Where My Blog Title Came From

"In you there's life ever lasting, 

In you there's freedom from my soul, 

In you there's JOY, unending JOY!"

~ "I Will Follow" by Chris Tomlin

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Today, I choose to be JOYFUL :)

You Know You're A Mom When...

... you've learned the entire "Elmo Potty Song" and made up a super fly dance to it just to get your toddler excited for potty training! And you strained a lower back muscle doing it!

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I'd like this "You Know You're A Mom When" post to be a reoccurring post on my blog. There are SO many moments while parenting that I think 'Wow, never thought I'd be doing or saying this' in my lifetime. Feeling connected and being able to relate to other moms is crucial. I hope you other mom readers can relate to and laugh at some of my funny and/or crazy moments.

Because if we didn't laugh, we'd probably cry.

The Best Toys Are Never Toys

HUGE batch of photos coming your way...

Summer has been fun but this latest heat wave is KILLING ME. We barely go outside anymore.

We got in the pool a few days ago and O said "Whoa, it's a bath mommy." 

We have a weekly tradition of going out, just the three of us, on Fridays to eat. It's a perfect way to start our weekend.

Saying "hey!" to grandma and grandpa. Just letting them know how much we think about them!

Earlier this week O'Ryan got mints and sprinkles out of the pantry and said "Hey Mommy I want this for breakfast."

Discovered some old Mardi Gras beads today...

Then we busted open the REALLY LARGE box of REALLY LARGE freezie pops! Thanks Aunt G! He ate one bite and then was done, lol.

"Fine, I'll cheese but stop taking pictures with your phone mommy!"

This just makes me happy.

Tonight while my boys were in the kitchen, O'Ryan started laughing out of nowhere and said, "HAHA Daddy you're crazy!" We were cracking up.

On our way to get UNDERWEAR at Target. Cross your fingers...

Wondering

why

there's

balloons

everywhere?

There's your answer. 

The best toys are NEVER toys.

TWO CRAFTS - Homemade Hand Scrub & Picture Coasters

Lemon Sugar Hand Scrub

You need:

jar

2 1/2 cups of sugar

4 tps lemon juice

1 cup of olive oil

Directions:

1. mix all ingredients in a mixing bowl

2. make sure there are no large clumps - you want a somewhat liquid mixture

3. Add a label and tie a bow!

Easy as pie. 

PERSONALIZED PICTURE COASTERS

You need:

5 limestone 4x4 inch tiles 

(I got mine for free from Home Depot - they were extras lying around)

white tissue paper

scissors

paint brush

scotch tape

modge podge

acrylic clear spray paint

felt with adhesive back

Directions:

1. tape white tissue paper onto either stock or photo paper to allow printer to easily grab tissue

2. print out your selected photos - be sure to set your print settings to 4x4 inches

3. paint one layer of modge podge on the tile then place the photo on top

4. repeat with all tiles

5. let them DRY COMPLETELY before adding next layer of modge podge

(your photos will rip if it's not completely dry)

6. this is a good time to cut your felt squares

7. paint 2 more modge podge layers on each tile while letting them dry in between

8. then spray 3 layers of acrylic paint on all tiles while letting them dry in between

9. place felt on the back of each tile

Wrap them up with ribbon or twine like I used and you've got yourself a GREAT (and cheap!) personalized gift! I love how the tile gives the photos a vintage look. Sorry I was in a huge rush while making these and didn't have time to take step-by-step pictures.

All About O

Let me tell y'all, this boy is a trip. Constant action. Constant talking and asking "why, why, why?" Constant entertainment. There's so many things he said this week that I wish I could document here on my blog but my memory fails me. It was a pretty long week, with my sinus infection and all. I had some great helpers though. Very thankful.

Anyway.

This post is All About O

.........

* Lately we are trying hard to get you to call Daddy "Daddy" and not "Brett"

* You have started battling bedtime again. Last night you had a sort of panic attack during the night. Mommy held you and sang to you and finally your eyes closed. 

* You still enjoy swimming a lot in our pool but I've stopped pushing you to swim. I think this summer you're just content with playing on the tanning shelf. Fine with us!

* You're stuck on this "NEED" thing. "But Mommy I need this. I need toys. I need this candy. I need, I need, I need." While it's a little funny to hear you say that at a young age, we're obviously trying to put a stop to it, lol.

* As you approach 2.5 years old, you're definitely showing your stubborn side more. Helloooo tantrums. You don't even know what you're upset about sometimes. Mommy usually lets you get your frustration out then tries to acknowledge your feelings. Sometimes it helps. Sometimes it doesn't. Either way it's exhausting! But we love you :)

* You're showing more of an interest in movies. But you still don't sit for long. Your favs are still Nemo and Cars. 

* You still looove your paci's. We've weened you down to two (instead of 5). You only have them at nap and bed time of course. But I'm always thinking how you need to give them up sooner than later. 

* Potty training is on my mind as well... some weeks you're SO interested and you ask to go. You want to sing the Elmo "Potty Time" song. Some week you don't even mention it. We'll get there.

* We're still playing hard while school is out. In less than a month you'll be going for FOUR days a week! What a change that will be, for both of us. You'll love it. You've always loved any social interaction.

Love ya my boy!

~Momma

Fab 5 + Weekend Photos

1. Date night with Brett at Cheesecake Factory!

2. Movie Night with my Mom and Nanny

3. Held a swimming playdate with my friends last Friday

4. College friend Laurel came over Saturday to hang out

5. SAW KYLE AND STEPHANIE on Sunday!!!! Kyle is on his 2-week break from Afghanistan. We SO appreciate them making a few hours for us. 

I'm extremely grateful God gave me a nearly 7-month break from having any sort of sickness. What a change that was. I've been sick on and off as long as I can remember. But my streak is now over. I caught O'Ryan's minor cold, which has turned out to be not so minor. 

My dogs have been fighting over this new bone. It's actually a deer antler. I've been searching for them for a while and found it at the Dog Show. They are supposed to last years and withstand large amounts of chewing from big breeds. Not to mention, they're expensive. Well, my dogs must have super-chewing powers. 

The antler is gone.

These next few pictures are so dang cute to me. I could eat these boys up!

Headed to church...

After Saturday service, RPC premiered the movie Uganda Man. It was so so good. THANKS to my husband who took our very active and not good movie-goer son outside so I could watch it :)

See his new shoes? I got them over half off from Kohl's recently. Have I mentioned? 

I'm getting into couponing!!!!

(But I'm not extreme like those TLC ladies, I'm just a normal couponer. I actually enjoy spending time with my family.)

As lastly, another piece of work from my man! Pretty snazzy B. Love ya!

The NAMES They Are A-Changin'

Introducing...

our son...

O'Ryan Jacob!

That's right. The name "Orien" is no more. It's bittersweet to me. But after months of thought and discussion Brett and I decided we wanted to change the spelling of his name. (Just for the record this is how I originally wanted to spell it!! But I let Brett win that battle several years ago. Love ya B!)

Say goodbye to people pronouncing his name like:

"Oh-ren"

"Or-en

and my fav...

"Or-e-an" 

Even after they've known him his whole life or have been told how to say it!

*we actually find this funny but also a bit bothersome :)

Now if we can just get people to say our last name correctly.

Now, say HELLO to my LITTLE FRIEND...

O'Ryan :)

**We haven't officially changed his name but are in the process of doing so