Introducing.....

8 weeks ago

These family pictures were taken about 8 weeks ago by a close friend of mine, Tessa. She is amazing and captured the sweet, fun personalities of my boys. She captured the love we all have for each other in these family pictures too. So happy with them. Thanks so much Tessa for taking these special pictures of my family and my baby bump!

Spring Wreath

I made my spring wreath finally. I actually made 2. We did a service auction at Enrichment and I offered to make a spring craft for someone. This wreath was it. Someone bid on my item and I got the privilege The only difference between hers and mine is the letter B and W.

Mark it!

Today while eating lunch Quinn was wondering around and got very quiet. I didnt get up right away to go look for him, I just called for him. I continued eating and he didn't come. I called for him again. He came in saying "color" and pointing to his leg. Apparently he found a purple sharpie...somewhere!

It was in BOTH ears. Like IN his ears. On his tongue, legs, head, lips,

all over! Its still stained on his legs, but thankfully the rest came off. He definitely is my mischievous boy!

Life Changes at 30

I started a new blog today.

Life is constantly changing. Good and/or bad. This is pretty much my new journal. I need a place to vent. To share excitement. To drown in my sorrows. To brag. This will be it.

I plan on being myself on this blog. No beating around the bush. No sugar coating. This is me. This is real. This is my life. So if you get offended easily, you might not want to read this new blog of mine. I'm not going to be dirty or anything...but I do use the words crap, dang, freak and so forth....again if those offend, don't read the new blog.

Ladies and Gentlemen? Introducing my NEW blog....

protest

It seems like now a days all the pictures I get are like this. Kasen and a cheeseball smile. Quinn just staring at me or sleeping. Kasen will pose whenever I ask him to. Quinn growls and turns his head when I try to get one of him smiling. So for now, these will have to do :)

we are working hard on getting rid of the paci, I've given in a lot more than normal lately since i've been sick that past week. Once I get my energy back we will only get the paci out at night again.

PT day 3 update

Quinn is doing great at his potting training. He has only had a couple accidents during the day and has pooped on the potty twice now! Im so so proud of him. He is pretty proud of himself too. It's cute. He still likes his privacy and has yet to go potty with me in the room with him. I have to get up and leave so that he will go. It's pretty funny. I sure do hope this continues!!!! Wish me luck!

Too soon?

This adorable, yet goofy 20 mos old (today) has decided that he wants to go pee pee on the potty. He has shown interest since around Christmas when we were at my parents and they had a little potty in their bathroom for my nephew. The last week we got our little potty out and he has been sitting in it for like a half hour at a time but never did anything other than sit. Well TODAY, he shocked me.

We were sitting on the potty, well HE was and I was on the cold tile floor in front of him. -if I ask him if he needs to go, he grabs his diaper and runs for the bathroom- and I was getting impatient so I thought id speed the process and turn on the water. I told him I would be right back and that he needed to sit there and I was going to go get a snack for him. I ran to the kitchen because I didn't want his nude body following me across the house in case of an accident. I grabbed the fruit snacks, ran back and he was still sitting there. As Im walking back over to sit by him he says " HA HA" and I look in the potty and he went!!! That was 8 pee pee in the pottys ago! He woke up from his nap dry. Coincidence im sure...but still! He has told me once that he had to go by grabbing his diaper and saying potty. Here is the funny thing though. He will NOT pee with me in the room. I have to tell him i'll be right back, leave, give him 15 seconds or so and then come back. Each time he has gone. Ive yet to see him actually go, but he DOES!

Hopefully today is not just a fluke and it continues on to having more dry diapers ahead!
Wish us LUCK!

Have I done any good?

On days like these I often wonder...have I done anything RIGHT? Have I dont any good today?

While thinking these things and feeling sorry for myself, the words to this song came to mind...

Notice how it says so sing CHEERFULLY? When I read that I had a "snap out of it" moment. We'll I haven't yet, but I sure am trying!

Have I don't any Good in the world today,
Have I helped anyone in need?

Have I cheered up the sad?
or made someone feel glad?

If not I have failed indeed.

Has anyone's burdens been lighter today,
because I was willing to share?

Have the sick and the weary been helped on their way?
When they needed my help was I there?

Chorus:
Then wake up and do something more
Than dream of your mansions above

Doing good is a pleasure,
a job beyond measure

A BLESSING of beauty and love.


Now as I reflected on the words to that song again while typing it for you folks to read, I realized AGAIN..snap out of it! The best thing I can do for my attitude right now is to go out and serve someone else. To do something kind for someone other than myself. Don't get me wrong, thats nice too...but the point is to bless someone else and you will feel the good you have done.

Im going to go out and do good...a little later. lol....but I AM! I WILL! Just thought i'd share!

Fancy Toes

For Christmas from my sis in law, I got a gift certificate to Jamberry Nails. I ordered my decals that night but just barely did my toes yesterday! LOVE how they turned out. Next time Im going to pick something brighter so they stand out more from a distance so people don't have to bend over to see them.

Anyway, I LOVE them! Thanks Nichole!

Full

My heart is very full tonight. You know, I read a bunch of peoples blogs. They are so good with words. They can express things that I feel, into words. I know this is something that I'm not quite good at. I think I get too overwhelmed with my feelings that nothing I can type seems to express what I'm feeling at the moment. I need to get better at this. Even if it takes me an hour of typing and deleting on this post, I want to get my feelings, coherent, and on this post.

These are my 2 boys. Quinn, 19 mos. and Kasen, 6 yrs. This is where my heart feels full. Happy. I look at these boys and the love that I feel for them brings tears to my eyes. Then I go speechless. The words won't come out. To try and put into words the way I feel about these boys seems like an insurmountable task.

The last couple months of my life have been very up and down. The things that kept me grounded, waking up in the morning and smiling were those boys above. Times when I felt like nothing in my life was good, like nothing was happy. They would remind me day in and day out with a simple "I love you", "mamamamama" or even just a smile, hug or giggle.

There have been some dark days. Days where I would just cry and cry at night. I would sneak into Kasen's room and get into bed with him and just hold him and cry. He never woke up, never even realized I was there. Just being around him and next to him reminded me how blessed I am. There are times when I just cuddle Quinn in his glider and rock back and forth. Where I just go in, shut the door, and hold him. He reminds me that there IS good in my life. No matter how messed up everything else in my life may seem. Those little boys are some of the biggest blessings to ME.

Kasen has such attitude, spunk and enthusiasm. He is a character and definitely picked up the Campbell trait of sarcasm. I can joke with him, be silly with him, and even tell him about my day and he will be happy and excited. I really feel like he is our son to keep us patient, loving and laughing.

Quinn is such a cheery, happy go lucky little boy. He is so easy going and is always being silly. He is a total mamas boy right now and I have to admit, I LOVE it. He cuddles me, loves me, and pokes me. All things that just make me smile. I really feel like he is my son to make me feel loved, patient and blessed.

I snuck into the boys rooms tonight to take those pictures of them sleeping. I love them when they are sleeping. My love grows even more for them while they are sleeping! lol...

Really though? They are my world. No matter how they got here, no matter how they became my children, I am a changed woman because of them. I am better, wiser, more loving, more patient, and more blessed. As much as they can drive me crazy at times, I would never ever give them away. Even though I say I want to rent them out sometimes. Children are a complete miracle.

"While we try to teach our children about life, our children are teaching us what life is about."

Lately I've been pondering on the important things in my life. What I want, what I need, what I have...I just feel so blessed with what I have. Pondering on the things I don't have has gotten me nowhere. Well nowhere good at least. I want to be in a good place. I want to be happy with my life just as it is. I want to know that if I die tomorrow I can be grateful for what I did have. I don't have all the things I feel I need in my life. But I am learning to grow and accept that I don't need them to be happy. I just need to be grateful for what I do have. I have been blessed with so much throughout my life. If the things I want and feel I need do come to me, then I will be forever grateful. If they don't I know I may not ever understand why, or what for, but I know that I can trust the Lord and his timeline.

The past couple weeks my family has been waking up 10 minutes earlier in the morning to read scriptures together. It's hard, I find myself wanting to make excuses, but once I find my way out of bed? I am so grateful I did. The first day I noticed a huge difference. I was happy. Just in general had a good day. It has now become part of our daily routine and I don't ever want it to stop. This is one of the things I have to be grateful for.

I have decided that this year, one of my new years resolutions is to be grateful. So to end my post, I will give you the top 25 things I am grateful for in my life.

In no particular order:

1. Family Scripture Reading

2. My boys. Jeremy, Kasen and Quinn.

3. My faith in the Lord

4. a home to live in

5. my dog Bailey

6. a working car to get me and my fam places

7. water

8. visiting teachers

9. modern medicine

10. my camera

11. the atonement

12. my parents and siblings

13. smoothies

14. Jeremy's job

15. my good friends

16. clocks

17. music

18. temples

19. love

20. flowers

21. quinns nursery leader

22. kasens bff

23. Park Lane

24. good neighbors

25. the priesthood

Chip Chop

Well it's only taken me a week to get used to my all time shortest haircut! The first day I couldnt decide whether I liked it or not...2nd day, same. Third day HATED it, and completely regretted cutting it at all. Since then my attitude has changed quite a bit. I am in love with it now!!!! LOVE.

Can't. Stop. Thinking.

These are things I Can't. Stop. Thinking. about...


1. I got my first recruit! I am so excited. Jewels By Park Lane is such a fun job for me! I get paid to party and a good friend of mine is joining. She will do GREAT at it and I can't wait to see her succeed!

2. How can I get more people to book a show? What do I need to bribe? lol I need to find a way to get outside Power Ranch and get bookings that way...

3. I do get stessed by my job, but I love it. LOVE it. I get stressed by being a mom too, but I LOVE that as well. I think everyone gets stressed by their work at times. Doesn't mean I want to quit. That's a different level of stress that I haven't hit.

4. I really need to get my poof ball of a new hair cut thinned! Thank Heavens for Angie! She will be thinning it tomorrow for me!

5. My diabetes are back. They were gone after I had Quinn. They are now back. Full force and I am working hard to get them under control. I have a ton of mixed emotions about it and have been having a hard time accepting the fact that I am 29 and diabetic. I've started my meds again and I can already feel the difference. I've been on them a week and the last 2 days I have been starting to feel more and more like myself again. I've been in a rut lately, and I think it was because of my untreated diabetes. I am taking care of that now, and I am on track! Jeremy has been a really great support to me this past week while dealing with all of my emotions and helping me move on...thanks babe! I love you forever!

6. I REALLY need to put away the two baskets of clean and now WRINKLED clothes away that are sitting next to my bed. I see it, get overwhelmed and then move on to something else. I just need to face it, and do it! Then mop the floor too!

7. We are getting a 2nd car in about a week and a half and I cannot wait! I was a little worried that we couldn't afford it, but I know now that with my paycheck, we will be able to do it and then I will have some FREEDOM. Not that I want to drive the car somewhere everyday, but it sure will be nice knowing I can if I want to!

8. I really need to start taking more pictures. My kids, especially Quinn are growing up and changing way too fast and I need to be better about taking little videos and pictures to remember their sweet faces and personalities at every stage!

9. I went to curriculum night last night and I must admit....I really REALLY like Kasen's teacher this year. I was so sad when I found out that none of his friends were in his class, but he is making new ones and this teacher is MEANT for Kasen. She is very loving and warm and Kasen needs that. So happy with her.

10. I need to go to the post office. Quinn broke a piece of my jewelry and I get to send it back for free and get a new one, woo hoo! Glad tomorrow is Thursday and I have a car tomorrow! :)

1st Day of 1st Grade!

ok seriously? What happened to my little 2 year old starting his 1st year of preschool? Now he has started 1st grade! How and when did this happen? It seems like the journey to get him here to earth was longer than the almost 6 years he has been alive! It's gone way too fast and I don't like it one bit! Preschool- Mrs Cassie, Age 2

Preschool- Mrs Cassie, Age 3

Kindergarten- Mrs. Bianco, Age 4

1st grade Ms Annesi, Age 5



This is the little Kasen I remember....

This is how I remember Kasen. Not as the big 1st grader, but as a little toddler still. I guess I can't make him stop growing, so we will just have to grow and love every stage!

Kasen,

You are so big and strong. You grow more and more each day. You are so loving and kind and I'm proud to be your mommy. I know you will do so geat this year as a 1st grader. You have the potential to do anything you set your mind to and I think you are starting to realize that. You are amazing. You are wise beyond your years. Sometimes I love that, but sometimes I hate that! :)

I am so glad that I will be here to watch you grow into a wonderful, handsome, loving young man! I love you dooder!

Love always,

Mommy

Hello, How are you?

Quinn turned 1 last week and decided to show us how he can talk too! My kids first 4 word sentence!!

My Room

This is what I made today. I have been working little by little, project by project, craft by craft to make our house cuter. I decided the bedroom needed some serious help. So...this is what I did for starters.
I bought some blank canvas' and some fabric to cover them in. Of course since it's me, there was NO sewing involved in any of this. Staple gun and pins. That's it. Oh and a hot glue gun too. Used a hot glue gun and some extra coordinating fabric to make some rosettes.

pinned some pleats, then stapled it in the back and took the pins out and wa la, it stayed!

scrapbook ribbon for the bow

used my cricut to print vinyl for the "love"

Finished product hanging above my bed! I am quite proud of myself. I love and it and get this, the hubs does too!!!!! Yaay for me!

Get a Grip

I think its time for a new tennis racket. It isn't 1998 anymore and my hands are proof that my tennis racket IS from 1998! We went and played for a while the other night and the grip was shredding off into my hands. The frame is now cracked. Too bad my birthday isn't til October! lol...

Vent...

Since my blog is now private, I feel I can vent and not as many people will know im upset! lol...

Well I need to vent about something and its been my life for almost a year now. Its only going to get worse as the heat comes and school gets out. I will be stuck home all day everyday with 2 kids and no car. My kids will be cooped up in the house and won't be able to go out and play because it gets too hot. I won't be able to go to the pool cause we can't get our new pool key because our landlord is behind in HOA fees. The account has been sent to collections so I doubt he is going to pay it if he hasn't by now.

Sure I have friends with cars, but who really wants to ask a friend anytime they need or want to go somewhere if they can hitch a ride with their two kids. Since school will be out, people won't have as much room in their cars now that all their kids will be home now as well. Not many people will have 3 extra seatbelts available. Sure I can walk to the pool. Again though, I have no pool key and probably wont be getting one. That was my only saving grace for this summer. The only thing I was relying on being able to do to get myself and the kids out of the house.

The other thing? I dont feel like I have much sympathy from the hubs. He has no clue what its like to be cooped up everyday and not see the outdoors until its dark out...He could do it for a day or two im sure, but knowing that its only for a day or two. This is my life. I LOVE my life. I love my boys, I love my hubs, I love my home. I DONT love our car situation. I feel trapped. I feel claustrophobic. Its depresses me. I know that if we had the money Jer would buy me a car in a heartbeat. I am grateful for all he does to support our family.

Its hard to not be able to leave during the day. To run to the store for one last ingredient for dinner. To be able to go pick up some meds for a sick friend, to be able to meet the girls for lunch, to be able to run to target for more diapers. Taking Kasen to swim lessons. Wish I could, but I dont have a car everyday to do that. My kid is almost 6 and can't swim. To run Quinn to the Dr for his umpteenth ear infection.... Little things like that. Even if I didn't use the car everyday, just the satisfaction of knowing that its in the garage if I need it, would make a world of a difference. I would feel a lot more free.

The one free day I do have is Thursday. Thats the day I plan everything and run errands and do everything. That is the day I don't relax and don't sit down. The hubby works from home that day and I get the car. I am go go go go go all day long.

Im just having a hard time realizing that school ends this week and I will feel more trapped than ever with 2 kids at home through the WHOLE summer, with no car.

I know it could be worse, I really do. We could have NO car at all. For that I am grateful...that we do have 1 car. But this is my life as I know it. I know there are other people in the same situation as me, but this is me and I am feeling trapped today and I came here to vent. Thanks for listening. Thanks for reading.

Crazy Hair

Quinn has some seriously crazy hair. He has a bad case of bed head ALL day long. I try to comb it, but it doesn't help. I wet it down...doesn't help. This is when he woke up from his nap the other day...fun stuff.

Mothers Day 2010

Mommy According To Kasen: I asked the questions, he answered...


Whats mommys name? Brittany Bruce
Whats Mommys favorite color? pink
Whats my favorite restaurant? I dont know...(I tell him to pick one)...Hungry Howies ($5 pizza)
How old am I? 29
When is my birthday? I forgot!!!! May 20th??
Why do you love me? because you love ME!
Who is my best friend? Autumn and Kassie and Jess, thats enough....
Whats my favorite song? Families Can Be Together Forever
Whats my favorite food? Mashed Potatoes
Favorite Drink? Cherry Limeade
Why do I love you? because, um...we are a family.
What makes mommy happy? Me being nice to you
What do I tell you? I love you
Whats my favorite fast food? Whats the place where they have star chicken nuggets? (Carls Jr.) YEEEEAH!
What am I good at doing? you are good at....feeding Quinn (LOL)

This was a special mothers day for me. I got to celebrate it with two kids, not one! I was about 8 mos pregnant with Quinn last year and sick! In fact I went to the ER the next day due to stomach issues. So this year was so happy! Not being pregnant and not being sick! We celerated by going to dinner and hanging together as a family. Im such a lucky mom. :) Motherhood is one of the most important things that has happened to me in my life. I treasure it, cherish it and hold on to it. I know they won't be young forever!