#CatchTheMoment365 Weeks 3 & 4

Confession: This past week has been kind of crazy, and last Friday I totally neglected to put together my #CatchTheMoment365 photos and link up. So this week I'm squeezing two weeks together. Hope you don't mind!


Catch the Moment - Week 3

1 - Happy 3rd Birthday, Colin!

2 - Birthday party day!

3 - I can't get over Reid's eyes.

4 - Hubs and I snuck away for a movie date!

5 - Boxes are the best entertainment.


Catch the Moment - Week 4

6 - We're really not drinkers, but I enjoy the occasional glass of vino.

7 - Is there anything cuter than bath time?

8 - Sick day snuggles (he had a sinus infection).

9 - Baby's first bacon!

10 - Riding bikes together, aww.

11 - I mean really. This boy has the best smile.

12 - Reid is a climber!

13. Daddy and Colin watching the kids' first snowfall!!

14 - SNOW DAY! ♥

Catch the Moment 365 - Week 2

This week's photos are a little Colin-centric, since today is his birthday!

Ahh! My little man is THREE!

1 - Playing with friends before a lunch date!

2 - My little Apple fanboy in the making.

3 - We eat a lot of apples in the Vaughan household.

4 - Waiting for popcorn to pop.

5 - A little Where's Waldo fun before bedtime.
6 (below) - Last bath as a two year old.

Tomorrow is Colin's birthday party. Eek! More to come. :)

English Muffin Pizzas!

Today I'm linking up with Erin at The View From Five Ten (who I just adore) for Life Created Tuesdays.

This isn't revolutionary, and I'm sure it isn't a new idea, but it is one of the easiest, most kid-pleasing meals I've thought up in a while. Allow me to present... English muffin pizzas!

Ingredients: English muffins, pizza sauce, shredded cheese, desired ingredients.

Assemble, cook, and eat. :) I baked mine on a pizza stone at 400 for about 10 minutes.

See? Two happy campers!

Bonus: You get two for about 7 Weight Watchers points!

Catch the Moment 365 - Week 1

Here's my first full Catch the Moment 365 post; a week's worth of photos documenting the ups and downs of my everyday life. (Yes, I know they're not in order)

1 - Reid likes to sit on his race track toy.
2 - City traffic; a typical work day.
3 - Colin & Reid playing on Sunday morning before church.
4 - Snuggles with my big boy as he plays on the iPad.
5 - Being silly under the covers. We were hiding from bears.
6 - Stuck behind a car at daycare pick-up.
7 - Nursing my sweet boy before bed.
8 - TGIF!

These Are a Few of My Favorite Things

Since I love hearing about what other moms are into, I've put together a list of just a few of the things I'm loving right now. Whether they make my life easier or just make me happy, these are the things I've been thankful to have lately.

Wet Ones Wipes

If you're a working mom like me who uses childcare, and possibly even if you're not, you have PTSD from past cold and flu seasons, and you've developed full fledged germophobia. You can't walk into a public place without thinking about the fact that it's probably crawling with viruses and bacteria. That's why we use Wet Ones Wipes on our hands during cold and flu season to lower our chances of being "that family" that is constantly sick. So far... knock on wood... I think it has helped!

doTERRA Oils

And speaking of staying healthy, a good friend of mine, Corinne, was kind enough to send me a few essential oils to try. Essential oils are natural aromatic compounds found in the seeds, bark, stems, roots, flowers, and other parts of plants (from the doTERRA website). Corinne sent me some peppermint oil, a "cold and flu bomb" blend, "DigestZen," and a "Happy Mommy" blend with a lovely lavender scent.

Each oil has a variety of uses, from staving off nausea, to encouraging sleep, to soothe a headache... and countless others. The one I've used the most is the cold & flu bomb. I rubbed some on Reid's feet to help him through a cold. I was skeptical at first, I'll admit, but per Corinne's instructions, I applied it every couple hours during the day. When I used it, his mucus was clear and runny. When I didn't, it was thick and green. I believe the oils helped keep his cold from turning into a sinus infection, which is kind of amazing.

I have also used the lavender blend on both Reid and myself to help us relax and fall asleep more easily. I can't be sure it's the oil, but he has gone to sleep without any crying over the past week or so.

If you're interested in doTERRA oils, check out Corinne's website or shoot her an e-mail at corinnep27@yahoo.com. She would be happy to answer any questions you might have.


Cozy car seat blankets

This just in: IT'S COLD OUTSIDE. When my sweet friend, Kim, recently had a giveaway for her new shop, Amelia Bee, I entered and won! I was so excited! Colin loves his blanket. You can't tell from this picture, but it's also embroidered with his name. It keeps him nice and warm, and has sleeves so he can still eat breakfast on the way to daycare.

Visit Amelia Bee on Etsy and Facebook!

Bath & Body Works Body Butter

In the winter, my skin gets so dry. Like, beyond the realm of normal dryness, to the point where my fingertips and heels are cracking and sore. The only thing that has saved me this year has been Bath & Body Works Intense Moisture Body Butter. I have it in Moonlight Path, my favorite scent. It smells amazing and feels so good on my skin. I seriously love this stuff, and a little bit goes a long way. I'm not really into perfume, but I do love the way I smell when I'm using a nice lotion.


Just a note, I have not been compensated in any way for this post, other than the oil samples Corinne sent me to try. These really are just some things I've been using and loving lately. I never plug a product or company I don't believe in. I've actually had to turn down some opportunities because I'd rather not write a bad review, or worse, lie and try to sell you on a product I don't use or love.


More to come. Stay warm, friends!

Catch the Moment 365

Hello, friends! Is it just me, or did 2013 whiz by? I took a bajillion pictures throughout the year, but they aren't very well organized in a way that I can easily look through them. That's why I decided to join Sarah, Stephanie and Mindi on their Catch the Moment 365 photo challenge. My goal is to take one photo a day and capture it here. For your sake, I'll pile one week's worth into one blog post so as not to overwhelm you with daily posts. My hope is that by doing this, there will be a nice, cohesive photo stream of 2014 when I'm done. I will post my photos on Twitter and Facebook occasionally, but mostly I plan to just post them here.

I will likely take the majority (if not all) of my photos using my handy dandy iPhone, because for me it's usually the easiest way to.. well.. capture the moment!

Here are this week's #catchthemoment365 photos:

Day 1: My new year's resolution. WHY AM I DOING THIS

Day 2: Colin brought his potty reward sucker into the tub with him.

It's not too late to join me in this challenge if you want to! Happy snapping.

10 Things I Took for Granted Before I Had Small Children

10. Morning showers.

9. Savoring a hot cup of coffee.

8. Having the time to prepare a decent meal.

7. Road trips (see also: vacations).

6. Rarely having to take a sick day.

5. Watching movies with anything above a G rating.

4. Having a tidy house.

3. Spending quality one-on-one time with my husband.

2. Eating at nice restaurants.

1. SLEEP.