First of all I am ready for some warmer weather! Is anyone with me?  You know I like cold and I like hot but for crying out loud, mother nature, pick one PLEASE!  I am again so late on this post and I have tried all day to sit down and work on catching up but it didn't happen.  I am trying so hard on getting up earlier and training myself to get a earlier start on things so I forced myself to schedule a tanning visit for 6:20 AM!  What was I thinking????

Well last week was spring break but not for me:(  I did take Friday off and went to the zoo with a friend! It was a bit chilly however we made the best of our 3 1/2 hour zoo tour... I don't think I have ever spent that long in the LR Zoo but I did last Friday.  I was sore the next day from walking so much(yes I am OUT OF SHAPE!!!)

Catching a few sweet innocence kisses before lunch!

Saturday morning we went and ate with our friends Ashley and Addi!  They are just too precious!  We had a great time and Ashley made Lola these bloomers in exchange for a bucket!  I will post it when I get finished!

Hope you all had a great Wednesday!

Make my Heart Melt

I wanted to share a few photos of our weekend, YES LAST WEEKEND!  It was a great one and I didn't want it to go MIA! Friday night started out with a little game night at my brother from a different mothers house!  We honestly had a blast!  Pizza, Wii and Guitar Hero, you can't beat it for sure!

Lola had a blast too!

My sister and mom!

Lola and I playing peek a boo, her favorite game! "Where is she" is what we call it!

I was very serious in the picture, I was really getting into it I guess!

Lola with her cup, snuggle bunny, pacie, and yes Jason!  Got to have it all!

Then Saturday we headed out to the Heifer Village in Little Rock.  Fully equipped with animals, Lola was in heaven!  We had a great time petting goats, ducks and bunnies!  We even planted a few watermelons!  Great day with some friends too!

Lola and Brylee! Thanks Kourtney for inviting us!

Then we came home and got ready for a wedding.  We had a great time seeing some friends make memories!

Lola is all into praying these days!  I couldn't miss this photo opportunity (sorry Lord, I just had to have this photo for her baby book.)  Doesn't this just melt your heart??? It does mine!

Sweet little family at the reception(thank you summer for approaching us quickly, we need some SUN!!!)

Ok if your not sitting down now you might want to find your seat!  Ladies and Gentlemen, I attended my first wennie roast! Yes I said it...ok are you back up from falling over?  I will continue! Some friends invited us to come over for a wennie roast. 

You may think I am silly, but I grew up with parents that didn't know what country was if it hit them in the face.  I lived on 18 acres growing up but that doesn't make a county girl.  Ok, so my dad knows a little bit about being country (I think it is just in a man) and my mom only reallys know what living on country club drive and walking to the club pool feels like! Growing up I lived mainly with my mom and a wennie roast in her terms was light the fire in the fire play and roast marshmallows right in the comfort of your living room! 

We had a big fire and had a great time.  Oh Des Arc is becoming my home quicker than I expected...

And yes, for entertainment, Laura (the hostess with the mostess) rode the kiddos around on the power wheels jeep!  Oh boy my future holds many more memories of what "country" really means!

Beautiful

Tuesday we went to Wye Mountain to see all the pretty flowers.  There were rows and rows.  Lola had a blast and we took a friend along with us!  We actually met a few people there and had a great lunch after!  Here are just a few. It was mighty windy so Lola wasn't in the best of moods. I just love these pictures!  I wish I could post all of them!

I don't know about you, but this picture is the best!  It reminds me of a card!

Hope you all had a great Wednesday! We played outside most of the day and I did some random things around the house.  It was a pretty good day!

Friday playdate and winner!

Today was a very fun day!  Every mom who attended the play date, I mean this honestly, I had fun!  The craziness and food was perfect!  Thanks for all who came and I hope we can do more!

 This is all Lola wanted to do, play with the car seats!

 Yummy food!

Yesterday we went out to eat lunch with my best friend and Miss Kendal (it was her 1st Birthday!) We had fun but I was in a funk that afternoon.  Ryan and I went to Lowes and bought flowers and such to landscape a little.  I was beat by the end of the day!

Sweet Kendal aka The Birthday Girl

Lola and Lindsey

 

The winner of the bucket is Ashley (you must have good luck ha, I can NEVER win anything and here you are two times in a row) I will attempt in every way to get it to you WAY before Easter.  I am sorry that the other items took forever to get to you all.  Organization in my mind is wonderful but actually doing it is another thing...  So in attempts to do better I am going to try and work on a schedule.  Thanks for all who entered and if you would like to order anymore please feel free to do so. Just go to The Sassy Polkadot (click on the title) and you can email or facebook me!  

Hope you all have a good day! 

Yesterday was a fun day!  Filled with painting pottery(stressed me completely out), lunch at Chick Fli A, shopping and a dinner date!

First we went and painted pottery.  I was one stressed puppy.  We had fun and I can't wait to go back and finish our plate! (note: I didn't finish my plate because I was shaking in fear that my child was going to break something)

Then we headed to Chick Fli A for lunnch.  After lunch we headed to Searcy where I stopped my a consignment sale and then had dinner with a sweet girl and her precious little baby (well she is the same age as Lola but our girls are still babies in our eyes!)  I don't have any pictures but we hope to get together soon and I will take pictures then!

I am keeping a zoo at my house today.  I am getting more and more used to having kiddos at my house.  I will admit it almost got the best of me at first but I am learning to keep things picked up and I am finding myself less stressed!  After buying all Lola's spring clothes I may need to work more to pay for it all.  I went all out this spring.  I really don't know why but I am so excited about everything!  I just love children clothes!  I also have a HUGE list for my mom too! haha

Well I better get!  Just had a share our pottery painting day!  Hope you all have a wonderful Wednesday! OH by the way if you are wanting to win the bucket make sure you enter HERE!

Memory Monday and a giveaway!

Good morning to all!  This weather makes me just want to crawl up in bed and watch Disney Channel all morning!  I really like rainy days when it is dark outside.  I made cinnamon rolls and yummy is all I can say!

Today I will take you down a sandy beach with waves crashing in the background and one of the best days of my life, a Memory Monday version of my "going to the chapel." I don't know about you but my wedding holds a lot of memories! It was the day I married my best friend (not quite sure he knew what he was getting into when he agreed! ha), got to wear one of those, you know, white dresses and veils and have a day where its all about you!  I love to get dressed up and could probably wear heels every day of my life, which makes my goal of being "more domestic" a little harder, but I am not going to give up this soon!  Sorry, back on track, on June 5th I slipped that white dress on, walked down a sandy beach, stood at the corner where the waves splashed up on the sand, and said my vows.  Oh how peaceful. 

I am not one to want attention on myself.  I get nervous and clammy (like in my sisters wedding I almost passed out because the sight of all those people makes me so weak), so walking down the aisle to a stage wasn't my cup of tea.  Ryan knew this right off the bat. A chapel wedding wasn't in the picture and if I had it my way, the JP was the best way. Pay your $35 dollars and sign a piece of paper. OH YEAH!!! If your parents are like mine, "giving" away the bride and groom is important, and that is why we decided to go away and ONLY invite family (if I passed out I wouldn't have to many people to see me go down and eat sand.)

My morning started out by getting my nails done and eating breakfast with my sister at Waffle House. I love that place by the way. I was so nervous the whole day.  I remember being so worried about repeating all the vows. I didn't want to mess them up.  I got my hair done and then it came time to adorn the body with that lovely white dress! We loaded up in the limo and headed to the beach.  The ceremony lasted maybe 5 minutes (after everyone walked down to get seated), and then we headed to eat!  It was such a great time and such a wonderful memory!

All the preparations leading up to that day reminded me of God's grace and perfection.  There were times I just didn't know if getting married was for me (cold feet they call it), or if my family could afford everything (my sister just got married and I was finishing college on my parents dime.)  But financially everything worked out.  See I wanted the BIG ring and the fancy "extras", but when it comes down to everything at the end of the day, it is all gone, the flowers die, your dress hangs neatly in a closet (one day Mom I will come get it off your hands), and that ring doesn't make your marriage, no matter how big or small. Young ladies who think they need the biggest diamond in the case: I promise being married to a man with character and heart is much better than that expensive thing that people size up anyway. Its all fun and fancy, but all you have left are those pictures that will adorn your wall or photo books.  The smiles on your faces are priceless and should never be forgotten.  God made it possible for everything to happen on June 5th.  Just planning the wedding was Gods way of showing me the man I was about to marry was the "right" one!  From changing our photographer at the last minute to finding the funds, everything fell into place! Whether its your wedding day or just any day, cast all your worries on the Lord, and He will see that you are well taken care of.  I look at pictures once again and just think of that day, and the story runs through my head once again. Oh how awesome it was and is!!!

What is your story?  Oh and the giveaway is a custom Easter bucket. To enter, post a comment! I will give away the bucket on Friday!

Busy weekend!

I feel like I am so not into the game about blogging here recently.  I am so behind on everything!  I have got to get a move on my life!  

I don't know about your children but Lola HATES being dirty.  Yes I know its probably my fault because I am always so picky about hands being dirty and playing outside (which isn't my thing, it wasn't even my thing when I was little either) so she gets it honest and that leads me to the unthinkable!  If your mind is wonder let me pull you back, and lay it out there...YES Lola pulls her poop out of her diaper and brings it to you as if it is an award or something. IT'S NASTY!!  I know she hasn't had a "normal" diaper for a long while and she may be wondering what is coming out of her , but it doesn't make it any better... It plain weirds me out!  So after consulting with a few mothers they recommended to start potty training.  We went and bought a potty and bless my child's heart they don't make panties small enough to fit her tiny behind.  As I started the process she would get so excited about the potty but I can't get the concept of how to get her to understand how to  pee-pee in the potty and not the floor.  I turn the water on, dance for her and nothing seems to work.  She will come get me and pull at her diaper but she either doesn't make it or right after she wipes she will pee all over the floor.  We are going to keep trying, I'm not giving up but if you have any suggestions please feel free to share them!!!

Remember the towel I gave away... Here it is monogrammed!! So cute!

Saturday was my best friends little girls first birthday (I don't think that was a sentence!)  She is a shamrock baby with her actual birthday on St. Patty's Day but we celebrated this past weekend! As my gift to her I decorated and made pretty much everything EXCEPT the cake.  I am no cake maker by any means!  I had a blast getting it all prepared but I had a little set back, I got pink eye Thursday night/early Friday morning.  I am so tired of being sick.  SO I made everything Saturday morning.  Yes I am a crazy lady and I was a nervous wreck all morning worried I wouldn't get it finished in time. But I did and it was all so cute!  Check out my craft blog tomorrow to see everything.. Click HERE!!!

Lola is so funny in this picture... I had to post it!! It looks like she is really into that food she is eating!

Kendal with her taste of the cake, I think she like it!

Lola is getting tape up off the floor!  I just love those feet in the background!

Trying to get a bestie shot!  This is the best we could do!!! 

She is up to something!

My sweet sweet friend!  I look horrible because I have hardly any make-up on and I look so tired. I need to tan so bad!  I think I may start soon to get ready for my two trips to the beach!  

I don't know if it is the weather but I have been dragging here lately!  I need an energy boost!  I have this friend in Des Arc that goes all the time and always has a great attitude about life!  I am trying to hang out with her more so she can rub off on me! ha  She claims getting up at the roosters crow helps.. Not so sure I want to try that advise!  But I love her! ha

Tomorrow is a giveaway! Check back tomorrow to see what the awesome giveaway will be!!!

A tough testimony and a Memory Monday

This past weekend I cleaned house!  I mean got the bleach out and everything!  If you know me, I am no where near a house cleaner or house keeper.  Cleaning is not my game!  I like to clean other peoples house but not my own and I wouldn't even go to say I like to clean other homes, I like to organize other homes! However, I found myself cleaning windows and every toy and every place I could think that kids would touch or have touched! If there is a germ still alive it is worthy to live! My Monday has really been refreshing!  I have done a few loads of laundry and picked up and I even put my spring stuff out(Is it to early?) and I feel like cleaning some more(I don't have fever Ryan I promise!)

But something struck me this morning as I was picking up the bathroom. A picture that means so much to me brought tears to my little eyes.   As most of you know we had a scare 5 days after Lola was born. It had been a beautiful day, we went on a walk and enjoyed the sun light (much like this spring weather is bringing) but when dark hit, literally, so did the fear of death.  I, for about 15 minutes (which felt like 100 years,) thought my little baby was gone.  Holding what I thought was a lifeless body screaming for help changed my life forever.  She had stopped breathing and was literally chocking on fluids that were coming from places I had no idea they could even exit.  Breathing breaths of life into that little mouth and trying to recall my previous (3 years before) knowledge of CPR, my mom and I were doing everything we could do to revive my baby.  Yelling "my baby is dead, my baby is dead" with my mom responding "No she isn't, no she isn't, keep going"  Ryan was ordered  to Call 911 and I think the thought crossed his mind "Whats the number?" and not 2 minutes later(we live just around the corner from the EMT station) people started filling my home administering professional help to my child.  All the machines were hooked up and breathing aids were administered. After 2 days in a hospital and coming home with a heart monitor we still don't have a clinical diagnosis of what went on, only God knows and thankfully he is in control of our everyday!

Wow what a picture will do to a little mind, but the pictures that surround my house all have a story or a testimony.  They mean so much to me and I find myself just looking at one specifically and just thanking God for another chance.  See, I could not and can not imagine what it feels like to lose a child.  I pray that God will protect me from that knowledge and feeling and protect every other woman.  I know people who have lost children and I can only say "Bless your Hearts" I have no idea how you must have felt but I do know what it feels like to save a child and to save my own child.  I am here to say this, hold on to memories, hold on to those stressful and tiring moments that so easily find us broken and run with them. They just blow away in the wind, quickly!  Find a place where you can look back at those testing times of life and take a deep breath, Praise our Father for each one and pray for peace to deal with the future "trying" times!  

This picture is a one in a million.  I put it in my guest/Lola's bathroom where I or Ryan give her a bath and we will see it at those times where I can have the best of both worlds right in front of me, a little girls splashing around in the water and a memory to keep me going while praising my God for that life that was restored!  My best friend from college came down and took these(there are many more throughout my house.)  She has pure talent and I don't know how she does it but her photos can tell stories.  This was just one of my stories. 

Do any of you have a memory or a testimony?  Share...

Show us your life,,, Your family!

 My family doesn't have "perfect" behind the name but I love my family!  When I was 8(just turned) my parents divorced.  This to this day has been hard on me.  I just dreamed of having my parents together.  I wanted my mom to sign my papers with the same last name as me, but that wasn't the case.  I had a very difficult time expressing myself through this time in my life.  It still gets me down and I often get frustrated with a split family but I just try to make the best of it.

My mom is such a sweet woman.  She is a prayer warrior!  Ha  She prays about everything and she sees prayers answered all the time!  God is so good! She is a domestic woman but has a heart for BLING!  Growing up I remember begging for "take-out" because she cooked ALL the time!  And she also made a lot of our clothes and makes a lot of Lola's clothes too!  She is just my inspiration!  She is married to a man that deeply cares and loves her!  He is very level headed and I admire him for taking on 3 girls plus his own in one house! (yes that is 4 girls under one roof and if you count my mom that is 5-1) God has placed many of jewels on his crown in heaven! ha

My dad is the "can do ANYTHING" man!  Don't put it past him to build, weld, cook, and much more!  I can always count on him to fix anything, but I am sometimes to embarrassed to ask.  He has put the fear of God in me.  I was always scared to mess up.  He is made of steel and therefore he expects everyone else to be as tough.  "You work for it" is his motto.  (I think he forced me to be independent) I do love him and I wish I could see him more.  He is married to a sweet woman of God and I am blessed to have her in my life and for putting up with my dad!

I have an older sister, Serena.  She lives in Fayetteville.  She has a daughter 6 weeks older than Lola. She and I don't have much in common but we do share lots of love for our girls!  She is a busy woman so we don't get to see each other very much! 

I also have a little sister, Suzanne that is in nursing school at Arkansas Tech University.  She is my side kick!  I don't know what I would do without her!

I will also add that I have an adopted brother (no legal ties but I know somewhere we are related) Jason is so special to me!  His love for Lola just blows me away!  I love getting text from him to tell his niece that he loves her! He is going to be an awesome daddy one day! I can't wait to spoil his children like he spoils mine! He has grown to become an awesome christian man and if you are reading this and your single... he is a "one in a million!" BTW he is a lawyer too! he

This is my family!  And I wanted to add this... Today is the last day to win an ipad.  The Cannon's are adopting a sweet girl and would like your help!  Read their story HERE! She is a precious woman and I am blessed to know them!  Hope you can help them!  I did!!!
Have a great weekend!