What I'm Loving Wednesday!

I was going to do another VLOG link up with Mandy from House of Rose, but I am just not feeling it today. I have a messy house, and no desire to tidy up at the moment.  Shocking, I know!  The link up is about something we are thankful for or loving, and I still want to blog about this topic.  This week I am both thankful for, and loving, a couple of products.  Poor Ellie has been sick all week for the second time this month, and bless her heart, she has been miserable.  I do not want to share in her sickies, so there are a few products I take, have taken, and highly recommend.

The first product is AdvoCare's ImmunoGuard, and I take this product everyday (so does Mike!).  It boosts your immune system, and helps combats stress.  I have not had a cold in over a year so clearly it works!!!

The second product is Zicam.  You take this product at the onset of a cold...so earlier this week I started getting a little stuffy, so I started taking this product.  No cold has developed so it is a winner!  It is supposed to shorten the duration of the cold.  I have used this product for several years.  

The last product is Emergen-C.  I use this the same way I use Zycam, I start taking it at the first sign of the sniffles.  It has a TON of vitamin C in it, and gives me extra energy in addition to tasting great!

So this seems like a completely frivolous post, and perhaps it is, but I cannot get a cold!  I know many of y'all feel the same way...life is way too busy!  I don't get any 'down' days, or days I can squeeze in an extra nap.  I have to be on 100% for Ellie!  

These are the products I am loving this week!  Lifesavers!!

Morose Melancholy Monday

How's that for alliteration??  Okay it wasn't that bad, but sick babies are so sad.  Ellie was so pitiful today, especially in the early morning.  She usually goes down for a nap about 2 hours after she wakes up, and she was more than ready within the first hour.  She only wanted to nap on me so that is what she did.  We rocked and she slept for her first nap...something we haven't done since she was 5 months old!  It was kind of nice. ;)  That is the only plus side of having a sick baby...extra cuddle time!  After her nap she just chilled on my while watching Bubble Guppies. 

Then when that was over she didn't feel like playing...

We had one errand to run, and she felt a little better this afternoon so we ran to Sams.  She was so energetic until the end...

Sweet Ellie!  I so hope she wakes up feeling better tomorrow...we have a busy week ahead of us!

Just for kicks...I was reviewing the birthday gift list to start thank you notes from, and I found the funniest thing.  My youngest brother, Peter, goes to UT and gave Ellie the cutest UT socks.  My sister was making this list for us as we opened presents, and this is what she wrote for Peter's gift.

My sister claims it was an accident, but I don't know!  I think she is clearly stating her opinion of the University of Texas!  Too funny!

Our weekend!

Another post about us just hanging out...doing nothing...I know, boring.  But that is just kind of where we are right now, and I know I love seeing what other people do, errr don't do, so I will just keep posting about these boring days!  Poor Ellie woke up super congested on Thursday, and I thought it was a sinus infection (because I always think a stuffed up nose is a sinus infection), but she hasn't had a fever so I think it is just a cold.  Bless her!  Two colds this month.  We are cutting back on going to the local bounce place, because it has been shortly after an outing there she has developed the colds.  I love that place, but since she isn't walking yet, and not to mention teething, she is just picking up everything.  I hate baby colds!  She is so stuffed up.  Want to hear a baby snore?  I thought you might!  She fell asleep in the car on Saturday, and I captured a little of the hilarious snoring before she kicked me...as you will see on camera!

The only outing we did this weekend was on Saturday, and we spent some time in the park.  Here is a sweet picture of my loves!

I do not like exposing Ellie to many people (or exposing many people to Ellie I should say) while she has a cold, so we just laid low.  It was kind of nice...minus the sick, cranky baby.  I am so thankful to have a good friend whose dad is a pharmacist and advised us on something we could give her to help her out.  It definitely helped!  

I'm starting something fun this week, so please check back!  I am interested though...have any of y'all done the Couch to 5k program?  Please comment below if you have, and let me know about your experience!  Please!

What we've been up to...

Mike has been so busy at work lately so Ellie and I have been keeping ourselves occupied by going to play groups, shopping, hanging around the house, and going for walks around our new neighborhood.  This is really just a picture dump, but I didn't think you would mind!  I guess this is what happens when you don't really have much going on...I guess this post could also be titled "a day in the life"...but I wouldn't want to make y'all jealous with the massive amount of excitement we have going on day to day.

Ellie finally, FINALLY, FINALLY perfected drinking from a straw cup.  Oh my word.  This child.  She has only wanted to drink from my cup, and I was so concerned she wouldn't be getting enough to drink now that we are working on dropping the bottle.

She picked out a new Dora cup...clearly she is thrilled!

We had a friend and her son over for lunch on Monday...they looked so cute eating 'together'.

First date??

On Tuesday we went to the local bounce place, and Ellie fell in love with this super cute chair.  Mike has now decided she needs a chair for Christmas....too bad we spent all of her gift money on Chick-fil-A for her birthday party.  I kid.  Sort of.

Ellie and I have started going on walks everyday...sometimes twice a day depending on the weather.  Did you know it has been in the upper 80's, lower 90's this week?  Just awful.  Here are some pictures from our walks...

Just kickin' back!

All walked out. :)

I try so hard to get her to smile for the camera, and she is really starting to 'get it', but this is what they end up looking like...

I.AM.IN.LOVE with this sweet, silly girl!  

Shameless Product Plug

Can I share a secret with y'all?  Supplement junkies reside at the Bergeron Residence.  Mike and I probably wouldn't get through most days without Spark or V16. 

These two products SAVED.OUR.LIVES when Ellie was a newborn.  Literally.  I was reminded how important these products are to us after getting VERY little sleep last night.  Ellie is teething and was up 4 times.  Once an hour starting at midnight, and then up for good a little after 8.  She hasn't been up this much since she was 10 weeks old.  That is how spoiled I have been, and how unprepared I was for last night.  So this morning when I rolled out of bed to the sound of her sweet voice, I knew it was going to be a double Spark kind of day.  And it worked.  Spark is brain food.  It keeps me focused and alert, all while giving me vital nutrients.  V16 is a non-caffeinated energy drink that I use usually in the afternoons.  Awesomesauce.  I seriously love these products.  Mike has 3-4 helpings of Spark a day.  I love that these products don't give you bouncing-off-the-wall energy, but rather sustained energy.  Energy to help you focus on the task at hand.  

Could you use some Spark in your life?  Click here for more information!

Our weekend celebrating Ellie!

We had Ellie's first birthday party on Saturday!  I was so looking forward to seeing her experience all of these new, fun things and eating up all of the extra attention.  I had envisioned how she would smash the cake, rip into presents, laugh and clap for herself.  Then comes reality. Ha!  She did not want to interact with anyone but me, Mike, and my dad (Ellie's Grandad).  She did not care about her cake or the presents.  She wanted to crawl around and dance...and come to me when she was overwhelmed.  And it was even better than I expected.  She has her own personality, and her own wants and I love that!  I love that I got extra cuddle time with my one year old.  It did my mommy heart good!  Not everything about the party went as planned....and we all survived just fine!  Ellie was celebrated and adored, and she looked so, so cute!  

Ellie hiding out before the party...she will go anywhere for Bubble Guppies.

In her adorable pumpkin smocked top with perfectly matching bloomers made by Hillary!  If you need something super cute made, she can do it.  She has made the cutest things for her daughter, and you can see them all on her blog!

Some party decor...

 The cakes!

Smash cake!

My beautiful sisters with the cake!

Some party guests...

My sister with her boyfriend Austin, my nephew Reagan, and  Allison (again!) with my youngest brother Peter!

Ellie's cake experience...

She started off curious, and ended up mad.  Ha!  I loved when she stuck the stem made completely of icing in her mouth.  It was so funny!

After the cake she crawled around while Mike and I opened her presents.  First birthdays, right?  More for the parents and guests than the child?  After almost everyone had left we went to the park with her cousins, and enjoyed being outside for awhile.  This is what she did when we got home...

She never sits still that long, but she just crawled up to her daddy and sat there for probably 10 minutes.  She was wiped out!

I'm so glad we had lots of family and friends to celebrate with us...it was a fun day!  I'm so thankful for our sweet Ellie, and I look forward to many more birthdays to come!

Show Hope & Compassion

Today I am linking up with Kelly's Korner to talk about favorite charities/non-profits!

There are two great ministries that Mike and I support: Compassion International and Show Hope.  Most Christians know about Compassion and the work they do around the world in the lives of children.  They offer hope where hope hasn't existed, and they show who Jesus is in caring not only for the children that are supported, but for their families as well.  I love that the two children we support, Durja and Ronamie, get medical care, education, basic living needs, and get taught about Jesus through Compassion.  I also love that their families get the help they need!  I love getting letters from my 'kids' and getting to know all about their lives and what they are learning!  Ronamie was 4 when we started sponsoring her so I have had the privilege of corresponding with her mom, Melita.  It has been so much fun to see the program through the eyes of a parent!  Melita would ask early on if we were pregnant yet, and it was so funny because I got a letter from her the day after we found out we were pregnant with Ellie, and the first thing she wrote was, "Christie, are you with child yet?".  Haha!  So funny!  It was a lot of fun to be able to send her Ellie's birth announcement!

This is Ronamie...

This is Durja...

They are two sweet children of God, and I am so glad we have the privilege of sponsoring them!

The next ministry is Show Hope.  Show Hope is the organization started by Steven Curtis Chapman and his wife to help provide for orphans, financially and spiritually, while also providing grants for parents hoping to adopt.  The price of adopting a child is sky high, and this organization does such a good job in helping meet the financial needs so more children can have forever homes!

I love both of these ministries so much!  I love that they are showing people who Jesus is and what He has done for us!  Is there any greater calling??

Please check out both ministries: 

http://www.showhope.org/

http://www.compassion.com/Default.htm

*Reminder*

Don't forget to check out the silent auction item!

One year ago today...

I was so nervous!  We were getting ready to head to the hospital for my induction.  The thought of giving birth terrified me, but I was so excited, too.  I could not wait to meet our sweet little girl.  Most of you know I did not have an easy pregnancy.  Pre-eclampsia is no laughing matter, and being on bed rest is no fun.  This time last year I was so close to it all being over, and so excited about the new addition to our family.  Ellie has been the joy of our lives, and this has been the greatest year ever.  She is so sweet, and so much fun.  I am still blown away that God chose us to be her parents!  I don't know what He was thinking, but we are going to do our best! ;)  

I thought it would be fun to do a monthly year in review...picture-style!  Tomorrow I will add her 12 month picture!  I love seeing how she has changed from month to month!  Sweet baby!

Newborn Ellie!

Bright-eyed 1 month!

Celebrating 2 months old in the hospital. :(

3 months!

4 months!  

5 month picture...love this one!

6 months.

7 months...teething was rough during these months!

8 months!

9 months...too busy to look at the camera!

10 months...I think I see a little attitude in this one!  This is also about the time she started ripping bows from her hair...

11 months.  I melt.  So pretty!

I think I might cry tomorrow when I put on her last monthly sticker.  I cannot believe it.  I remember going through the different stickers to see what they look like when she was around 4 months, and I couldn't imagine her being 9 months, 10, 11, etc.  Yet here we are!  It really does go by so fast.  The first 6-8 weeks were so rough...I remember wondering when things would pick up as I was sleep deprived and crazy.  Now I wonder when things will slow down.  Sigh.  

Mike and I are so in love with this sweet little girl!  

First-time Vlogger!

Today I am linking up with Mandy from House of Rose!  She does a vlog link up, and I thought it would be fun to join in once in awhile.  I definitely need to tweak some things...especially lighting, but you gotta start somewhere, right?  So here it is...messy kitchen, horrible lighting, and all!

Now...please give me vlogging tips so next time it will be lighter!

Random Tuesday

*If you are looking to bid on the AMAZING C&C bubble, click here!

There was so much about the weekend I wanted to blog about, but since I didn't do it right then, I have forgotten about it all.  How sad is that?  So why not do a random post about me?

5 random things about me...

1) Mike and I were set up BY MY MOM!

2) I chose the name Ellie from one of my favorite characters in a Bodie & Brock Thoene book.

3) I hate onions.

4) My favorite TV show is Person of Interest.  Love it!

5) I love, love, love being a stay at home mom, but I still want to be in 'business'.  That is my cute way of saying keep checking the blog as I have invested in several business opportunities.  Here is a sneak peak...

Enjoy your Tuesday!

Silent Auction Benefiting Julee & Preslee Turner!

Up for auction is this adorable Castles & Crowns Bird Bubble Bishop in a size 18-24 month.  (Size chart available here: http://castlesandcrowns.com/size-chart/)  It is so precious, and perfect year round!  Wear it in the winter with a long sleeve shirt, or in the spring as is!

Image taken from Castles & Crowns catalog. Item shown is an example of item up for auction. 

 This bubble is brand new with tag, has never been worn, and retails for $44.

How to bid: 

• Place your bid in the comments section of this blog post.
• Leave NAME, EMAIL, and BID.
• All bids must be made in $1 increments. If the last bid is $9 then your bid must be $10.

Bidding will close on Friday night at 10:00pm(EST)

Highest bidder will be the winner.

Payment will be accepted via PayPal. Winner will be emailed a paypal invoice.

PLEASE NOTE: Auction open to US residents only. All payments must be received by October 31, 2012. These payments are not considered tax deductible.

To see what else is up for auction - Check here:

 http://www.lifeinthegreenhouse.com

http://www.lifesweetlifeblog.com

http://www.biggest-blessings.com

http://sheshebows.blogspot.com

http://www.jennifergetts.blogspot.com

Bid, bid, bid!

Easy, tasty crock pot meal!

Hawaiian crock pot chicken...so easy and so good.  I found this off of pinterest awhile back, and I have already made it probably 5 times.  It is super easy, cheap, relatively healthy, and so good!

image taken from google images!

Ingredients: 

1 package chicken breast tenderloins

1 bottle BBQ sauce

1 can pineapple chunks or rings

1 bag white rice...I use a steamable 

Cook the first 3 ingredients on high for 4 hours, but watch the chicken because depending on the thickness they might only go for 3-3.5 hours.  Serve over white rice!

Delicious!