Hello Friends!

As we step into 2018 - I want to take a quick moment to reflect on 2017 and some of our favorite moments and memories!

1.| Naomi's Birth

We started out 2017 on a high note. 25 days into the New Year we welcomed our third beautiful baby girl. She made her fast and furious arrival into this world right on the heels of another family memeber passing and we all felt the true circle of life first hand. Little Naomi Jane has been keeping us busy all year long and having a third child has really put us through the paces but we are so grateful for her and her sweet soul.

2.| Swim Lesssons

This summer we put Ava and Charlotte in swim lessons and it was the best experience for the both of them. Charlotte who doesn't like to leave my side and prefers to 'hide behind my skirt' really came out of her shell and was even going off of the diving board by the end of the two weeks. And Ava, she jumped levels half way through the course and she really proved to herself that she could accomplish new and exciting things. Thankfully Naomi was at the perfect age to sit in the stroller and sleep- next year I'll probably be chasing a toddler around the pool. ha!

3.| Kindergarten

I know, I know - most moms are sad that when their childern start school but it really has been the best thing for us, we are all getting what we need. Ava is getting the social interaction that she craves, she's flourshing beautifully in school and I'm getting a slight break in the mornings. It's been a win, win for all involved.

4.| Our Chicago Road Trip

I did something this year that I never thought I would do, I road tripped 12 hours with 3 kids- without my husband. A sweet family member tagged along to help me with handing out snacks, bottle making, and rest stop breaks. But, we did it, start to finish a total of 24 hours in the car with 3 kids (ages 5 and under). I felt like superwoman!

5.| Christmas

This was our first christmas as a family of five and it was pretty magical. Last year all we could dream about was what it would be like when Naomi finally joined us and it was way more fun than I expected it to be. There was a moment when they were all switched into their matching pajamas and sitting on a chair together to get their picture taken and I turned around and looked at my husband and said, "Well, there they are- the three little humans that we created." It was just a beautiful and humbling moment. These three precious lives that we get to care for and lead through this life, it's the most precious gift.

I hope everyone has a Happy New Year! 

2018 has never looked so bright! 

I used to get so upset when the girls would catch a cold- I always felt like I was doing something wrong...I mean how could they, I arm them with daily vitamins, a healthy diet, probiotics, oily foot massages, detox baths, and I have diffusers running in multiple rooms. And while we don't get sick often it would still irritate me when a virus would sneak through my carefully constructed tall defensive fences. But, I finally came to the realization (see: read an article) stating that studies show, "A child exposed to colds and viruses earlier in life will develop a stronger immune system and is less likely to become sick in his or her later years". Here is the article. 

So, I now try hard to release the mom guilt- I mean it's not like I place them in a bubble even though some days it would make life easier.  I just do my best and hope for the best! Here is a list of our favorite remedies to try and lessen symptoms and/or get over a cold or virus quicker. 

1.| Elderberry Syrup - 

You can find my favorite recipe here! 

It's so simple to make and a great addition to your daily health routine. 

2.| Oils

 Diffusing oils in an ultrasonic diffuser combines the advantages of a humidifier, air purifier, atomizer, and aromatherapy diffuser into one by breaking a mixture of essential oils and water into millions of microparticles and dispersing them into the air. You can also reap the healing benefits of essential oils by diffusing them into the air. These are the three diffusers used in our home currently, Diffuser #1 Diffuser #2 Diffuser #3 

3.| Over-the-Counter Remedies
Sometimes you just need medicine and I try to be super careful about what I put into their bodies. I think it's important for the body to heal itself as much as possible. That being said- yes, we use antibiotics when needed, trust me. 

4.|  Detox Soak

My tips and tricks found here.

5.| Homemade Gatorade Recipe

*this post may contain affiliate links*

Often times we wait to honor someone with our words when they're not around instead of telling them what they mean to us when they are right in front of us. This past weekend was an emotional time for my family- much like the past few months have been. My parents are in the process of making a life change by closing a very large chapter of their lives at then end of this year as my dad transistions into semi-retirement by selling the family busniess. It a transistion that needs to happen and it's well-deserved. This past Saturday evening was the annunal company christmas party, it was the last one for us as a family and my parents were honored by us all, so I took my pen to paper (fingers to a keyboard) and wrote a speech- but I was feeling too emotional (read: nervous) to share the entire thing and only verbally choked out a piece of what I had written down with the room. My mom did a pretty great job summing up my feelings when she stood up to talk but here it is in black and white. My letter of gratitude for two and a half decades of a job well done.

"I’m going to take it back to the beginning for a moment- not because this is the end of something, it’s not, it’s the beginning of something else. But it is the end of an era for one family busniess at was two generations strong. All of my earliest memories include this company, I grew up sitting on my dad's lap while he was on the phone, hiding under desks, playing with roladexes, keeping occupied with Nancy Drew computer games in a back office, pretending to answer the phones and make appointments and then actually growing up to answer phones and make appointments. But, back before it was K&K Dispatch and Dutchland it was ERX, a father and daughter team, and before it was ERX it was just one man sitting next to a payphone in a booth at Risser’s diner dispatching a couple trucks. His name was Harold. Harold had a dream and when a charasmatic man from the south walked into his life that dream became a reality. Unfortunately, it was a reality that he only got to live out for four months but thanks to a promise that a young truck driver made to a dying man at his bedside the dream lived on. That young driver put aside his own plans and dreams for the future, sat down behind the desk, picked up a phone and never looked back. For the past 25 years he’s been consistently putting the job first, giving up his Friday nights and his weekends, putting family second, and never expecting someone else to pick up the slack, which is something we know not all people are willing to do. Together with my mom and the Stegall’s he’s taken a seven truck-four door operation and build it into what it is today. I’ve had a front row seat watching this all unfold, I’ve been there through the ups and the downs, the struggles, the tears, the joy, the arguments that I wasn’t supposed to hear and the beautiful life that we are allowed to live because of it all. I even met my husband though the busniess. My parents, especially my dad has never wavered and he’s never given up— the man hardly ever complains and he’s just kept on keeping on for all these years willing to live out somebody else’s dream. So, as this chapter closes and another one opens hopefully it will bring a slower pace of life, more time to enjoy loved ones, sleep better, feel lighter and relax a bit. I hope you both truly understand how your hard work has impacted us all and I hope you know how thankful I am for everything that you have done at work and at home. The values and the lessons will be ones that I keep with me forever.  With love, always."

Happy Monday, friends

I glanced at the upcoming weather while I was making up my meal plan this weekend and I noticed that there are quite a few cold days on the horizon. Cold days make the best days of serving up a warm bowl of Tomato Bisque. Growing up I always refused to eat Tomato Soup but when I married Aaron he got me to try a Bisque while we were out to eat, I was hooked- it was creamy and not as acidic as I thought it would be. So I pinned a ton of different recipes, did a few trial and error runs and finally settled on this recipe. It's easy, simple and freezes beautifully. I love to whip it up in my cast iron pot and serve it with Havarti Grilled Cheese or a fresh loaf of Dutch Oven Bread.