She's back and ready to face the world head-on!

I didn't realize, but it's been almost three months since I've posted!
I'll fully admit that the first month I was absent was because I was 9 months pregnant and pretty cranky, more often than not. Nobody wants to read what I would have been writing! And the next two months have been spent wrapped up in sweet baby snuggles!

So let's catch up...
Our sweet guy, Levi, made his arrival on June 3rd, weighing in a 7lb 15oz and absolutely perfect! He's been eating and sleeping like a champ and I can't wait for his next trip to the doctor to see what he weighs now! He's getting pretty chunky these days!

Since then, I took my standard six weeks off of work (note: six weeks is nowhere near enough time to be with a new little one!) and came back last week. It wasn't much surprise, but I only made it through two days at work before we decided that I needed to be home with our guy. The paycheck wouldn't be worth much after gas and childcare and frankly, not worth nearly enough to be away from him every day. So I'm now a stay-at-home mama! It's absolutely precious to watch him discovering the whole world for the first time!

Now, if you're part of a law enforcement family, you know that making it on his salary alone is a challenge. It's the very definition of "leap of faith". But my being with our little guy is so important to both of us. Obviously, this is causing some stress and a whole lot of sacrifice, but we're stepping out in faith and trusting the God will see us through, one day at a time. Obviously, I'd love to find a way to supplement some income, while still being with Levi, but each opportunity has fallen through. Again...we're having faith that God will provide what we need every day.

So things are getting creative in this trooper family and I hope that our journey can inspire someone else!

Fresh delivery from Fabric.com!!

Getting mail (that isn't bills) is always exciting.
Getting packages is even more exciting than evelopes.
And when the package is a new shipment of fabric, well, I don't think it gets more exciting than that!

First, let me explain why this particular shipment is so exciting.
Anyone in a law enforcement family knows that we've gotta get creative and stretch those paychecks further than most. So I've spent most of my pregnancy trying to come up with ways to cut costs on baby costs. Of course, one HUGE expense when it comes to babies is diapers. So I decided to use cloth diapers in an attempt to save money. My rough math is telling me that diapers for one child will cost about $800 EACH YEAR. If we are to have another baby before baby #1 is potty trained, we'd be DOUBLING THAT. (I'm no math or diapering expert, but that's the calculations I came up with...don't hold me to that!) As a state employee family, that's ridiculous.

But when I started looking into cloth diapers, I was shocked at the cost there also! At a rate of $15-$20 per diaper, I'd have to come up with about $400 upfront to buy my "stash". Obviously, this is still a more economical option and we'd be coming out ahead in less than a year, but we didn't have $400 to spend at once. So I came up with this crazy idea to make my own. I have a sewing machine and what I would call "moderate" skill...how hard could it be?

(Note: It's not hard at all!! Be looking for another post later with how I made my diapers)

I spent the next few months listening to most everyone I know tell me that I'd never actually make my own diapers and even if I did, I wouldn't actually use them. Well, that only sparked that competitive sickness that lives in my brain and forces me to win/be right ALL THE TIME. So now I had to do it, if only to prove everyone wrong.

So I did some research and found what I needed to make this happen and started sourcing out my materials. That's when I stumbled upon www.fabric.com. WOW. It's like the promised land of all things fabric and yard and craft supplies. And great prices!! I went nuts and placed one big order...flannel and PUL (waterproof fabric) for diapers, cotton for crib sheets and curtains and all the "extras" like elastic and snaps.

This is when my love affair with Fabric.com began. You can buy fabric by the 1/2 yard or full yard, but you always get 37" in each yard. It doesn't sound like that extra inch would be a lot, but it's an awesome gesture. Delivery times vary depending on how close you live to their warehouse (which is in Georgia). For me here in Virginia, it's usually 4 days. Can't beat that!

That first order was enough to get me started on my diapers, but since then, we found out that baby is a boy and settled on a nursery theme of woodland animals. So once I needed the next round of fabric, I veered away from the solid colors and ordered some fun patterns...which have just arrived!! There's nothing like coming home to that fabulous box!!

Yay!!

Anticipation...

Look at the sweet little animal print!!

Back to the sewing board!!!

Two days only, save 60% at Flirtyaprons.com!

(This post contains affiliate links which means I will be compensated if you purchase after clicking these links.)



Just in time for Mother's Day, snatch up a beautiful apron for a gift (and maybe another for yourself!) and save 60% off your purchase with coupon code FLIRTY60.
This code is only good May 2nd and 3rd, so head over there now for the best deal!

"The Words I Would Say" - for my sweet baby boy that I can't wait to meet!

Even before I was pregnant, I have been praying for this and any other children we may have. Since I've been pregnant, I've kept on praying and talking to my sweet boy. Some may think it sounds silly, but there's already so much I wish I could tell him!

The other day, on my way to work, a song came on that immediately sent me into tears (sweet song + pregnancy hormones = I cry for sometimes unexplainable reasons). This song is by Sidewalk Prophets and is called "The Words I Would Say". The chorus seemed to perfectly sum up what I'd been praying for my boy since before I even knew that he was on his way.

Be strong in the Lord and never give up hope.
You're gonna do great things, I already know.
God's got his hand on you so don't live life in fear.
Forgive and forget, but don't forget why you're here
Take your time and pray.
These are the words I would say.

I've prayed these words over my sweet boy more times than you can imagine since I first heard them. I've journaled them for him to read later on. It's so humbling to think about what God may do through our boy. I don't know what the next 10, 20 or 50 years will hold for us or for him, but God sees us and He has great plans for us, as idividuals and as a family!

15 Things to Expect When Married to a Police Officer

I came across this being shared on Facebook and thought it was sweet, but undeniably accurate!

15 things to expect when married to a police officer (by Molly McAdams):

1. Always having to sit a certain way at restaurants so he can see everything/everyone.
2. Always having to sit in the back row at a movie theatre -not to make out- but so he can see everyone.
3. If #1 or #2 are crowded, you will have to leave. Not because of the wait at the restaurant, or because someone might sit next to you at the theatre, but because crowds make him anxious beyond belief. Too much can go wrong.
4. When you're at the store, he will randomly shove you down an aisle and whisper, "Go that way" while he continues walking straight because he's just seen someone he arrested, and doesn't want them to see you.
5. If you eat fast food, you have to make sure not to go to certain ones for a few months because the last time you were there, the person at the window was someone he arrested.
6. Eventually someone delivering your pizza will have been arrested by your husband. (Thank God ours now views my husband like a role model, we're good.)
7. Because he is trained to drive a certain way if need be, he will drive like that in your personal car as well all the time, causing you to hold the "oh shit" bar the entire time while working on your imaginary braking skills.
8. When you hear velcro, you smile to yourself because you know your husband has made it home safe another day.
9. Not being able to buy him just any shirt you think will look good on him, because you have to buy him shirts that will cover his off-duty weapon.
10. Knowing where all the guns are in the house, if they're loaded or not, and getting scolded like a child if you're home alone and don't have one within reach.
11. Staring at your phone for the last 20 minutes of his shift, waiting for the phone call that says, "Gonna be late, have to transfer someone and do paperwork."
12. While at the beginning, hearing sirens used to make you hold your breath and pray until you heard from him again, you now just trust he'll come home, and whisper "Get some" to yourself with a smile when you hear sirens.
13. You can text/call him and not hear from him for hours because he's busy. But if he calls or texts you, you better answer or respond within seconds because he will lose his shit thinking something's happened to you, call you 10 times in a row, text you a dozen more, and will be on his way to your house to check on you … all within five minutes from the first text/call.
14. Hearing in detail the smell and look of a dead person no longer fazes you … it's normal conversation, just as guns, bullets, and differences in them are now a daily conversation.
15. Nothing shocks you anymore when it comes to illegal activity that he's seen at work. You just shake your head and say something along the lines of, "dumb ass" in regards to what happened, when during the first few months it was something along the lines of: "OH MY WORD!!! Are you serious?! What has happened to this world?! I can't believe that! Just -- WHAT!?"

So after all that, it also must be said that being a police officer's wife is the best thing in the world. Dinner conversations are never boring. He looks hot in his uniform. And you know he can protect you, and protects your city on a daily basis.

Blurb Mother's Day Deals and Contest!

Publish Your Mom for Mother's Day!
(This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.)

Right now at Blurb you can save 15% on all printed orders through April 30th!! Mother's Day is right around the corner and a wonderful way to surprise that special lady in your life is to make a one-of-a-kind beautifully bound cookbook from all of those tasty treats she made you as a kid. You get to forever preserve a delicious part of your past, and your mom gets billed as the artist she always wanted to be. But be sure to hurry because this deal only lasts until the end of the month... just in time for a Mother's Day delivery. Can't get any tastier than that.

Make a Book About Your Favorite Person and You Could Win $2,500 from Blurb
While you're at it, enter to win Blurb's My Favorite Person Contest. Make a book about why Mom is your favorite person and be entered for a chance to win and to show Mom just how much you appreciate all she's done! Even better...all My Favorite Person books are discounted 30% off.
Details: Entrants must create a Blurb book and submit by dates on the website based upon the category selected. Entrants may submit a book for each category. Books must be made with Blurb (not another print company) to be considered.
Valid: Contest entries must be submitted by April 28 and May 31, based upon respective categories. The 30% off discount is valid through May 31st.

Ultimate Homemaking Bundle Sale!

(This post contains affiliate links which means I will be compensated if you purchase after clicking these links.)

Looking for a great deal on ebooks, eCourses, printable packs and bonus products and memberships? Look no further!
Follow the links below to buy the Ultimate Homemaking Bundle! This is a collection of 78 fantastic eBooks, audio files & printables. All the best ebooks on everything important to us as wives and moms: homemaking, cooking, decorating, parenting, faith and more.



With this bundle, you'll also get 10 awesome bonuses!
Sample the web’s top stores and services for homemakers with FREE bonus products, memberships, and store credits from Dayspring greeting cards, Dizolve laundry detergent, Hope Ink art prints, Once A Month Meals and many more!

This bundle has a resource for nearly everything you need to conquer as a homemaker, all in one place and all at an incredible price! The eBooks alone are a $698 value and the bonuses are worth over $200! But from today through midnight on Monday, April 28, you can get this bundle for only $29.97! Or if you'd prefer the bonus Kindle editions, it's only $39.97!

Just remember, this bundle is only available for 6 days! So follow the links between 8am EST Wednesday, April 23 until midnight EST Monday, April 28.





https://ubcodes.s3.amazonaws.com/ub-short-code-with-buy-links.txt