Year 2

What a busy second year! I thought the first year of being a parent was going to be busy, but I tell you what, the more mobile they are, the more mobile you are! We were so lucky to have a blessed year 2 with Haley, and watch her personality develop. 

We learned she's a girl on the move, loves to jump, Princess Sofia is her favorite show followed closely by Star Wars Rebels, pink is really her favorite color, she is independent and thinks she's a teenager, loves the water and again thinks she can already swim without our help, has a huge heart, wants to be chased all the time, and has the best giggle in the world! (I'm completely biased)

Here's to trying to blog more before she turns 3! Here are just a few of my favorite photo's from the past year:

How to Make a Tissue Banner

Making a tissue banner is great for adding that extra something special to a focal point during any festivity. These banners can range anywhere from $12-$50 on Etsy depending how intricate they are. For Haley's birthday, I decided to give this DIY a try. I have to say it was extremely easy to do but very time consuming! If you don't want to be spending an hour or two for a few days working on it, I would recommend buying.

What you'll need:

• Pack or two of tissue paper (Depending on how many colors you want to use)
• Scissors
• String

 Step-by-step:

1. Fold a tissue paper in half as many times as you'd like. Keep in mind, the top of the tissue paper should be only folds and not open ends. 
2. Cut from the bottom up, leaving about 1 1/2" to 2" inches from the top. 
3. Unfold and lay tissue out with your newly cut strips on both sides. 
4. Start twisting up. Note: You may have to take a few opportunities to neatly untangle the end strips.
5. Once the tissue is all twisted, take your string and tie a know around the middle of the tissue. 
6. Fold both tissue sides down and twist the top of both sides around.  
7. Repeat until you have achieved the length you desire.

Haley Turns One!

Haley's birthday party was so much fun! I spent weeks preparing, creating a custom invite, and working on my favorite Pinterest projects, and it was all worth it. I'll follow up with a few DIY projects throughout the week!

Haley (and our home) was decked out in pink, gold, and all that sparkles and shimmers. We made our own taco bar and ordered a cake from Just Baked. That cake was amazing and came with a free smash cake that was as beautifully decorated as the main one. Haley just loved it! And who wouldn't with all that delicious frosting? She devour the complete cake!

She opened presents from family and we were overwhelmed with everyone's generosity. I was so surprised too that Haley stayed interested the whole time, and was not a bit cranky that we wouldn't let her run wild.

Rob and I also spent time putting together a video of her pictures from the year, and it is so hard to believe she's grown so quickly. It was only one year ago that she was so, so tiny! Every day she does something new to amaze me, make me laugh, and make me so proud!

Happy Birthday Haley Grace!

New Year, New Goals

You always hear mixed messages about New Year's resolutions. You read one article and if you set a resolution you are ten times more likely to accomplish this goal then someone who doesn't set a resolution. You read another article and the life span of a resolution is two weeks. Regardless about what people say, I like the tradition! I mean, hey, two weeks is better than nothing. So, here we go!

My New Year's Resolution:

Lose the last of the baby weight.

I'm almost there but not quite. I've been hovering five pounds to go for the last few months, but haven't been putting in the work to making it happen. Last Monday marked day one of getting up before work to exercise. Getting up was hard but doing the exercises, made me feel on the top of my game and ready for the rest of the day. It also gave me a little bit of alone time, which is hard to come by as a new mom! I am hoping to alternate between before work and during lunch at our work gym. Tone It Up has some great strength exercises which are easy to do at home and definitely make you sore the next day! P90x Abs Ripper X is another one of my favorites, and it is a quick one to do. I hate to admit it but I think I've memorized most of the guy's commentary....I hate it, but I love it!

Spend more time in my Bible.
My faith is extremely important to me. This has been an on-going goal that has been paying off in full in both my spiritual growth and stress level! Every night I am trying to spend time reading. I just need that quiet time with the Lord to restore my soul and rid my mind of all the day's chaos. In the time that I have been doing this, I have already noticed a difference in my racing mind before bed and quality of sleep!

Take time to do things that make me, well, me.
The first year after having Haley has been a whirlwind of amazing memories and new discoveries as I work my way through figuring out how to balance being the best mom I can be, a good wife, and a business woman. It's easy to get lost in the middle of everything. At this point I feel much more settled, and I know it's time to get back to my own hobbies, like writing my blog and my book. I need to remember that taking time to myself isn't selfish, it's needed in order to do everything else to the best of my ability.

Now, with these resolutions written down as evidence, let's see how long I can keep it up!

2013 In A Flash

Forget about me? Well, I am back! And with a whole year passed since my last update, a lot has happened!

5 days after my last post, Haley Grace Boss was born into the world, January 23, 2013! And what a blessing she has been! It is amazing how much more love you are capable of then you could ever imagine. Haley is the center of Rob and my world and we love it that way! 

In the past year, Rob and I have grown a lot as a couple. After surviving six months of sleep deprivation, I think I can say confidently that we can handle anything that comes our way together.

I'm currently in the process of planning her first birthday party and have big plans! It is going to be a pink and gold party for a princess.

Here's some pictures to catch you up: