly fee. You can choose to opt in on the box that month or pass! 

So many of my customers stay in the realm of wax and warmers- which is totally fine. They find something they love and stick with it, I do it too! But I wanted to show them all the different things we offer and showing them how affordable they are as well! Nothing is discounted to make a sale, and the boxes range anywhere from $30 to $50 depending on the products that month. Always full size products, never sample size. 

This month we did a counter clean, washer whiffs, scent circle and two bars of wax. It was a hit! I do the boxes for 9 people, but I am sure I could add more if the demand is there for them. I am really excited about this method and I know my customers are going to love it. Its a great way to try other products and maybe find a new favorite! 

The next box will start the end of August and full of NEW fall products from our 2017 Fall/Winter catalog. I am SO ready for cooler weather and warmer, cozier scents! Who's signing up next month for this awesome box! I hope to see your name on my list! 

Friday Favorites | Workout Edition

It can be hard to spend the money to try out new products when it comes to supplements. Some of them are SO expensive. I know personally, I try to keep the integrity of quality with the products I choose but also I need an affordable price point. One income fit family probz. Below are a few of my favorite things I am using that are fairly priced, well, in my opinion at least.

Muscle Max Protein 

I usually HATE protein. I can barely choke a sip down. Like, its that bad to me. BUT this protein- oh my word.. it is delicious! We have tried many flavors, Chocolate Peanut Butter, Cookies n Cream, Strawberry Banana and Chocolate Mint. They were all super tasty! I enjoy this protein because there is not a strong protein taste to it. I cant remember all the awesome things it does for your body that the sales man told me, the taste alone won me over. It is also very gentle on my stomach and sensitivities so that is a HUGE plus!

Hyde Pre-Work out// Cotton Candy Flavor

I like this pre-work out for the pump it gives me, it amps me up quite a bit and this flavor is YUM. I have tried their green apple and watermelon flavors, and they are okay- they have a super sour taste which isn't terrible but not my favorite. This flavor is sweet and taste just like candy, so that works well with my sweet tooth. 

Sweet Sweat

Okay, I was really hesitant about this product. I didn't really think it would work as great as it does, but wow. If you really want to sweat off some water weight this needs to be your go-to! Mix it with an elastic waist sweat band and you are golden. I was so surprised by how much it made me sweat, and amazed that I didn't smell terrible from using it either. I REALLY like this product. 

Chuck Taylors

I LOVE these shoes for lifting. Not for running, lets be clear! They provide great stability and grounding for things like squatting and deadlifting. They help keep your feet flat on, and close to the ground so you can push through your heels. Running shoes can make that process a little harder. Not to mention they are affordable, comfy, long lasting and cute. I have three pair, but not that I am counting or anything. 

What are you favorite gym necessities and what products are you loving lately?

Things Military Family's Need Civilians To Know

There are so many myths and tales out there when it comes to the military and their families.  It can be really frustrating to try to explain our "benefits" and why we have them to people. Trust me, there is a reason behind everything we receive, which honestly isn't much and nothing to be seriously jealous of. But if you find yourself green with envy, remember you can always visit your local recruiting office and sign up to receive the same things we get. There is also a level of ignorance when it comes to comments people make about military life, things people probably wouldn't ask or say to joe-blow on the street.

1. Yes- we get a housing allotment, and free health care. But its nothing to write home about.

What you probably don't know is that without that housing allotment there would be NO WAY a lot of us would able to afford to pay rent. Have you ever seen the base pay for a soldier? Google it, and then let me know what you think. There is not always enough houses on post for soldiers and their families, leading majority of families to live off post. Even if you choose to live on post, the military takes that housing allotment back. The healthcare. Yes, we get free health care but that means ONLY going to military clinics, ONLY going to military hospitals, NO urgent care visits allowed, NO specialty doctors with out a lengthy referral process. Its not that great. 

2. STOP asking us "what if he dies over there?"

First of all, its completely RUDE and uncalled for. Every wife who sends her husband off on a deployment is fully aware of the possibility that he is not coming home. Its a mental battle that we deal with and have to push to the back of our mind. Please, for the love of all things holy, DO NOT remind a spouse that their soldier may not come home. It would just as shocking if we were to ask you "what if your husband dies today?" while working a garbage truck shift. Catch my drift?

3. We DO NOT get paid for having children. 

Although I wish we did, diapers are expensive! ha.  But no, this is a total myth. I am sure many people believe thats why I have shot three babies out back to back, but the only thing we get for them is a bedroom upgrade in post housing. 

4. Its not a glamorous life that we live. 

Military life is not a ray of sunshine. A lot of the time wives are alone, raising babies, keeping the house going while their husband is away. Even if your husband is home the likely hood of seeing him a ton is slim. Between field problems, ranges, training, and the list goes on, our husbands are gone more than they are home. Now, can you imagine marrying someone and knowing their job comes first, ALWAYS. Its not an easy pill to swallow. Plans get ruined so you stop making them. Parents miss birthdays and holidays, even births of their children. Soldiers get stressed out about work or even PTSD which causes problems in marriages. Its not always an easy ride for us.

5. Moving around the world is not as fun as it looks. 

A lot of people are envious about the places we get to travel, and yes I agree, the military can send you to some really cool places. Now remember that after about three years you will come down on orders to move again. Usually right as we get used to the place we are living, have made good friends, the kids are in school, we maybe even have a decent job. You have to pack up, leave and start all over. Again, and again, and again.  It can be exhausting and taxing on friendships, not to mention if you are extremely far away from family it could be years until you could plan a visit. 

6. Our soldiers love their country.

Even if you are bitter about the life we live, our soldier is still going to defend your right to feel that way. He will still wake up, lace up his boots, put on his maroon beret and walk out the door away from HIS family to protect YOURS. They will never give up on America and the freedoms we have. 

Soldiers didn't set up a list of demands upon joining the military, the government decided what benefits they would receive. Before you judge a military family for having something you don't, take a step back and maybe think to yourself the many reasons WHY they have those. A housing allotment and free health care are NOT worth someones life, but thats the wager we are living with.

Quick, Easy and Tasty Meal Prep

If you are like me, you need recipes that are fast, filling, easy and that taste good. I am a HUGE foodie, I love to eat GOOD food. So when making meal preps I knew I had to carry that over to the things I was preparing myself. Especially when I am eating it all week long. I am not the girl who can do chicken and rice and broccoli twenty-four-seven. If you are, more power to you, honey! But for me, I need variety, I need flavor, I need things that don't seem like I am restricting myself. Because I know myself and I will binge on every type of carb and sugar known to man if I do. I am not dieting, I am not counting macro's, I am not doing KETO.. none of that. I just am taking steps towards better eating habits and controlling my Crohn's. If you are using any of those I am sure you can take any of my recipes and make them work towards whichever specific diet you are doing. 

This week my menu is:

Breakfast- Boiled eggs, avocado and whole wheat english muffin. 

Lunch- Sausage, Asparagus and Sweet Potato

Dinner- Enchilada bowl. (this has shredded beef, brown rice, pinto beans, corn, bell peppers and red enchilada sauce. SO GOOD)

The recipe I am going to share with y'all today is the sausage and veggie's meal. 

When I tell you this recipe is SO easy that my THREE year old could make it, I am not kidding. 

I get mini sweet potatoes that come in a microwavable bag. I throw the bag in for eight minutes and while that was cooking I put the asparagus in the oven. I sprayed it with some light olive oil and seasoned with pink sea salt, cracked black pepper and onion powder (shh, don't tell my husband-he HATES onion). I cooked them for probably about 12 minutes? I wasn't really counting since they will get nuked in the microwave when ready to eat. Once the potatoes are done all thats left to do is assemble your meal. In my container I put one sausage, one or two potatoes depending on the size, and some asparagus. Done. 

Told you it was easy!

You can tweak it to accommodate you and your family, its a very versatile recipe. I have made it with colored fingerling potatoes, zucchini and spicy sausage before. Super good as well! Its also pretty easy to get my kids to eat this because they think its a hot dog, which I guess they are kinda right. But who cares what it is as long as they are eating! If you try this recipe out, let me know how you like it! Let me know how you manipulate it to fit your taste! I am always open to trying new things!! 

That time I tried a spin class

 Okay, story time friends. A couple years ago, early in my marriage I was going to the gym to kill time. I didn't have a job and we just moved to a new Army post that had an awesome gym. One day, for what ever crazy reason I thought I would try a spin class.

Biggest.
Mistake.
Ever.

I thought it would be easy. I mean, it looked easy enough. Get on the bike. Pedal, sweat, go home. I was wrong, y'all. So, so, sooo wrong.

First- I walk in and I'm already intimidated. There is a man in the front with all his biking gear on and a microphone taped to his face.
"Pick a seat in the back, that way no one can see you" was my logic.
Luckily there were still a couple bikes back there, I think a few other ladies had my same idea.
I throw one leg over and go to straddle this contraption. OUCH! Wtf, did I just sit on a cement block?! Oh- nope, just the seat. The extremely SMALL seat, at that.
If I wasn't dedicated at the time I would have walked out right then, those seats were not made for woman with butt cheeks I'm convinced.
So the lights dim (thank you Jesus) and I board the struggle bus, destination - Fitness Hell.
The man yells something in the mic that I can't comprehend and all the ladies start to pedal. Oh got it.. we're starting.
Ah, just like i thought easy peasy. Then he mumbles something again and the women cheer.. and begin to stand up while pedaling. I hadn't done that motion since I was a child. While I tried to figure out my balance they start going up and down. Up and down. While pedaling. Like it's easy or something. My legs were on FIRE! I could barely hold myself up.
When I tell you this next part, I am not even kidding.
I looked around, looked at the door, looked at the instructor (who was probably laughing at me on the inside) and decided this was my time to get out of there. Spin was not for me.
How do I walk out of here with out looking like a total joke since we're not even five minutes into the class. Legs still on fire, probably about break off, I decide I can't take anymore.
I causally get off my bike, the other women are still having a blast, spinning away, as I try to invisibly walk out.
The instruction says- "hey! Where ya going!"
Seriously. Insert biggest eye roll ever.
I'm on the spotlight. Now all these biker chicks have undivided attention on me and have stopped cheering.

"Oh, I'm just going to use the bathroom" as I slide out of the door and book it down the hall. Well, probably more like waddled from a mixture of the stone seat I had sat on and the assault my legs just took. I guess I should have told him I was going to use the bathroom.. at my house.

And that is how my first spin class went. All two minutes. Not an exaggeration, that's the time. They had a huge digital clock in the room. Yep, two minutes of my body screaming "why are you doing this to me!" It felt like an eternity though.

I learned a valuable lesson that day. Spin class is not for me. It's not just like riding a bike. It's not relaxing. It's for crazy people, who enjoy unusual torture.