October Fall Fun - part 1

I can't believe this month is almost over...I hate seeing October end since it is my FAVORITE month!!!

We've had a lot of fun this month...so it's going in a 2 part post!

The first weekend of the month, Tate's family visited. There was also a clinic grand opening right by our house that we decided to go to. They had food, music, games, tours and FREE PUMPKINS!! It was fun and I am so glad we went!

Turner had his first apple and LOVED IT!!! I could not pry it away from his hands...I only got it when he dropped it and then he cried when I wouldn't give it back #toddlerproblems #itwasfullofdirt

(is it cool to hash tag while blogging...if not, who cares...my blog, my rules) ;)

Turner loved spending time with his Wisconsin family since he doesn't see them as often as we would all like. 

Coloring with his Grandma T.

The following weekend, we hit up the local farm...Country Sun Farm in Lake Elmo. We went there last year and had so much fun (even though Turner was only a few months old). I hope to make it a yearly tradition to go there. So much fun and so much for the little kiddos to do.

Turner had fun feeding the animals. His favorite were the goats.

Turner loved running around to all the different painted boards they had and seeing all the pumpkins. 

4 months and 16 months

I'm thinking if we go every year...I should make sure to get this photo!

I love him more and more every single day!!!!

Turner was obsessed with this scarecrow! We put in the 50 cents to make it dance and he loved it!!! He even danced along with it for a few seconds!

Making these amazing memories with Turner is so fun! My hear explodes with joy when I am with him and it smiles endlessly when I see Turner and Tate having the best relationship a father and son could have. I only pray that every day going forward is this good #nevergrowup ;)

No Place I'd Rather Be

I'm currently sitting here and the song 'Rather Be' comes on by Clean Bandit. I've never listened to the words of the song (or any song hence the reason I always get them wrong when I try to sing the song)...but this phrase stuck to me...'No Place I'd Rather Be'.

It's true...there is no other place I would rather be in my life than where I am today.

As of today and each day forward...

I'm a Believer.

I'm a Wife to this incredible man with the most patience of anyone I know.

I'm a Mother to the funniest, loving lil' man in the world.

I'm a Daughter!

I'm a Sister!

I'm a Friend!

I'm a CPA!

I'm weird, crazy, hard working, frugal, funny, etc.

There are many words that can define me buy so many different people. 

On this day 3 years ago...a new chapter in life began and it's the chapter that I never want to end. Having Tate by my side for all these memories, blessing and life moments is truly a gift. 

There really is no place I'd rather be!

Happy 3 years babe...cheers to many many more!

XOXO,

• 

O'Neil Wedding

Tate and I got to celebrate the nuptials of our friends, Tim & Tanya this weekend. It was very special since this was our wedding weekend 3 years ago. I love celebrating love.

My mom was up watching Turner which we were so thankful for. Turner sure does love his Grandma and spending time with her. 

Tim & Tanya were married in a Lutheran Church and I though the Pastor did such a good job and gave a great message. I love when a great, unique message is given!!

Tanya's dress was gorgeous!!  Lace, sparkle and fit her like a glove!!!

(photo stolen off Facebook)

The reception was held @ the Chanhassen Dinner Theatre.

A few of my college friends!

My crazy half :) Molly came home to MN for the wedding from CA and is 6 months preggo...she's due with a boy in February 2015. Can't wait to meet the lil' guy!!!

We clean up pretty good :) xoxo

The girls with the bride!

Congrats to Tim & Tanya! So happy for you 2! 

This wedding was our last of the season! We actually didn't have very many which is kind of nice...I guess it's more baby showers these days!

I hope to be back blogging a few days a week since I miss this space of mine and the memories I have documented. Turner is growing so fast and I feel like I should set aside time when he goes to bed to record these memories so that I have them to look back at.

3 day weekends are the BEST

I loved that Thursday was a work Friday but Friday was still Friday. Those are pretty much the best kind of weekends! Love me some extra family time!!!

Thursday night...Tate was working late which will somewhat be the norm in the coming months as he's opening a new fitness center and in order to be successful, he works his tail off to make it that way. I'm at home trying to balance 20,000 things it seems like. Entertain a 1 year old, make dinner, feed the dog, wash the dishes, etc. Turner got a minor diaper rash when we went camping a few weeks back and there was one lil' tiny open sore left over that would not go away no matter how much coconut oil I used (one of the few items you can use with cloth diapers). I decided to let him go diaper less this evening in hopes of 'airing it out'. Well...while sitting on the kitchen floor, playing with pots and pan...he decided to go #1 and #2. SO GROSS!!! Then....as I'm trying to clean that up, he crawl over to Mya's water dish and dumps the whole thing all over the floor. It was wonderful! ;) Let's just say I was happy to go to bed this evening in one piece!!!

Friday we had plans to attend a get together at a friends in the evening for a cookout and fireworks to celebrate July 4th. I made a yummy patriotic dessert and it was the easiest thing to make.

Patriotic layered dessert:
Vanilla cake
Cool Whip
Strawberries
Vanilla cake
Cool Whip
Strawberries & Blueberries

Turner enjoyed getting dirty in the sandbox and flirting with his friend Briar.

Another great 4th spent with my 2 favorite boys!!!


On Saturday we enjoyed soup, salad and bread sticks lunch @ Olive Garden as a family. We also went and got Tate's golf clubs re-gripped. That was his Father's Day gift so he was happy to finally go get it done. That afternoon, we had a birthday party to attend for our lil' 3 year old neighbor! It was 'water park' themed party and it was so fun! Turner loved splashing in the water!

And can we just talk about how cute my boys are?!?!

Sunday was a true day of relaxation. My parents stopped by on their way back from up north. We enjoyed 2 visits to the park. I promised Turner we could go back after dinner as he threw a tantrum (that lasted 10 seconds) when we had to leave the first time (he's one...does this really happen this early?!?!)

Also...Turner has this nice big water station to play with...but what does he want to play with, Mya's water dish! This makes ZERO sense!!!

Another great and fun weekend in the books. Each day I feel more and more blessed for my life! I hope you all had just as great of a weekend celebrating the 4th of July with family and friends!

Change

Something big in our household changed last month (OMG...it's July already).

Not only did our lil' man turn ONE (more on that at a later day)...but Tate got a new job!

Up until last month, Tate worked the same job since he graduated college. He loved it. He loved his clients, the people he worked with and he loved changing peoples lives.

After 7+ years, he realized it was time for a change if he wanted to continue to be challenged and to better himself in the fitness industry. He started just looking and sent out a few resumes to see if anything was worth leaving his great job for.

He had many interviews and at the end of it all, only 2 stuck out that he thought were fit for him. One of the options was one he actually didn't even want to interview with thinking he wouldn't like it. Well, their was a reason he went to the that interview because that is the job he ended up taking. It's funny how that works out.

It was very hard leaving his job. Not only would it be a big change for him, but for us as a family since Turner's daycare was by Tate's work and also a big change for everyone that Tate worked with on a daily basis, co-workers and clients alike. The words spoken of Tate by his coworkers and clients before he left made me the proudest wife ever. But as the saying goes, all good things must come to an end. Bigger and better things were in store for Tate. Those bigger and better things led us to Title Boxing.

Tate is now the General Manager of a brand new gym opening in the Lakeville/Apple Valley Area. The gym is called 'Title Boxing Club'. Here is a lil' blurb from their website!

'A fitness club with a punch. TITLE Boxing Clubs offer explosive total body boxing and kickboxing fitness workouts to help women and men burn up to 1,000 calories per hour in each group class. If you are looking for a fitness club that offers effective group exercise classes and personal training, TITLE Boxing Club is the fitness club for you.'

Tate is BEYOND excited about this opportunity. We prayed for God to guide us when making this decision. Title Boxing is where he lead us.

The gym opens this Monday, July 7th. Tate's been working his hardest to get everything in order and getting many members signed up before they even open. I love hearing him tell me everyday how many more members he signed up. The excitement in his voice puts a big smile on my face and reassures me that we made the right decision.

Some photos of the gym that Tate will be managing!

What's even more exciting is that this is just one of three clubs that will be opening. Tate's boss actually bought 3 clubs and the other 2 will open in the next few years.

Grand opening is July 10th from 11am - 12pm. For anyone interested (in the local area), your first class is free. Go ahead an check it out. I can't wait to take a class.

Like their FB page and follow them on Twitter

I'm hoping in the near future to have them host a MN Blogger Event!!! How fun would that be to get a great workout in while hanging out with some of the greatest ladies?!?

The Power of Prayer

The last few weeks have been tough as I try to understand why some people are called to Heaven at such a young age! When fellow blogger Jacqui from Baby Boy Bakery lost her 3 year old son a few months ago...I couldn't stop crying. I've never met her and actually didn't follow her or her blog until this happened, but just the thought of a parent having to say goodbye to their child breaks my heart! Not only did I cry a lot...I also prayed a lot. I prayed for God to give her the strength to move forward and to comfort her. I prayed that Ryan, her son, always walk by his parents side and show them that he is always with them! 

3 weeks ago, one of my friends lost her brother-in-law (her sister's husband). He was only 32 years old. Not only does that leave a young 27 year old a widow, but they also have a 2 year old that now will grow up without his dad. I can't even imagine this happening. I cry just typing this because I feel like my whole world would fall apart if anything happened to Tate or Turner. I know God has a plan for us all and we are living that plan currently, but I sometimes wonder if I would I have the strength to get through these type of events. My friends sister has shown so much grace, strength and faith during this most difficult time in her life, it truly is amazing. 

And now as I type this, Tate's Grandma is fighting for her life. She had a big stroke yesterday and they are pretty sure she will never be responsive ever again and will pass soon. We just saw her a few weeks ago when we were back in WI. She is only 76 and healthy. We are all super surprised this happened. I find comfort knowing she has her husband and daughter up in heaven waiting for here. She has the biggest heart and is one of the most compassionate woman I know. When God finally calls for her, I know she will go with pure excitement to meet Jesus and I have no doubt that we will have one very special angel by our side each and every day.

I know that the prayer is a powerful thing. I have loved seeing people come together and pray for families and people that they do not know. I ask you pray for Jacqui, her husband and their son Ryan. I ask you pray for Drew, Ali & Brady as Ali and Brady move forward without Drew in the flesh (he is their in spirit no doubt). I also ask you to pray for Tate's Grandma. That when God calls her name, she goes peacefully. 

I pray every day, but I feel like my prayers have shifted lately. I find myself praying more often and out loud. I have always been a women of faith, but I feel like lately I am being called to do more than just believe, pray and go to church. I am not quite sure what it is so I am asking the Lord to guide me. 

Tate and I have recently started reading the Bible. We are actually using 'Reader's Guide to the Bible: A Chronological Reading Plan' to guide us while we read it. Ruthie recommended it to me. It's been great so far and I hope we continue to set aside time for this.

via

One thing I know I need to do is to stop always worrying. I need to trust in God's plan and know that everything will happen the way it is suppose to. I need to just continue to talk to God and pray. We are all not promised tomorrow. Live each day as a special gift...because it really is!

An active weekend

This was the first weekend this summer that we actually had nothing planned and it was wonderful. I don't mind being busy and going places...but I love weekends at home to break up those super busy times.

On Friday evening, Turner got his first golf lesson from Tate. It was the cutest thing ever. Turner thought it was HILARIOUS!!!!

Saturday we woke up and hit 2 farmer markets close to home. Got some great veggies for the week.

Tate went to work for a bit so after Turner napped, we went to the park with our neighbors. Turner once again loved being in the swing. He also enjoyed the slide and trying to walking on sand.

After a fun and eventful day...we enjoyed making homemade pizza as a family. I also enjoyed my go to healthy shake for my sweet tooth. I just had to share in case anyone wants to enjoy it also.

1 frozen banana
1c of unsweetened almond milk
1 tablespoon of unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon honey
1 handful of ice

It's delicious and fulfills my sweet tooth for ice cream :)

Sunday we went to church in what seemed like forever! We've been so busy lately...it was nice to get there and have our dedicated morning to God.

We spend the rest of Sunday at a friends pool. Turner was OBSESSED!! Only was happy if he was in the pool...well unless he was eating!!!

As if swimming wasn't enough for this lil' guy...we got home and as we made dinner...he had fun with his new water station he got from Grandma & Grandpa Brown for his birthday!!

It was a perfect weekend!!! Looking forward to this 4 day work week and then a nice long weekend :)

Happy Monday!!!