Tales on the farm

I want to first start off saying that prayers are going out to all the Boston people and the runners in the marathon.

I posted about a giveaway that I teamed up with Ashley yesterday so if you haven't entered you need to! This weekend was a fun weekend. We have spent the entire weekend basically outside. Sunday once we got home from church it was time for Gannon to take a nap. I had Brayden change real quick and we went on a long walk. It was nice to spend some one on one time with him. We talked about anything and everything. There is a small little pond in our neighborhood and we stopped and saw some frogs jumping in and we also saw a little turtle taking a swim.

There is this farm on our route that we walk and the baby cows are so friendly. Brayden and I stopped and started talking to the cows. There was only one near us at the time but once they heard us talking they came running over. The farmer had noticed we were standing talking to his cows and came over and asked if we wanted to help feed his cows. Brayden jumped at that and was in heaven when we got near the cows. We fed the momma cows, which one is expecting a baby any day! We also went over to the chickens and Brayd got the fresh eggs that they just laid. Then we went over and talked to his pig for a few minutes. Pete was so nice he sent home some fresh eggs and sausage with us.

I didn't realize until we got home that the cows we see from our backyard are the ones we went and fed. Brayden has been keeping his eye on them to see if a baby has been born. He can't wait until we take our walk this weekend so we can stop by there again and visit with the animals!

HUGE GIVEAWAY

I am so excited to start this week off with a HUGE giveaway!!! Ashley from Being Ashley had the brillant idea to host this awesome ad giveaway! One winner will be posted on 18 different bloggers sites! See below and have fun entering!!!




Hey guys! Happy Monday! I am really excited for this giveaway! 18 bloggers, including myself- have come together to give one lucky person a HUGE Ad Space package. Enter away & share with your friends! Thanks guys!

-Sarah-Kate-Tarole-Marquis-

-Chelsea-Heather-Nora-Kelsey-

-Holly-Kim-Lindsey-Jo-

-Ashley-Lauren-Natalie-Ashley-Kelsey-Rachel

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Stir Fry

In my house Stir Fry is something easy that I know will please everyone. This is also a recipe that most have on hand anyhow.

Ingredients

Thin Spaghetti

Chicken or Steak

Bell Peppers-any color

Stir Fry Sauce

Directions

Boil spaghetti according to the box. In another pan you can boil the chicken, bake it or fry it. I prefer to boil it. Cut up the bell peppers into long strips. In the saucepan coat with a little bit of EVOO then toss in the peppers until soft. Once soft add in chicken cut into strips and add in the spaghetti. Take the stir-fry sauce and coat the noodles as much or as little as you would like. Then mix together. To finish it off you may top the stir-fry with sesame seeds or green onions. 

Aveeno Baby Giveaway

One of the most important things for me when becoming a mom was to know which products to use for my kids. My kids have sensitive skin and I love using Aveeno. It smells so good and keeps their skin soft. 

Whether you’re an expectant mom planning a skin care regimen, a new mom seeking information on relieving the irritation and discomfort of diaper rash or eczema, or an experienced mom interested in toddler skin care, AVEENO Baby has a skin care and hair care solution!

Try: AVEENO BABY CALMING COMFORT LOTION

Contains natural lavender and vanilla, known for their calming and relaxing properties Colloidal oatmeal formula soothes baby’s delicate skin Moisturizes, nourishes and protects baby’s delicate skin for 24 hours Gentle enough for newborns and babies with sensitive skin Fast-absorbing, non-greasy formula Won’t clog pores Hypoallergenic and alcohol-free Pediatrician Recommended

Twenty-five lucky readers will receive a AVEENO Baby Calming Comfort Lotion 8 oz. Tube!

Giveaway ends April 21st at 11:59pm, open to US residents, ages 18+. To enter please use the Rafflecopter form below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I received no compensation for this publication. My opinions are my own and may differ from those of your own. Country Roots City Living is not responsible for sponsor prize shipment. Please contact teri@mompoweredmedia.com with questions or to see your business or blog featured on the next big event!

Bama +Ry FIVE GIVEAWAY

Happy Friday everyone!!! I hope you all had a fantastic week and have a great weekend planned! 

Today I wanted to talk to you about my IRL friend, Jasmine. Jasmine and I grew up in the same small town and went to school together. We ran in the same group and ate lunch together most everyday. This girl is the sweetest thing ever! Besides both of us being from a small town we both love to smile and laugh a lot, we are both have the short people syndrome, and we both moved out of our home states! 

Now you are probably thinking hurry up and tell me about the giveaway already! Jasmine has always had a dream to go into business for herself. In January she decided to take the leap of faith and pursue her part time turned full time at home business to her main job. On April 1, 2013 her life changed forever, she started her first day being her own boss!!! Even though she is crazy busy she wants to offer YOU a chance to win a piece of jewelry. She is giving away FIVE pieces to FIVE lucky winners. (One per person) This contest is open to everyone! 

Contest ends today so hurry and enter going here and follow her rules. Let her know I sent you! 

A little uniqueness never hurt....

I thought this week would be a little more slower paced. I was completely wrong and it looks like our weeks are only going to get busier and crazier. If you have been a follower for very long you will know that I have spoke openly that my oldest Brayden has Autism and ADHD. When we were told he had Autism we were told by his school. Todd and I decided we wanted a for sure diagnosis because we were not convinced he was Autistic. He knows way to much and is way to smart for his own good. 

This week was our appointment with the specialist. We were there for what seemed like forever, in the end she has decided he does not have ADHD and he is not Autistic, he is a high functioning Asperger's kiddo. My first thought was okay I've heard of Asperger's before and I have met a high functioning kid that is labeled similar to Brayden. 

The next 60 minutes was full of information about this syndrome, what to expect, teaching me on how to think the way he thinks and how to direct him, planning what extra therapies he should start, and on how we can make him successful at school and in life. Next week we start our Speech and O.T. therapy. We go two days next week each lasting one hour but these are the evaluations to determine the length of time each is needed.

As soon as I called Todd and told him the verdict he was thrilled for the response. He was thrilled because we knew 100% what was wrong and how we could make a plan. I was also glad to get a direct answer on yes this is what he has. I will admit I was a bit quiet for the rest of that day. I was just soaking everything in that the doctor had discussed with me. My first thought as a parent is to fix your child to make him better. It was hard for me not to be able to fix this for him. I don't want him to have a hard time in school, life, and making friends. 

I know that God will not give you more than you can handle. Yes I feel like I have been tested a lot lately. I am glad I am going through this, I am glad that I was chosen to be Brayden's mom. Brayden makes me want to be a better person, he makes me want to try harder in everything I do, he makes me want to learn everything I can about Asperger's so I can help him, he makes me know the meaning of love, he makes me know how to trust when you don't know what will come next, he just makes me stronger as a person. It is my goal to work my toosh off on teaching him the skills that he needs, to get him ready one day to graduate school and to go onto college, to get him ready to hold down a job as an adult, to get him ready to have a family of his own. I just hope that one day he will know how much I love him and I would do anything for this kid. 

Indiana Recap part 3

Last week I left off recapping my Indiana trip. On Wednesday LB and I drove about 2 hours to see our friend Lynn. Lynn just recently got married and announced that she is expecting a baby. If you have been a follower of mine for very long you will have read updates on Lynn's son Peyton. I can say LB and I had a blast spending the evening with Lynn and her family. 

Lynn fixed a yummy dinner and had an excellent wine that LB and I finished the bottle. We played memory with Peyton to many times to count. The kid is a rockstar at this game, he beat all of us the entire time! Stillman wasn't into playing the game so he was upstairs playing video games.

Lynn-Thank you for inviting LB and I into your home and giving us a tour of your beautiful home! We loved spending the evening with you, John, and the boys. I can't wait until you have that little girl this summer! I look forward to many more visits when I am home. It always feels like everything is back to normal when all three of us girls are back together. 

Once we left Lynn's we ran over to see my friend who is more like a brother at his college. He will be leaving for the summer for an internship so I won't get to see him even when I am home for a visit. I am pretty proud of him tho because only around 9 students were picked for this intern out of hundrends from all over the United States. 

I felt lucky because I was able to spend everyday home but two days with my bestie. I have to admit it was hard to come back and not have everyone around like I had the week prior. Last week was hard for me to adjust too. LB and I have always been glued at the hip so it was so hard to tell her goodbye on Friday. It was the day that I had dreaded the entire day. She was strong for us and held it together until she left me, I wasn't strong enough to hold it together. One of the hardest things is to be away from everyone you know and love. I also feel like it is so much harder to make friends when you are an adult and don't work outside of the home. LB thank you for the time we spent together. I love the days and evenings we were out running around. I miss you like crazy and love you to death. I am counting down til I get to come home for a visit this summer. You are the true meaning of what a best friend really is!

There are also some other things going on behind the scence so if I am not here for a few days please forgive me. With everything going on I am finding it hard to blog and read blogs. This is a favorite past time of mine so I hope this little funk passes soon. 

I would also like to announce I do not feel like my blog is large enough to charge. If you would like a small ad please use promo code "swap", if you would like a medium ad then please use the promo code "CRCL" at checkout. The large ads I am saving for giveaways. I'd love to have you decorate my sidebar!