Back in Business

One of the best times in my life and definitely my favorite season of motherhood was when I started this blog a year and a half ago. It was primarily an accountability experiment-- to keep myself from cheating while I did a year-long spending fast-- I didn't cheat! 

But actually I did and then I fixed it. 

Story: Mike and I were going to a wedding. 

Back Story: I had made a commitment that I would not spend ANY money on myself for a year. No clothes. No beauty products/services. NO STARBUCKS. 

Recommence story: Mike and I were going to a wedding and I had "nothing to wear." So I got in my car, drove to TJ Maxx, bought a super cute black dress for $30. Came home, wore it to a wedding, didn't feel guilty at all. Until the next day when I woke up, had a spending-hangover, realized I had lied to the Internet so I called my girl Katie and fessed up. She fixed everything by buying that black dress from me for the same price I paid for it. Yahtzee! Problem solved!

Thankfully, to me my blog became more than a place for Spending Fast accountability and the community I met was WAY better than I knew possible.

When I shared my heart about parenting, mothering, wifing (<-this references being married, not internet connectivity), life-living, there were a few people that chimed in and said: "Me too." Even though I am not the best writer and DEFINITELY not a good photographer, there is something to blogging that I found very soul-nourishing. And because I spend the majority of my waking hours telling my kids they can't do things and then eventually changing my mind and saying that they can, I need to protect my sanity AT ALL COSTS.
Current example of this happening in my house at this very moment: 
Emmy approaches me asking for a band-aid because Mack "cut his body on the wall".
Me: No, I said you guys can't use band-aids anymore unless there is bloodshed.

Emmy: Please mom!

Me: Absolutely not, I already said no. I am sick of seeing band-aid wrappers everywhere.

Emmy: I just really want to put one on him and he is crying!

Me: No means No. That box of band-aids is almost empty and nobody has bled.

Emmy: Mommmmm, please he really got hurt by that wall!

Me: Sure thing, go ahead honey.

So... "hi!" I am back! Mostly to blog and write about my life. I am the worst documenter of the lives of my children, this is a fun way to write the story of our days. Also I spend most of my time with a two and three-year-old and in a new town that can get a little lonely. The Internet has been kind to me in this regard and this extrovert loves connecting with other adults.

Sometimes there is nothing more to do in life than to help other people feel less alone-- hint hint, HELP.

Life Lately

We moved again for the fifth time in five years (yes, you are invited to a pity party!) to be closer to Mike's new bridge job in NW Iowa. The last 18 months he worked out of town and came home on the weekends. I did not want to share this on the Big Bad Internet because I am not a TOTAL idiot- -although I am just abounding in blonde moments like last night when I asked Mike if we were going to be getting a water bill soon... he said to me, "Umm Ally, we have a well." Country living newbie. The move has totally been worth it to have my hubby come home every night. We are a few hours from our friends and church so starting that search process again is hard.

Mack gloating because he tricked Dad with his middle of the night fake cry

New house bonus: gleaning from the previous owner's gardening skills. Look at those hydrangeas in the background-- they'll be dead in a year! 

In other updates, I am 30 "something" weeks pregnant! No keeping track of the third pregnancy! It is a free-for-all! What is the baby's sex? We didn't even bother to find out! What will the baby wear? I have no idea! It's all in unmarked diaper boxes! I am so excited!

They have no idea what's coming

The bean at the bean picture

Thanks for checking in, love to all!