Hair & Make Up Before and After Pictures (Micah and Sarah's Wedding)

Yesterday was a great day! I was honored to help with Micah and Sarah-Jane Heist's Wedding. I was in charge of make up and a few of the bridesmaid's hair. I've never done hair for a wedding before so I was nervous. I've never gone to school for hair and make up so I really don't know what I'm doing! I said a little prayer and went for it. Here are a few before and after pics of Rebekah James' hair and make up that I did. 

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Here's Rebekah's twin sister Rachel. I only did her make up.

Here's the back of Genesis' hair that I did. 

It was kind of a crazy day so I didn't get a whole lot of pictures. The wedding was SO beautiful and I cried through the ceremony. Micah and Sarah sure do love each other and I was thrilled to be apart of it. Did I mention that Sarah moved from LONDON to be with Micah? :)  E-Harmony really does work! Doug and I are proof and so are Micah and Sarah!

*I did not do Sarah's hair and make up.*

Here's some past girl's make up I have done for their wedding:

Charlotte Emborg (This was done about 7 months ago)

Andrea Howland (She didn't want the make up too dark. This was in 2006.)

Heather Songstad (She also did not want her make up dark. This was done in 2006 also.)

Me applying it on Heather

No More Excuses (My New Journey to Losing Weight)

Before I had kids and 45 pounds thinner than I am now.

If you could grade my weight loss through my life, I would get a big fat F. I have failed so many times at losing the weight and keeping it off. I was doing so well for awhile... going to Weight Watcher meetings, eating healthy, and writing down everything I ate. I was doing so well that I lost 15 pounds and man, did I work hard for those 15 pounds. So what when wrong? LIFE HAPPEN! What can I say... I eat when I'm stressed... or when I'm happy.. pretty much I love food! I kept saying to myself "no excuses" but after awhile the excuses got the best of me.
 I didn't know how to start up again because it had been two months since I had weighed in at WW. Then, the other day, I decided enough was enough, once again. I loaded up the two kiddos and drove to Redmond. Once I got there, I pulled out the huge double stroller that barely fits in my trunk and put each girl in her spot. I knew I gained weight so I was nervous.
When I entered the building, I stood behind the long check-in desk and waited in line. There was only one person ahead of me and the older WW leader behind the counter was helping her. The lady in front of me glanced over and saw me with my girls. "How far apart are your kids?" she asked.
"13 months apart." I replied.
"Wow. Mine are 17 months apart."
"Yeah, it's a lot of work."
"YES, I almost think it's harder than twins!" she said.
This comment made my day. I know twins are way harder but it's nice to hear that being a mommy of two kids close together is hard!
Then, the lady left and I approached the sweet little lady behind the counter.
"Hmmm, sooo, it's been awhile since I have weighed in...I know I have gained weight...I don't know why I got off track...It's been a tough few months," I nervously said.
"Oh it's okay. Let's weigh you today and start over with a new start weight." She said with a smile.
"Ohh, okay.. we'll you know I have lost a bunch of weight before, but then I had babies.. Oh, and we just moved... and we also are selling our condo.... and...."
"Okay, just step on the scale." She said interrupting me.
I guess she has heard all the excuses before and she stopped me from defending myself.
I stepped on the scale. A sticker printed out and it said I gained 12 pounds. I had lost a total of 15 pounds over the past 4 months and gained 12 pounds of it back. Yup, a big fat F, that's my grade.
On the way home, I was in deep thought as I always am in my car. "How do I know this is the time I am really going to lose the weight and keep it off?" I anxiously thought. Here's my answer. I honestly don't know. However, I do know that if I stop going to meetings and do not write what I eat down, I gain the weight back. Hmmm, so maybe there is my answer, I just need to always go to meetings and weigh in. Simple, right? So here's to my million and one times at losing weight. Wish me luck. No more excuses.

Anna seen at Children's Hospital

I went back and forth about blogging about this. I feel like my blogs haven't been exactly "up beat" lately, however I made a commitment to be honest about motherhood so here I go. 
Anna was diagnosed with Gastroesophageal Reflux at Children's Hospital ER this weekend. It is so significant that she is now considered "Failure to Thrive" and her white blood count is elevated. This explains so much because Anna has been such a fussy baby since she was born. She would spit up buckets and didn't like to eat a lot. I express my concern to her doctor but was blow off several times. Her percentile went from 66% to under 20% in just 3 months and she only gained 1 pound over a 3 month period. This was absolute torture to hear this and I couldn't help but think it was my fault for some reason.
Anna is now on different formula and medication and she is doing SO much better. I am so thankful. This morning though, switching her formula did a number on her little stomach. I finally got her calmed down and was about to "throw a pity party" for myself. Instead of crying, I ran and grabbed my bible and turned off the TV. 


I started to read the chapter we read at church yesterday and I came to...


 "Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all we ask or think, according to the power that works within us." Ephesians 3:20


Hope this verse encourages everyone out there as it did me!

My Purpose as a Mom

I threw myself on my bed last night in pure exhaustion. It was the first time I had rested all day. It was one of those "crazy mommy days" when you seem to be going and going all day and all of a sudden it's 10pm. I was tired and to be honest, a little down and emotional. So I started to think. I thought, "You know, I go and go and go and I have nothing to show for it. If I clean the house, it just gets messy again. If I discipline my child, she just hits her sister again. What is the purpose of all this?" 

After a few moments of incredible selfishness, one word came to my mind...

 Serve

My purpose is to serve, plain and simple...to serve my husband and to serve my children. My job is to raise my children for the Lord. That is quite a huge purpose, if you ask me. So even if the house gets messy again and my daughter is acting up, I know that being a mother isn't for nothing. It's something that honors God and sets a foundation for my children for life.


3 John 1:4
I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.

Gained 10 Pounds

Plain and simple... life is hard sometimes. I know most can relate with that statement. These past few months have been incredibly difficult for our little family. The possibility of losing our home to foreclosure plagued me most nights. Not knowing if our condo would sell and all the money we put into to it to sell stressed me to the max. Then, add two little girls 13 months apart. Yeah, I pretty much been a stressful mess. So you guessed it... I gained pretty much all the weight I recently lost on weight watchers. Very disappointing, but I know I can get back on track. Planning on weighing in this weekend at WW. Fresh start.

When our realtor told us that it would be best if we moved out (which we wanted to anyway), we needed to find a home fast. Our home was on the market and people would be viewing it while we were packing. It wouldn't be very appealing to potential buyers if there were boxes everywhere. Therefore, we did a mad dash to get out as fast as we could. 

Our new home in Bothell wouldn't be ready until Oct 4 so we needed a place to stay for about 3 weeks. I couldn't possibly keep the condo clean enough to show for 3 weeks with two babies. Luckily, my amazing sister and brother-in-law opened their home to us. 

It was awesome seeing my sister and brother-in-law every day and we had a blast a lot of the time, but my girls could feel the change around them. They fought taking naps and sleeping through the night. If Ellie woke up in the middle of the night, then Annabelle would wake up. Some nights I was up 3 times to care for them. Then, I blew out my knee which is new for me, as I have never had knee issues before. This was so very difficult to care for my children when being in severe pain with my knee. I did get some help, but sometimes I was on my own. Then, both my girls got sick together. 

I barely saw Doug because he was getting home so late from commuting from Bellevue to Marysville. It was a long, long 3 weeks, but it paid off. 

We are now in our new home in Bothell and we LOVE it! It's the little things we are thankful for... like a double sink, an extra bathroom, a little yard for the kids to play in. God is always faithful, but I seem to forget that sometimes. My knee is better, the girls are finally getting better health wise and are sleeping better (still not 100%, but they are getting there), and we have a beautiful new home. I'm seeing Doug more. Both Doug and I are finally not stressed so much anymore. No more outrageous mortgage payment that financially drained us. Now we have a reasonable amount to pay for rent ($700 less than what we paid at our old condo!) and we can now get completely out of debt and budget realistically. 

This is what our new home looked like when we moved in. Boxes everywhere!

Now it's time to unpack and decorate! Hello HGTV! Pictures to come of our new home when we are all unpacked. :) 

Here are some pictures of our little yard.