About Me

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I have a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and I am currently working on my Masters of Arts in Counseling.I have had experience as a youth treatment specialist, child counselor, a great deal of understanding in child development and am a stay-at-home-mom to 3 wonderful, beautiful kids under the age of 9. I have a passion for child psychology and fashion.

Thursday, August 23, 2012

Morning Face!

I have been hearing and seeing a lot of celebrities and just "normal" people taking pictures of themselves in the morning as they wake up so everyone can see their natural side.

I love seeing women with hardly any make up on or none at all. If they can do it, good for them.  I like the confidence that they have and at the same time I am jealous. I cannot go out of the house with out make up on. I don't know why, it's just the way I have always been. Even when I am working out, I will put mascara on.

So, hearing and seeing all these people taking pictures of themselves in the morning while they are still laying in bed gave me an idea to take a picture of myself so I can see what I look like as a morning person. I think I can get used to this look. If I am going to go out of the house without any make up on (foundation, eyeshadow, etc.) I have to at least put on mascara. My eye lashes are so blonde that it looks funny if I don't have any mascara on.




Wednesday, August 15, 2012

A letter to Keira on her first day of Kindergarten


A Letter to Keira on her first day of kindergarten-

Hi Keira,
Today is the first day of kindergarten for you! I am so proud of you! You are my big girl and have made me very proud. I'm tearing up as I'm writing this for you. I am hoping that on your first day of college, we will look back at this and read this together. 

You have turned out to be such a bright, beautiful big girl! It's going to be hard letting you go to school everyday. You have been in my life for 5/6 years now, so it's going to be hard for me to let someone else take care of  you for 7/8 hours of the day. This will just make us stronger and make us cherish the family time that we have from 4 p.m- 8p.m. 

You will not have to worry though, you will make lots of friends. You have a big, beautiful, funny, caring personality, so everyone will like you! I won't be worried about you because I know you can take care of yourself. Just remember the book that aunt Jackie gave you...The Kissing Hand. Remember that mommy will kiss your hand every day and when you get sad or scared you can press your hand up to your cheek or your heart and remember that mommy, daddy and God (because God knows everything that happens and He can guide you through your tough times) will be right there beside you. 

There are a lot of things I will worry about today as I leave you for 7 hours. I wonder if the kids are being nice to you. I hope you are not scared. I wonder how you are doing today by yourself. I hope the teacher is being good to you. I wonder if you are having fun. I hope your day is going fast. I will not be able to watch over you all day anymore, but I know God is watching you for me and he will keep you safe!

I love you baby girl...I guess I can't call you baby girl anymore, huh? So, I will say, I love you big girl! I hope you have a good day at your first day of kindergarten.

Remember to use kind words and use your manners (Keira wouldn't want me to leave that out ;) ) I love you, big girl! Have a good day at school!



Tuesday, August 14, 2012

Smoking while Pregnant

I have been thinking about this subject for a couple of weeks now. Every where I go, it seems like all I see is pregnant women or girls. I see them light up a cigarette as if it is candy. It is usually the people who are first time parents and think it will not happen to them because it is their first child or parents who have multiple children and have smoked in the past with their children and says, oh it will not happen to me. It happens to everybody, the signs may not show up until the child is older. I know this is a touchy subject for both pregnant and not pregnant mothers and non mothers for that fact. I know that it's not that these mothers do not care, well, maybe some of them really don't care, but that is pretty sad! Anyway, These mothers are usually not well educated on these facts. Many of them really do not realize the damage they are doing to their babies.


Some facts about smoking while pregnant that I found from American Pregnancy Association.


  • When you smoke, your baby smokes! The poisons that you inhale, carbon monoxide, nicotine, lead, and arsenic can harm your baby. These poisons get into the placenta and this causes your baby to lose oxygen. 
  • Preterm labor, DEATH, and low birth weight can be caused by smoking while pregnant. Your baby can weigh too little and have health problems, even mental problems through out his/her life. Or worse, your baby could be DEAD! 
  • Smoking during pregnancy could cause physical growth problems, learning disabilities, and lung problems. 
  • The baby can get more pneumonia and bronchitis through out his/her life. 
  • Your baby does not receive the oxygen or nutrients that he/she needs to survive. 
Some people think the risks are not that bad because they know people who have smoked during pregnancy and their baby was just fine. It doesn't always show up at birth. These babies will have long term affects. ADHD, lung problems as they grow up, behavioral problems, and learning disorders. 

I know it is easy for me, as a non smoker to say that you cannot or are not supposed to smoke while pregnant because I have never had to go through the steps or pain that it takes to stop. But, you are having a baby, THE most precious thing in the world (to most people) so this should be cause enough to make you quit smoking. You don't necessarily have to quit smoking, okay, you do for 9 months. But remember, your baby can get second hand smoke, or even third hand smoke and can acquire cancer, lung problems, sickness and ear infections through out his/her life. 

Here are some tips to help you stop smoking while pregnant... Make a list of some of the benefits...your baby should be on the top of that list. 
Some benefits for your baby should be...
  • Lowers the risk of your baby being born underweight or too early. Most people don't see this is a problem and those people are the ones who are not very educated on the subject. Low birth weight or underweight means that the baby may not survive because there was not enough oxygen to the baby and may have to be put on oxygen in the hospital for several days, weeks or even months and even then the survival rate is not good. 
  • By quitting, you will know that your baby will receive the proper nutrients and oxygen.
  • Lowers the risk of your baby having health problems
  • Increases the chance that your baby will go home with you from the hospital
Have a strong support system. Keep your mouth and hands busy, chew gum, take up knitting. Ask your doctor for resources.


Monday, August 13, 2012

Got up early!

Well, I did it! I got up before 8 a.m. I didn't think I could do it, but my body didn't go into shock or anything. I survived.

Keira doesn't start school until Wednesday, but we are getting into the routine of going to bed at 8 a.m (the kids anyway, I, on the other hand do not go to bed until 11:30- midnight) and waking up at 6:30. I was actually up by 6:40 this morning, that's with hitting my snooze. I found out that if I want a shower, I have to get up at 6:30, I got out of the shower at 7:18, we would be running so behind if today was a real school day :0

I have to be up by 6:30 a.m (If I want a shower). I have to wake Keira up at 7:15 ish, she will get herself dressed then eat breakfast. While she is eating breakfast, I will wake the other 2 up, get them dressed and start eating. The plan is for Keira to be done eating by the time the other 2 sit down to eat. I will brush her teeth and comb her hair while they are eating. Then she should be done and I will just focus on the other 2. We should be out the door by 7:40.

Not too worried about Aden and Taygen getting up too early. They will be able to sleep in the car on the way and hopefully, I won't have to get out of the car, I can just drop her off at the front and she can walk in by herself. I will walk her in the first couple of days, to get her used to it. Aden has a couple of weeks to get used to waking up early. He doesn't start school until the 28th.

Sunday, August 12, 2012

Random Thoughts

This post is just about my random thoughts through out the week. They may or may not make sense.

I watched a show the other day called "Hoarding- buried alive" on TLC. I've seen previews, but just have never sat down and actually watched. Today, it was pretty much the only thing on T.V. so I watched one of the shows. If they are all like this one, I probably will not watch another one! I was actually sick to my stomach. This particular one was not necessarily about hoarding per say, but more about filth! This lady had so much trash in her kitchen that she had roaches crawling around everywhere. Not just 5 or 6 roaches, there were thousands. Her bed room had clothes everywhere and you could see the roaches crawling around the clothes. Her son is 20 something and said that he can't sleep at night because roaches will crawl across his face and wake him up! GROSS! I probably will not be able to sleep tonight. When I think about hoarding, I think about boxes and boxes of stuff that people keep in their house with stuff that they absolutely do not need! This show did not have boxes and boxes of things, this particular show had trash, dishes, clothes and bugs everywhere! This was a show about filth, should have been called "Roaches take over my house!"

Why can't you get things to look like other people's things. Like hair. When you go get your hair did, as most people would say. They make it look awesome. You get home, try to do it your self, use the same exact products. Do the same step by step actions that they did and it looks like shit. Why is that?
Then there is food! I watch Food Network all the time. That is my favorite channel. I will try and copy a recipe. I write everything down. I even watch the show and pause it while I'm making the product just to make sure it looks like the picture. Get done and mine looks like a smashed up piece of brownie that has already been eaten instead of a normal brownie.

Also, I have never been to so many 'specialists or surgeons' in my life. Ever since I started seeing a Dr. here in Lincoln instead of Seward, she has sent me to a specialist every time there is something wrong.
- I had to see a "specialist" - a Neurologist, to be exact because I was having migraines, and they didn't want it to be something else, so they had me go talk to him to be approved for a MRI of my brain. My brain is normal, I guess.
-I was having problems with my stomach, so they sent me to St. Elizabeth to see a "specialist" for an ultra sound to tell me that there was nothing wrong with me that it was just probably the flu. ??
- I broke my pinky. My doctor actually took the x-rays and conformed it was broken, then taped it up and sent me to a "specialist, surgeon" - a orthopedic to be exact. He conformed it was broken and gave me a little splint that does as much good as the tape that my doctor put on my finger!
- I had really bad pain in my pelvic area about a month ago. Went to see my doctor in Seward, because I can trust her with my women problems that I have down below (she diagnosed me with 'precancerous' cells of the cervix about a year ago, so she knows what is going on), so she checks me out and sends me to a " specialist" another ultra sound of my pelvic and a vaginal probe. This one comes back with a large cyst on my left ovary. I guess some times seeing "specialists" are worth it.
- Keira recently got glasses and the eye doctor told us to come back in 6 months and if her eye sight wasn't any better, he would make her wear a patch. Well, we went back in and he told her she had to wear a patch. But he couldn't approve that, so Keira had to see a surgeon at Eye Surgical Associates. He did the same tests that her eye doctor did, 20 minutes later he said "Yep she needs an eye patch." Hmmm, well, give us one so we could be on our way.
- Keira starts school on Wednesday, so I was going through her school hand book to see if there was anything else I needed to do since her open house is Monday. I got to the last page and it says, " Suggestions for Kindergarten Readiness." So I was reading it and thinking that Taygen (2) and Aden (3) could probably start kindergarten along with Keira. All 3 of them could do everything that is on that list! Here is the list.... If it wasn't for the age requirement for school, Taygen and Aden would be there!! ;)

  • Knows first name and phone number
  • Knows parent's name and where they work
  • Is able to put shoes on independently
  • Is able to put on boots, coats, hat and mittens
  • Is able to buckle belt and zip pants and jacket
  • Ia able to button shirt or jacket
  • Is able to draw a line and circle with some degree of accuracy
  • Is able to count to 10
  • Is able to recognize some alphabet letters
  • Is able to identify colors
  • Is beginning to develop large muscle coordination by being able to skip, hop, jump, and run with some degree of proficiency
  • Has some experience with cutting, pasting, and coloring
  • Is able to stay with a friend or babysitter for an extended  period of time without becoming overly upset. Is able to play with others and realize the necessity of sharing and taking turns
  • Is able to play with a given activity
  • Takes pride in belongings by caring for them
  • Is able to listen to a short story read by an adult and retell some of the happenings. 

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Summer's Over!

Well, apparently the kids were not the only ones on Summer break. I guess I was on break from my blogs. I didn't realize it but, I haven't posted since June. I posted in July, but that was just an insert from my www.childpsych101.com website and not really a family post.

So, I guess I have to try and sum up our Summer in maybe one post. Well, nothing too exciting. I went on my mission trip in the middle of June, but that was the only real vacation I've been on. We are planning on taking the kids on a little mini vacation this coming weekend before school starts. I did manage to break my pinky finger playing volleyball. You wouldn't think that was too serious, but I really can't type, so this entry is taking me forever. Instead of using my pinky finger for my "a" I have to use my ring finger, which makes me stop and think for a minute, which I don't do so well with because I forget what I was actually thinking about.

This Summer has gone by so fast. It seems like yesterday I was telling Keira that it was her last day of school and she would be starting kindergarten in August.

Even all the fairs and street dance seem to be flying by. Not that I am a street dance person, but that's what comes around with fair season. We did go to the "super fair." Whoopy crap! There were only about 4 rides that the kids could go on. We still had fun though. We went this last Sunday, so it was only about 85 instead of 100+ like it has been. Really didn't feel any different, but sometimes if you say 80 degrees instead of 100 it sounds better, don't know why, maybe reverse psychology.

Well, we are less than one week away from the kids starting school. Very sad, but proud at the same time. I will be sad that I won't have my "Keira time" during the days anymore, but she also needs that interaction with her friends and teachers. Aden will be starting school as well, but he will only be going for 2 1/2 hours, 2 days a week, so I will still have my Aden time after noon. It works out because I will drop Keira off at school then come back to Lincoln and drop Aden off at 9 at preschool on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I will have my alone time with Taygen on Tuesdays and Thursdays when Aden and Keira are both in school. We can go get some mommy, daughter ice cream somewhere ;)

The hubby is going to get another degree...not that he needs another one. He starts in August also. Right now, he drives back and forth to York 4 days a week, but once he starts school he will be working out of Lincoln 3 days a week and york 2. Which means he will have to work Friday's, but at least he will be home by 4:30-5:00 instead of 6:30-7:00.

It looks like I will have to do another post on our Summer, I'm just drawing a blank, or just being lazy and want to watch my shows...could be that ;)