Heal Our Land

Short post today because it's Election Day!  And if we're not at work, then we should be in line voting!  And if we're not in line waiting to vote, then we should be giving ourselves a pat on the back for voting!

This song is one I remember from days long ago, and it's so relevant for today!

Until Next Time,
Much love, Reba

Ab-solution??? Absolutely!

Ok, I have a new favorite brand of jeans. Wit & Wisdom from Nordstrom.  Now, I don't have a Nordstrom nearby, so I order online.  Free shipping, free returns-- can't be beat!

Upon a random browse of the Nordstrom site, I noticed that the Wit & Wisdom "Ab-solution" jeans were on sale.  They are typically $68 and they were marked down 40%.  I read reviews, and I do particularly like the reviews on this site.  First of all, Nordstrom tells you under the "Fit & Details" drop down menu, whether the article of clothing is True to Size (TTS) or they'll suggest that you size up or size down, etc.  Very helpful.  Next, I read the reviews from actual customers.  They usually line up with what Nordstrom has said-- as far as fit goes.  I then choose the size I think will fit best.

Once these jeans arrived, I tried them on really fast before I washed them.  Oh my goodness. They were so comfortable!  The "ab-solution" jeans are equipped with an elastic band on the inside of the jean waistline.  They are also made with some stretchy material, which aids in all the bending down and sitting and walking that any woman has to do-- especially moms and those who work at desks.  On the inside of the jeans, right where the front pockets are, two panels of elastic banding are sewn in, which help keep the "mommy pudge" in it's place.

I washed these and wore them the next day and TOOK A NAP IN THEM because they were that comfortable!

I keep stalking the Nordstrom site looking to see these restocked, and I'm even debating paying full price for them.  They are so worth it.

The Ab-solution style comes in straight leg, like the one I got in their indigo color, and they also have straight leg black jeans and "itty bitty bootcut" options as well.


Until Next Time,
Much Love, Reba

The Case for Peplum

Recently, I've been super focused on intensive workouts to target my mid-section.  To aid in fashion choices during this transition time, I've chosen to try some peplum tops. They add a little flair (no pun intended) to an outfit, and also disguise the mid-section.  During a recent 50% off site-wide sale at LOFT, I chose 3 tops to try out.

The first one is a dark gray.  It's my favorite out of all three.  It's very long, which is great for my longer torso.

The sleeve has a little flair to it.

The next is like a cross between a sweater and a shirt.  It's pretty boxy, so it's not my first choice when it comes to choosing tops to wear.

I do like how the ribbing on the shirt goes in a different direction on the sleeves.

I also like how the bottom half of the shirt is not ribbed.  However, since it's so boxy, I kind of feel like it looks more like a maternity shirt, so I'm a little hesitant to wear it in public.

The third shirt has a double layer of ruffles, which I think is cute.  It's the shortest of all three shirts, so I have to be more mindful of my pants choices when I wear this shirt. (Note: I did not wear the shirt with these pants since they are both a wider shape.  I wore a fitted t-shirt with these pants-- which are also from LOFT).

This shirt is so so soft.  It's the softest of the three, and I definitely like how it feels, but because my torso is so long, my cami nearly sticks out from the bottom of this shirt.

So, there you have it!  Why peplum is good for hiding tricky midsections. :)

Until Next Time,
Much love, Reba

What's Up Wednesday: October Edition! {10-26-16}

Today I'm linking up with Shay at Mix and Match Mama for What's Up Wednesday!  I cannot believe it's already the last Wednesday in OCTOBER!  October is my favorite month, so I'm a little sad that it's almost gone.  But, with November comes the real start of the holidays for me, and hopefully cooler weather, so I'm excited for that!

Today, I'll be answering these questions:

What We're Eating this Week:

This week and last week, I've been delving into recipes from the Diabetic 4 Ingredient cookbook.  We made Parmesan Chicken with Candied Acorn Squash on Monday night and the chicken part was good!  The squash? Not so much.  

This week, we also had Spinach Sausage Pasta, which is a definite favorite of ours.   

I made Sweet Corn Chili by Mix and Match Mama.  We loved this!  I made some sweet cornbread with it, and it was so so good.  Michael particularly enjoyed it, so I made some more for us the next night!  

One night, we did super simple grilled cheese (with ham for the grown ups), and tomato soup.  Aaron thought this was the BEST!  It's his go-to "fall"meal, so he was really excited that we had it this week!

One night we'll do breakfast for dinner with pancakes and bacon, and we'll finish out our week with pasta probably. 

What I'm Reminiscing About:

This time of year, it's so easy to reminisce about the costumes my little boys have worn.  Michael was 2 months old at his first Halloween, and he was a little tiger.  He was also a tiger the following year when I was majorly pregnant with Noah.  Michael was Spiderman when he was two, and Noah simply wore an "I love Mummy" onesie.  Michael was Thomas the Train, and also Scooby Doo last year, and Noah was Aubie the Tiger.  This year, Noah might be Spiderman, if he chooses to wear the costume.  Michael is going to be Yoshi from Mario Kart. :)

What I'm Loving:

I love to open up the windows in the morning and let in the cold air while I begin my workday in the dining room.  After Aaron leaves for work, I leave the garage door open, and use the screen storm door to let a cross breeze through.  It's so nice and refreshing!

What We've Been Up To:

I'm finishing up my last couple weeks of practice with the Upwards Cheerleading program at our church.  Being a coach has kept me busy since September!  Monday & Tuesday night practices, and Saturday morning games-- so it'll be nice to have some free Saturdays in the upcoming weeks!

What I'm Dreading:

Aaron informed me today of the insurance changes that will be taking effect at his company beginning on January 1st.  Oy.  Insurance changes always make me nervous. 

What I'm Working On:

I'm attending a free business seminar this Thursday afternoon, and I'm meeting with a CPA on Friday afternoon to discuss business taxes, etc.  I feel like the seminar will help ease some of my fears and answer some of my questions about starting a business, and I'm hoping that working with a CPA will help relieve so much stress on the financial side of the business.  I'm not a mathy person at all, and taxes make me nervous!  I want to do everything by the book, so I don't want to overlook any single part of filing taxes, and I think it'll help me so much to put that part of it in the hands of a CPA. 

What I'm Excited About:

I'm actually excited for the time change coming up!  (Well, I'll be excited once my kids get on that schedule and sleep til 6:30am.  Right now, Noah is getting up at 6:00, which will be 5:00am in a couple weeks and that's just not good!)  I like when it gets darker in the evenings.  It's so fun to me to cuddle up on the couch with blankets and watch holiday shows!  My boys have really been into "Rudolph" and "Frosty" and "Frosty Returns" lately, and I know we'll throw some "Charlie Brown and The Great Pumpkin," "Charlie Brown's Thanksgiving," and "Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown" as well.  Can't wait!

What I'm Watching/Reading:

I'm currently watching seasons 1-3 of The Americans on Amazon Prime for the fourth time.  I like to have something on in the background while I work, and this show is perfect for that.

In the evenings, Aaron and I are watching Royal Pains on Netflix.  I think we're on Season 5.  I've watched it all the way through, but he hasn't, so it's fun to see his reactions as we watch.

I'm currently attending a Women's Bible Study at a nearby church and we're working through the study Seamless by Angie Smith.  I'm loving it!!!

I'm also reading the book "How to Win Friends and Influence People." It's actually very good!  I got the idea to read this from the wedding photographers Amy & Jordan. They suggested it as a good read for learning how to treat people and get them to respond positively when posing for pictures!  This book, although written very long ago, is still highly relevant today.


What I'm Listening To:

The boys and I tear up Third Day's Lead us Back CD everyday on the way home in the afternoon.  We know every song by heart.

If I'm by myself in the car, I'm listening to KLove, and when I get home and can choose my songs, I'm pretty much listening to Come Alive by Lauren Daigle.

This song drives me to tears every.single.time.  I think about Michael's illness the entire time I'm listening to it, and I'm earnestly praying to hold steadfast to the promise that "we know that You are God, Yours is the victory."

What I'm Wearing:

Lots of peplum.  LOFT recently had a 50% off sitewide sale, and I grabbed three peplum shirts.  They're great for hiding the midriff that I'm trying to whip into shape.

I did not wear the red pants with the peplum top, though.  I was just taking a picture of the pants to send to my mom.  :)  The pants are also from LOFT.

I also recently bought two pairs of jeans from Nordstrom.  The Wit & Wisdom Ab-solution jeans, and the BP Piper Skinny Jeans.  Holy wow, you guys.  The Ab-solution jeans!  I could wear them all day long.  I even took a nap in them the first day I wore them-- they were THAT comfortable!

What I'm Doing this Weekend:

I'm single handedly coaching my Upwards Cheerleaders this weekend. It's our second-to-last game of the season.  Afterwards, I hope to do some photo shoots and put together a costume for our work's OctoberFest on Monday.  Our team is supposed to dress like the Blues Brothers.  I'll keep you posted. :)

What I'm Looking Forward to Next Month:

The Thanksgiving Day parade, of course!  Also, I'm hoping my sister-in-law gets to come down on the 25th so my older brother can go hunting (it's his birthday that day), and so my sister-in-law and I can watch Gilmore Girls!!!!

What Else is New:

My hubby and I are trying to add to our family!  Any prayers you can send our way would be much appreciated!

What's our Favorite Halloween Tradition:

I'd say it's probably getting our kids dressed up and visiting each grandparent's house.  This year, we live only 2 miles from one grandparent set, and we live in the same neighborhood as our music pastor, so I'm really looking forward to showing off Yoshi and Spiderman. :)

Until Next Time, 

Much love, Reba

Memory Post: Number 1

NOTE: This post was written in January of 2016-- just two months after my aunt suddenly and unexpectedly passed away.  It has taken me this long to post this because the hurt is still so real and so strong.

*In memory of my Aunt Robyn.

She was only 52.  That's too young.

She was my success story for Type One Diabetes.  So successful, in fact, that some people whom she worked with, didn't even know she had diabetes at all.

I was just getting back around to the point in my life when I was going to start texting her more frequently for advice in dealing with Type One.

I wasn't done asking questions.

I wasn't done enjoying the sound of her laugh.

I wasn't done watching my mom in the role of big sister.

I wasn't done.

This will never be something that I understand.   I'll never know why she passed at such a young age.
It was just so odd to be in her home and have her not be there;  to be wandering around and looking at the pictures she chose to display, and the way her counter-tops looked, and what magnets she had on her fridge, and not have her smiling face appearing from the hallway asking if anyone would like a drink or a snack.

She was the cheerleader in my life.  She always chose to have a positive outlook on things.

In the summer of 2008 when many of my family members met up at my grandparents' beach cottage to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary, my aunt was there and she was the light of positivity.  I was in the throes of applying to law schools and battling the slim chances of acceptance.  I was discussing this with my uncle (the husband of my mom's older sister) who is a lawyer, and his oldest son (who had attended law school for a year).  I remember my aunt being in the room as I told my uncle that this school (Columbia in Manhattan-- my dream school) accepted 300 students out of about 1,200 who applied.  My uncle said "those aren't good odds" and my aunt replied "Someone's gotta be the 300."  She looked at me and smiled, nodded her head, and asked if anyone wanted to go for a walk.

My aunt was also always around when we needed her most.

When I was a young girl (probably about 10 years old), my aunt was visiting us over the Thanksgiving holidays.  Probably the day after Thanksgiving, my dad was outside in the shed cutting up deer meat.  My mom and I went out to check on him, and then we hear him yell my mom's name.  He had sliced his knuckle nearly completely off.  My mom had to take him to the emergency room, and my aunt was there at our house to watch me and my brothers.  I remember it seemed to take so long for them to get home, and I asked my aunt how long it might be.  I remember the worried look on her face that she quickly hid and replaced it with a confident look and said "They'll be home soon.  Don't worry."  And I didn't worry.  I trusted her.

When I was 21, my aunt was visiting us over her birthday weekend (which also coincided with Mother's Day weekend).  My dad went out that morning on his motorcycle to shop for a Mother's Day gift for my mom.  In the mid-afternoon, my aunt laid down in the recliner for a nap, I went to my room to read, my soon-to-be-sister-in-law hung out in the living room, and my mom answered her ringing phone.  Within seconds, my sister-in-law was knocking on my door telling me that my mom was in the kitchen on the phone and crying.  I ran to my mom, saw the seriousness of her tears, heard her saying "no, no, no, no" and I knew something was horribly wrong.  I leaned back into the living room and screamed "Aunt Robyn!" and my aunt grabbed the armrest on the recliner, sprung to her feet, and came into the kitchen with me and my sister-in-law as we held onto my mom and heard her tell us that my dad was in a horrific motorcycle accident, and the life flight helicopter was on the way and that she would get a phone call once they knew whether they were taking my dad to Birmingham or Montgomery.
My aunt immediately placed a call to her boss to tell him that she would be staying with us for an extended amount of time.  She was around when we needed her, and she stuck to us when we needed her strength.
Long story short, my dad survived.  He experienced a 2-week medically induced coma, a month long hospital stay, months of physical therapy, and years of recovery.
But he and I both cling to the memory that my aunt was there to help. She was with us in our time of need and she didn't bat an eye when it came to staying longer than anticipated.

She lived about three hours away from me.  She lived in the same town as my older brother, so whenever I visited him, I'd get to visit her too.  I didn't get to see her too often.  In fact, during the last two years, I'd probably see her about 3 times a year.  Therefore, months could go by where I wouldn't see her but I always knew she'd respond to texts and Facebook messages. I had asked her a couple questions this fall about insulin changes that I was preparing to go through with Michael (my oldest son-- he's 3-- with Type One Diabetes).

I got to see my aunt at the birthday party for my nephew (my older brother's son).  She came to the party and laughed and enjoyed herself.  We gave each other "the eye" and a stifled laugh when my nephew squirmed at the hugs of other family members.  We made eye contact and each opened our eyes wide at the squeals ensuing when my 3-year-old son and my nephew (who turned 3) each wanted the same toy at the same time.  I programmed Michael's insulin pump and counted his carbs for his lunch as I sat across the table from her.  I saw her give a gracious smile as some family member unintentionally set the whole bowl of potato salad in front of her.  I whispered in my mom's ear to move the potato salad since my aunt couldn't do it--and wouldn't do it for fear of insulting the family member.  My mom and aunt had cups of coffee and watched the Auburn game and spoke of the recent things going on in their lives.  I chased my kids and made sure I was the only one doing that-- and that my mom could have an uninterrupted visit with my aunt.  I gave my aunt a hug goodbye and watched her drive away in her car.

48 hours later, I was told she passed away.

I knew something was wrong the minute my husband came inside, threw his lunch box down, came over to me and hugged me.  I said "Is everything ok?" I figured he was told he'd have to work out of town or something.  He just had this look on his face like things were not right.

"Aunt Robyn passed away in the night" he said.

I shook my head as I tried to process the words he had spoken.  I think I even smiled because I was certain he was joking.  "No she didn't" I said back to him.

He nodded, and he was not smiling.

I shook my head again.  "No.  She didn't.  I just saw her!"

He said "I know.  I know."  He gave me another hug.

I started to bawl.  "But how??? And how do you know before I did?"

He said my mom called his mom (they're neighbors) and my mom asked his mom to call him and tell him.  My mom knew she wouldn't be able to tell me and hold it together.

I couldn't wrap my head around it and I was in a fog for a solid 24 hours.  I hardly slept that night.  I cried the whole next day.  I'm surprised I got any work done at all.  The memorial service was a couple days later.  My sister-in-law and I sang "Holy Spirit" by Francesca Batistelli.  The weight of mourning in the funeral home was dense and oppressive. But I still couldn't believe she was gone.

Today, her car sits in my driveway.  And it's the car that makes this real.  Until receiving the car, I could pretend she was still here.  I only saw her every couple months, so I could pretend for a while that everything was fine.  But seeing her car sitting in my driveway takes away the ability to pretend. It makes it real and very finite.

I miss her so.  I'm so joyful for the fact that our last visit together was such a happy one filled with family and laughter.  The sorrow today is real.  It's not getting easier.  I will miss her everyday.

I will honor her life in the way that I manage my son's diabetes.  I will never give up on making sure he receives the top care available.  I will never back down when it comes to getting him the supplies that he needs.  I will be the cheerleader for my family, the way that my aunt was for us.  I will remember the things that made her happy, and I will choose to think joyfully that she would be happy in knowing that we were finding happiness.

In loving memory to Aunt Robyn.  The hurt is real, but I'm choosing to dwell on the happy times you had and the way you made us feel in your happiness.

Until next time,

Much love, Reba

These Are The Days

Today, Aaron is up in Talladega watching the NASCAR race with his dad and out-of-town friend.  After getting ready for church this morning, the boys and I headed to my parents' house to relax for a bit before all if us headed to service. After songs were done, I took over in the nursery to watch my two, my nephew, and one of my little cheerleaders who comes to nursery when it's Break Week from Children's Church. I supervised play dough creations, VeggieTales watching, tower building, and sit-and-spinning (where Noah's giggles are the cutest ever).  The boys and I wrapped up our morning and early afternoon by enjoying a ham lunch at my parents' house.

Around 2:00, we headed home for naps, and after 30 minutes of "please take your rest because Mommy needs a nap, too" we all successfully got at least an hour's worth of sleeping. Hallelujah.

Right now, we're eating air-popped popcorn and watching "Frosty the Snowman."  And I'm savoring the moments. So, I'll leave you with this picture and I'll be sure to post more this week.

Until next time,
Much love, Reba

Show & Tell Tuesday: Quirks, Phobias, Pet Peeves, Nicknames

Today I'm linking up with Andrea at Momfessionals for Show and Tell Tuesday!

Hmmmmm, let's see here.

Quirks

Former OCD

I used to have some serious OCD.  If I was watching a movie, and the actor said something clever, I would repeat the line in my head 7 times before my brain would allow me to watch the rest of the movie in peace. Weird, I know!

Water

At night, before I go to bed, I've GOT to have water on my nightstand.  At my house, waking up in the middle of the night is quite common and I always feel like I need to drink water before I can go back to sleep.  If I don't have a glass of water nearby, I feel like I'm dying of thirst.  And yet, at that same time, I don't want to walk to the kitchen to get something to drink. 

Barefeet

I'm in my barefeet whenever I can be.  Once I get home each afternoon, the shoes come off and it's barefeet time!  I don't even like to walk around my house in socks because I feel like my feet can't breathe.  I can't stand to sleep in socks.  Even in the dead of winter, I must have barefeet especially at bedtime.  I stick one foot out of the covers and that's really the only way I can fall asleep. 

Fans

We have ceiling fans in nearly every room in our house.  #weliveinthesouth  It doesn't matter if it's the middle of summer with the AC on, the fans are also on.  It doesn't matter if it's the middle of January (when it actually gets cold down here)-- the fans are on.  I do not like to walk into a room and see the ceiling fan off.  Fans stay on at my house.  It's just our thing.

Fake Interest

I really try not to share too many details about my job.  Obviously, I'm referring to details about how the job is done, not about privacy issues-- those are NEVER shared.  But, at my job, we use a lot of different programs that all have acronyms, and we also have a LOT of rules and regulations to follow in processing certain claims.  I understood very quickly that my family wasn't going to get it if I came home and explained my job.  So I hardly ever talk about it because I know how bored they'd be.  However, I do wish the same courtesy was extended to me sometimes. :)  I'm looking at you, hubby.  My sweet husband will explain scenarios in his job and will throw out the names of applications and programs and I really do nod and smile for the most part, but I've got no clue what he's referring to.  Sometimes, I can't help myself and my eyes totally glaze over.  He recognizes this facial expression and will quickly finish his story so we can move on to something we both can relate to.

The Americans

I'm on my 4th time through watching Seasons 1-3 of The Americans on amazon prime instant video.  I haven't paid to watch season 4 yet, so I know it's available to me when I can't stand the cliffhanger of season 3 any longer.  But, it's nice to know season 4 is waiting.  Once I find a show that I like, and that I can have playing in the background, I don't easily change.  I watched Suits two times through, and am on my 4th time of The Americans currently. 

Phobias

Roaches

No lie.  I cannot stand them.  We lived in Hawaii for 5 years while I was growing up, and they had them everywhere since it was such a warm climate.  I hated them before I moved to Hawaii, I hated them there, and I hate them here.  I literally cringe and my neck tenses up when I'm left alone to kill one (ie, if Aaron has already gone to work for the day, and then I see one on it's back in the house).  It's rare to see them in our house, but I absolutely abhor them. 

Pet Peeves

Walking Without Looking

I don't have many pet peeves, but when people walk without looking where they're going certainly counts as a pet peeve to me.  This is something I used to be horrible about doing, and I caught on that it was SUPER annoying for others around me.  So, I'm very cautious now to look where I'm going, and now I can't stand it when others walk without looking where they're going.  Happens a lot in an office environment. 

Nicknames

Baby G

My maiden name starts with a G, and my dad has always called me Reba G, or Baby G.  Even to this day, he calls me this, even though my last name now begins with a P. 

Reebz

In college, one of my brother's fraternity brothers (whom I was also friends with) was (still is?) a hip-hop artist and called me Reebz randomly one day.  My two besties caught on, and call me Reebz still.  In fact, whenever I send notes and cards to them in the mail, I sign as Reebz. 

Such a fun topic!  I can't wait to read through the rest!

Until Next Time, 

Much love, Reba