some changes

    So some interesting new changes to redirect my family and God time.
Its interesting how my faith walk since i've been single has changed dramatically! Im embarrassed to admit but its True and im all about sharing the truth even if it makes me seem stupid or lame (i don't think people say lame any more but it what came to my head :))  When i was single i went to daily mass, i would pray through out my day, i would pray the rosary or divine mercy, i would go to adoration at least 2 times a week if not more,I was a religious ed teacher and i high school youth minister and i never watched t.v. i only watch D.V.D's (i kinda had a problem most women buy shoes and purses i bought D.V.D's) and friends took up all my time...........all that went down the crapper......what happened....i fell in love, had a baby, started my own business, and trying to be the best wife and mother as possible......um...WHERE is GOD? well i kinda have been just getting by i go to church where i use to focus and pray the whole time....now im trying to keep Titus from attacking who ever is around us and from screaming! I do bible study where i share in my problems and discuss but almost everyone in bible study is going thru their own problems to say "Hey did you pray today or show your son how to praise God in some way"
    I had an oooooo moment my friend R.A.P shared a secret i was complaining that i had to much to do and i don't like to do it when Titus is awake but his naps are so short....she told me "I find that if i sit and read my bible for the first 15 min I have a little more clarity on what needs to get done and peace about what doesn't get finished" so i found an app on my phone that has the bible and also the daily readings so i can feed Titus his bottle and read it and by the time im done he usually is asleep.....im to much of a multi tasker but i would be looking on facebook if i wasn't doing that :) I have found im a little more focused and that i can handle what is to come the rest of the day!
    another change Jon and i did some reading on children not watching t.v till they are older (2years) but im not going to go into this because some people disagree but the whole point why we don't want it is, more us not watching as much t.v. and having the Christian radio station on. If you think about it if your watching t.v. your not helping your child grow and communicate (i use to say im playing with him but really i kinda was) so we moved all of Titus's toys away from the t.v so that Jon and i are reminded that we need to focus more on Titus!
    Food has been slowly changing Jon and i are wanting to take out all processed food in our diets it has been a slow trek but we are doing it!!!! We have had a lot of people make comments about Titus's eating because we choose different route then most people......but if Jon and i want to take out all processed food then why would we give titus processed food? I know its going to be hard but this is what we as parents choose and hope everyone else that shares in babysitting will respect that!
     Can i say im a cook.....NOPE!....but im trying!!!! I make a recipe that had 21 ingrediense and way to many steps lets say i had many phone calls to Jon and almost yelling! but i did it and it actually tastes good! so tonight im making another recipe for bible study....we will see?!?!?!?!? it was alot easier to make tho!

adoption? Is this what God is calling us to?

  Jon and i went to an adoption meeting to learn about the different types of adoption and finances.  It is really reassuring that financially it seems possible (which was Jons concern...like most men).
  For those of you that don't know this about me i have always felt God calling me and my family to adoption at some point.  After Jon and i got married we were trying to get pregnant for almost a year....by almost i mean i had an apt with an infertility Dr but the week before my apt i found out i was pregnant. But during that process i was looking into foster to adopt classes. At that time Jon didn't feel called to adoption (most men arent) but then got pregnant and was put on the back burner.
   which leads us to today.....what is God calling us to do? We feel financially, foster to adopt is our best choice right now and there is so much need for homes right now for children in our own states. So the other day someone placed a thought in my heart about a child with HIV....i know at some point God is wanting us to have a child with special needs just not sure what or when. I brought it up to Jon thinking he would freak out on me and say stuff like how can we afford medical bills, how can we handle a child that could die before we do, can we handle another child especially special needs, would Titus be neglected.......but instead he says "God places children in peoples lives for a reason"...... EXCUSE ME! what did you just say to me!.....i couldn't even talk the rest of the way home because i started to freak out....(. that's the funny thing about Jon and i there is always one person who freaks out) (the realistic person)....i then started thinking.....Can we handle another child? how can we afford this? am i going to be a good mother to 2 children? how would we  pay for insurance (since JOn and i own our own businesses)....would i be able to keep my new business going?.... the freaking out list keeps going!!!!! so i called a friend and said help me stop freaking out.....She states remember God will provide.....and that we need to focus on where he is leading us and what is financially smart but also if i were to get pregnant i wouldn't say "im not ready to have a baby right now" then my answer to adoption is im ready when ever you are God cuz thats what i would say if i were pregnant!!
    Im doing my research and asking alot of questions to familys who have adopted before and with special needs.
     Prayers from you guys if God is really calling us in this direction in this time in our lives. PRAYERS PRAYERS PRAYERS PLEASE!  

what women fear

     Our bible study is reading a book called What Women Fear by Angie Smith. Its so interesting to know other women feel the same way about thing that i thought no one else thought or did!!! We are not alone!
      What do i fear......
 I fear Im going to fail my family as a wife and mom, fail cooking, fail all my clients and not have a successful salon, fail my friends, fail writing my blog, fail talking to old friends, FAIL FAIL FAIL.......with my temperament i hate doing things i know i can't do perfect........So where does that get me......NO WHERE! Im so blessed that i have a faith and trust in Jesus (i need to work on the Trust more) and if i wouldn't have had a faith i wouldn't have gotten over some of those fears....like being a high school youth minister for 5 years, went to mexico, Yugoslavia, and Lima Peru on mission trips, i wouldn't have met Jon, opened my own salon and the list can go on and on and on!
   So i guess when i hear the word fear in my head and heart and think i need to check myself and say is this fear that satin is hanging onto me with.......Because when there is fear that means God is calling you to something bigger and better and satin is trying to stop it! Because that's really the only way he can touch us, is fear! If that doesn't make you mad having satin hang onto your big toe with fear that i don't know how you can get rid of him....cuz when i get anger that is the only way i can get over my fear!
    Our fears start when we are younger! Every little embarrassing, hurtful thing that happened to us growing up. So to make a long story short even thou i still fear a lot i need to rethink and pray about whats stopping me from  going ahead and not being perfect!!
   So what are you fearing? what is God calling you to do?

salon web page

check out my new web page for my salon Grace Family Salon

Respect Life sunday

    Some interesting changes in my life since sunday.
1.) I decided that i needed to do something different with my exercise program....i came across this program called couch to 5K. So im day 2 into the program...its going good but today was a lot harder then the first day!

2.) at church on sunday (respect life sunday) i also had this little seed planted in my head and heart. Well i felt drawn to this idea of getting a 5k race going next year on respect life sunday and the proceeds go to The Gabriel Project. If you don't know how important it is to me....adoption is so important to me! I have always felt called to adoption for some reason, im not sure why God has placed this in my heart, if we are suppose to some day adopt or just help others who want to adopt, i have no clue.
 The Gabriel Project help women who are pregnant and they are assigned mentors and they help them with anything they need and help them find other options to keep the baby or adoption.
  Im still praying about the race and discussing with other people about if this is a possiable. I did have a friend share a lot of good info on how to get it started, where to do the race, and he has connections in this field!!  So that gave me a good push to keep praying and seeing others thoughts on it. It also really pushed me more because my amazing husband said i will help and shared how he knows quit a few people who would help financially.....and he is so good with talking to people and im the planner (i guess thats one reason why we are so good together).
   Why am i sharing this with you i would like to know your opinion.
if you have been apart of planning a race i would like to ask you questions.
if you think you would like to help plan, be apart of the race, financially, or volunteer can you let me know either by posting here,  facebook or email me. 
prayers needed though!  

husbands

I know most of you probably sick of hearing me talk about my amazing husband but its my blog :)

I have been reminded that i have an amazing husband lately! for all of you looking for a future spouse this is what really makes a difference in marriage and family to dating

*I love that the catholic church makes you wait at least 6 months before you get married, you do marriage pre and work with other married couples in the church and learn how to work through your problems after the honeymoon is over :)
*women want to be pursed ,i use to think i didn't but deep down we all do (let them pursue you)
*will they take care of you in sickness and in health, after having a baby i found out how crazy you become and going back to the hospital Jon showed me how much of a true man he was by taking care of our 3 week old baby and doing things for me that i could never ask his to do again (but he did it with out me asking)
*can make you feel better or smile on a bad day
*TRUST TRUST TRUST if you can't trust them while dating than their is a problem
* COMMUNICATE COMMUNICATE COMMUNICATE even if that means raising your voice :) if you don't share your thoughts they don't know what your thinking (this is really hard...i feel like they should be able to read my mind :))
* since we are sinful people it makes it hard when 2 become 1 in marriage but then when it turns into 3 you are shown everyday how selfish we are (I AM!!!) you sacrifice alot with your new family but you can't imagine your life any different thou!!!
*what you believe in your faith is important you need to work it out so you know how you will raise your future family together.....familys that pray together say together!!!
*the books that we have read that has made us a stronger couple
Dave Ramsey program
Love and Respect by Emerson Eggerichs 

so important, is 30 that old

     There have been somethings in my life that has changed so much!!! somethings its hard to put down in words. If you would have asked me ten years earlier what my life would be like, this isn't it.......just like when i found a list that i made of quality's of my future spouse they are all quality's jon has but at the time when i wrote them i ment them completely differently (sorry if thats hard to understand im just writing whats on my mind).  God has placed so many different people in my life that has changed so much of how i look at life!
   I was the person that never would eat anything organic (because i tried a couple things and they were gross) and look at me now My amazing Chiropractors have shared a whole new life with Jon and I!!! Which is so funny because i also hate to read and i have read so much stuff about Titus's future!!! I gave birth naturally, cloth diaper, co sleep, i just wish breastfeeding worked better for us ( and i wasn't in the hospital for 2 weeks but thats were my life was to go) .......lets just say Jon and i joke that we are Christian Hippies now :) Im not any where close to what some people are but i defiantly look at life a whole lot differently. Thank you friends for supporting all our different path of life that most people look at as weird, different, and not smart......everything Jon and i discuss and decided as a family what we are changing and of coarse Prayed about alot!!!!
     JOn and i had a date night tonight and i see now why all my friends say take time for your spouse like date night.........it was so nice to have just you and husband time.....Jon talked to me about stuff that he hasn't felt comfortable talking about ever before, adopting children (in our future) it was so awesome to share story's about our future and past and how Jon and i have been through so much since we have been married, and it only made us stronger......im not going to lie it really sucked at the time but we are so blessed to be where we are at right now!!!
      It was hard to say I'm 30 today because i thought by the time i was 30 i would have been married for awhile and have quiet a few kids......but then i was reminded that when John Paul II was 38 he was the youngest bishop in Poland...........it was like his life was just starting......so from today on out im going to try and look at life as just starting! and celebrating family because our world is so messed up i need to find all the positive that i can!! So please help me in praying for my future thoughts......celebrating life, love, and happiness (i know that sounds so cheesy but thats how i feel). prayers always needed!

7 months

Holy cow time has gone by so fast!!!!! my big baby is now a big boy! Someone asked me the other day when does he turn a year.....well he has 5 more months so awhile :) he is 20.14Lb he is wearing 12-18 months clothes!!!!! 

*he has defiantly found his voice he bables all the time 

*he knows his name (for a while, i wasn't sure if he knew, but like his father its selective hearing :)) 

*he does a weird army crawl, he goes on his side and scooches and rolls everywhere

*he knows who friends and family are

*loves our dog Sedona...if he ever is in a bad mood or crying we call sedona over and immediatly stops and laughs and wants to grab her

*he finally got his first tooth

*first foods were avocado

*he now reaches for who he wants...like at church when he is sick of me or jon he will reach for the other one

*he can pull himself up with out help and stand there for along time 

first Iowa State Fair

first avocodo

not so sure about it :)

yup im wearing a tie like my daddy

im such a big boy

i love my mommy

father like son

3months

4months

5months

6months

7months

7months

olivias baptisim

Olivia's Baptism

jon and i are Olivia's God parents

Titus wanted to be reminded of his baptism!

 

 

the whole family

love love love him

someone sneezed and scared them both

titus trying to hug olivia but she didn't like it (aka attack)

Titus's first food

sorry the video is so long :) you know grandparents have to see everything :) Those of you that don't want to watch a 5 min video.....well Jon discussed how Titus's avacado looks like his poop, Titus makes the most hillarious faces and gags some :) im laughing so hard im crying and that means the video is shaky cuz im laughing so hard!

MY New salon

i just realized at 4am as we just came up from our basement (dirt seller) because of tornado warnings that i never  discussed my big change to my new salon.
   i worked at Mary Allies Salon for almost 9 years. It was the perfect salon for me! awesome boss who shared similar Christianity as me and took me under her wings after cosmetology school!  It was like family!  So why did you leave you ask......well a lot of different things came up and i felt God pushing me more and more towards this every time something would happen.
    It happened so quickly! But everything worked out even though i prefer stuff to work out a little bit faster, but you know God he likes to take his sweet time :)
     I have worked for 1month 1/2 and LOVE it! i just went over my numbers last night to see how i am doing compared to working at mary allies and lets just say i feel real good! im not rich by any means :) or am i going to be buying a new car :) (well if that loud sound wasn't a tree falling on my car).......but i can pay all my bills and thats whats important and the fact that im less stressed is AWESOME!!!!!! All i can say is God is Good and my clients are amazing and supportive!!!!!
   my salons name is
 
i've wanted this name for awhile but i was thinking about changing it to my name like everyone else did but it kept nagging me in my heart that it should be Grace family salon.and i found this one day.... this is from Titus 2:11 

For the grace of God has appeared, saving all and training us to reject godless ways and worldly desires and to live temperately, justly, and devoutly in this age, as we await the blessed hope, the appearance ³ of the glory of the great God and of our savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to deliver us from all lawlessness and to cleanse for himself a people as his own, eager to do what is good. Say these things. Exhort and correct with all authority. Let no one look down on you. 

   how can i be less stressed owning my own business well to be honest im still working out some kinks but most of all less stress, like my new scheduling program is awesome......because instead of me calling clients for confirmation, it sends my clients emails to remind them (since most people have smart phones now) i do have a few that want phone calls but the others want text or emails witch is so convenient cuz i can rock Titus and send them all out to my clients during nap time!! I also have a part time schedule which means more time with my family! i really am glad i have the schedule that i have because it works for my clients and works great for me, two days i work 2-7 and then one day 9-2 and my busiest day, saturdays 9-4. i have found my clients are more open to working around my schedule now and they give me more options for their appointments which means i can put them close to other appointments so im not just sitting around waiting! And having my schedule online i can access it any time!
       i haven't had a single kid complain about not sitting on a motorcycle or squirrel.......everyone has loved my new place!!!! i even had a couple kids that i normally have to restrain or just screamers were a whole new child at my new place ....not a peep out of them :) LOVE IT!!!!!
     I love the fact that i just have to take care of my own stuff!!! how i like it :) cleanliness and all!
 So pretty much if you weren't sure if i like my new place......to be politically correct i LOVE my new place!

my secret loves

Thank you to everyone who shared there AWESOME motherly advise and prayers!!!! you guys are amazing! so as i keep learning is that we all hide the fact that we are not all perfect! We all think the other family's have there stuff all put together....in which I'm finding out its not true! So why don't we share our struggles more often?

this blog post came about after my brain spider webbed to our favorite secrets that most women are to embarrassed to share but want to cuz we love these secrets.......so i decided to share some of my favorite things with you.

1.) Veet its like nair i use it on my bikini area because when i shave i get really bad red bumps that don't go away and really bad ingrown hairs from shaving.....it works amazing and it only takes 3 min to let it sit on your skin and then wipe it off and it feels so much smoother then shaving!!

2.) drip dry from opi if you are a always on the go and don't have time to paint your nails this is awesome because it helps your polish dry really fast!!! (unless your polish is old it wont work.....old polish takes forever to dry ...how do you know if your polish is old if it is thicker then the polish was when you first bought it)

3.) fast forward dry shampoo by AG or push powder by surface if you have fine hair and you need a little boost in your hair (looking a little greecey) or you just didn't have time to wash your hair....i love the fast forward for the degreaser factor and the volume and smell and push powder the same (if you have really dark hair and not highlights use just a little because you can see the powder if you use too much)

4.) facial trimmer i don't like to wax my chin or lip or those little fuzzys......you can find one at walmart or target where they keep the clippers for men it is really skinny and small so you can take it any where.....but you do have to use it every other day :) but if you wax, wax last 2 weeks.....it does advertise brows too....PLEASE do not use them on your brows!!!

5.) baby shampoo....in stead of spending lots of money for make up remover for your make up brushes when baby shampoo is gental enough and cleans just as well (i only recommend all natural one because a lot of shampoos have plastics in them and will coat your brushes... try burts bees. (if you don't clean your brushes ...you should it is really bad on your skin and can cause break outs!!!!)

how do you do it?

I'm having a ruff time being a wife, mother,teacher, housekeeper, salon owner, cook, animal caretaker, gardener, 3 acre caretaker, and taking care of myself!!!!

HOW DO YOU DO IT???!?!?!?!?!?

I'm not going to lie I'm overwhelmed!!!! i need help! I kinda had a melt down (PMS) the other night and told Jon that I'm sorry I'm not like _(friends name)________, and he did an awesome job of saying i didn't marry ________ i married you! Even though that was the right and perfect thing to say it didn't make me feel better!

It has gotten a lot better recently now that Titus will sleep longer then 15 min and i found that i try and not to do everything in those few 30 min naps....i found that if i just pick 2 things that i want done in the whole day not just in the time of the nap because i get really upset with myself and Titus.....

do you guys have any tips to help me? or do you feel this way sometimes? I hope I'm not the only one! How do you find time to clean, exercise, cook (i hate cooking...good thing Jon likes too), or get ready for the day (or work) but still spend time with your kids....i feel like there aren't enough hours in the day!!!!!!

please share! cuz God willing we want to have more kids soon but if i can't get control right now how can i do it with 2 children?............How did i work in a daycare for 7 years and handle 20 some kids at a time?

can you share your schedules or how you and your husbands share duty's? JUST SHARE!

Family photots

family photos by lucky soda photography!

the pictures show everything no words needed :)

salon products (push powder)

Since i have my own salon now :) I am proud to announce that I have a new product line now!!!

Called Surface it is all certified organic botanical, sulfate free, Gluten free, paraben free, vegan products!

surface's website

my goal with this new line is to let you know about it, info, ingredients and testers opinions(you guys....if you come and get your hair cut remind me to give you samples and i would love your input on the products even if you don't like it, cuz there is already some stuff that i like better then the others),

this product is the first product that got me interested in Surface

Push styling powder

*amazing root lift

*volume and texture

*use as dry shampoo

*thickens hair

ingredients

aluminum starch octenylsuccinate, sillica silylate, zeolite, glycine soja (soy bean) oil, modified corn starch, sodium benzoate, citric acid

wow factor

maximize condition, color lock, shine and speeds drying time

directions

gently shake powder onto roots (not scalp) and style as desired. mix with desired wet styling products for added texture and hold.

it is not a thermal product (meaning since it doesn't go to the ends of your hair) you will still need a other products to give you protection with heat :) i have other products i would recommend with this (but on another blog post)

Tester opinion

Ruth Ann's thoughts

Christina's thoughts (owner of Grace Family Salon)

I love how this works....it is a powder is like an instant backcombing w/ out back combing :) or if your like me and still back comb with the push powder it gives you maximum volume :) if you don't like stuff in your hair that you feel then you wouldn't like this...there is texture in your hair with the push powder. but if you backcomb your hair this is what you can use so you don't cause breakage :) don't use to much because you only need a little!

Cost

$30 i know this is a lot but remember 2 things

*this product is used in small amounts *you pay for what you get :)

titus 4 months

side note i wrote this 3 weeks ago!!!! apparently its not like it use to be when i could sit down in one sitting and be done with a couple blogs and now it takes me weeks!!!! sorry!!!

Titus is doing so much right now...it was like he just decided one day to stop just laying there :)

*he rolls from back to tummy all the time....he doesn't want to be on his back any more but the funny thing is he doesn't want to be on his tummy that much either :)

*smiles at everyone....he is defiantly is like his father and loves to be social :)

*he can grab his toys, hair, necklaces you name it he grabs it

*he laughs hard core (its the cutest thing ever!!!)

*he loves to be outside....to calm him down we take him outside if its nice out

*he was sleeping about 6 hours....but he is either growing or teething (lets pray not!!!) but he has been waking up around 1am and 5am

*at his 4 month wellness check he was 27" and almost 18Lb he wears 6-9 month clothes mostly 9 months:)

*he HATES being hot (this summer is going to be interesting i hope he loves our pool!!

*he babbles all the time and squeals and laughs....i love it!!!!

*he loves books

*he loves to sit up and lean against you.....but sometimes that darn huge head is just to heavy and he falls forward :) and he trys to eat his feet

*he hums while trying to go to sleep or he's trying to keep himself awake :) we have to hold him really tight to get him to sleep (most of the time)

*he loves to put his grandparents, friends and cousins in his mouth :)