Halloween 2013

This year we were Aladdin, Jasmine and Abbu!! 

My sisters AWESOME costume! I wish Bee was still in his costume..... It kinda looked like a lion.

Choices choices

Well it's official!

I am a stay at home mom! I am excited for this new adventure and also nervous. 

I think I am doing pretty good as a mom but am I good enough. I'm sure others struggle with this same issue, if only that took away the worry and guilt.

This was a hard choice for a couple reasons. I loved my job! Loved it and I was good at it! The people were great to work with and I was passionate about our work. I was the volunteer coordinator at Canadian Blood Services and everyday we helped people save lives and helped more people get involved. 

Will people look down at me for just being a mom? Work of a mom is hard stuff, you do a bit of everything and are helping shape society. I know in my heart it's important but I hear so many voices saying I'm selfish. I should be helping to provide for my family. Your house isn't clean enough for being at home all day. What do you even do? I think people will think I am lazy because I don't work all day, go to school at night and have a family. 

I am so blest to have a husband that provides for us so I can stay home and raise Bee. I am glad that I don't have to be running a million miles all the time so I can be with my kids when I am needed. You don't know when those times will come. You can't prepare for everything but I can be available. Who cares if my dishes aren't done and there are Cheerios all over. We are happy, healthy and learning. That's what I need to do for my family. My grandma has a magnet that says "If momma ain't happy, ain't nobody happy!" I need to be able to focus on what is important. Keeping my family together and on track with what we want for our selves. I couldn't do that if I was always stressed about various things and splitting myself in half. My family deserves my best self and I decided that my best self is my whole self. 

This is not an easy decision at all and I'm not 100% sure that I really want to stay at home but as I wrote this post it is becoming clearer that this is a positive choice. A good choice but not an easy choice.

I am also very blest that we own our own business that I can do when time allots. It brings extra money into our lives and also provides us with opportunities to learn and grow. As I stay at home I will be focusing more on business to help reach our goals and get out of debt as soon as possible. 

I was worried about getting mommy brain and not pushing myself. I am a driven person and I need something to keep me progressing. Owning our own company allows me to do that at my own pace and without putting my priorities on the sidelines. 

I am blest and our family will be blest. I feel it but my brain still says you could be doing more. Is that really my brain or the pressures of society? 

Through The Lord anything is possible. He will direct us even when we aren't 100% sure what we are doing. We have taken a step into the darkness and I know without a doubt he will show us where to put our feet next. Just keep on moving and have faith.

I CAN do this! I CAN do this!

25 For Me

I turned 25 this month and had a most excellent day! Jason woke me up in the middle of the night and sang to me. I wasn't completely impressed but it was a good surprise. I only wish that I would have been able to fall back asleep...

I didn't have to teach in young women's which was awesome! I love my ladies but I'm not quite ecstatic about teaching yet. 

I had some friends come over for a visit. Their kids made me cards and dropped off some goodies. They call me Sister Ninja Turtle. Seriously how cool is that. Best nickname ever!!!

My bestie took family pictures of us with my siblings and parents. We had a hoot and we also got my sisters new car stuck. Oops. Life is about the story right?? Good thing we had people there to push her out and direct us through the field we were in. Oh well. The things we do for pictures. I'm sure they are going to be adorable. Can't wait to see them!

Siblings

"Fake Kids" 

I love my widdle brudder. We are so goofy together. 

Joanna and Me

Sneak attack! They were just too cute to have a completely normal picture.

Following that we had dinner at my moms house. After a small fire drill. Lol. Sooo some cheese got on the bottom of the oven and the house got a bit smoky..... The cook may kill me for posting this but it made for some laughs. I also got a picture of Bee and Rachel escaping the house and chilling outside. What an awesome auntie!

Can't wait to see what this year will bring. I know we will have adventures, make mistakes, get dirty but most importantly have fun! I love my life and all the people in it. 

25 is going to be my best age yet! 

Mums Stash

Bee is growing so fast. He is so smart too. I had my hot chocolate stash hidden in the back of our cupboard in a tin can. He managed to find it and open the tin in record speed. 

I found him sitting in front of the cupboard with a packet in his mouth. He had ripped a tiny hole and was sucking the powder out. Too funny. I thought his effort deserved some chocolate.

He sure did love it! The third picture cracks me up. 

It looks like he's stroking his chocolate mustache.

Flo Kemp

The last few years October has not been a wonderful time of year for Jason's family. Last October his Grandpa Ken Ranger passed away. This year his Grandma Flo Kemp made her journey into the eternities.

Death is sad and difficult to deal with but it is not a bad thing. In Grandmas case it is a blessing. She is no longer in pain, no longer sick and she gets to be reunited with loved ones. Grandma looked so young. I couldn't believe it. Her face was renewed, she is at peace and pain free. What a blessing to be able to have reassurance that she is whole again.

Grandpa Kemp and Bee

Bee sat on Grandpas lap for a long time. He gave him big hugs and just sat with him. It was such a precious sight. I don't think Bee has forgotten where he came from yet. I believe that he knows where Grandma is and knew that Grandpa needed some special baby loves. He is such a special spirit and brings so much love into the room.

I love these two. Grandma and Grandpa Kemp. They are both amazing, I am blest to have known them and been welcomed into their family. The first time I met them I felt like they were my grandparents. They just loved me like their own grandkids. I hope that I can be like them. Welcoming to all, sincere Christlike love and give awesome hugs. That's what life is all about incase you didn't know.

This baby boy is Grandmas son that passed away when he was only a couple of months old. I cannot begin to imagine the heartbreak that she felt during that time and also during her lifetime. I am grateful for my knowledge that families are forever. We will see Grandma again and feel of her love. Right now she is with her family that has past on previously. She was so wonderful with Bee. I can just see her snuggling her son and never wanting to let go. As a mom this is such a comforting feeling. I absolutely love knowing that families are forever. 

Thanksgiving

We have so many blessings to be grateful for at the Ranger home this year. Out little family has grown since last year. Bee has brought so much love and happiness in our home and wherever we go. We have each other and an awesome marriage! It takes work but being married to my best friend is the greatest blessing. We are surrounded by family that loves us and we get to see often. We have wonderful friends. I am so grateful for the people in my life. Those that help me to grow, those that are they when I need them, those that know how to get me to laugh when I am being too serious, those that serve me and allow me too serve them as well. 

We have a house that is becoming our home. I love watching it turn into ours. We have food in our fridge and in our cupboards. Jason has a job. I get to be a Mom. We have our own business. We have many dreams and goals. What more do we need? We have everything that we need right now. We are blessed!

Here's what our weekend looked like!

Bee and Jenna 

Bee and his cousin Nico. Bee is a month older.

Running around the table 

Toys at GG Ranger's

Bee and Timothy

Bee and Rebecca

Bee and my Mom.

10 months

Bee took his first steps! A couple weeks after that he often takes quite a few steps then stops to hold onto something. He just doesn't know he can walk by himself yet.

He has four teeth. Two on top, two on bottom all his front teeth.

Favorite toys are my pots especially the lids. He does not like it when I take them away. He uses it as a giant hand while he crawls. 

He loves loves loves reading.

He says dad, mum and moo.

He always has a sock in his mouth. That is as often as I allow him to have a sock in his mouth.

He loves to have a bath and splash in the water. He especially loves playing under the tap.

He loves giving kisses! He is learning how to kiss with teeth..... So far he just presses his teeth into my cheek. Hopefully he will soon learn to cover his teeth with his lips.

 

Even his toys get kisses.

He is tall enough that when he wants me to pick him up he sticks his hands in my pockets and holds on for dear life. No longer can I walk away when I am doing things around the house.