Blogging? What's that??

Hi there!

Chandelle here. 

Soooo it appears I took a bit of an unplanned blogging hiatus! I haven't blogged since June!!! 

So if you're reading this right now, thanks for sticking with me! Know I appreciate you :) 

And guess what??? The only reason I have time to blog right now is because I'm doing it on my phone while this sweet sick boy sleeps on my chest. 

Cold season has officially started here in Minnesota at the Foote household. Joy. 

I'm super excited for fall! And can't wait to enjoy the new season and change of weather with my little man! 

We definitely enjoyed our summer! 

Well that's just a snippet of what we've been up to the past few months. I love doing life with this little guy! 

Even when he's sick. 

What have you been up to?? How was your summer??

Unfortunately this probably isn't the return of regular blogging...maybe again some day when my little man needs me less. In the mean time, my hubby is working hard on some changes here on the blog...Mommy's first year ended 3 months ago! The blog is getting a little update and a new name...Midwest Mama! 

I hope you'll stick with me :) 

Random Ramblings...

Has it really been over a month since I've blogged?? 

Yes. It indeed has. 

And GUESS WHAT!??! Christian is going to be ONE in just 4 days!!!! 

How is that even possible!?!? Didn't we just bring him home from the hospital? And I mean, I haven't done a baby update post since he turned 9 months, so he must still only be 9 months...right?? 

Life has been very full lately and blogging has been left at the wayside. Not that I don't love just spilling my thoughts out onto my computer screen and sharing loads of pictures of my handsome little man. I've just been prioritizing differently lately. I value time with my ever growing baby boy and a clean house more than I've valued documenting our life lately. 

I wish I could share a bagillion pictures...but it seems I have yet to figure out how to back up my photos onto disks yet *gasp* (I better not lose every photo I've taken over the past year before I figure that out!!!) and so I haven't exactly done a photo dump from my phone lately either... 

Over the past 2 months or so, as I said, life has been FULL. 

We moved into our new house and have been busy making it our home. 

By that I mean we have been making lots of trips to Home Depot, attempting projects from Pinterest only to find out that the original pin didn't exactly include every step for the project, meaning the project doesn't really work for us and we have to start over.... 

It also means I've been painting...so far all I've painted is some trim in our bathroom and the bathroom door...painting with a baby means only painting during nap time.

Day #1 Nap - Tape for painting the trim

Day #2 Nap - Prime the trim

Day #3 Nap - Paint the trim 

Let the paint continue to dry because I realized that I bought oil based paint.... ugh.

Several days later...tape for painting the walls

Wait for new paint brushes to arrive since I couldn't get the first paint brush cleaned from the oil based paint... 

Day #10 Nap - Prime the door 

Day #11 Nap - Go to paint the door and find that a bird pooped on it while it was drying...ai yi yi

Clean the door and then attempt to find something to use as a drop cloth so I can actually paint the door inside

Paint side 1 of the door 

Maybe I'll actually be able to get the door finished tomorrow and back on and then get the walls painted in the bathroom so I can move on to the next room..

LONGEST. PROCESS. EVER.

And all of this has been for just ONE room. Ha ha 

Maybe I'll find time to share some DIY tips after all of my projects!

**Note to self** 

Oil based paint paints on beautifully but takes FOREVER to dry and is a PAIN to clean up! #newhomeownerfail

Goo Be Gone is a great fill in when you don't have mineral spirits! 

On another note...garage sale season has started and we have been scoring some MAJOR deals!!!

But along with garage sale season has also come allergy season...the worst one YET! Boo. 

The weather has been getting nicer, though, and we have been spending TONS of time outside...hence the allergies :) Christian cries when I make him come inside. We love walks and park time and time on the deck! 

Christian has also started walking!!! Not fully walking but he has taken 4 steps on his own and will do this periodically. 

Those are just a few of the highlights from the past 2 months. 

 In college, a very wise teacher once told me: 

"You can have it all, just not all at once" 

In this season of my life, I am realizing just how true this is. 

I wanted to be a stay at home mom so that I could have time with my baby boy. As a stay at home mom my focus could then be on caring for Christian and our home and family. 

This has always been my dream. 

Lately I've found myself asking, "If this is my dream, then why don't I embrace it and live it? I don't need to blog...at least not in this season." 

I still want to blog and hopefully will, but I want to spend this season enjoying what God has given me and the opportunities I have been blessed with. 

In this season I'm going to be a mom. 

Just a mom. 

And that is enough. More than enough and all I've ever dreamed of. 

And right now that season is calling. Somebody is awake from his nap and apparently doesn't want to just play with daddy. 

Hopefully I'll blog again, but today I'm enjoying this season. 

What season are you currently enjoying? What does life look like for you?

 What are you having right now in your process to "have it all"? 

Life Lately

Hello! It's me over here! Yes, Chandelle! I know I haven't been around much lately but I'm alive and thought I should at least give a quick update! 

For starters...did you know we are moving!?!?! 

Yep. That's right. We are moving from out cute little townhouse to a 

single family home in just 12 days!! Yikes. 

Here it is! 

Can I get some more boxes?? 

And a moving van?? Er...truck?? 

How do we have so much stuff!?!

 Needless to say my time has been occupied not only with a busy little always on the go guy who is getting into everything, but also with packing! The second he goes down for a nap I get to packing. And well, we are currently out of boxes so here I am finding time to blog! 

That brings me to the next big thing going on our lives...I think Christian is

  transitioning to only 1 nap already!!! How did that happen so fast!?! Don't get me wrong {but maybe call me weird} I am SO excited for him to take just one nap a day!! That means we can go out in the morning and do stuff and see people and not have to worry about being home in time {so early} to get in a morning nap. Bring on the fun! Just in time for warm weather and summer!!! 

At least this is what he has been like the past few days and today he actually made it until after lunch to go down for his nap...so here's to hoping that continues! Oh and umm...somehow he is already 

almost 10 months old!!!! Ah! I love this age and he is so fun but I'm so sad that he is growing up so fast! 

Stay tuned -- A 9 month baby update is coming soon!! *hopefully* 

In all of the busyness that is our lives right now, though, at least I have one less distraction -- Social Media! Have you noticed the radio silence lately?? Well, that's because I gave up social media for lent! I have a bet going with my husband that I won't go back after lent...We will see. 

You are probably thinking "isn't blogging social media??" Well....yes, I guess it is. But it isn't the distraction for me that facebook, instagram, and twitter are...or even pinterest! 

And boy have I been loving pinterest! So many house ideas!!! Can't wait to get started on some house projects for sure! Be ready for some DIY posts! Woo hoo! That is if I can find the time to blog about them :) 

Anyway, back to my social media fast...I feel like social media creates a lot of pressure and comparisons in my life, not to mention that it's a major distraction. So I'm "patching" this area of my life so that I might be able to see God more clearly instead and hear his heart for me and it just happens to go along with my One Word for 2014 - Simplify! 

I just ordered 2 books for Christian about Easter! Can't wait for them to get here and even more I can't wait for next Easter and Christmas and every other season to teach him about Jesus! 

Well, I think that's all for now. Hopefully the next time you hear from me you will be reading a 9 month baby update! Christian is only like 2 weeks away from being 10 months old! Eeek! I'm so behind in those posts and keeping my pictures organized...ai yi yi! 

Right now I just have all of my pictures on my computer saved by year and season...So either a fall 2013, winter 2013, spring 2013, summer 2013 or Christian 0-3 months, Christian 3-6 months...I'm planning to switch to just month and year...but to get it all organized is quite the project. I don't even print them! 

Any tips for keeping pictures organized!?!? 

Did you give up anything for lent?

What are your favorite books or activities to teach your kids about Easter?

What is going on in your life lately? 

I would love to hear from you! Thanks for reading :) 

Life Lately

Wow. I only blogged 3 times in December and here we are already 4 days into January! 

I have sooo much to catch you all up on! 

Christian turned 7 months old on December 29th! 

So you know what that means....I have a 7 month update post coming....hopefully soon! And hopefully before the kid is 8 months old!

 I know. Where has the time gone!?!? I'm going to have a toddler on my hands before I know it! 

Even before Christian turned 7 months old, he celebrated his FIRST CHRISTMAS!

And boy was he SPOILED! Even though he only had 6 short months, that boy still found his way on to the nice list...despite crying over eating peas and refusing to nap and stopping sleeping through the night...but, hey, he's a baby right!?! That's just normal :) 

Goodness, what else have we been up to?? 

I think that's about it. Packing for a 5 day trip to another state for a baby and a puppy and then coming home and unpacking (oh and finding space for all the new Christmas presents said baby got...) takes a lot of time! 

I've also decided in the past few months that blogging was becoming a lot of work. I love blogging, keeping an online journal and baby book for Christian, but having sponsors and ad space and keeping up regular posts all while trying to prioritize and care for a baby (only 1 baby...) is tough! 

Mommy bloggers, I don't know how you do it! If you have any tips on finding balance, please share!!! 

So blogging is going to be just that, F U N! An outlet. An online journal and baby book for Christian documenting his first year. And me attempting to share some wisdom from this journey called motherhood! Or maybe not wisdom but just some ramblings and attempts! I hope you'll stick with me! 

Stay Tuned for a Christmas Update, Christian's 7 month pictures and update, Top Posts from 2013, My "One Word" for 2014, and much more! 

Thanks for reading friends! I so appreciate you taking the time to read my ramblings and check in here at Mommy's First Year! 

And because I hate to post without a picture...here's some cuteness for ya! Sorry if you follow me on instagram and have already seen it...