Planning for Everything

I have always been somewhat of a planned person. I like to have a plan and have it worked out to what, where, when, and why. When Matthew and I got married, Matthew wanted to run to Osage Beach (the closest town that has shops and groceries) to run errands everyday. I on the other hand wanted to go once a week and run all of my errands in one night. That was always something we talked about every week on how to handle the errands. Now, that I have Niah, I am even more planned down to when to leave for errands how much time I have to run them, to where to start and finish. I try to start when she has just woke up from her last nap and finish at least an hour before her bedtime. It leaves me 2 1/2 hours but 50 mins is wasted in driving to and from. Just imagine how I want to plan for any kind of trip, anything that involved being gone for more than an hour needed perfect planning. Lots of time to process the trip, pack, and time so just imagine the conversations with a person that does not plan anything beyond 24 hours. I tell you all of this to tell you when you are around people like my husband or my mom, that do not plan, think that I am crazy. For example, a couple weeks ago, we were going to Springfield for Shilah's 1st birthday. I decided that I was not staying the night in Springfield and coming home. Matthew drove separately to church so I could leave straight from church. I left straight from church after feeding Niah, knowing it was her nap time and she would go right to sleep. Half way to Springfield my mom calls saying oh we decided that we would come home tonight to so you do not have to drive by yourself, as you can see my planning and her lack of planning did not match up. The husband calls me slightly ocd but he has learned to love my planning since Niah has been born. It has saved Niah from some terribly uncomfortable situations (especially since she hates car seats). Funny to me how things that drove your spouse crazy because things he is thankful for. Here is the little girl in the car asleep

What can I do?

I just watched the most devastating movie called, "The Whistleblower." It takes place in Bosnia and shows a very factual, sad reality that takes place all of the world, involving over 30 million victims. It showed sex trafficking, not only sex trafficking but how authority figures play a huge role in human sex trafficking. The movie based on a true story showed American officers, UN officers, Local police, and diplomats turning their heads and playing a part to sex trafficking, I sat there sick to my stomach watching. I knew it happened, I knew it involved millions, and I knew it was horrifying but as I sat there I felt more motivated to help than ever. Maybe, I felt motivated because I now have a daughter and those are daughters, sisters, GIRLS that are taken, exploited, and abused. The question is what can I do? It is not enough to sit and feel sorry for those girls, or forget what is happening. I need to do something! Watching the movie, I was working on my little girl's first birthday party and doing lots of crafts, that I could not afford to just buy but could easily make. The thought is still just a thought in the process but thinking how little girls items for sale such as tulle dresses, tulle skirts, pillowcase dresses, and other items I have been making for Niah. The thought is to open up an etsy shop or something similar and sell these items and the proceeds go to a sex trafficking organization (I have not done my research on which one yet). I may not be at a place to GO and personally help these girls but I do feel that I can HELP and I can educate others. As I was sitting there watching all I could think about is if someone was hurting this little girl and how as a mom I would want people to help her.

So the question I have been pondering is not only what can I do? How do I start? Well here is to starting....

A weekend of crafts!

The weekend started out with a few projects and crafts and ended up being a whole weekend of crafts. I made 2 dresses for my uncle's little girls 1st birthday, colored easter eggs, and made hairbows and flowers for Niah. I am going to tell you about the easter eggs. In my family since I was pretty little we have been coloring Easter eggs this way and I am going to continue coloring easter eggs this way. We blow the inside of the egg out before we color the egg, the egg last as long as you want and I keep my best eggs for the following year. 1. you prick the narrow end with a straight pin
2. Then you prick the wider end with a bigger pin, I actually used a metal kabob to prick my end.

3. You need to stick something in the hole to break the yoke, I used my kabob. 4. Then you blow on the smaller hole and the egg will come out the bigger hole. I sometimes had to shake or stick my kabob in the egg to break it up more. 5. Rinses the egg out.

6. Then you are ready to dye your eggs. I used a glitter egg dye package.

Here are some pictures of the dresses I made

10 Months old

Niah is 10 months and a week now. We can hardly believe how fast 10 months have gone, it seems it has only been a few months and it has been almost a year!! Niah is 10 months and around 18.5 lbs. She is cruising and pulling up on everything. Niah talks up a storm and has really started trying to repeat lots of words. Just the other day I was telling her "run, run, run" and then she immediately tried to say, "rua, rua, rua." She loves to have conversations with you and will answer you and talk and wait for you to answer her. After 2 trips in the last week, I am definately sure that Niah is a much better sleeper when she is home. I really think the problem is that when we go somewhere she sleeps right next to me in a pack play and realizes it when she wakes up so refuses to go back to sleep on her own. She goes to sleep just fine away (only takes 5 minutes to go to sleep instead of no minutes) but it is about 3 or 4 in the morning when she wakes up and does not go back to sleep. Other than that and her car seat, Niah does great on trips. Matthew and I took Niah to the park and this is a video of her swinging