From My Kids Closets: Under $25

If I were honest, I would say that every outfit Bug has is less than $25. They're all hand-me-downs. I don't think we've actually bought her an outfit. Maybe a shirt here or a skirt or shirts there. We've been very blessed with all things hand-me-down. 

This was such a nice outfit to have out in Texas. It's just a simple onesie, but I think it's super cute! 

Mountains, Gandalf, mountains

source: national geographic

"i want adventure in the great wide somewhere, i want it more than i can tell." - belle; beauty and the beast

"i want to see mountains again, Gandalf, mountains." - bilbo baggins, lord of the rings

do you ever get the urge to just pick up and go somewhere? the hubs and i have been talking about what the future holds, with his job up in the air, we don't know where that may lead us down the road. we've been here before. the week before we got engaged, the hubs lost his job due to the economy. he was in between jobs until a week before we got married. God always provides. then, in the last couple of months of my senior year, the job that he was in ended. we were again without a job and i was still in school. God provided again with a job, but this job forced us to move 45 minutes away from my school. God still provided. but that was just a temporary job, and 3 months after receiving this job, it ended. i had graduated from school, we were living with my parents, and the whole world was in front of us.

this is when the talk of us moving to Peru to do missions. we prayed about it. talked to the church we were attending then about it, and we were willing to go. we prayed that God would provide us with clear answers as to what He wanted us to do. we left to go visit Texas with an open heart as to what we would do when we returned home. God again provided and let us know where He wanted us. He provided both of us with jobs back home before we left Texas. we knew what we were coming home to. 

We have scrounged for money, been completely up in the air with our future, had no idea where the LORD was going to take us.

Now, after 3 years of consistency, with the hubs having a good job, myself having an amazing part-time job, a beautiful daughter, and living in our house for 2+ years, his job is once again being held in the balance. we've been told that things are changing, but that is the extent of what we've been told. we don't know when things will be changing or how they will be changing, just that things will be changing. 

here we are again at a crossroads. we don't know where God is going to take us this time. all we know is that God will provide. He has provided over and over again in our past, and we trust that He will continue to provide in our future. 

saying this though, i'm here, looking at our unknown future, wanting to go out and explore the world. the travel bug has bitten. i want to go out and explore the world, and i want to take Bug with me. i want her to experience new things and see the beauty that God has created. i want to live simply. love more. and solely trust God to provide everything we need.

do you ever get this way? does the travel bug ever just bite you and make you want to go out on an adventure? i'm thinking out west sounds good about right now...

Mommy Moments Blog Hop!

Hey mamas!
Welcome back for another great week of Mommy Moments Link Ups! Thank you for linking up and for spreading the word last week! We love all of the great posts!

 This week's most viewed link belongs to April from Always Trusting God and her post I'm Going To Be A Nana!  

No matter what the circumstances, a baby is always a blessing from the Lord. That's what Mommy Moments is all about! Congratulations to April and her daughter!

Now it's time to link up your posts! All you have to do is...

1. Follow Host: The Life Of Faith 

 Co-Hosts: The Not Quite Military Wife, Beautiful Family Affairs and The Mrs. 

2. Link up your post!
Post can include anything related to mommy-hood, children, homemaking, pregnancy etc. If you aren't a mom yet, feel free to link up your preparation for motherhood, your journey as you try to conceive, or even a post that would be encouraging to the other moms in the party!

3. Add the Mommy Moments button to your post or blog so everyone knows where you are linking up!

4. Explore some of the other posts in the link-up and say hello to some new blog friends! 

5. Tweet or Share the link up on Facebook so we can all make even more friends!

Tweet

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P.S. We will be having a new guest host every week! Want to be a guest host of the Mommy Moments Blog Hop? Send Faith a message at farmprincess14{at}gmail{dot}com. We would love to have you!

Texas or Bust

Last week the hubs, Bug, and I traveled to Texas to visit the hubs's grandparents. It was the first time they were getting to meet Bug! We left Friday night, after the hubs's long day of work and drove through the night, so that we could get there early on Saturday and have an extra day there. (If anyone is traveling with a baby, I highly recommend traveling through the night! But more on that later.) 

Packing with a baby is always very interesting.

14+ hours of traveling and she was still smiling.

My mother-in-law, sister-in-law, and nieces also made the trek out to Texas to see the family. Bug loved hanging out with the "big girls." She just sat down with them and hung out. This was the only time I got a brief second to myself.

Her first time meeting Pawpaw. Such a sweet moment.

The hubs wanted a picture of him and Bug on the front porch swing at his grandparents because he has one when he was younger.

This was a rare smile from this Bug. She wasn't happy not being in her mommy's arms.

She was saying "that's more like it!"

It was such a nice day thanks to the rain. The temperature had been in the high 90s and low 100s, but thanks to the rain they had dropped. It was nice to enjoy the outdoors and swing. Bug definitely enjoyed being outdoors.

Swinging on the front porch with Memaw. 

Memaw just loved Bug, and Bug loved Memaw. She especially loved when Memaw would sing to her.

This is a typical Bug face. She really did not like not being in my arms. It was a tough few days not being able to leave this little love bug for even a few seconds. Things are much better now that we're home again. She loves her daddy again!

Typical Bug face.

She was over being in her daddy's arms.

She's happy to be in Mommy's arms again, such a little stinker!

Baby-wearing was my saving grace! This Ergo came in mighty handy during the trip. It also helped when Bug wouldn't nap. We would start walking around and she would finally give it up. Then the trick was not to move her too much so she would stay asleep.

It was a great trip. I was so happy that Bug got the chance to meet her great-grandparents, and I can't wait to share these pictures and stories with her when she's older. 

6 Months: 1/2 Year!

weight: 18 lbs 2.5 oz       

height: 26 3/4 in 

eating: every 3-4 hours; we've started solids, so far we've tried peaches, apples, bananas, and avocados.  

tummy time: laying down is out of the question, now that she can sit up that's all she wants to do!

happiness: she is a happy girl for the most part; she's getting pretty clingy though too, she loves her mommy and wants to be attached at the hip 24-7

loves: her mommy, teething toys, car rides, peek-a-boo, Jake and the Neverland Pirates, and music

sleep: we're down to two naps a day and still sleeping through the night!

She's in the 90 percentile for both height and weight. Such a big girl! I believe she got that from her daddy, because this mama is not tall at all. Last month at this time I was wondering if we wanted to start solids. This month we've tasted avocados, peaches, apples, and bananas. Her favorite is definitely avocados. I've got a guacamole fan on my hands!

She was such a happy girl at the doctor's office! Even when she got her shot. This is the first time she hasn't gone all red in the face and started screaming the instant the shot goes in. She got a little fussy, but perked right back up. I was shocked!

Bug has found a new favorite nap spot, her daddy's chair. She just loves sitting in it, and got so comfy she fell asleep. Of course, she wouldn't sleep in her crib that day, so the chair had to suffice. It brought tears to my eyes though, she just looked so big and grown up laying there.

We made the big trip (14+ hours) to Texas this past month to meet Daddy's grandparents, aunt, and uncle. We met up with our nieces there too. She felt so special being able to sit and hang out with the big girls.

She's still in 3-6 month, 6 month, and 6-9 month clothes. Cloth diapers are the same and we're still a size 3 in disposable. 

Dear Bug,

Your daddy and I love you so much! This past month you've learned to sit up on your own, you've started scooting around, and you've stepped up that personality. You got to meet your great-grandpa and great-grandma from Texas and you officially stole their hearts. Everyone was just enamored with you. But I can't blame them, you are pretty cute and adorable. As your daddy says, "you're made of awesome." And I completely agree with him.

Gitchee gitchee goo!

Mommy and Daddy

Friday's Letters

Dear Friday, I can't believe you're here. We're leaving for vacation bright and shiny in the morning and I'm nowhere near ready! Dear hubs, You've been working so hard this week! You deserve this vacation and I can't believe Bug and I get to spend the whole week with you! Dear Bug, You've been such a fuss butt this week! I hope you're teething, and I hope it's over soon. Praying you're ready for that 14 hour drive tomorrow. Dear Texas,  Ready or not, here we come! Dear Bug, You turn 6 months - half a year - new next week. Please stop growing up! Also, when you laid in your daddy's chair earlier, you looked too big! Please slow down Baby Girl!

From My Kid's Closet: Patriotic Outfits

This fourth of July was Bug's first fourth! Unfortunately, thanks to the lovely rainy weather we were having, we weren't able to fully experience the day. In other words, no fire works or parades or anything like that. Instead, we got to snuggle with my family in a little cabin.

There was a brief break in the rain and we were able to go out and hike to a nearby waterfall.

My brother and his girlfriend were also at the cabin with us. It was great to spend time with them and Bug loved trying on Uncle Bo's hat.

Bug's outfit was all hand-me-down, most of her things are.