our beautiful life

Thankful for that baby in a manger and the reason for the season, Jesus! We had a fun filled December month celebrating Christmas with family. 

Christmas Eve I was sick with a horrible cold and couldn't go to the Christmas Eve service at church, So bummed :(. Christmas day I was still not feeling good, But we still had a fun filled busy Christmas day! I am so thankful for all the family that I have. 

BLESSED.

The funny thing about this photo below is, originally we only had got Summer a scooter for christmas, not London. It didn't take long for London to want Summers scooter every second that Summer was on it, resulting in lots of spats. Adam and I went to target & picked this up for london just a few hours later. Now they are both happy. Don't know why I didn't think about this from the start ;).

sitting on their new horse christmas morning, Ali in hand.

Great Grandpa Braucht with Braelyn

London turned 1 in February. 

She is our "strong willed" child ;). She keeps me on my toes and is always testing her limits with me. It is fun to see the different personalities between my 2 girls.

They could not be more different.

London is such a sweetheart though. She loves other kids, babies, animals and her sister of course. 

She is quick to say "sorry" when she yells / screams 

(yay! she is realizing this is a no no on her own without me scolding her.) 

& she Does good with her time outs. It is funny to watch her hurry to her "time out" spot when she does something wrong. She runs over, sits and stays there until I come to get her out. Its always in the same spot, so this is a very familiar spot to her ;).

The cuddles I get at nap time are the sweetest ever. She snuggles in, sucks her thumb and makes you sing "twinkle twinkle little star" over and over. 

She is my good sleeper and has been sleeping through the night like a champ since 6 weeks old.

She is sensitive and a Daddy's girl. . 

She very much into having tea parties with whoever will sit and have one with her. She has broke a few of our tea cups from "CHEERS-ing!" a little to hard ;). 

She is a huge goof ball and walks around the house making silly faces at you randomly throughout the day.

Oh, and L is terrified of santa, terrified.

Summer turned 5 in August.

Summer has always been my "easy" child. She is a great listener, wants to do the right thing, is very considerate of other peoples feelings, is a people pleaser, outgoing, lovable, makes friends at the drop of a hat and has the softest little heart. She loves school and loves to play with her friends. Her favorite toy right now are her "princess" barbies. These keep her busy for hours. Summer loves Jesus so much and loves learning more and more about him. She is also an amazing prayer, this girl can pray. She is always quick to pray for you if you need it. She is caring and helpful with her little sister and loves her to pieces. Sometimes she REALLY just need her alone time (away from miss London) & on these days you will find her in her room, door shut, and locked. 

Hope you all have an amazing Christmas this week and a wonderful new year!

Hubby and I thought it would be fun to do a "123 tag" video. As Adam will say "Now people will see your true, quirky, funny self" ;)  I will just go ahead and take this as a compliment. 

Made this back in August and totally forgot to post it to the blog. Better late then never, right? Here it is. I had been wanting to make one of these since Summer was little, but just never got around to it. 

I loved how it turned out, & I couldn't resist putting our family initial at the top. Anything to make it a touch personal is always a must. 

Now I can finally mark this thing up with little dashes as the girls grow, way to fast. 

This song is so powerful. I have had it on repeat for the last few days after I heard it for the first time in church. 

Love it. 

Ever wonder what a day for me and my girls looks like? No? That's ok, it's not really for you anyways, it's for me, but I have decided to let you all see the wonderfulness of it ;) you're welcome. 

I wanted to make this video for myself, a "day in the life" video so in 10 years I can re-watch this with Summer and London and all the memories will come flooding back.

Everyday is different. I clean different things daily, but I also clean the same things day in and day out, sometimes, more than not, several time a day. Some days I have toys literally in every room, ALL. AT. ONCE. & I feel like I can't keep up with the picking up. Other days it's actually doable for the most part. Some days we go for walks to the park, take our baby dolls for a stroll down the sidewalk, play on our swing set in our back yard, play with chalk.....none of which you will see on this specific "day in the life" video. Cause on this day of filming it was cold, raining and gross outside, boo. But you will get a pretty good picture of what an average day looks like for us, give or take a little. So if you want, sit back, grab a cup of coffee, click play and enjoy. This video is a bit long, but it's our 12 hour day all into a 12 minute video. I am going to try to do these videos for sure once a year but hopefully, if I have it in me, I'm going to shoot for 2 times a year! I am going to try for a "warm season" one & a "cold season" one. It will be so fun to look back on this as the girls get older. One of my favorite things to do growing up was to watch home movies, all the memories you forgot about come flooding back. I don't ever want to forget these little daily things we did.

Here is the birthday video I made for my dad!

My mini, Summer lost her first tooth the other night. It was very exciting, for the both of us ;). It had been wiggly for about 3 weeks. 

We were at team D on sunday night & when I went to pick her up from childcare her tooth was just hanging there by a thread. We went back to the offices and mommy pulled it out. Although I must say, not on the first or second attempt, it took a few times of pulling & Summer (& mommy) freaking out, (just a little). Finally I did pull it right out and it was so exciting. Summer was beyond excited giggling and screeching. She had to go show all of her many friends around the church, First PAPA of course, (Nana was with us when we pulled it out). Then we went to every-room showing Auntie Jessica, Uncle Tyler, Rylen, and many, many of our friends. 

 That night I had to go on pinterest and think of something clever and cute to put under her pillow  with her cash. I found a cute "toothfairy" receipt on pinterest and I went with that. It was easy & simple, yet so adorable. 

Summer had been talking and talking and TALKING about "when my tooth falls out the TOOTH-FAIRY is going to visit me!!" It was very, very anticipated. So I couldn't mess this up. I probably gave her a little, ok a lot more cash then necessary, but to be fair I was also excited and wanted to give her enough to go get a little something from target if she wanted to. Anyways, the next morning she woke up so excited to announce  "The toothfairy came!! look what she left me! 10.00!! and a note!!".

Later that day she spent a lot of time making a beautiful picture of a rainbow, for the tooth-fairy, in hopes that if she left this picture for her then maybe she could have her tooth back as a keep sake. It worked of course & again Summer woke up so happy to see that the picture was gone and in its place was her beloved tooth. She kept her tooth with her all morning, watching her morning show, eating breakfast & she is very excited to bring it for show & tell tomorrow at school.

 (It can not leave the plastic baggy I will be putting it in ;)) 

She lost her tooth 1 month and 1 day after turning 5. My baby girl is growing up and its going by a little faster then I would like. 

I love fall, besides the fact that it truly does mean cold weather is fast approaching, you just need to overlook that part and enjoy this lovely season! Last weekend we went to the apple orchard and to be honest everyone (mostly me) was a bit distracted during the whole entire day due to having to re-home my sweet pup Henry the night before. I didn't even take any photos or videos while we were there. Sad face.

We are all feeling much better THIS weekend and so it called for a RE-DUE!! Back to the apple orchard we go, it was so much more fun this time around. The weather was crisper, the crowds were fewer and we were all in much better spirits. I love this time of the year, and this is one of our favorite things to do. Defiantly going to become a family tradition.

My mini me is starting Pre-K! Her official first day of school will be this Monday, but on wednesday we had orientation. She got to meet most of her classmates and of course her teacher.
So, this called for the 

"first day of school" photos ;)! 

My prayer for her this year:

That you will have peace in your everyday school life and Gods voice will be loud in your heart. That you make great friendships & that you are a leader and know who you are in Christ. I pray that you will be respectful to your teacher and have good listening ears. I pray you will learn lots and make lots of great memories. That you will be confident and excited for what the day has in store for you. Make the best of every situation and be kind to others & that others are kind to you. That you will be happy, joyful & always trust Jesus & know he is beside you all the time. That you will remember that YOU are kind, smart, funny, loyal, loving, forgiving and you make a great friend! Amen. 

This is the last year that Summer wont be in full time kindergarten so I am eating up as much daily time with her as I can. Next year, I will be a wreck.
NOT looking forward to her starting kindergarten. 

Off to school we go.

Being a SAHM is not a luxury. It is hard work, the hardest work I know. 

We don't get paid, we don't get sick days, holidays, time off. We don't get a lunch break & when we do get lunch its normally when we are already past the point of hungry and we first need to feed other little mouths. We get about 5-10 mins to eat and its never quiet and just "sit and enjoy your lunch", ha!
We do not get a bathroom break,  some people get to pee in peace during the day, us? no, never, not ever ever..
 We don't get to grab a cup of coffee and drink it when its hot (normally for me its lukewarm by the time I drink it) . We don't have adult conversations throughout the day & I am never up to date on the "news". If its not on Disney Junior, or PBS kids then don't expect me to know whats going on with the world unless my husband tell me.

 I am not here to argue the point of who works harder, the stay at home mother or the mom who works outside the house. They both work hard.  

But I know first hand just how hard the SAHM works. 

Yes, we are lucky to be able to be SAHM. But luxury is a nonessential item, an indulgence.

 What I do is essential and certainly not indulgent.

Being a SAHM is hard.

Don't get me wrong, it is also incredible rewarding & I love it and I wouldn't change being home with my kids for anything. 

Lots of things in life are hard, but those things are usually the things that are worth the

 hard work & investment. 

I posted a little "venting post"  last week about my day. 

Here is that post. 

Honestly I left out a lot ;). 

I left out that London hit Summer with a toy, (a few times, not by accident, I must add) London pulled out a huge chunk Of Summers hair, she climbed on the kitchen table (not safe) to bite into a LEMON, after eating 3 markers. I gave her crayons because she wouldn't let the argument go, she then took the whole tub of crayons & dumped them all over the kitchen floor, and didn't think a thing about it.  She also found the red nail polish Summer left in reach and started to paint her toes / feet (actually while I was starting to write a blog post) so I VERY calmly & slowly walk over to her and said "oh pretty" while taking it away so she didn't freak out and chuck the whole thing, which would obviously be a huge disaster. She doesn't seem to be fazed by a time out, and gives me a guilty look every time I give her a (gently but firm) spank to her bum. This kid, she is something else. 

She stands at the top of the stairs putting her toes over just enough to give me a heart attack. She thinks this is funny, so she then laughs & in doing so practically sends herself tumbling down the steps. Good thing I'm always right there. She is still learning what "gentle" means, or so she "pretends"...our poor dog. 

I am starting to get the sense that some people think my kids are perfect little angels, at least for the most part, and I have it all together.. FYI, no, no they aren't and no I do not. 

I do post lots of pictures to my instagram and facebook that may make it seem that way, but, they

 (& I) have our days. Not everyday is picture perfect as a photo may lead. I will say, I do try to focus on the best parts of our days though. I try to not complain or vent about my hard days and about my kids being naughty. In doing so I may give people the sense my kids are really well behaved.
(& my eldest, Summer, well, she is pretty close to "the perfect child") ,
but lets be real. they are kids.

I stay home ALL DAY EVERYDAY and we all reach our limits.

when I get asked "what r u doing today" , "what are your plans for the week". 

Well, I will be home, all day, sweats or yoga pants, no makeup, hair in a bun, & having my house destroyed, this will be on repeat for at least 5 days. 

I do leave my house on occasion and do fun things like the Zoo or....well as far as "places" go, the zoo is about it.

(besides a park and staying around home of course)

 I may brave and try to go out to Target to get a few things but it always ends with a whole lot of crying from miss london and always right when we hit the checkout lane, which for some reason seems to take a lifetime while they scan each and every thing.  While we grocery shop, its like a race! Go get fruit and veggies, then go get a cookie which normally buys me about 7 to 8 mins of "kinda" quietness. Then, try to get as many groceries and possible before L takes her last bite. Make sure you have plenty of interesting snacks in your purse, juice and her lovie.  Who cares if your purse now weighs 15 pounds. If it keeps the peace for most of the shopping trip, its worth it. 

Also, do not walk by the toys, candy or things of this nature.

I need to make it clear, that while being a SAHM makes me feel like I am close to being put into an insane asylum at times, I wouldn't change my life for anything, & I truly mean it. Call me crazy.

Yes, my house gets destroyed every second of the day and I am constantly cleaning up, I mean constantly (because I cant stand clutter) picking up food, crumbs from under the table, spills, sippy cups, dog food that London has spread across the house, clothes, diaper changing, laundry, meals, and the list could go on. Kids are professional mess makers, you cant just take out a few toys, clean up and move onto the next one...are you crazy?! 

But, they are making their childhood memories. They are using their imagination, playing and pretending, and sometimes even keeping themselves entertained for a short period and playing together, giggling, so really, it is a beautiful thing. 

This is not just my house but their house too. It is not just my day but their day too.

With all the stressful, frustrating, hard, and LOOOONG days that seem to sometimes never end and seem to never give you a break, the cuddle you get at nap, the kisses you get randomly , and the 

"your the best mommy" you hear from your oldest  make it all worth it.

From one SAHM to another, You can do it!! Hard days come, sometimes more then you would like, But good days come too and the good days ALWAYS trump the bad. 

Always focus on the good of the day. 

Remember the things they learned today, the imagination they used, the games they played, the things you helped them overcome, the memories they made, the fun things they played, the books you read to them. That sounds like a pretty good for them if you ask me.

[This post is not just for the SAHM. It is however geared at the SAHM. But being a mom in general is hard, but good work. & hopefully you can take something from this posting that apply's to you and can help you or give you some encouragement.]

Just remember, you are the #1 person in their life. You are the one there for them 24/7 morning, noon and night. You are the one they love with all their little hearts

 (even when it doesn't seem like it in the moment). 

You are the one they call for in the middle of the night. You stop the crying, you make hard days better for them, you teach them and you show them new thing, new adventures, & love. 

You are raising little hearts and there is no other job as important as that. I promise. 

So when you are having those days where all you want to do is go lock your self in your room 

(like I do), its ok, don't feel bad. We all want to do that sometimes. Just strive to be the best mom you can be for your kids and that is all that matters. 

At the end of the day, when it has been hard for you, just think, it has been a pretty darn good day for them. They never intend to make your day hard or to push your buttons. They are children, and frankly its their job, so to speak. Being a good parent is work, & it is the best thing to "work" on. 

If you work on hard at anything let it be this, being a GREAT mom.

Even when the littlest naps, I still have 1 more child who loves to use her imagination & in doing so this happens.  

(here she is along side her cousin Rylen. Together they are THEE WORLDS greatest mess makers ;))

- this post has taken me a whole 5 days to write. After reading I know you'll understand why ;)

Side note- Mommies, put your phone down (out of reach even), turn off thee electronics & spend quality time with your kids. 

Nothing on social media, or on the news (its mostly crap anyways) is as important as your child.

Go spend quality time with them and invest into their little hearts. no amount of toys, cartoons, or money is as important as your undivided attention to them.

My little Summer is 5 years old, FIVE. I may or may not have had to hold back a few tears coming to gripes with this milestone.

Being a mom,  honestly and truly is like having your children run around with YOUR heart. 

If you are not yet a parent, you wont get it, you cant.

But it is just that and it is the scariest & best thing loving something so much. I thank God every day for giving me my 2 girls. I cant even imagine doing anything else but being their mommy, the best mom I can be, as hands on as I can, and being their for there every second of their every day life. This is my job, my calling & my choice. 

I strive to do my very very best at it.

One thing I think we should all remember when raising our children is that we are raising little hearts. & That is not something to take lightly.

If I fail at everything but succeed in being an amazing mom then I have done my job. 

(& a wife of course! cause thats a huge part as well)

My first born, Summer Victoria Fudge. 

Mommy- "What do you want to be when you grow  up?

Summer- "A doctor, a dentist, a mommy, a worship leader, & a pastor"

I am not the mom to laugh and say "haha! you cant be all those things silly." 

I say "Thats amazing and I think those are all great!! You can be anything you want to be and you would be great at every one of those things!". 

- Don't ever make your child feel like they are dreaming to big or to high. 

Don't ever put any doubt in the heart. 

Throw the books away. Parenting is not a philosophy. Being a good mother does not mean getting your baby to sleep through the night at 3 months. It does not mean enlisting the help of a nanny or expert. Your instincts are the best guide to follow, not a manual. Being a mother means trudging through the muck. It means improvising. It means finding the best fit for you and your child. It means allowing others to judge your choices without doubting yourself. It means doing your best and knowing it.  

Summer- One day when you are big enough you are going to read this. I want to to know that you are an amazing little girl who is already wise beyond her years. You have so much compassion for animals (you get this from your momma ;)) for children, and you always want to bring a smile to peoples face. You care about other peoples feelings, not just your own. You are energetic it,  always up for an adventure. You love to wrestle with daddy and talk about super hero's and ninja turtles, but you adore princesses and all things girly.   You are very gentle and sweet spirited. You save flies from our house, you carefully and gently catch them and let them go free outside 

(still not sure how you manage this, but you do!). 

You are beyond forgiving with your little sister, London, who loves to push your buttons and sometimes just hits you out of the blue,  you just stand there and softly and sweetly say "no hitting". 

You love Jesus and can't wait to learn more and more about the bible. You love your family and try hard to constantly work on being a good listener to mommy and daddy. You are forgiving and you are a loyal friend. You are not afraid to meet new people and you are always open to new friends. Your a good listener and a good talker. you love to learn new things. You love family time and you know the importance of it. You are thankful and love to list everything that you are blessed to have. You believe the best always and look to the bright side of every situation. You are excited for the future and know nothing can stop you! You are a true worshiper and enjoy every minute of our worship time. You are a powerful prayer and love to teach your little sister about Jesus and praying and you set a great example.  

You are amazing. 

We love you so much and we are beyond proud of the big girl you are growing up to be. Keep loving Jesus and keep putting him first in everything you do. Keep reaching for your goals 

Mommy, Daddy & London love you so much.

Keep being a shining star.