Backyard Summer Fun!

Around here we're always looking to add a new twist to our favorite games!
Because of the heat, the monsters have been all about water balloons the past few weeks. We've done toss contests, filled them up with different liquids to see what pops first, a shaving cream balloon fight, & finally, their favorite, target practice!
The game itself is easy enough. Grab a few different chalk colors & make a target board (sidewalk or fence both work great!) with different sized targets. The larger the target, the smaller the point value!



We decided to use smaller numbers this round since x3 is starting to get the hang of simple addition. Previous rounds have included skip counting by 3s, 5s, & a money round (1c, 5c, 10c, 25c)! Anything to keep those math skills sharp, right?
We'll also do a small "scoreboard" off to the side to tally up points after the game is over.



Now, the fun part. Grab a water balloon, take aim, & FIRE!



To add a twist, some rounds we stand on one leg for, use our opposite hand, close of eyes, or even toss backwards over our heads! Anything to shake it up a bit!
Water balloons & chalk...such a simple combination, but they love it! Personally I love the fact that they're playing outdoors while working on sharing/taking turns, math, balance, aim, & coordination, but hey, it's all in the name of fun so who am I to spoil that? lol
What are some of your favorite backyard summer games? I'd love to see some links/ideas below! :)

Spring Happenings

Honestly, most days I feel that my computer hates me. After yet ANOTHER temporary lock out (new browser, new settings >.<), I'm back & have lots to share on what's been going on these past few months! Several crafts, DIYs, lots of garden goodies...so much to post in the coming days!
Biggest event around here lately happened last weekend, as x2 turned 7! She had an awesome time with her friends, playing in the snow (both powdered & melted!) out back at her Frozen party before blowing out the candle on her "North Mountain" cake.

I know some of you have asked about the picture a day we started back in January & wanted to answer that while we -are- continuing the pictures, we're posting them solely on my private Facebook, as it's easiest to access for both DH & I while he's on deployment.

Which, speaking of, we've got just over a month now under our belt & while we're anxiously counting down to the fall, I'm also trying to keep the kids busy & have them enjoy the summer. We found out last week that it's to be out last in Georgia, as the Air Force has other location plans in mind for us. So if anyone has the scoop on Idaho, fill me in please! :D

All Natural

The other day a friend of mine tagged me in an experimental "body positivity" project on Facebook.
In the day & age we live in, one can hardly turn around without having some bombardment of "beauty" in our face, showing us flawless bodies in perfect clothes & goddess like features. Something us every day people feel like we will never achieve, so we hide our insecurities behind clothes, jewelry, & makeup, burying the true beauty inside deep within. & never, I mean EVER, post the real you on social media outlooks, because that will never live up to another's unrealistic expectations.
So the point of this project is simple. Just post a picture of YOU, no hair or make up done, no fancy clothes or blinged out accessories, & share it for the world to see that beauty cannot be defined by one common image. Natural beauty, rather, is as diverse as the individual it belongs to & should be celebrated, not hidden away.
So, without further ado & looking past all the flaws I see, here I am for all the world to see. Anyone else up to the challenge?



Speaking of pictures, I know a few of you had asked about the Monsters daily photo challenge. It's going well, however Daddy has been home the past few weeks, so there's really nothing to share on here. Never fear though, I'm sure they'll be wanting to do more entries soon! ;)

What a week!

This past week has been a blur filled with basketball games, a puppa party, doctor's appointment, family visiting, a trip the movies, & so much fun in between!
Here's a recap:

Day 7
x3 & I getting our selfie on...


Day 8
x1 sinks a free throw in his first basketball game!


Day 9
Happy 3rd birthday to our labahoula, Seren! We threw another puppy party after school to celebrate!


Day 10
x2 getting a clean bill of health from a recent pneumonia scare.


Day 11
A rare appearance by my (not-so) little brother! He & Gigi hung out with us for the weekend. :)


Day 12
Sadly, no pictures. :( But we had fun seeing "Frozen" & enjoying a nice Sunday family dinner.

Day 13
x2 showing off her skills on the court! Shorty might not be able to shoot, but she sure can steal!

-whew- That's us lately in a nutshell! :)

New Year, New Challenges, New Adventures!

Happy 2014 everyone! Took a little bit of time off to spend with the family here for the holidays, hope you all enjoyed your Winter festivities as much as we did! We went on movie dates (can you all get over how cute "Frozen" is?!?!), saw some AMAZING Christmas lights at Callaway Gardens, & just enjoyed time with each other, which was definitely needed.


^Monsters showing off their new Yule jammies.^

^Me & My Dork on Christmas morning.^

As that ball came down & 2013 became a memory, so did a lot of normalcy in the house. We kicked off January 1st by saying goodbye to Daddy, who will be bouncing around on various training assignments for work before heading out on his first deployment this coming Spring.

Deep breath in & siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiigh.

It had to happen eventually I suppose. Just another chapter to fill in the story of our lives.
All in all the monsters are taking the pending changes like champs. There's plenty of questions & a little more stress than normal among the crowd, but honesty it's going a lot calmer than I expected. (Here's hoping I don't eat those words a few months down the road!)
The biggest insecurity they have so far is how much Daddy will be missing out on. Which, sadly, is most of the coming year. However, while talking with DH last week we've come to realize that, thanks to the wonder that is social media, he doesn't HAVE to miss out on any of our day-to-day crazy around the house. I know many people start the year off with different photo challenges (30-day lists & 365-selfies seem to be the most popular), but I'm going to try my hardest to do a 365-home challenge. No glitz or glamor here. No set rules to follow. No statements to make. Just real, every day life so that our family can try to keep the bond we share together over whatever time & distance we will be spending apart.

So, throughout the year I'll be posting pictures taken &/or captioned by the monsters every few days to share with their Daddy, along with my regular here-&-there blog entries. :)
With that & without further ado, I give you Days 1 & 2 in our new 2014 adventure!

Day 1
x2 - "That's us getting ready to watch 'Duck Dynasty' before bed!"
x1 - "Yeah, we got to stay up late, all the way til 9.30p! Thirty WHOLE minutes longer than normal!" *fist pump*

Day 2
x3 - "SEEDS! I loved the seeds. They came in the mail & they're all babies & really cute."
x1 - "And tasty. Well, eventually."

Summertime, 2013

So much has been going on these past few months, where to begin?
We've moved....again.  Same area and yes, for those of you keeping track, our 3rd house in just under 3 yrs.  Only difference is that this one is actually OURS instead of just another rental!  One more check off the ol' bucket list.

The monsters are growing like weeds, as usual.  x1 finished up 1st grade & x2 is now 6 and will be headed into 1st grade this fall.  x3 is kicking butt at potty learning/training lately and there are high hopes of her being completely diaper free (at least during the day) by the time her 3rd birthday rolls around!

As previously mentioned the monsters will begin their first year of homeschooling this coming August, so we've spent the summer dipping our toes into different curriculum, programs, and groups, both local and online, and I think we're finally starting to find a promising groove.  Everyone is super excited about the new adventures that will start this fall and I'll try my best to keep up on here with some of our finds/experiments!


As always, any "must have" educational sites you've found for your own little monsters are more than welcome.  I love checking out reader suggestions, you guys are great!

Hope everyone is enjoying their summertime as much as we are!  -Maddie-

Summer Update!

Hey everyone! Sorry for the prolonged absence. Summer vacation caught up with me & then I found myself locked out of my blog/account & had to jump through the right set of hoops to get back in. The last few months have treated us well. Our garden & monsters alike have exploded growth wise. We've gone from just sprouts to fresh green beans, tomatoes, spaghetti squash, cukes, banana peppers & an awesome array of herbs/spices. As for the kiddos, I'm now the proud parent of a 1st grader, Kindergartener, & an almost 2 year old! Where does the time go?

As for DH & I, no complaints. Just keeping busy & anxiously awaiting our next set of orders. =) I think that's about it for the update on our lot. I'll be adding some quick & easy DIYs & recipies up soon!

New Year, New Outlook

Ah, so much has happened since my last post. We've celebrated Yule with the monsters (& hubby's!) first ice skating adventure and had a wonderful Christmas weekend with family and friends.


Drew & Lyn are now proud scooter owners & Gwen has recently just gotten her first McD's Play Place adventure under her belt.



And now here we are in 2012. This past year out family has gone from this

to this


School crept up on us in August. Andrew is now in K, Lynneth started PreK. I finally got my butt in college classes. We celebrated our last first birthday in September, DH ranked up & will be pinning on Staff Sgt within the next few months. We had various ups & downs on our ventures around town (Lyn's doomed pageant, anyone?) & completed a multitude of fun/new DIY crafts. We explored the oldest city in the U.S. together for the first time (St. Augustine, FL), planted an amazing garden that's STILL producing tomatoes & peppers, got involved in the base/Youth Center's soccer program, moved into a bigger house, saw a Cubs/Braves baseball game, and Sam & I enjoyed the Wizarding World of Harry Potter/Medieval Times for our anniversary. All in all, 2011 was a blast for the Davis family.

For 2012 I have no resolutions. Instead I'm participating in One Word 365's challenge. You choose ANY word you want as a reminder of what you want to achieve & it is supposed to help filter how and what you do in the coming year.
My word? Focus
I desperately need focus. I lack consistent focus. I have so many things I want to accomplish personally that I keep on the back burner because I don't think I can devote the time to them. Little, totally irrelevant/unimportant issues get between me & my goals & I find myself at my breaking point more times than I care to count over it. Not anymore.
My family, my goals, my focus. Hang on for a wild 2012. ;)
Happy New Year to you & yours...may it hold all you need. -Maddie

The Joys of a Military Life

"U.S. troops could be required to report to work without pay if a budget clash in Congress results in a government-wide shutdown, according to draft planning guidance circulating in the Pentagon."

Click here for the rest of the article.

Please pass it on to all the military families you know. Active Duty/Retired both could go without pay for as long as 2 months starting in April!

If anyone knows any great money saving tips, please post & share. I know so many frugal mommas, like myself, who need the extra help if this is passed. I don't know where else to cut corners is DH doesn't get his paycheck.

How Do You Say That....?

I guess today is the day the universe has decided that moms everywhere unite & talk about their regional dialect. Earlier it was a hot topic on one of the mommy boards I frequent & as soon as I logged into blogger I found that Cat from 3 Kids and Us had joined the ranks of bloggers everywhere & let the world know what they sound like.

So, here it is:


Incase you're curious &/or want to join in the fun, the words are...
Aunt, Route, Wash, Oil, Theater, Iron, Salmon, Caramel, Fire, Water, Sure, Data, Ruin, Crayon, Toilet, New Orleans, Pecan, Both, Again, Probably, Spitting image, Alabama, Lawyer, Coupon, Mayonnaise, Syrup, Pajamas, Caught

& the questions (in order) are...
What is it called when you throw toilet paper on a house?
What is the bug that when you touch it, it curls into a ball?
What is the bubbly carbonated drink called?
What do you call gym shoes?
What do you say to address a group of people?
What do you call the kind of spider that has an oval-shaped
body and extremely long legs?
What do you call your grandparents?
What do you call the wheeled contraption in which you carry
groceries at the supermarket?
What do you call it when rain falls while the sun is shining?
What is the thing you change the TV channel with?

Make sure to share & leave your link in a comment below with your video!

Finally Friday!

Mild Rant...I thought that after living in Wyoming for the past 2 years another Southern winter would be a piece of cake. WRONG. Georgia has been freezing & I forgot how quickly the high 60*/low 20* days get everyone sick. DH has it, DS has allergies, DDs have their noses full, & mommy gets the top prize of a head & chest cold. Walk-in clinic, here I come, just in time for the weekend.

Now that that's out of my system (ha...), just wanted to remind you guys that the giveaway for a FREE custom AIO ends this weekend (2/12)! Head on over to Chantel's blog for all the details while there's still time!


Off to blog-hop with my babies...hope you all have a great (& germ-free) weekend! lol

31 Day Photo Challenge // Day 31

Day 31 - A picture of yourself.


Thanks, it's been fun!

Now on to more Friday Fun...
Head on over to either Home Grown Families or Mama to 4 Blessings for the Friday Blog Hop!


Also, don't forget to visit Chantel over at Growing Up...Townsend Style! while you can & enter the giveaway for a FREE custom AIO!

31 Day Photo Challenge // Day 18

Day 18 - A picture of your biggest insecurity.



Typical, I know. But I really can't stand the awkwardness that has become my body.
"Oh, but you're skinny, you're fine!"
If only that were the bottom line. I have a cross country road-map on my stomach that ends somewhere on my ass in addition of 23 years of scar collection (being one of the world's most uncoordinated doesn't really help) & non-proportional features. I haven't had a bra or pair of jeans that fit me right in years no matter how much I've tried to gain, lose, tone, & trim. Again, typical story of a mommy...c'est la vie. -sigh-

2010 - Looking Back

It's amazing to think of the changes one year can bring. Like always we've had our ups and downs, but 2010 will definitely be a year I will look back on fondly in years to come.

First and foremost on the recap is the addition of our 3rd and final monster to the clan, Miss Gwenna Mulé. I can't imagine my life right now without my spunky little 3mo old. At last check, Gwen is now 13.5lbs & about 24in, rolling from tummy to back/back to side, teething, sleeping through the night, 'talking', and still EBF-ing like a champ.

Andrew & Lynneth have also grown ridiculously over the past 12 months. 5 & 3.5...just wow. I can't believe BOTH my big kids will be in school (along with mommy!) this fall. Insanity at it's finest folks.

And, last but not least, we're back in the south. You never know how much you miss the simple things like having a holiday dinner with family until you can't for a few years. We had a BLAST these past few weeks during the rotation of family stays, food, games, & of course, present swapping.

I will say one thing...above all 2010 made me more thankful for things I'd always seemed to overlook before. Yes, I loath(ed) our time in Wyoming, but it more than proved a valuable lesson to us. As a family, we function best when we're all together, yet have been able to LIVE life apart. We have found that LOVE ties the family together, no distance can ever tear you apart. And as 2011 quickly approaches, here & now I will make it my resolution to always remember that.

Happy, Healthy, & Safe New Year. <3

Patience is a virtue...

...that I'm slowly running out of!

I'm 12 days out from my EDD with x3 & have come to the realization that being pregnant roughly 2.25 out of 5yrs is, for lack of a better word, exhausting. As much as I love my kids, I'm now as sure as ever that Gwenna will be out last little one. Perk, by the time baby is 18, I'll only be 40. Plenty of time for Sam & I to enjoy the kids & whatever after holds as they continue to blossom. =)

As far as an actual pregnancy update, I had my 38wk appointment last Wednesday & was slightly disappointed. Apparently the NP who did my exam the week before (37wks) is still new to the field & slightly off in her measurements. So instead of being almost fully effaced & 3+cm dilated, I measured roughly 80% effaced still & about 2cm. However, the squats & stretching I've been doing have paid off seeing as little miss is no longer posterior & has dropped to the -1 station. I go back this Wednesday (39wks) & am hoping for some good news, especially since there is a full moon & seasonal shift occurring this week! Just maybe Mother Nature will lend me a hand...

Now that I've got my pregnant rant of the day out of my system, I'm sorry to say I've slacked off again this past week & did a horrible job promoting the giveaway for the shop. =( After baby is born/before the holidays I'll host another soon, promise! Also, I'm going to be adding in a custom listing for homemade soaps to the shop. Natural bases & oils, they're all I use for the family anymore & figured I'd share. Here's an example I made for the little monsters in my family for a Halloween treat:

Who wouldn't want to play with a little spider bouncing around the tub at bath time? As long as it's plastic, of course...& smells like honey & almonds. ;)

Speaking of Halloween, costumes have been a hot topic of discussion lately! So, any ideas what you & your little ones will be dressing up as this year?
My kids have decided to go the Toy Story route. I'll be keeping up with Slinky Dog (Drew), Jessie (Lyn), & an Alien (Gwen) this year for trick or treating.

Well, that's all I can think of for now...shop is still open, but orders might be delayed for a few days from here on out depending on when our diva decides to arrive. Take care & happy early Mabon!

Another Day, Another Adventure...

So I was scheduled to check in with my temp OB today for the basics one last time before heading up to Georgia next week. Everything looked good & I'm even kidney infection free (finally!!!) until we got to the fundal height. I'm supposed to be around 35cm (+/- 5cm) & Gwenna was only measuring at 27cm, so I got referred for another sonogram just to double check on Little Miss's amniotic fluid, weight, & development.

The exam went really well. Everything is fine, she's just super cushioned in my back, thanks in part to my anterior placenta. Although it does seem that she's been able to squirm her way around & get in a nice, head down position, which means higher hopes for another natural birth! Yay! =D

Also got some awesome pictures. Poor Gwenna is so cramped...her feet, head, & hands are in my pelvis, slightly to the right while her butt & knees are all up under my ribcage. About 7 more weeks to go baby girl & then you can stretch, promise!

I also took a few fun belly shots earlier, since I hadn't done so since before leaving Wyoming. Enjoy! -Maddie-



Also, if you haven't done so, please check out LO's ExpectNet & guess on all the fun birth details!

Short 'n Sweet

Finally, some light at the end of this long tunnel...
The OB's office I've been trying to get into for the duration of my pregnancy in GA accepted me today. =) I have my 1st appointment with the dr. who will actually be delivering Gwenna (as opposed to the half dozen or so I've seen thus far in WY & FL) Monday, 23.Aug, just 3 days after moving in to our new place! Yay!

32wk u/s 'Findings'

So, Gwenna & I hit 32wks today. Super excited everything finally seems to be going well through our current chaos & even more so because the dr I visited today (family friend who agreed to temporarily care for me before we get to Georgia) hinted at an ultrasound.

Well, the exam room was packed for the u/s. It was hilarious...besides 1 ER visit in WY with Sam & the kids, I've been alone for every exam & sono, so I was really happy the rest of my family could be a part of the pregnancy updates, like they would occasionally with Drew & Lyn. Anyway, the dr starts scanning & pointing out different parts of baby....brain, bladder, feet (which are wedged up in my ribcage), & placenta.

Seems that my previous OB neglected to tell me that my placenta is anterior & low, giving me a really good chance of developing placenta previa within the next few weeks. Now, you'd think with all the freaking heartbeat trouble, etc I had earlier on that the OB would have mentioned -something- about an anterior (front) placenta? Apparently that's just not an important piece of information for them to pass along...

Thankfully, Gwenna is not posterior at the moment, as she's head down facing into my back. (she was transverse at my last appointment) I've got a good 4wks to hope she can shift around my placenta, or it looks like I may end up having to cave for a c-section closer to time. =/

Other good news - heartbeat is a healthy 154bmp & it appeared that she weighs just over 4lbs. All her little organs look to just about be finished developing as well. Most likely I'll be back in around 34wks to double check on things before we leave for Georgia & hopefully will get good news on her positioning. & maybe a printout to show off...their printer sadly wasn't working.

-sigh- That's about it for the moment I guess. Gotta go check back on Drew, who spiked a small fever this morning & has been sick since. Ah, the insanity that is mommyhood.

<3 Maddie

Soaking up the Florida sun...

Needless to say, we survived our 10+hr trip from WY-CO-TX-FL & have been in Florida for about a week now. I can't believe how quickly everything is going...especially with today being the 1st. Like I mentioned on my Facebook earlier, in 3 months time my 'baby' boy will be 5, girlie will be 3.5, & the actual baby will be around 1 month. It's nuts.

Also, super psyched that in just about 2.5wks Sam will be back in FL & we'll be driving up to our new place in GA. FINALLY. Patience is a virtue that has definitely begun to wear its way thin with me as of late. Okay, so that's mainly the pregnancy hormones talking. Either way, I'm glad to finally have the finish line is sight!

Thursday (05.Aug) is also mine & Gwenna's 32wk milestone & I'm so ready to start nesting. I've been drooling over different travel systems & cribs to buy her and can't wait to actually get her things out to make it feel like we're expecting another baby. I can't tell you how many times I'd dig through her box in WY just to look at all her clothes & wish I could set up for her. Again I say finally. For those of you that are interested, here's what we've decided to get...
(Can you tell I'm ready to get everything organized? lol)

^^Crib^^

^^Travel System^^
Bedding will be Baby Sesame Street...the same sheets that have been so loved by both her older siblings. =)

Other than the regular chaos, life's been good. Even though Sam & I weren't able to spend our actual anniversary together, we were able to 'bribe' Gigi & Poppa to watch the monsters for about an hour while just the 2 of us went out for lunch before Sam had to hop a flight back to Wyo. I also got some baby yarn & have been crocheting Gwen a little blankie in the meantime. Lime green & pink just seem to be that girl's colors, which is awesome considering Lyn has kind of claimed orange & purple. Should make things easy to coordinate in their room at the very least.

Other than that, just lots of sun & swimming to make up for the endless winters we've been through the last 2yrs. Since everything is pretty much on track it looks like I'll be able to reopen the shop with current stock by Labor Day. Also, getting close to 100 fans on our Facebook page...debating on a giveaway if we reach that mark, so stay tuned!
Scroll for pics, enjoy! -Maddie-



^^Monsters very first airplane adventure^^

^^Making Waves^^

^^Belly @ 30 & 31wks!^^

^^Most of Gwenna's NB/S Diaper Stash^^
Not pictured are about a dozen Sunbaby snaps, 12 Kawaii Baby OS, & a green hippie fleece NB, & a small mountain of soakers. Needless to say, I think little miss is set for the first few months!

Oh! Speaking of diapers, there are some great giveaways going on right now...
My friend Chantel over at Growing Up...Townsend Style! is currently hosting an awesome giveaway. The prize? 1 free Bummis Easy Fit OS!
Fluff Envy is also giving away an AppleCheeks Little Bundle & Weehuggers cover for their August promotion. Hurry up & enter while you still can!!!