goodbye. hello.

For many months now, I have been wrestling with the focus of my blogging life. When I first started this blog over two years ago, I had high (and unrealistic) expectations of what my blog would turn out to be. I was happy with my ability to keep up with posts in the beginning, but it really became too much for me to keep up with on a regular basis. As a result, I was kinda beating myself up mentally for not posting on a steady basis.

On top of my mounting frustration for not keeping up, I lost sight of why I was blogging. In fact, I'm not sure that I ever really set out with a purpose when I started Organized Chaos. This resulted in the mental struggle of the last few months - What is the purpose of my blog? and Should I keep it? 

I've decided to answer these questions. 

The purpose of my blog is to keep a record of people I love and things that I love. Blogging is NOT high on the priority list in my life. Although I enjoy sitting down and sharing ideas with all of you, my relationship with the Lord, my family, and my ministry must take priority when it comes to time - and yes, these things take most of my time. 

This leads to the second question. Should I keep my blog? I've decided the answer is YES. I enjoy sitting down to write out what is going on in life or to share something new and fun that I've done. I have simply come to the realization that I will blog when I can. It is a hobby for me, therefore I'll enjoy it when I can. 

Because I have a clear purpose and proper priority for my blog, I've decided to start out fresh. I started a new blog.  Organized Chaos will remain active in order to keep pinterest links live. However, all new posts will be on the new blog. I would love for you to continue to follow me, just make sure that you sign up through email on the new blog or simply click the "follow" link on the new blog. 

So, it's goodbye to Organized Chaos and hello to house one eighteen!

when nursing doesn't work out

A few weeks ago I sat down with my two kids at a public event right as Aubrey's time to eat rolled around. As I pulled out her bottle and began mixing up her formula, I caught the eye of a mom who was sitting with her kids a few feet to my right. I wasn't prepared for the enormous scowl that was plastered all over her face as she looked at the formula I was preparing for my child. It was as if I could hear her saying something like "What kind of mother are you to be feeding formula to your baby when she is so young!?!" I won't say it didn't stun me, but I was super thankful that I had already come to grips with the fact that it's all right if nursing doesn't work out for you.

Both of my children were born with a natural curl back in their tongues when they sucked. This motion caused severe trauma to me when nursing and I had to exclusively pump after a few weeks with both of them. With my first, we exhausted our options trying to make it work. We even had an ENT doctor clip his frenulum to make sure that wasn't causing the problem. With little girl, I knew what the problem probably was and lactation consultants confirmed it. I was doing everything perfect, I just could not control her tongue. The only hope I had was a very slim chance of help from an occupational therapist. 

Not wanting to spend super money for something that probably wouldn't work, I decided to pump exclusively as long as I could, wanting six weeks to be my minimum. 

By the time I got to six weeks with her, I was already having to supplement more than half of her bottle each feeding, so I decided that the goal was to feed her well. Therefore, we switched over completely to formula.

Of course, if you have ever experienced this, you know it is a decision made with tears and painful emotions. As a mother having to give up breastfeeding, you are tempted to feel inadequate and unable to provide for your little one. However, after talking things over with my pediatrician, who reminded me that both he and I were formula fed and we turned out all right, I felt more confident in making the switch.

Yes, I do believe that breastfeeding is best, and if you are able, you most definitely should. If you are in the beginning stages and are having trouble, see a lactation specialist first and talk things over with your pediatrician.

But to those of you who find yourself in a situation where it is just not going to work, please don't beat yourself up. It's just not worth it! As a mom, it is your duty to feed your baby. So, feed him! in whatever way is best. Hold your head up, and fight the urge to explain yourself to everyone - they don't need an explanation. Be confident in your decision and focus on the more important things in life!

For those moms out there who were fortunate to be able to nurse and nurse well, please remember that it doesn't come easy for everyone. Do your best to encourage new moms around you, even if they aren't able to breastfeed. I know that I received some encouragement from ladies in my church family, and that encouragement helped me to let go of guilt and feelings of inadequacy.

If we are blessed with another child, nursing will again be the first option. Hopefully, it will go smoothly, but if it doesn't, it will be OK. 

Thanks for letting me share my heart. I feel like maybe it will help someone else in a similar situation. 

welcoming a princess

Where to begin? I've been putting off this post because I don't want to condense everything to fit in one blog post. However, for your sanity, I'll try not to write a book!

First of all, my whole pregnancy with Aubrey was different from my first. I was sick with her, I gained significantly less weight, I carried her differently, and my body reacted differently because it had been through this before. I wasn't disappointed with a lack of differences when labor came either.

When Owen came into the world, my water broke in the doctor's office, they wheeled me over, I got my epidural, and everything progressed from there. He was also a week early, something I was hoping for the second time around as well.

But little girl had plans of her own. Not really having any contractions or labor pains until after my water broke with O, I was nervous about knowing if I was in labor or not based on contractions in the event that my water did not break on its own (and it didn't).

The two weeks leading up to her birth, I had Braxton Hicks contractions ALL THE TIME! I was constantly timing, and sometimes I thought I was getting ready to head to the hospital, only  to have the contractions subside.

However, around 1AM on March 6, I was awakened by a feeling I hadn't felt just yet and I KNEW it was a real contraction. I started the timer on my nightstand, and by 4AM, it was time to get up and get ready.

By 5:30AM, we were checking in at the hospital, and by 6:30AM, I was at 6cm and getting my epidural! The meds worked great (much better than the first time) and I progressed quickly. About 10:30, the nurse came in and said I was at 10cm, but suggested waiting another half hour to start pushing so that little girl might come a little faster.

I officially started pushing at 11:06, and after the pushes from the first contraction, the nurse told me to stop until the Doctor could come in. It seemed like it took forever for the doctor to get there, but when she did, I pushed twice and she was born at 11:22AM!

Of course no words can express the joy and flood of overwhelming emotion that overtakes you when you hold your child for the first time! It was love at first sight!

We had many loved ones and friends come to visit, and we are so blessed with the love and support of all our friends and family.

Owen meeting his little sister for the first time was also an amazing moment in our lives. He loves his little sister so much - from the first moment he met her.

I am so thankful for all that the Lord has blessed us with and I look forward to what He has in store for the lives of my children!

I love my family of four!

What's In the Bag?

Well, here I sit, 5 days from my due date, waiting for labor to kick in at any moment. 

I went early with little man (in fact, he was already here if we are comparing time tables) so this wait is really trying my patience...hehe. But today I have tried to mentally resolve that baby girl is going to come in God's perfect timing and my worrying and fretting about it isn't going to change anything. 

But, if you have any tricks to start labor, I'm all ears :) 

I thought I'd share with you what I packed in my hospital bag. My first experience with giving birth and camping out in the hospital resulted in many bags, a cluttered room, and just too much stuff sitting in the room that I did not need. Couple that with the gifts and goodies that people bring you (not complaining about those), and we ended up taking several trips to load the car before we left the hospital. 

This time around, I carefully considered the necessities and packed accordingly. 

I have two bags packed and ready to go in the car. Last time, I had my bag packed, but kept it in the corner of my room, resulting in someone having to go get it from my house when my water broke while I was at my weekly check-up. Lesson to be learned: put your packed bag in the car! 

Another problem that I ran into the first time around was not packing clothes for the hubby. This only led to frustration as I was in the hospital not wanting him to leave my side, but he had to go get clothes at some point. 

So, I have two bags: one for me and hubby, the other for baby girl. 

First, take a look at what is in our bag: 

1. Hairbrush - This isn't my normal brush, but it will do for two days.
2. Hair straightener - I actually have two of these, so I packed the extra which allows me to use my regular one at home without having to worry about forgetting it last minute.
3. Flip flops - cheap rubber flops for that matter - you'll want these to walk around the room and for the shower!
4. Socks - Sometimes the AC is really cold!
5. Undies - You may or may not use these - in fact you probably will use the disposable ones that the hospital gives you, but I packed a couple pair just in case.
6. Nursing Bra - Definitely pack this!
7. After delivery outfit - You'll want something comfortable, especially on the waistline. You never know if you'll have to have an unplanned C-section or not. I packed a pair of my maternity pants.
8. Going Home Outfit - Once again, something comfy. Chances are, you won't be able to wear any pre-pregnancy clothes yet :)
9. Snacks - Just in case you and hubby get the munchies.
10. Hubby's things (not pictured): Two comfy shirts, a pair of shorts, a pair of athletic pants, sandals or flip flops, razor, toothbrush, socks, boxers. Now, he does't have to run home!

11. Toiletries and Make-Up - Because we travel so much, this bag stays packed for me so I can just throw it in a suitcase, but I added some simple make-up to it this time instead of carrying my whole make-up ensemble with me. What's in it? - shampoo, conditioner, hair product, hair spray, body wash, face wash, make-up remover, mouthwash, nail polish remover, deodorant, razor, wrinkle reducer spray, cotton balls, cotton swabs, nursing pads, moisturizer, bobby pins, foundation powder, a simple eyeshadow compact, eyeliner, and mascara. 

12. Chargers - I put the spares in early so I know we are covered!

13. Change purse - Just in case.

14. Labor essentials - Bobby pins, hair ties, chap stick.

15. A few things not pictured - lanolin, and CAMERA!

Baby Bag: 

1. Blankets - The hospital provides blankets, so these are not necessities, but they make for better pictures. 

2. Hat - You'll want a cute one to put on little one's head!

3. Necessities - soft brush, nail clippers (a must!), baby powder, and vaseline (this is good to rub on the bottom before that first dirty diaper - it makes wiping of the meconium much easier)

4. Mittens

5. Socks

6. Onesies or Sleepers - different sizes

7. Going-home outifit

8. Hairbows/Hairbands

9. Pacifier (in paci holder)

10. White shoes

11. I threw in a few burp cloths at the last minute. 

Finally, if you have older siblings, make sure you pack a gift for them and pack their bags ahead of time as well!

That's it, folks. It is in the car and ready to go...now we wait on her! 

I'd love to hear your comments on different things you needed/didn't need! 

Baby Leggings Promo

Hello out there! If anyone is still listening...I must say it is pretty shameful that I haven't posted anything since the end of November! I have tons of ideas for great posts from December, and of course, I've got to give some updates on the baby, I know, I know.

Trust me, I have some things coming as long as baby girl gives me a little time to type them up before making her grand entrance into the world (d-day is 2 weeks and a day away - yippee!), but today I wanted to share an awesome deal with you moms of little ones.

A friend of mine sent me the promo link in an email, and these are too stinking cute!



Baby Leggings! How cute are they?

Today you can get 5 pairs for free using the promo code "BeMine14"

Here's what you need to do:

1) Go to babyleggings.com.
2) Click the "shop now" link.
3) Add at least 5 pairs of leggings to your cart.
4) Your shopping bag will be at the bottom of the page when you are finished choosing your adorable leggings.
5) Enter the promo code BeMine14 in the promo code box.
6) Pay shipping and voila! They are on the way to your home!

As an added bonus, you can also get any additional pair for just $2 each.

These make great accessories for your own little ones or great gifts for friends!

Pass it on!

Thankful...

"Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name."

- Psalm 100:4 - 

Being thankful. It's something that we forget to do many times isn't it? I know so many times my life and the way that I live can scream selfishness instead of gratitude. As the holiday of Thanksgiving approaches tomorrow, my heart is naturally turned toward what I am thankful for. However, I realize that this should be my mindset each and every day, not just the time I gather with family around a holiday meal. 

The truth is, those of us who have the most to say "Thank You" for are the worst at it. I want my life to show thankfulness in every way - to never get over how good God has been to me. Here are a few things that I am most thankful for today and every day...

First, my salvation. In no way, shape, or form do I deserve for a loving Savior to take the penalty for my sin. But He did. It's done - finished. All I had to do was believe on Him and accept Him as my Savior. WOW. I get to spend eternity in Heaven and share a personal relationship with the God of the universe based on nothing that I have done but on everything that Christ did on the cross. 

Next, I'm thankful for my family. I have a wonderful husband - a husband that I know was hand-picked by God to complete me. I know God is still writing our love story, but I love every page and chapter! I have a precious little boy - there is just something about motherhood that cannot be explained or understood except by another mother. I have a little girl on the way - and I am so thankful for a healthy pregnancy so far. And we all have good health - something that I know we too often take for granted. 

I'm thankful for my extended family. My parents and siblings, my in-laws, my grandparents, cousins - God has truly blessed me with a wonderful and loving family both personally and through the family that I married into. 

I'm thankful for my church family - a support group that thinks the way that I do and can help me from a biblical standpoint. 

I'm thankful for the "little" things - plenty of food, shelter, a car, health, friends, family, a job. Not to mention all of the unnecessary amenities and wants that I have been blessed with. 

Some days I wonder why in the world God has chosen to bless me with so much. But I know that I must remember that what He has passed to me, I must pass to others. 

There is no way that I can mention everything (nor would you read a post that long) that I am thankful for, but I thought I'd leave you with a few. 

Take time to thank the Lord for His blessings in your life, and then determine to make gratitude a permanent attitude in your life! 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Fall Favorites

Hello everyone! Wow! This week is really crazy for me because our church is hosting a HUGE ladies' conference. East Coast Ladies Retreat 2013 has already registered over 1000 ladies, and I'm in charge of the teen retreat going on with it. I am super excited and everything is coming together wonderfully! That being said, I wanted to give everyone a post this week, so here is a super short and sweet one for you...

I love fall and all of the many things that go along with it. Here are a few of my favorite things when it comes to cooler weather and falling leaves:

1. Autumn candle from BBW. This is my absolute favorite candle of all time! It smells just how I imagine fall should smell, and it permeates the house with its amazingness!

2. Chunky knit scarves. Gotta have a warm scarf for those cool, crisp days. 

3. Essie nail polish in Hot Coco. I ordered this on amazon because I couldn't find it in the store, but it is my nail color of choice this fall. 

4. PSL. Also known as Pumpkin Spice Latte. Although I haven't tried coffee again since I was a few weeks pregnant, I'm thinking about picking up one of my favorites sometime this week. It's just not fall until you've enjoyed a few of these. 

5. Pumpkins. I love pumpkins! I decorate with them, carve them, go to the pumpkin patch, and eat all kinds of pumpkin flavored goodies. In fact, the word FALL always brings the image of a pumpkin to my mind. 

Happy November everyone! Enjoy the last few weeks of fall! 

Leave me your fall favorites in the comments! I'd love to hear them, and comments make me smile :) 

Gender Reveal Party

One of the most exciting points on the timeline of pregnancy is finding out the gender of the baby! I know some people would rather wait and be surprised about the gender when they actually give birth, but my personality as a planner just won't allow me to wait. It's still a surprise to me when I do find out, and a gender reveal party makes it that much more fun!

Choo Choo's or TuTu's? 

With our first child, we found out the gender in the ultrasound room, then had a party to tell everyone else, but we found that this time, we wanted to get in on the fun as well. After looking at Pinterest, and finding the perfect way to reveal baby's gender this time, my husband and I decided to find out with everyone at the party instead of inside the ultrasound room.

On Thursday, October 10, we had our appointment and go to see little punkin' on the screen, but we had the ultrasound tech seal up the gender for us. I delivered the gender to a friend and had her prepare our reveal method.

I've seen cakes, balloons, cupcakes, and all kinds of cute ideas, but when I came across the silly string idea on Pinterest, I could not choose a better way to reveal.

We had my friend wrap the correct color of silly string (pink or blue) in paper and remove the lids. She wrapped the cans in a box and we waited until it was time to open the package.

For the party, we invited our family over to celebrate with us, and each member of the family got their own can of silly string. We proceeded to our back yard where the family encircled the three of us, and on count, everyone covered us in silly string at the same time.

It took a moment to realize that this crazy stuff flying at us was PINK! IT'S A GIRL! We were sooooooo excited (except for O, the silly string scared him a little)! It was so much fun to wait and find out with everyone else.

My sister-in-law asked me if it was better and worth the wait to find out with the family instead of the ultrasound room - My answer - YES! Sure, in the middle of a crowd of family squirting silly string at you, it is difficult to have an intimate moment of celebration with your husband, but you don't really get that with the tech in the room at the doctor either.

Well, that's that. Little girl is set to arrive March 5 (or earlier!) and we cannot wait to meet her!

DIY: Laundry Detergent

I'm so excited about today's post! This is something that I have wanted to do for a long time, but I was waiting until my stockpile of store-bought detergent was gone. I love my new detergent and want to show you how it's done! 

 Some want to make their own laundry detergent because it can be made without all of the harsh chemicals in most store-bought detergents. Others  (like me) like the cheap price that DIY detergent offers per load.

If you want a "greener" detergent with fewer chemicals, then leave out the optional items that I added to my detergent. You'll still get wonderfully clean results!

Step 1: the supply list

Here's what you will need:

• 1 box of Borax (4lbs. 12oz.)
• 1 box of Arm and Hammer Super Washing Soda (55oz.)
• 1 box of Arm and Hammer Baking Soda (4lb.)
• 3 bars of Fels-Naptha soap
• Oxy Clean (3lb. tub) *Optional
• 1 small jar of Downy Unstoppables *Optional
• Grater

Step 2: grate

Grate the 3 bars of Fels-Naptha soap. I bought a cheap grater at Wal-Mart so that I didn't have to use my nice food grater. You can use the large grater or the finer grater. Above you can see the difference. I chose to use the smaller because I felt it would mix more efficiently. 

Step 3: mix it up

I lined a small trash can with trash bag, put everything in, and stirred, and stirred, and stirred, and stirred. It's important to make sure that everything is evenly and well-mixed. 

After everything was mixed well, I poured it into the large glass jar that I bought to hold the detergent. 

Step 4: scoop and wash

Keep your supply in your washing machine and use 1-2 tablespoons per load. Works great even in cold water. 

I decorated my jar with vinyl cutouts from my Cricut!

Pretty easy huh? I thought so! Enjoy the freshness!

Life Lately...

I'm baaaaack! (At least I hope that I am). Yes, I have definitely been absent from the blogosphere lately, and quite honestly, I haven't even had the desire to check my email.

Since the middle of May, my husband and I have been traveling all over the Western Hemisphere! We've been to NYC twice, Montana, Panama, Colorado, and Kentucky. On top of all of this traveling, I have been enduring as best I know how the first trimester of pregnancy!

If you follow me on Facebook or Twitter, I'm sure you've heard the news...we are expecting our second little Rabon on March 5 (hopefully sooner)! As excited as I am, I must say that I have never been so knocked off of my feet in all of my life. Let's just say that this pregnancy has definitely been a different experience compared to my first.

Nausea and fatigue have controlled me it seems like these days. It is all I can do to get dressed some days. My energy level seems to be slightly improving, but I cannot wait until the icky feeling of nausea goes away. I am currently 12 weeks pregnant, so hopefully as I near the end of this first trimester, I will begin to feel better.

As a result of everything going on (but mostly my extreme need to nap most of the day) I have been neglectful of my little blog. However, I plan to pick back up where I left off.

Thanks for being patient! Until next time...

Running with Flair

Anyone that has known me for a long period of time knows that I hate with everything in me am very challenged when it comes to long distance running. Running the mile in high school is the only category that kept me out of the top award category. Seriously, I hate to run. Put me on an elliptical any day of the week or even let me power walk, but running, NO THANK YOU!

Yes, that is how I have always felt about running. BUT, my husband has had this crazy idea since January to run a 5K. Great for him, but not for me. At least not until he got me interested in the Color My Run. It sounded like it would be so much fun, so I jumped on board and agreed to walk  run it with him. Granted, I didn't run the whole time, but I did push myself harder than I have in a very, very long time.

Here are some pics from our morning of fun! Fun and running - who would have ever thought I'd use those two words together?

Lots of color!

My sister-in-law ... so glad she could run with us!

Little Man came out to cheer us on.

One of our teen girls...yeah, she kicked my tail!

Can you tell Dad avoided the color?

TJ...the man crossing the finish line victoriously! Love it!

Overall, it was an awesome experience. My only complaint about the day was that I didn't actually get to check the 5K off of my to-do list. The course was not actually 5K long which was very disappointing when it was over. Oh, well, guess that leaves room for more challenges ahead!

What good came out of preparing and accomplishing this task? I actually don't despise running so much anymore...you cross the finish line a lot faster if you run instead of walk! Be inspired!

Glimpse of Montana

This week as are on a mission trip with our teens to Bozeman, MT, serving alongside Pastor Phillip Brown Nd the Calvary Baptist Church. Today we hiked the "M" Challenge, and believe me, when you are not used to the lower o urgent level, it is TOUGH! But we all made it! It was great to look over the city that Pastor Brown and his family are called to reach.
I'll be recapping our trip during our return trip but until then pray for our big day Saturday!
Have a great weekend!

High Five for Friday!

This week is one of the few that I have actually at home this summer, so it has been sorta crazy-hectic around here. Trying to get so much done in so short a span of time can be exhausting! But here are some highlights from the week:

1. Love this $.97 nail polish from Target - didn't chip until day 5! I did have trouble with another color in the same brand though. But this color is awesome! 

2. Roxy's Deli on Times Square - not impressed - lots of meat but dull flavor. 

3. Dad built the frame for my small raised garden (plants to follow soon). 

4. Little man has a throat virus that has taken some extra care and time the past few days (poor thing)!

5. My little bro graduates from high school tonight! I'm so proud of him!

If you haven't joined this site yet, why not do it today? Click "Join this site" in the right column.

A Good Read...

I literally just got home from a baby shower, and my heart is full of excitement for this new mom! In fact, I have several friends who have either just had their first baby or are pregnant with their first. Naturally I am super stoked for each of them, and talking to them causes me to relive my own experience in becoming a new mom. My baby will be 19 months in just a few short days (not a baby anymore).

Of course, parenting is something that never stops. Each new stage brings on new challenges and questions. There are days when I feel like I am superwoman, tackling every mom challenge that may come my way; then, there are days I call my husband crying because I feel like a total and complete failure as a mom.

What's a mom to do? The only thing I can do if I want to be successful as a mom is to turn to Scripture and the guidelines that God has set in place for me as a parent. In my own personal time with the Lord each day, I just started studying verses and passages of Scripture that deal with parenting. Sure, I've claimed several verses and models of godly parenting to follow since little man was born, but I really want to know God's mind when it comes to being not a good mom, but a godly mom.

Sticking to Scripture is the only perfect advice that you will get. Therefore as a mom, I must use the Bible as my chief source of knowledge and wisdom. But there are also some great books from experienced, godly parents to help expound on biblical principles. I just finished reading Don't Make Me Count to Three by Ginger Plowman, and it shed some major light on my discipline procedures (Thanks for the recommendation, Christine). So, I'd like to share a few of my favorite titles with you. 

Don't Make Me Count to Three by Ginger Plowman

Shepherding a Child's Heart by Tedd Tripp

A Mom After God's Own Heart by Elizabeth George

Passionate Parenting by Cary Schmidt

Six Ways to Keep the "Good" in Your Boy by Dannah Gresh

Six Ways to Keep the "Little" in Your Girl by Dannah Gresh

ve

Dare to Discipline by Dr. James Dobson

These are just some titles that are good to read. Of course, I don't agree with all that is in them, but only God's Word is perfect. Read with discretion and filter it with the Word of God. Take each day a step at a time and do what is right each day. I find out more and more that parenting is difficult, but you reap what you sow. 

Happy Reading! 

"Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it."

Proverbs 22:6

I would love to hear book suggestions from you! Leave a comment!

High Five from The Big Apple

My husband and I spent the week in NYC with our high school seniors on their Senior Trip. Naturally, all of my five come from our trip here this week. I'll be posting more about the week later, but here are some highlights from each day!

1. Rickshaw tour of Central park.
2. Yankees game.
3. Statue of Liberty.
4. 9/11 Memorial.
5. WICKED!

Look for more to come! Have a great weekend!