Things I'm loving for spring

  It's finally spring here in Iowa.  After a lovely winter that lasted what has felt like FOREVER we finally have some nice weather and it's finally time to break out the spring clothes.  This spring I am loving color, now don't get me wrong I am still and will always be in love with a classic black piece of clothing, it's my security blanket.  However, this spring there is color popping up everywhere and I am loving wearing it. 

  When I shop I am bargain Betty.  I am not opposed to spending a little more on staple items in my closet but for trendy pieces that are "in" at the moment I am all about the best bargain.  I usually do most of my shopping online because we live in podunk Iowa and the nearest mall is 45 minutes away and shopping with the kids is about as pleasurable as a massage with loud rock music playing.  Thankfully a lot of stores are now offering free returns and free shipping, BONUS! 

  Just last week I found two skirts at Old Navy that arrived at my doorstep yesterday and I am really liking them.  Today I actually wore the embroidered skirt and paired with an off white cardi and leopard flats and a mint bubble necklace. 
   

I love how soft this skirt is and the model must be a ton taller than I am because the skirt hits me just above my knee.  I paired the skirt with the Anna Cardi from Banana Republic.  I purchased this cardi for Easter when they were having their 40% off sale on regular priced items.

I then added some leopard flats that I've had forever from my happy place, Target.  I added a mint bubble necklace that I recently found on Simple Addiction, which you should all check out.

A few other piece I found at Old Navy that I am loving seem to be really versatile and could work for work or a casual day at home with the kids. I love pieces that I can transition from day to night or from spring to summer and then to fall when adding tights and a cardi.

This skirt is very lightweight and will be perfect for summer and can even be a swimsuit cover-up.  The other skirt I purchased recently was from Target and once again I am IN LOVE!  First off I love kelly green!  Not as much as black let's not get crazy people but it may be a close second.  I found this skirt again online because when the kids and I are at Target it's a quick in and out and there is no time for me to look at clothes.  Not to mention we DO NOT EVER go to the back of the store, it is the devil's corner, or as everyone else refers to it....the toy aisle.  If we go back there all hell will break loose and there will be tears and let's get real why would I do that to myself.  Let's just stick to the grocery, pharmacy and card aisles.  Back to the fabulous kelly green skirt, it hits just at the top of my knee and it's fab that's all you need to know.  If you like green snatch this baby up!

The picture does not do it justice, I swear it's not ugly. 

  Now let's chat jewels.  I was in a rut with my accessorizing and then I hit up two websites and found some great pieces that were super affordable and amazingly adorable.  A lot of you have probably heard of them but I'll post them anyway to profess my love out loud.  First is Simple Addiction, they have several items posted daily and I have now placed two orders with them and their shipping is QUICK.  I have placed orders with a similar site and I have had to wait months to receive my product.  With Simple Addiction I received my new jewelery within a week and a half.  The other site I am loving is Groopdealz, I again have placed a few orders with them and again their shipping time is impeccable.  I've been very happy with the products I have ordered and for very little cost I have been able to get a few new colorful pieces to accessorize with.

A few other random things I'm loving this gorgeous May day;

Sleeping with the windows open

17 days of school left and then I am off for the summer and will be home with the kiddos for 3 months.

                                                        Strawberry Icebox cake
This cake is AMAZING!!!  I originally found it on Pinterest and it's so easy to make.  I made it for our small group that was to happen at our house one Sunday evening but a few of our members got sick so we had to cancel.  I may or may not have eaten about 3/4 of the 9x13 pan of this cake.  It's a no bake cake which suits me and my cooking style so well and it tasted like a little slice of heaven.  You can find the recipe here.

What are you loving for spring?

  

  
  

My new favorite jeans

  About a month ago I decided it was time to buy a new pair of jeans. After I lost the pregnancy weight from Kate I was wearing my old jeans which were fine and fit just fine but I wanted something more comfortable. I don't like being uncomfortable in my clothes. As soon as I get home from work or wherever I've been I usually throw my clothes on the floor and put on yoga pants. I've never been one to love jeans. Even as a young child I refused to wear jeans, the thingy in the crotch would bother me and I would only wear what I called black stretchy pants. My mom bought me a few pairs and explained to my teacher that I was not wearing the same pants each day. I was a yoga pants fan from a very young age. I was ordering a few things for the kiddos from Old Navy and decided to try out their Rockstar jeans. At the time they were on sale for $19. If I hated them I could return them and I thought there is no way I would like them. I've been known to spend a pretty penny on jeans and I am a self dubbed jeans snob, all due to the large seam in the crotch. It can't rub, can't be too big, it has to be just right. I know I'm strange, it's OK, I've dealt with it. So I placed my order for the regular length. About a week later they arrived and they are now my most favorite jeans. Seriously people I am telling you, these things are as soft as my yoga pants, I don't mind wearing them long after I get home, while rolling around playing with the kids on the floor. I would sleep in them if I could. My only regret is that I didn't buy in all lengths. I'm 5'6 and the regular length allows me to wear them with flats. I am going shopping this weekend and will be purchasing a pair in the long length to wear with heels. They also make a skinny cut and in many different colors. If you are on the hunt for some new jeans give these a shot, I don't think you'll disappointed.  The seam in the crotch, NOT EVEN NOTICEABLE!

These are the pair I purchased and today they are on sale for $20.  

But look at these, aren't they adorable?  With a long sweater and boots, yes please.  These too are on sale today for $20.

One more and I'll shut up I promise. Again on sale.

How cute are the red ones?  I can't say enough good things about these jeans.  I am in love and so is my wallet.  Give them a whirl!

The internet has to be good for something, right?

   I have been a migraine sufferer since about the age of two. When I was a year and half old I fell down two cement stairs and had a skull fracture, about 6 months later my parents started to notice differences in my behavior, I would bang my head on my crib and scream, they would try to comfort me, I would throw up and then seem fine. After many, many doctor visits I was diagnosed with migraine headaches. So that's the short version of how I got here. Throughout my whole life I've struggle to manage these pesky headaches, I've been to every speciality clinic, done every diet, magic cure, homeopathic route. You name it, I've tried it, thankfully as an adult they are more manageable and there are more options for medications out there.

     Currently, I take a daily medication, and then two medications at the onset of the headache. What my problem is right now is that when I'm getting these migraines they are lasting four and five days. By the time I get to day three I am exhausted, irritable is an understatement and at my wits end. The other problem is that when I keep repeatedly taking my medication for the onset of the migraine it then gives me what are called rebound headaches. It seems to be this never ending cycle that I can't kick. I know not sleeping through the night isn't helping and even when with Brendan taking Kate through the night I still wake up because I hear her. This last time I finally took my medication that knocks me out completely after four days of having a migraine. I was a blubbering idiot, and felt drunk when I woke up the next morning, but it did the trick. This however is not an option when Brendan isn't around or has to be at work. I'm so over these darn things, after 28 years I'm OVER IT! I know there are so many worse things, but honestly I wake up almost every day with some sort of headache, I can not remember the last morning that my head didn't hurt. I'm very blessed that they aren't worse and I can function but they are wearing on me and my body. So I am reaching out to my readers, what do you take for your migraines? Any dietary restrictions that helped you? What has helped you fend your migraines off?  I am all ears, at this point if you told me to stand on my head and try doing the polka I would.

If you have questions about my specific medications I take I am happy to share, I just didn't want to recommend any meds on my blog.  Please feel free to email me at abbyitheewed@yahoo.com

Back to the grind

On August 20th we started on our new journey of me returning to work after a blissful four month maternity leave. I cannot tell you how utterly blessed I feel to have had this precious time with Drew and especially with Kate. Having this extended time has been absolutely amazing and we've had a wonderful summer enjoying the outdoors, going to play dates and I was able to do a wonderful bible study with an awesome group of women.

Although I love being home I truly enjoy my work. I work at our local high school as the academic advisor and the best part, I work part-time. I go to work in the mornings and am home with the kids in the afternoons. Again, I feel so blessed to have great balance and a little bit of the working mom gig and a bit of the stay at home mom gig.

Our mornings now start bright and early at 5:30AM when I get up and start getting ready. By the time I'm out of the shower my early bird Drew has usually awoken and I go to get him from his room and am greeted with the most cheerful "hi mommy"! Best start to my day! Drew hangs out and had some milk while watching Mickey Mouse or Sesame Street, I slap some make up on and get my breakfast ready. By this time Brendan is getting up and getting ready and my little sleepy head Kate is usually still fast asleep. She is the total opposite of her brother.

By 7:20AM Kate is up having a bottle I am rushing out the door, Drew is munching on his breakfast and our whirlwind morning has once again gone as well as it could. Brendan takes the kiddos to our small in-home day care around 8AM, I work until noon and then pick them up and we all meet at home for the noon hour.

Going back to work has given me a greater appreciation for a schedule. I am not good when I'm home to set our own schedule. If we stay in our jammies until 10AM no biggie. Having me back at work really has me feeling more organized and more on top of our schedule as a family.

Kate seems to be thriving off the new schedule. The wee little peanut has decided to sleep through the night most nights and was so excited she went to day care when she got home after her first day she rolled over.

Drew is thrilled to be back with his friends daily and comes home each day talking about the train table and the beloved kitchen. He's also taken a liking to our day care providers tuna noodle casserole.... I may throw up. I hate tuna. More power to the little man!

All in all we had a great summer, but it's nice to be back, I feel I have a great balance, less sleep but good balance with life right now. It won't always go this smoothly, but I can only hope.

A post with no pictures is severely boring so here are the latest pics from our friend Amy Doerring.


















- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Happy Father's Day

I feel like this picture was taken yesterday.



You are our little boys hero and our little girls first love.



Our babies look at you with such awe and wonder. They love you and your bedtime snuggles, your sweet kisses and your tender touch. You are their everything and I am forever blessed for the most precious gifts you have given me.







Happy Father's Day my love. You are the most wonderful daddy! We love you!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Ask US anything

I have a bunch of new followers lately, hi to all of you!! Much love and thanks for following! So I thought I would bring back one of the posts that has gotten the most hits, Ask me anything but this time I'm going to give it a bit of a twist, you can ask US anything. Us meaning me, Brendan, Drew and even Ruby the dog!
This is a no holds bar free for all on all topics, we are pretty much an open book, but please remember my mom reads this blog... Anything from pregnancy, to marriage to toddlerhood, go for it! Fashion, cooking, exersice, it's all fair game.
So have at it, we are all yours, what are your burning questions for all of us here at Life with B&A? I'll leave this post up until Monday and then start answering questions. So come out and say hello, especially if you've just recently started following, if nothing else just to say hello!

Ciao! We can't wait to read your questions!




- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

10 things you may not know about me

As you can tell I am having a blogging block today.  Couldn't think of anything better to entertain you, so I thought I would let you in on a few random and I mean random things about moi!

So here goes nothing!

1. I was a high school track champion.  4x400 relay, and today you would have never thunk!

2. I am head over heels in love with watermelon!  I have been known to eat a whole one in one sitting.

3. I DVR Oprah EVERY SINGLE DAY!  Love that lady!

4. From the age of 3 I had a donkey that I slept with all the way until college.  He now has a home in a box beneath our bed.  He has no hair on his head or tail left.  He was very loved.

5. I was a dancer from the age of 3 until I graduated high school.  I have tubs full of spandex and sequined costumes.  The pictures are pieces of work!  Sequins and spandex are not a match made in heaven!

6. When I was 1.5 years old I fell down 3 cement stairs and got a skull fracture.  This would explain a heck of a lot!  In all honesty I was fine, although my migraines did start about 6 months after my fall.

7. I am deathly afraid of snakes.  I mean deathly!  I can't see them on TV in a book, not to mention in person, I lose it!  Hate those suckers!

8. I have never seen the movie Goonies.

9. I have a distinct love for Coke.  Not Pepsi, Coke, there's nothing like it.

10. When I'm up late at night feeding Drew, I watch DVR'd episodes of Jersey Shore.  It's a train wreck, but better than watching some AB Flex infomercial.



Warning.....gross pics ahead!

Don't say I didn't warn you. As I was looking through our pictures that we have saved on our computer I came across some pics from Father's day 2007. We were living in northern Iowa in our first home and we had a good college friend of B's staying with us.

On sunday afternoon we decided to take my in-laws boat out. We shouldn't have since it was way too windy, but we thought our friend hadn't been on the lake before and we should go. All in the the ride was dandy and as we were coming into the slip it got a bit rocky. Well B got the boat in the slip and said " hey Ab, I need to get some weight out of the boat so I can get it up" the boat was bouncing around and it could badly damage the boat.

So I started to get out of the boat set the cooler and my bag on the dock, went to get out and slammed my head into the boat lift. It was a blunt metal piece that hurt like a mother. I thought I had just smacked it pretty hard and I would have a nasty bump. Well I put my left hand over the top of my head and stepped back onto the boat and immediately B ran to me.

I then sat down and took my hand down from my head, it was covered and I mean covered in blood. Ouchy!! Apparently it was also running down my face at this point. B said " honey I need to get the boat up, Shannon is going to help you out and get you upstairs and I will be right up". Our friend Shannon helped me up, and I walkeed up to my in-laws house, got some ice and a rag that I soaked through in about 3 minutes.

So after all that debacle B took me to the hospital and I ended up having to get 6 staples, and a tetnus shot, I hated the shot more than the staples.

So the little joke is that I had sent my dad his gift early and I told him that I emailed him one more gift, he has the same twisted sense of humor as I do. Well he took it to his staff meeting Monday morning and put the pics up on the projetor and said " look what my daughter got me for Father's day". Anyway, seriously, do not go any further if you don't want to see some gross pics, nothing too bloody, but still my head is cut open.

After I got home from the ER, I immediately put my pj's on, I have no idea why it was around 4pm in the afternoon! You can see that my hair id red on the right side of your screen, thankfully I could wash it the next day!

I was most worried that they would have to cut my hair, but they didn't!

Looking a little rough, and had a bad headache! Please excuse the tatas and pj's.




Have a great weekend!