Post July 4th Blues...

The day came and went...the fireworks are over and I feel blue...

Our 4th of July was nothing short of Great! We went out for some early fireworks on Thursday, 7/3 on my parents boat and it was a good time! We opted to stay home on Friday, 7/4 - and after a visit with a good friend who happens to work at a firework store, we had tons of stuff to light up.  We sat in our 5 acre backyard, started a fire in a pit we made on the fly, and sat back to enjoy not only OUR fireworks but the show our neighbors next door put on. It was awesome and really made me think that it can not get any better than this! 

I even went so far as to let everyone of our friends know it on Facebook and tell them to mark there calendars because our house is the house to be at for the 4th next year! (bring your fireworks! right!!)

Our youngest crashed right before the show - ehh..both nights! and our oldest stayed up well past midnight!  She sat around the fire telling stories about a princess and some nonsense that she was getting into! (She is a really good story-teller!)

It was a great memory to drop in the bank,for sure.  And I think it might even stick with her too!

But, now it is the 7th, and the fireworks are over. Yea, we still have a few sparklers and some poppers left, but no more ka-booms, no more sitting out into the wee hours of the night watching the sky light up with the fantastic colors, no more parachutes flying high or lady bug twirling around (our crazy fireworks!)- instead it is back to the grind.  Back to work, back to bed, back to reality, right!

I know that as we were rolling in the Chevy on the 4th, coming back from the fireworks store, I sat back and watching my Husband smile as my two girls sat so quietly content in the backseat. The moments are so real and one of a kind in those moments.  It is also those moments that make me so grateful for what God has given me, for my little family and all that comes with that- the good, bad and ugly. (and yes, this week had lots of ugly- due to crankiness from lack of sleep and we are all sick- eh!)

It is in these little moments that I can steal where I know that everything WILL be OK. I know that any worry or stress that I am feeling is for nothing. That is unreal, that one little moment can offset the gray hairs that form regularly these days!  Life is good. Sometimes it is so hard to see or even remember that, but this is how God shows us all.  Life is good. 

~KEL

Problems of a Roastee

I found something that has me scratching my head...saying...seriously, I didn't even know this existed!

I am obsessed with roasted marshmallows.  It is a problem! I wait for my kids to go to bed and sneak to the kitchen, grab 3 big marshmallow ' s and my fork and light one at a time up with my kitchen lighter. (Shout out to scripto)

This product could change my life..forever!

# ahmazed...

Our crazy July 4th fun on the boat

https://plus.google.com/118278194273254347448/stories/76d57c93-1c13-3db7-a9f9-05141fc9d82e146ffe546e7/1?authkey=CKTBleig5srILQ

Happy 4th of July!

A letter to my Hubby...July 2014

Through the years our lives have changed so much.  

We have gone from just the two of us to the three of us and finally to the four of us and with that we have learned how to be a TEAM, how to handle everyday life, no matter how hard it has been.  We have overcome many obstacles in our journey and grown together because of them.  It has been a challenge to learn how to share love and how to find time and how to circle back around to having a relationship with one another with children.  

I can't say it better than this:

There have been days when you walk in the door and I didn't even turn around. I was preoccupied!  Whether it was filling sippy cups and wiping booties, I was too busy. Then the times when I had to shout over running bath water, "Hey, Glad you are home!" But it didn't mean what it used to mean. You know those days when we did not have children. When the meaning was full of eager anticipation to spend time together. 

Instead, it was full of expectation to aid in the demands of the family.  "Glad you're home,"  more properly translated to, "Thank God for two extra hands to help me."  And, "Ahh, I might get five minutes alone."

Then the days came when I spent every last ounce of myself on our children.  The demands of life and the kids came before any other priority.  What little of me that I had left at the end of the day was used to crawl into bed before someone awoke to need me all over again.  the thought of doing anything else after the children were asleep sounded impossible and your happy smile could and should ONLY mean you were willing to get up with the baby and nothing more.

You had once completed my heart and then you become one more person who needed me. The charming things that I fell for went completely unnoticed. The daily grind will become expected.

There have been many times when I was at my wit's end wearing other people's food and poop on my clothes.  I still needed to hear that I was beautiful, but I wasn't listening to you.  I needed to know that I was still love-able, but I didn't want you near me. When you arrive home after meeting the demands of work, I expected you to meet the demands of your family.  I would hear none of your exhaustion, and you would be oblivious to mine.

I know that when you would call home to ask a quick question and anticipated an equally quick conversation, you instead spent time  listening to me talk to our kids, giving out directions to the kids. "Don't climb that!"  or "Don't put that in your mouth!"  You have become accustomed to my outbursts, but I know that you will not forget that there was ever a time when you had my full attention.

I still remember when Mommy becomes my name, but I still remember YOU.  I remember that I am your wife. I remember how much I love and appreciate you now in this moment and then.  I remember your dedication to US.  I remember your love and devotion to ME.  And  then, when the days are long and I just  need a break, I remember to fall into your arms and you are still there for me.

I have asked that you remember me as your wife. The care and love that I has given all to you, was spilling over to our children.  My love for you has not changed. Give me the grace to be enough even when I doesn't feel like it. Remember when your days are long, mine are too.  Fall in love with me over and over again.

It is so important for us to remember each other. We need to always remember the two of us that made this family.  We have held on  tightly to one another, even through all the changes. There is no greater gift than to walk through parenthood MY your best friend. We are the greatest team. Every single day.


To everyone out there who experiences these changes, I always say that the commercial where they say, "Having a Baby Changes Everything" is so true.  Your life is flipped completely upside down and until you learn to work as a team, it is hard.  It gets easier when you have your second one, but time is not on your side. There is so much of the day that goes to juggling kids that at the end, all you want to do is be alone. This is a challenge that will work itself out, it just take...time.. Oh the irony!

We are at a comfortable place in our lives today.  We are juggling a three year old and a five year old and our balance is good. We work together, we have found our way.  Some days are easier than others, but if we work together, instead of against each other, life is a breeze!

We even get date nights every once in a while, which is awesome because I get to reconnect with my best friend.

To my Hubby, I love you. I am glad we have stuck together through it all and our children get a household with both their parents loving them. We also show our children that we love each other, which I think is amazing for them to see that for their own relationships in their lives.

I love you!

~Kel

AVON Lady here for Thursday, July 3rd- SAVE

Hi, Avon Lady here!

I will keep this short and sweet.  We have TONS of deals going on at my website:

www.youravon.com/kelamstutz.

Right now, when you order JUST $20 worth of great AVON products, you get FREE SHIPPING!  Enter Promo Code: JULY4FS.  This code is good until 7/6/14 at Midnight!

Check it out!

Thanks!
Your Avon Lady, KEL

On my own Personal Fitness Challenge!

I am on a journey..

I am challenging myself everyday, to be a better person, to be a better ME, to live a better life and to be healthier.  I want what every one wants, whether they admit it or not.  I make mistakes, I have regrets...but I do NOT let them get in the way or progress.  I am not perfect, I never will be, but I can BE better, I can DO better, I can LIVE better!

This morning I have decided that I am not done with my fitness challenge. I have more work to do, and probably always will. I bore easily, so I have decided that instead of putting ALL my energy into 1 DVD program, I am going to expand my horizons and try to switch up my workout to keep myself engaged in my goals. 

Today I am doing a workout by choice, already cranked out 1 set this morning and will crank out another set late tonight. This IS important to ME. I want to do this for myself. 

My Workout Challenge for TODAY:

50 Jumping Jacks

40 Crunches

40 Squats

40 Leg Lifts

30 Jumping Jacks

20 Bicycle Crunches

20 Squats

30 Leg Lifts

Run 10 Minutes 

(and yes, I ran in place and my kids joined me!)

It feels great to have pain, to feel the burn and to know that I am making this happen for my body.  Do I need to lose weight, no. Do I want to look better in my clothes? YES! I want to have a toned tummy, I want to have defined leg muscles and feel GOOD about my body. This is me, raw. I want to feel great in my own skin and not feel self conscious, or worry that my shirt is too tight and someone can see the roll in my belly. I just want to feel good. 

I love PiYo- and did it again last night. But, like I said, I bore easily and sometime I just DON'T want to push PLAY! Sometimes I want to get a workout in while watching the news or a quick workout while my kids are playing.  I know that it sounds so much easier to just push the dang PLAY button, but why can't I do a little of this and a little of that?  Well, I can and I will!

Taking the day off tomorrow for the HOLIDAY!  Happy 4th!

Kel