Happy 9th Birthday to my Son ♥

Holy Moly, its been a BUSY week!

And HOLY MOLY my oldest baby turned 9 yesterday, sniff sniff!

Man, the time has FLOWN by since he was born:(

Here's my "through the years" birthday tribute post for him...

July 16, 2001 a beautiful baby boy was born... FINALLY!!

My original due was July 7th, then they changed it to the 14th...

it was in the 90's when I had Gavin and I was SO hot and miserable!

I gained almost 65lbs that pregnancy and whoa was that rough!

I "faked" major contractions on the phone to my midwife, in hopes that she's hear my pain, tell me to come to the hospital and then break my water! LOL

I got there at 2 am and the labor was SO SLOW!

Eventually in the afternoon, Gavin decided he "may" come out but wasn't turning- he was trying to enter the world shoulders straight across!!!

OUCHHHH!

I was 22 years old, nieve as hell and IN PAIN!

I OFFICIALLY lost all modesty that day in labor!

At 4:13 pm, my lil angel was born!!

Red as can be, dark dark hair... weighing 9 lbs 0 oz and was 19 3/4 inches long!

And btw, I did it ALL NATURAL... GO ME!!!

Proud Parents!!

Man, we looked SO YOUNG!!!!

My first couple months with my new baby boy were tough!

Daddy worked sometimes 12 hr. days, leaving me home with a colicky baby:(

Breastfeeding wasn't going so well, I felt SO fat and soon fell into some bad post-partum depression!

Thank goodness I got some help and things felt better. 

Gavin never slept through the night till he was 18 months old, yikes!!

Lots and lots of sleepless nights!

But he was a happy and fun little toddler, not much of the "terrible two's"

He even took two naps a day and still went to bed early at night.

I remember he seemed to be a late "talker", was almost 18 months before many many words came out!

Then it was NON STOP after that:)

He gets his chattyness from his mom, lol!!

He loved Blues Clues and the Wiggles; loved to dance and do crafts with mommy!

So silly! Loved to play dress up and be goofy!

You were SUCH a GOOD eater too!!

Unlike your brother now, ha!

You loved to be read to and snuggled!

At age 3 you started preschool and soon won the hearts of your teachers with your big brown eyes and love for learning!

In the summers you got SO tan and loved to be in the water!

At age 4, you got kinda sassy (late terrible 2's maybe?)

When you were 5, we finally were able to give you a baby brother, who you loved so much (at first!)

You guys had a blast together!

Once he turned two though, he got on your nerves, lol!

But after many many long talks about "he's your lil brother, he looks up to you...", you'd remember you HAD to be nice to him!

You went to Kindergarten at age 6 and loved school!

In fact, you were reading before kindergarten!!

The past couple years have been filled with so much PRIDE in what a wonderful young boy you are son...

You were the BEST Ring Bearer ever at our wedding, you even agreed to do a reading in 

church for mommy ♥

You looked SO handsome in your tux!

You love to be outside still, winter fun is your fave!

You continue to SHINE in school, making lots of friends and being so helpful to your teachers:)

You LOVE Bakugan with all your heart!

You enjoy reading and write wonderful stories!!

You made your First Holy Communion this year, you made me so proud!

Your innocence on that day was SO sweet ♥

Just always know son that I love you more than you can imagine!

I am so proud to call you my son ♥

You were my first born and it was just us for so many years, we had SO much fun together!

I know its harder now that we have 2 kids to give you one on one time like you want so much, and know that I am trying harder and harder each day to GIVE you that special time with me and with dad. Things have been tough lately, but your bright smile and big brown eyes  when you give me a lil wink, make my day all better ♥

Happy 9th Birthday my lil stud muffin!!

Love,

Mom ♥

Sunday Randoms...

Hope you are all having a GREAT weekend!?

Mine's been pretty good. 

My oldest son has been sick off and on since Wednesday with the flu, fever, chills, headaches and a rash that looks like hives. I'll be taking him to the dr. tomorrow, not sure what is going on:(

I waitressed last night for my hubby and made some good tips, yahoo!

Bummer its to pay bills, not really any play money there.

I'm working on getting a bunch of kids stuff together today to take to the consignment shop, that will be our play money:)

Possible exciting news...

A week ago I "ran" into the wife of the assistant principal at my son's school; she is a principal at another local Catholic school. We were kinda chatting and something kept telling me to ask her if she had any teachers aide positions open this year... well, she told me that she may have a part time aide open, and a teaching position with her preschool class... 4 years olds- one of my FAVE age groups!

So I proceeded to "sell" myself to her, lol!

I told  her about my Early Childhood degree, that I'm working on my BA in Elementary Education, how I've taught preschool and volunteered for a couple years at my son's school... she told me "Send me something"... I WAS ECSTATIC!

So I churned out my resume, a cover letter and had 2 FAB letters of recommendation and popped them in the mail last Friday, I AM PRAYING to hear from her!!

I've realized that in the past couple months that its time for me to GO BACK TO WORK. 

The small 8 hrs of week that I work in the home daycare isn't cutting it, I am actually done working there the end of this month, I'll have been there a year. It was pretty easy money but I don't feel that its what I'm "meant" to be doing at this time. I think the older I get, I work better with older kids- I've loved being with the school age kids at my son's school!! I did write in my cover letter that I am ready to commit to a school LONG term; if I started out part time while I finished my classes, that would be great. If I were able to stay there till I graduate and possibly land a full time teaching position that would ROCK!

I'd know the kids and parents, and already have relationships established with the teachers:)

Please please please pray for me girls ♥

So along with thinking of "Back to School" there comes thoughts of CUTE Fall decor!!

I did some "online window shopping" this morning and here's some cuties I found from THE LAKESIDE COLLECTION...

I love these chubby pumpkin stakes!!

LOOOVE this star!!!

Isn't this a cute bathroom?

I always thought it would be fun to have a spare bathroom to decorate for each season!

This six piece bath set is only $19.95!

I looove this book for kids, its SO cute!

Spookley the Square Pumpkin... makes me think of all the fun fall activities I could do with my own preschool class!

Cute towels and cookie cutters!

With going back to work...

to me there are a lot of perks!

A steady paycheck,

time away to miss my family some (sounds strange but when you are away a bit each day, it makes you long to be around your loved ones more, don't you agree?)

A chance to play fun trips with the family and a little weekend getaway with my hubs for our ONE YEAR wedding anniversary this November 14, 2010...

Awww, I miss this day SO much!!

It was such a perfect day ♥

I will be honest and say, our first year of marriage has been SO hard...

there have been many times I didn't think we'd "make it".

Financially things have been TOUGH, I've chosen to spend money to help me feel better instead of helping with bills at times, I've battled sadness and anxiety over losing my dad, I've not been the best wife or mom at times because I've let sadness overcome my priorities, its just been one HELL OF A YEAR!

I am glad to say that I'm taking a step in the right direction NOW, better late than never...

Tuesday I begin my first session of Grief Counseling; the therapist has been seeing my oldest son for a couple sessions now and I think its really starting to help him too. She is a wonderful woman; I spoke with her a few moments the other day and it already helped me feel better!

I've suppressed so many feelings regarding my dads death, and now I think its all surfacing and I can't handle all the emotions I'm feeling- sadness, anger, hurt, loss, loneliness, etc.

I feel bad for the whirlwind of emotions I've been putting my family through:(

Who wants to be miserable? No one...

I've tried to just keep a happy face on lately, to look for the things that make me happy.

Sometimes it just works better to "vent" and be true!

I love you all who talk to me on my blog posts, email and chat on facebook; you are such wonderful friends!

When I feel like I have no one right around me to turn to, I know I have some FAB bloggy friends to help me through ♥

Thanks for reading this looong post today...

Noelle ♥

Again...

Apologies...

Apparently I have "ADD of blog layouts" lately!

I just can't seem to find one I like, lol!!

Just know I love to re-decorate and re-arrange, so the same thing will happen on my blog:)

... Noelle...

Free, fruity and FRUGAL!

Hey gals...

I wanted to share some free, fruity and frugal finds of mine lately.

I've had to MAJORLY begin buckle down on spending...

its sucks cause I LOVE TO SHOP!

Hubby's business is WAY down at his job, so we are starting to cut corners.

I want us to cut out our cable and cell phones but hubby's NOT on board with that; the DUMB part of that is we'd save a couple hundred dollars a month!

WHY is it that WOMEN can give up things they LOVE for the sake of making it financially but MEN can NOT do that?

I don't get my hair done as often as I used to, don't really buy the clothes (or I buy only on sale).

I guess I was spoiled for a really long time and its hard to get out of that routine.

So in this wonderful world of blogland, I've come across some GREAT sites, blogs and TERRIFIC blog friends who have helped me to start to be more thrifty and FRUGAL.

Here's my Frugal, FREE and Fruity Finds this week...

I LOVE a good smelling shower gel/cream but can't afford the $9 a bottle shower gels from Bath and Body Works anymore:( So I've tried the Suave Body Washes and they are GREAT!

This week they are on sale at Target for $1.50!! WOO HOO

I LOOOOVE the Coconut one!

 And just got this one today...

Yummy and FRUITY!

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I got a coupon for a FREE one of these...

A Wild Berry fruit Smoothie from McDonalds- super fresh, fruity and only 180 calories- not too bad.

The small is $2.39 I believe...?

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As I mentioned before I ♥ MAGAZINES but those can get pricey too!

My #1 fave is .... ALL YOU!

You can buy this one at Walmart for under $2.75!
Its full of craft and decor ideas, recipes, fashion tips, at least $70 worth of COUPONS in each magazine!
It literally PAYS for ITSELF!

Here's a LINK to get 2 FREE TRIAL magazines... click HERE.

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Do you have any free or frugal finds this week to share?

Would you like me to do a post each week, say "FREE & FRUGAL Fridays", where I share great finds that week? I think it would be FUN!!!!

Hugs,
Noelle ♥

ROCKIN' Red White and Blue GOODIES!

Mamarazzi's is one of my FAVE swap hostesses!

She really takes the time to pair you up with a Fan-FREAKIN-ta-bulous partner!

This year for the Red White and Blue swap I was paired with Shawnee, a sweetie from Utah!

Bless her heart, she intended for my goods to get here by the 4th but the DARN Usps had other plans for me:(

But, its all good and REALLY it IS cause my FABULOUS box arrived today and I still can barely contain the EXCITEMENT I had when I opened it...

A fun looking box so far!!

Such a friggin' cute polka dot plate... eeeeek!

Love red for the kitchen too ♥

OMGoodness... a BUNTING!!!!

Shawnee you read my mind!

I've always dreamed of having a CUTE bunting under my picture window!

Ahhhhh, a super cute star table runner!!

Can you see how THRILLED I am?!

Shut-Up!!!

How fun is this?
A Blind WINE tasting kit!

I've never seen one of these!!

Sounds like a FUN Girls Nite In :)

Cool... never seen one of these!

Always wonder if my eggs are really done? Haha!

A quick fix sewing kit!

Handy to have!!

2 cute kitchen towels:)

I love wooden wreaths and signs!

The surfboard one will go great in my bathroom; its beach and nautical themed:)

Red battery powered lanterns; fun for outside!

Some rockin' country tunes!

Here's the wreath on the door, cute!!!

All my swappy goodnes!!! ♥

She also sent me some scrapbook papers;

I mentioned I'd LOVE some red white blue scrappy supplies too!

Shawnee cracks me up, she forgot to put them in the box so these came in a big ol' envelope a few days BEFORE my box arrived but it got me SUPER excited about what what yet to come!

The fireworks paper on the left is so glittery and AWESOME!!

Love these too!

Here's the letter that she put in for me to read last...

What a doll!!

I love  how she themed it for a party night!!

Thumbs up Shawnee on a freakin' awesome swap package :)

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Here's what I sent her...

oodles and oodles of RED WHITE and some BLUE goodness!!!

Thanks for visiting me today!

Check out Mamarazzi's site for more RWB stuff!