ONE YEAR

     In just TWO days, Lucas will officially celebrate his first birthday. :-)  And, I get to celebrate an entire year of NOT being pregnant, lol. Earlier this week the kids and I headed outside to do a photo shoot for little man and needless to say, we had a blast. Here is a peek into our shoot:

     Enjoying peace and quiet for the first time in what feels like an eternity...and the first thought that pops into my head, "IT'S TOO QUIET!!"  I'm sure you've guessed by now that the kiddos aren't here, lol. Noah and Hales are spending the night with my Mom and little Lucas is snoozing away. I already miss my babies like crazy but am thankful for this little break. And then tomorrow, Caleb's Mom is picking the kids up and watching them for the day while we go get our health screenings done. :-)
     Not too much excitement has been going on around here. I did officially start preschool with Noah and Haleigh. We kicked off with The Very Hungry Caterpillar, then Dr. Seuss and this week we have focused on The Farm. :-)  I try to incorporate as many fun things as I can; for example, when we did our Dr. Seuss theme, we didn't just read Green Eggs and Ham...we ATE it, lol.  And yesterday I took the kids to a local produce store where they had a chance to learn about different fruits and veggies...and the greatest part is everything was grown just a few miles from there.
     Lucas will officially turn ONE in a month and five days and I'm like "Where did the time go?!?"  That little man has stolen my heart and I fall more in love with him every single day. I sometimes marvel at the ability the heart has to grow and grow to accommodate so much love. I couldn't thank God enough for my beautiful family; an amazing hubby and three precious kids.
     I'm hoping to start a new bible study today so I'm going to go and do that before Lucas wakes up. Hope each of you is having an amazing Thursday.

This and That

     Today is the first day in over two weeks that all the kids have taken a nap at the same time. I was pretty shocked when Noah picked up his blankets and headed towards the bedroom; guess we wore him out this weekend. I'm just thankful to have a little downtime because I woke up with a horrible migraine, which thankfully, felt a little better after taking some medicine.
     Not too much has happened around here recently. We did find out that my Hubby has a week long business trip coming up in October. The positive side to this is that I am able to tag along. I think we will take Noah and  Hales too, since they can really enjoy the beach. Poor Lucas just tries to eat the sand and I'm not sure I can keep up with all three of them while Hubby is attending business meetings during the day. We are blessed with great friends who have volunteered to watch Lucas, though, so VERY thankful for that.
     Well, my break was short lived...my little Noah Bug just walked downstairs, awake from his nap. :-)  Hope all of you has a blessed day!!

Living Lighter

     I spent my morning going through all my clothes and ridding myself of anything I haven't worn in a year or more. I have a habit of holding onto everything...especially clothes. But I feel surprisingly "lighter". Like a weight has been lifted and I can enjoy all the extra space that I now have in my closet. The challenge will be getting my Hubby to agree to do the same, lol. He is just as bad as I am about not wanting to part with anything.
     I feel like I've finally got my photography business up and going the way I have always dreamed about. In the next week, I have THREE photo shoots and am praying for more bookings to follow. I truly feel this is the direction God is leading me...to be a stay at home Mom AND pursue my dreams of photography. God is so good and I know that He will guide me regardless of the plans in store. For anyone in need of photos, please visit my website www.photographybyraquel.blogspot.com when you get a chance.

gods at war

     Truly enjoying our new study called gods at war, by Kyle Idleman. It's main focus is on the heart and how there are false gods at war within all of us. The reason that we aren't following Jesus as we should is because we are focused on the little g gods; for example, entertainment, sexual desires, food, work...you name it. If it's taking your focus off of God, then chances are, you have formed it into an idol. Not to say that these things are bad, as God created each of them for our enjoyment. It's just that when we replace God with anything, it takes our focus off of eternal life and puts the spotlight onto wordly things.
     After reading half of the book and delving more into scripture, I'm actually quite surprised at how many "idols" I've set up in my home. When reading the Bible, or when hearing someone mention the word idol, images of bronze monkeys with big bellies or statues of two headed women come to mind. But think of it this way...Idleman tells the story of a friend he knew who had visited another country for a mission trip. The family he was staying with (along with most families in that country) had an idol placed on what we would call a mantel. Every piece of furniture was arranged to face (and worship) this idol. When I first read it, I just shook my head and thought "that's horrible...what a sad life". But then as I read farther into the book, Idleman makes a good point...what, in our American  homes does our furniture face? TELEVISION!! And then I thought, we don't have just one tv in our home...we have three. :-(  And then I started thinking about the amount of time I spend watching pointless shows, feeling bored and how little time I've spent in reading scripture and seeking God's face...and how sad that made me.
      This week, I'm making an effort to fast from several things that I've set up as idols in my home. There will be less tv, less junk food, and by far...less computer time. I will spend these hours with my family, enjoying their company and learning/teaching scripture. I am so thankful that the Lord has opened my eyes to my wrong doings of idol worship.

ABCs and 123s

     Can't wait to officially begin preschool with the kiddos next month. :-)  I've slowly been building my teaching collection and can't wait to put it to use. I've got workbooks galore, new boxes of crayons and colored pencils, coloring books, flash cards, and bought a bulletin board today. The kids (and ME) are so excited to be learning at home. I am so thankful that the Lord blessed me with the opportunity and ability to stay at home and teach my children. I'm not saying that every public school is bad, nor do I look down on those who choose public school for their families...I'm just saying this is the right decision for us, based on our thoughts and beliefs. And the cool thing about this is that the majority of my friends will also be homeschooling, so the kids will have the social interaction that's needed for their ages. :-)
     Please pray for us as we embark on this new journey. I blinked and Noah Bug turned into a little boy on me, lol. It's hard to believe that our son will be starting Kindergarten next year, but I can't wait to see all that he accomplishes. If anyone has any homeschooling/preschool advice, please send me an email...I'd love to hear from you. My new email address is rljohnston26@outlook.com

New Glasses!!!

  

     I got my new glasses in the mail today. I am so thankful I came across the Zenni Optical website because for some majorly expensive glasses, I only paid $40. I'm still kind of bummed my optical condition won't allow me to wear contacts, but at least I have an awesome website to order from that doesn't cost an arm and a leg. :-)
     An update on my PMDD...my meds are working out GREAT! This is my first full month back on them and I am so thankful I made the decision to discuss my mood swings with my doctor. I've felt WONDERFUL the last couple of weeks and am back to my old self again. Hubby is super thankful for that since I'm not biting his head off over every little thing these days, lol. I'm currently only taking 50 mg for the first two weeks of my cycle and 75 mg for the luteal phase. If for some reason I revert back to the inability to control my emotions, worst case scenario is we up my dosage. I'm just praising God that I was born in a time where these types of conditions are well known, publicly discussed, and able to be treated.
     Off of here now to finish up Season 2 of Pretty Little Liars. My sister in law got me hooked on it and now it's impossible to stop. Sooooo thankful the kiddos are taking their naps today because it's going to be nice to have a small break.

RUBBER DUCKY

    Woke up this morning feeling better than I have in WEEKS! Apparently I had a vitamin B deficiency so after taking supplements for a few days, I really do feel great. I've spent this afternoon planning my youngest son's FIRST birthday party. I can't believe almost a year has went by, but time does seem to fly when you're having fun. :-)
     I decided on a rubber ducky theme for his party. I've been browsing Pinterest (only my most favorite website these days) and have come across so many adorable ideas. Thoughts of little duckies floating in punch bowls and pitchers decked out with yellow polka dotted ribbons keep going through my mind, haha. Can't wait to celebrate with all of our friends and family. Also, we have decided to rent a bounce house for that day, which should be fun. It's mostly for the older kids but I'm sure Lucabear will have a blast too.
     Any who, hope everyone is enjoying their day and will write again when I have a bit more time...which is rarely.

A Shout Out to all my Mom Friends

Vacation in Photos

EIGHT MONTHS OLD!!

    I can't believe it but as of yesterday, the littlest Johnston turned 8 months old. Little Lucas is full of himself these days and about to drive his Mama crazy. He is by far the bravest out of my three and isn't scared to try anything; eating anything and everything he finds, climbing down our stairs, rolling off the couch etc. Praise the Lord we've been keeping such close eyes on him or I'd hate to think about the trouble he'd get himself into, lol. He has already tried walking on his own, although fell after 2 steps and has been scared to try again; I'm secretly thankful because I am just not ready to have another toddler in the house yet. It's amazing to me the amount of baby proofing I have to do again...seems like yesterday we were going through our checklist of things to keep out of Haleigh's grasp. :-) I couldn't ask God for a sweeter baby, though. Luca Bear is always smiling unless he is hungry and raises everyone's spirits with just one look. Poor thing is always the victim of cheek pinching, though, as he was blessed with his Mama's chubby face, haha. After vacation, we will begin planning his first birthday party in which I will probably cry like a baby.

Diagnosis...

    What an absolutely crazy night we had, lol. Apparently, the full moon sent my kids into super hyper mode, as none of them wanted to go to sleep. Noah was the first out but only after screaming (and I mean top of the lungs belting) for half an hour. Hales kept sneaking out of her room and would yell and cry if we closed it (thus waking up Lucas). Needless to say, it was a fairly difficult night but Hubby and I managed to giggle about it, Praise the Lord!! And the kiddos were all asleep by a little after 11pm so, not TOO bad.
     Last week was rough for me, emotionally. Under the advice of my OB/GYN I tapered off my Zoloft around two and a half months ago. Things went well for the first couple of weeks until about a week before my period. And then, it was like a switch flipped and I was just not myself. Anger like I've never felt before surged through me and I couldn't stop crying. The kids just kept saying "I'm sorry you're sad Mommy" which really broke my heart. I thought it still might have something to do with pregnancy related hormones so I chose not to call my doctor, and it ended up lasting until about the 3rd day of my cycle (so a week total). Everything went pretty well, up until early last week, yet again, about a week before my period. And then the anger, severe mood swings, crying etc. started back up, except way worse than last month. I talked with Caleb and told him I knew something wasn't right. We have fought more in the last couple of months than we ever have in our entire relationship, so that should have been a red flag. It was just so hard to think when all of this was going on with my body. Anyways, after a long chat with Hubby, I decided to set up an appointment with my OB. After a series of tests, I was diagnosed with PMDD. For those of you who aren't familiar with it, it's a severe form of PMS, basically. If you want to read more about it, here is the link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Premenstrual_dysphoric_disorder
     I was also diagnosed with seasonal affective disorder, which apparently is closely linked to people who suffer from PMDD. Anyways, that's basically that the seasons effect my moods, which I guess I've noticed but always thought was normal. Like, during the winter I always feel really bored and down, but it's because I have cabin fever. With three little ones, it's impossible to go outdoors too often because at such young ages, one of them is bound to get sick. So yeah, last week was a little rough for me.
     Now I'm left with how to deal with this news. At first, I was really upset about having to go back on my meds (I'm back on the Zoloft for now) and just felt guilty, like I was letting my family down. I HATE being dependent on any medication but after a phone call to my best friend, she reassured me that I was doing the right thing. And, after a week of finally feeling stable again, Caleb and I are back to getting along. He has been so supportive and kind throughout all of this. I know it was putting my family through hell and I am so thankful I made the decision to go ahead and speak with my doctor. I have a follow up appointment in July to discuss things further so please be praying that the visit will go well.
     I am so thankful that Sunday we will be leaving for our vacation. After everything that's been going on, not just with me, but other issues, too, I can't wait to lay back on the sand and soak up some sun. Just being able to spend uninterrupted time with my family is awesome...and be on the lookout for a TON of pictures when we get back. :-)  Hope each of you is having a wonderful, blessed Monday.

TRUTH!!

A Girl's Life

Just Bloggin'

     Currently enjoying some peace and quiet while the kiddos are napping. We are having some crazy weather today complete with wind, hard rain, and power outages. I just saw on the news that Roanoke College closed for the day due to down power lines and trees, which is crazy, because for those of you that know anything about RC...they NEVER close. I'm just praying this storm is finished when it's time for my Hubby to head home. Yesterday he was over an hour late due to a bad accident on the interstate which he missed by like five minutes; if it hadn't been for him forgetting something and having to run back into the office, I don't even want to think about what may have happened. *sighs*  Praising God for looking out for my family.

     I'm really looking forward to this upcoming weekend because I'm taking Hubby out for Father's Day on Saturday to celebrate FOUR YEARS of being a Daddy (and yes, we count parenthood beginning at conception). I am so thankful that our babies are blessed to have Caleb as their Dad because he truly rocks at this whole parenting thing. We will be having lunch and then I'm letting him pick which movie he wants to see, because let's face it...going to the movies is a luxury these days. :-)  Then, on Sunday, we are getting together with family after church for hotdogs and hamburgers on the grill...YUMMY! 

     Guess I'm off of here for now. I'm trying to come up with a good recipe for dinner but as tomorrow is grocery day, we are pretty much down to nothing. Gonna use my mad Mama skills to whip up something delish from our bare cupboards! Hope everyone has a great rest of their day!! Blessings to each of you.

A.C.E. 4 Weeks

Size 10 pants (loose) 158 lbs

   I lost no weight this week but did lose more inches. I started out four weeks ago wearing a size 12 pants, super tight, and now am wearing a size 10, which are loose!! :-)  Here is my first day of ACE photo compared to today and I can definitely tell I've dropped in weight and size!!

Size 12 pants (tight) 165.4 lbs

Business Trips, and Ranting, and Whining..OH NO!

     Okay...I'm going to rant for a second. I won't give specific details but I WILL say this...just because your style of parenting differs from mine, does not make me a bad mother. Nor does it mean that my child is going to turn out bad. I understand that your parenting techniques are the complete opposite of how my husband and I are choosing to bring up our kids and that's okay; I totally accept that. BUT, it is not acceptable for you to stalk my Facebook page and groups I'm active in, in order to rudely comment on advice I'm trying to give to other Moms. What works for my babies, may not necessarily work for yours, but don't put down the way I raise my little ones. Annnnnnndddddd, rant over. :-)
     Now, on to the more positive part of my day. Hubby has been going on a ton of business trips for the past three weeks which has just not been fun. Yesterday morning he left for his Richmond trip and my Mom came over to hang out for a while. I think she realized how drained I was because she said Noah and Haleigh would be spending the night with Nana (Lucas would have went too, but he is going through a phase where he won't sleep anywhere except for his crib...like, ever). So, yesterday evening through early this afternoon it was just me and Lucabear. I can't begin to describe my emotions. I was so relieved to FINALLY have a break from the terrible twos and threes and some time just for myself. I was almost overwhelmed at having so much quiet, especially after Lucas went to bed. I got in a full eight hours of sleep last night and woke up feeling refreshed and ready to go. Glad to have my babies back home but so thankful to my parents for the awesome break.
     Off of here now to do some laundry and tidy up a bit before Hubby gets back home.
   

A.C.E. Update

   Lost another 2 lbs this week. I'm feeling great and loving that I've dropped another pants size. :-)  Will update with a new picture as soon as I have the opportunity. Hubby has been out of town for a couple days now and I've been beyond busy. Have a blessed day!!

First Day: 165 lbs

06/06/13: 158 lbs

Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

     Bordering on insanity at the moment and overwhelmed emotionally. Woke up in a spectacular mood, full of energy and ready to tackle the day and all of life's problems. Apparently I was a bit overconfident because the kids have fought like crazy ALL DAY and cried like it was going out of style. I'm spent...totally and it's only noon. I lost my temper and yelled which is something I NEVER do and then of course have felt like the world's worst Mommy. *sighs* And on top of everything else, Hubby is leaving for another business trip early tomorrow morning and won't be back until late Wednesday night. Annnnnd, he has another overnight coming up next week, as well. I'm trying to remain positive as this will net us lots of extra moolah for our vacation coming up at the end of the month and I'm trying to stay focused on the fact that he will have a total of 10 days off before having to go back to work. :-)
     On a positive note, I have continued to lose weight this past week, although not as significantly as last week. I will update my week 2 A.C.E. results Wednesday or Thursday as long as I get a chance. I hope everyone is having a wonderful day. Thanks for "listening" to me vent a bit...writing definitely helps with my frustrations.

Appetite, Control and Energy Review

....also known as A.C.E. I had a really good friend suggest this to me and decided it was worth a try. I am normally not really into weight loss supplements because I feel like it's "cheating" but this pill is all natural and already included supplements I had previously been taking (including Green Tea extract and B12). I started taking it last Wednesday and weighed in at 165.4 lbs...this morning, I weighed myself and was 160.0 lbs. I can't believe I dropped 5 1/2 lbs in such a short amount of time.
     Also, it has been a huge help in improving my mood swings, which I always struggle with after having my babies. I was actually put on an antidepressant after my daughter was born, for postpartum depression. I am glad to say I've been off of that for a month and, although it was VERY hard dealing with the withdrawals, it feels so good to be "free"!!
     The product is by Saba, who also specializes in other supplements including protein shakes, cleanses and hormone stabilizers. After I reach my goal weight I plan on using another one of their products to help me maintain my weight loss, since that is something I've always struggled with. I am so thankful to have my body back after carrying my three precious babies. I fit into a pair of my jeans that I wore before having Noah Bug, which was a HUGE accomplishment for me; I seriously almost cried. :-)
     I also am planning on joining a local gym as soon as finances allow. Working out is such a great stress reliever and endorphin booster. :-)  I am also working with Weight Watchers for weight management but am happy to say that I am almost free of counting points!! Hooray for another Mommy milestone!

05/22 (165.4 lbs)

05/29 (160.0 lbs)

*SABA in no way required me to write this review but because I wanted to help them promote one of their awesome products.* 

VACATION!!!

     Well, it's safe to say that I am beyond excited about our upcoming FAMILY VACAY!! In fact, this will be the first actual family vacation since having Hales...mainly because taking more than one child away from their daily routine is daunting; and a little scary. :-)  But, I am not pregnant for what seems like the first time in forever and am FULL OF ENERGY! So let's get this show on the road, people.
     We decided on Williamsburg because it's not too long of a drive and there is a ton of stuff to do. My Sissy is joining us, as well, so we won't be double (or triple) teamed, haha. We will be gone from June 30th to July 3rd (with the possibility of staying an additional night or two depending on finances and the kids' behaviors). While we are there we will also have the opportunity to FINALLY see my SIL's hubby, who we are super proud of in his decision to serve in the US Army!!! So, it will be an awesome reunion before having to head back home.
      On our list of to do's is definitely Busch Gardens...I keep showing the little ones pictures and trying to explain what a theme park is, but they don't quite get it; it's one of those things you have to experience first hand! And Noah Bug has been there before but he hadn't started walking yet, so he doesn't have any memories of the place.

Hard to believe this was summer 2010.

     We will also be visiting several playgrounds including one at York River State Park. We have the pleasure of stopping by that summer but only for a little while. This year, we may take a swing at their little beach and hang out for a while longer. Isn't is just beautiful?

    AND, our final stop will be Virginia Beach, which I haven't seen in 3 1/2 years. Last visit, little Bug was hanging out in my belly!

     I can't wait to post pictures of THIS YEAR's vacation memories! Hope each of you is enjoying this beautiful SUMMER weather!!

Catching Up

     Wow! Hard to believe it's been since December that I've last blogged. I would LOVE to have an opportunity to sit down and write about our daily memories but FORTUNATELY, we are too busy making memories. :-)  Where to even begin?!

     Let's start with Bear. Lucas will be SEVEN months old on the 24th of this month. It's hard to believe time has went by so quickly. It seems with each kiddo time speeds up. Our youngest is simply happy. Never cries (unless he is hungry or has poopied) and doesn't matter where we go or what we do, that kid has a smile on his face. Honestly I think God knew that after Haleigh I needed a more laid back child. :-P  I love that little girl to pieces but, oh my goodness gracious...she is just like her Mama, lol. Lucas has TWO teeth and has been rolling around like a little wild child since he was two months old. Last week he figured out how to crawl, bumped his little face and has oh so stubbornly refused to try again. So, we are working with him and coaxing him and he seems to be getting his nerve back.
     We are still cloth diapering and although I love it...all the cuteness on my babies' bums, it IS hard work. We didn't exactly have several hundred dollars to buy our stash all at once so we've been progressively (and slowly) adding to it when life allows. What does that mean for this mama? Laundry...LOTS AND LOTS of laundry. My Mom thinks I'm crazy...after all, I do at least two loads a day, then fold and put away. So it goes with a family of five, but hey, busy for me means happy. And to know that I have laundry to fold means that the Lord has blessed me beyond measure; not always easy to keep that perspective when the baby has just spit up all over the freshly washed clothing or your other two are keeping WWE alive, but hey...you just keep going. :-)
     Although we aren't totally green we are doing our best to convert to that lifestyle. I am the Mom who buys organic when I can, cloth diapers, hangs clothes outside versus using the dryer, and have even started trying to stick with the basics rather than have fifty of everything. I don't always do the best at this but I'm trying to teach my little ones that simplicity in life is sometimes better than having to have everything. I teach them about poverty and encourage them to donate toys and clothes etc. to those in need. I want them to grow up knowing that we are in the top 1% of richest people in the world and to humble themselves regardless of that fact. I want them to learn that just because we go to Wal*Mart does NOT mean they get a toy every time. Yes..I want to spoil my children tremendously, but with LOVE!!! After all, scripture teaches us that love is the most important thing this world has to offer...that WE have to offer. God gave up his Son so that we could have the gift of eternal life...what defines love more than that?

     And speaking of sons, my precious Noah's personality grows by the day. He is sweet beyond measure but has reached the age of three which is FAR WORSE than the "terrible" twos ever were for us. I try to be understanding because I can actually see him struggling with the choice to be good. He scrunches up that cute little face, balls up his fists and breathes deeply like I taught him. Most of the time he lets go of the anger but occasionally he does push his sister down, yell at his Mommy, stomps his feet and says "But I TOLLLLLDDDDD you!" And then proceeds to act like his Father and I are the dumbest people on the planet for not understanding the reason behind his tantrum, lol. We stay stone faced until we can escape to our room and giggle about how adorable he is...even when he is angry. He loves Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood, going to church and learning about Jesus, making his little brother laugh, snuggles, bugs, Lexi (our puppy), classical music, action figures and so much more.

      Haleigh Bop is our beautiful little girl. Her smile lights up the room and she is the sweetest big sister this world has to offer. She is moody and will put her hand on her cute little hip and tell you how it is...regardless of whether you like it or not. She never misses a chance to say I love you and her manners are out of this world. I have never met a child so willing to say please and thank you in the adorable way that she does. We butt heads daily over what seems like everything but somehow I think that's just the way it is between Moms and their daughters. Although I sometimes dread the teenage years with her, I can't wait to watch her grow into a young lady. I've come to accept the fact that she is a Daddy's girl and probably always will be. But, oh my goodness, how my heart skips a beat when I look at her and that precious little grin she has. She loves all things girly but her favorites are having her nails painted, shoes shoes shoes and MORE shoes, hairbows, lip gloss, sparkles, and princesses. God knew what He was doing when He blessed us with this one.
     Caleb and I have been doing well. We are looking forward to celebrating our FIFTH anniversary in July which is so hard to wrap my head around. July 30th will make 11 years that we've officially been a couple...high school sweethearts, all the way.

"I am determined to be cheerful and happy in whatever situation I may find myself. For I have learned that the greater part of our misery or unhappiness is determined not by our circumstance but by our disposition."

~~Martha Washington