Silhouettes Prints.

I am just slightly obsessed with silhouettes.
I love the look of them.
Recently we re-arranged our basement and I can now finally focus on filling some empty walls with something.
At first I thought about doing some lovely canvas prints, but then I found this cool gallery of silhouettes and I knew. I can't figure out how to import pins from pinterest anymore?! so click {here} to see the link.

Graphic design has my heart. I know just enough to be dangerous. I love creating and editing and I figured I could do this easily. And I did.

Here are the photos I have thus far--I would love to do this for a living. Create cool digital art for people. So if you like what you see and want me to do some for you with YOUR photos let me know and we can talk. :) Otherwise I will keep designing for myself.

This is my favorite one. And I made it. :)

Imagine this in a lovely, girly, frilly rectangle frame.

My love bear back when he had his paci all.the.time.

This photo was taken by my friend Ginger. I loved the composition.

If you are interested contact me at mkeethler{at}gmail{dot}com

Cold and Flu Bomb

In the previous post I mentioned we were hit by the flu and cold bug.
Chad was definitely hit the hardest.
The kids and I were more cold/sinus-ish.
However I was on a mission to beat this thing and quickly.
"Ain't nobody have time for that."

On my RD blog I wrote about the miracle of essential oils. If you aren't on the essential oil bandwagon you might get a ticket and try it out. I promise you will be amazed.

My favorite blog regarding essential oils {EOs} is CampWander. You should check it out. I linked her getting started post. I don't know a lot, but I have been impressed with the results.

I know you may not be on board yet, but check this video out on how viruses spread. I spent one small group evening laughing at my germ-a-phobe friends and their persistent need to wipe down carts and drown in purell {my hubby is guilty of this of well} while me; you won't ever catch me doing that. Why? because viruses like the flu are airborne. All the purell use and hand washing (which actually I am a greater advocate of than purell using) isn't going to keep that sneeze that your friend just had from floating up your nose and gettin' busy.

Don't believe me watch this: {for the science nerds out there like me!}



Believe me now. You need a strong immune system. One that is ready to fight before you notice you are sick. I am living proof. Chad bathes in purell after touching darn near everything. Guess who brought home the flu? Well, it wasn't me who only washes hands AFTER I arrive home. It wasn't the kids who do the same and are very rarely sick. {In Chad's defense he is seldom sick too.}

Here is why EOs are so effective. More effective than OTCs and drugs.
Please click HERE and check out her post. I don't want to steal her thoughts.

The short and sweet of it if you don't click over, is that EOs can PENETRATE the cell and get to the virus while it is doing it's thing. Synthetic drugs can't. Hmmm. Interesting.

Okay back to my scientific trial this past week.

I found this recipe for the "cold and flu" bomb. The thing about using EOs is making sure you have EOs on hand to create these recipes. I am slowly building my supply up; and thanks to my neighbor I had all I needed to get this protocol going. We did the foot rub.

Recipe:
3 drops each of Oregano, Sheild or Theives and Melaleuca {tea tree oil variety} in either a 00 capsule, shot glass with at least 2 TBSP of water or rubbed on the feet using a carrier oil like coconut.
Dose every 3 hours until symptoms start to slow or disappear and then CONTINUE for 3 more days 3x/day. This makes sure the virus is good and dead.

I used tea tree oil and mixed my own Sheild/Theives since I couldn't get my hands on any.

Chad he wasn't that into it so he stayed sick. The kids and I got better and we are on day 3 of the protocol and when we woke up this morning we were feeling much much better. To prove my theory we only took our mucuinex meds for 1 day. Chad he is still on them. He finally came around one night as he was coughing up a lung. I begged him to trust me and give the cough/decongestant protocol a try.

His cough stopped within 5-10 minutes and he didn't really cough again until the next morning.

I think I am completely hooked. Again, I am totally grateful for modern medicine, but sometimes it is nice to get back to mother nature and let her cure us. Sometimes mother nature knows best.

I will keep testing out things and using us as guinea pigs.
Let me know if you have tried anything and what has helped you!

Peace Out!

P.S. Also keep your home healthy and sanitized by diffusing sheild/theives in a diffuser. If you don't want to buy a fancy diffuser you can use other alternatives, like your humidifier, scentsy warmer, or old fashion reed diffuser. I am using one of my scentsy warmers with water and 2 drops of my DIY theives. It is my understanding this helps grab those airborne germs and helps get rid of them. So we will be diffusing this from now until spring.

Birthday Party Diego Style.

On Thurs Chad came down with the flu.
Saturday was party day for a cute little 3 year old boy.
There was no way we could post pone. This face just wouldn't understand.

We pressed ahead. I wasn't feeling great, but nothing was going to stop me. The joy on his face was worth it. Besides it was only a little family party and the grandparents were also willing to brave our germs to bring joy to his face.

MW wanted a Diego party. I figured that would be easy and waited until the last minute to prepare. Apparently Diego is no longer "cool." Dora yes, Diego no. I don't get it Diego is far superior in show, songs and content than Dora. I digress.  So we went to 4 different stores looking for Diego stuff; 2 of which were party stores. When we walked into Party City my words were "Buddy, if we can't find Diego stuff here we are in trouble."
We walked all around and found no Diego stuff. Micah just hung his head in disappointment and kept uttering "we.are.in.TROUBLE." in the saddest voice possible. Bless his heart.

I took his plea to facebook and a friend offered up her Diego cake pan. I was scared. I was not sure I could pull it off. It turned out okay. I stored it in the oven.

We got pizza for his birthday dinner. Of course you have to pre-heat the oven...

Of course step 1 would be to remember to take the cake OUT of the oven first. At least it wasn't a complete loss. But geez. 

MW was still happy.

He was really into his party this year. And kept begging to open presents and then eat cake. A boy with a plan. Apparently this is his new face.

I made him a tent for his room, but I need to sew a few pieces together to make it work. Looks like he liked it.

He made the best faces. This is Lo's gift to him. Totally thrilled!

He loved all his stuff. I was so proud of everyone for keeping the party gifts minimal this year. It was perfect.

Cake time!

He gets so embarrassed? scared? nervous? when we sing him Happy Birthday. The day of his actual birthday the 3 of us burst into his room and started singing to him. He ran out and sat in the living room with his face covered. So different from the socialite. aka Lo.

We gave him the mouth piece. Any guesses as to why?! :)

Ah, and here we are with the GPs. My mother was giving me a hard time about my P365. She felt as if the GPs were not included near enough. Well, here you go mom. I may or may not use these. :)

It was a perfectly low key party. We had thought about doing another joint birthday bash at the Y again this year, but at the last minute I opted against it. And I am SO glad. 1. Honestly, I just don't get the big over kill we do on toddler parties. I think it is okay once in a while, but year after year it gets to be exhausting; especially people who have more than one child. I had maybe 2 big birthday parties from age 1-31 and you know what-- I turned out mostly okay. No major counseling issues to speak of. ;) Sometimes intimate family parties are best.
2. They are expensive and I would rather just focus on investing in my kids with my time and money.
3. We all were sick and we would have had to cancel if other kids were involved. So it all worked out.

Happy 3rd Birthday Micah. I can't believe how fast your are growing up.
MW: "It's okay mom, I will be your baby forb-ever"

MW 3.0 {Watch Me Grow}

Oh Micah puppy you are 3.

Three is a very hard age for me. Shoot this whole year is already a hard year.
You are turning 3 and Lo is turning 5 in a month!
When you turn 3 it means you are halfway done being home with mommy full-time. In a blink, just like your sister, you will be 5 and off to kindergarten and we enter a new chapter.

Honestly, I had to stop and double check my math that you were in fact going to be 3! I keep looking at the invitation thinking there is a type-o. Sort of a surreal moment. You were/are the baby and now no more. I really kind of miss those baby days. {I can't NOT believe I, Michele, just utter those words, but it is true--I miss them.}

But I love these days. Watching you become such a little man and your personality blossom in a BIG way.
For starters, and I really don't say this to hurt your feelings, because it hurts people's feelings when people say this---don't ask me how I know-- but you are super super loud. As in 2 volumes. OFF or FULL BLAST. I love you, I do, but man this is something I never understood my parents saying to me until now. SHHHHH!

You talk. ALL.THE.TIME. Both of you do. There isn't a moment of dead silence unless you are both asleep. You have so many stories you want to tell and you get so caught up in them you start stuttering. I think it is so cute when your brain is racing and you mouth can't keep up. Bless you heart when sissy is around you can't get a word in edge wise, so to compensate you talk fast!

Oh and your little voice. Precious.


MW 3.0 from Michele Keethler on Vimeo.

At some point I will write out his answers. He is intense and you can see how with his sister around he gets overwhelmed and can't talk and I look ridiculous trying to speak for him. HA! Enjoy.

You also have 2 speeds. Asleep or running--fast. You are just full of energy. You love life. Not the people in it so much. You are an introvert like mommy. People don't understand this, but people and socializing suck the life blood from us. It is exhausting to socialize. Whenever we get home from being at the gym for 2+ hours {due to mommy working} you are beat. The first thing you want is to crawl into bed with your paci and blankie and just chilax. Totally get it buddy. I am right there with ya!

Yes, we still have our paci at age 3. I have said it before and I will say it again. I feel no guilt about this at.all. none. You are "weaned" down to just naps and bedtime. And most nights when I check on you you don't even have it in your mouth. I think at this point it is just a soother and helps you "unwind." Fine by me, we all have our vices. :)

You are the best sleeping kid I have. You put yourself to bed when you are tired. You go to bed with zero to very minimal fuss. You sleep all night {8p-730a}. In your OWN bed. You are my snuggler and lovie bear.

You can melt this momma's heart in an instant. You say the sweetest things to me which make you my favorite---son.

This is all I can re-call at this moment. The video covers the rest of the pertinent memories.

Birthday Montage.

{newborn} Where has the time gone. GAH! My baby boy. The little boy I never knew I ALWAYS wanted. I love you so much. Just yesterday as I was putting you to bed I was thinking about all the things as parents we do, change and sacrifice for our kids. Things people without kids just don't understand or would "never" do. But it really is like having your heart walking around outside of your chest. You will do anything, ANYTHING to protect it and keep it safe.

I look at you and think about how I didn't want a boy, why did I ever think that?! The joy, laughter and energy you have brought into our lives is unparalleled to that of your sister's. You both bring this special ying and yang to our lives. I just can't imagine a moment with out you---you hoot bear. :)

{6 months}

{10ish months}

{12 months}

{14ish months}

This face. Is my favorite. You still do this when you are excited and happy. Love it.

{1.5 year}

{2 years}

{2.5 years}

Stats:

wt: 28-30ish #

ht: 3ft 2in. {taller than Lo at 3.5--nuts}

clothes: 3T tops/3T pants with cinched up tight waist with a belt. 

shoes: 9 {same size as Lo! again nuts.}

you still need a diaper at night and naps--4T huggie slip-ons.

Happy 3rd Birthday Micah Bear!!! 

We love you SOOOOO much!!!

Christmas Pt 2 and First Movie

Christmas continued a few days later when my sister's family got in. We haven't seen them since this summer and even then we weren't all together. This was a great visit and it was so fun to see the cousins play together. There is something about family that just makes friendship sweeter. I suppose it is because you know family isn't going anywhere even when  you may be in rocky times. My kids don't have cousins on Chad's side. They have lots of friends they play with, but watching them with their cousins is entirely different. Anyone relate? {no pun intended :)}

So here is the recap of our Christmas.

First though, I wanted to share these Christmas Morning pics. I am really trying to learn manual. This is why photogs charge so much, because this isn't an easy skill. I want the tree to glow, but my subjects were squirmy and made the shots blurry. :/ So much to learn still. {So grandma Rachel these may not print the best. :) }

I just love daddy and the kids. I love now that the kids are older seeing how their mannerisms reflect Chad's and sometimes mine. :)

This family is my world.

Back to Christmas with the cousins.

Both my kids love babies. I mean LOVE. Makes me a tad sad now that we won't have another baby to watch them with. Thank goodness for baby Gannon. They were so excited to see him again. He is so freakin' cute and those blue eyes. My kids never had eyes like that.

First things first family pics.
Sisters. We are clowns.

My parents should be proud. 

Grandkids. Hollis was a bit sad. 

One thing I am good at is capturing each kid for who they are. :) Pretty much sums them up.

Jensen clan.

Us. 

Gift time!

Kind of a weird picture, but the kids just saw Despicable Me and loved it. Auntie Meg got them 1 and 2 and both kids immediately saw it and shouted "PICK-able-ME!!!" I just love how they say it.

Oh my little mommy in training. She didn't ask for hardly a thing this Christmas. But when she laid eyes on this baby doll kit---it was all she wanted, well that and the bike. :)

Remember in the last post "33 put your pants on." Yep, this is what we are talking about. Poor boy his pants hardly ever stay up. He needs a belt.

Texting on her "iPhone."

Daddy wasn't left out of the spoils. This year we decided to swap names and spend more money on 1 person vs small gifts for everyone. Daddy got a small tv for the upstairs. Yay! No more vintage 1980s VHS tv. Although, that was a good tv.

I had Kreg. He got money for his bow and arrow. BUT the boys are always teasing my mom that her ham dinner is too salty and they need gatorade...so naturally I gave him some gatorade with his money.

Then we had a SNOW BALL fight! Auntie Misa is so good about getting down on the floor and playing.

Praying before Christmas lunch. PRECIOUS!!

Well I guess that sums up our Christmas. It was a lot of playing and catching up.

 We went over every night to play and one afternoon we took the girls to their very first theater movie!! Frozen!! Seriously the.best. Disney movie yet!

I can't tell you how special it was that the girls got to do this milestone together with my mom and sister Meg. 

They were so cute. They ate popcorn non-stop. Landrey kept saying things loudly. Like "which princess am I?!" "Meg, look a moose. You love those!" She was so funny. They both were so good and fun to watch. And they were quiet nearly the whole time. 

 They were so excited!!!

This was the girls the whole time. 

Can't wait to see it again!