Die With Memories Not Dreams

Simple French Toast Recipe

With Mason being One year old now and eating solids like a champ, I am constantly on the lookout for new recipes that are healthier and still tasty. One of my favorites that I enjoy for myself and that Mason loves to much on is this French Toast recipe. It’s incredibly simple and quick for those crazy mornings when your little one wakes up way too early and your unable to think. Did you have your…

As December, Christmas, and 2016 comes to an end, I decided to share with you my December Thankful Favorites. Here are five items that have been important to me this month…  #1 Ugg Boots: (No picture) ‘Tis the season for warm-comfy UGG BOOTS! The weather is nasty, the holidays are crazy, and the motivation to get ready is extremely low. My first “Thankful Favorite” of December has to be my…

Ever have a feeling you know you should follow? You get that feeling and suddenly it just clicks. There’s something you should be doing. That is exactly what happened to me. I have been feeling pretty overwhelmed by laundry piles and messes that the word “Minimalist” suddenly popped into my head as I was surfing my phone next to my sleeping baby. I stopped and pictured my life as a minimalist and…

As November ends I begin to think about all the things I’m thankful for. Yes I am thankful for family and friends and a roof over my head but I dug down deep to even the smallest things I’m thankful for. So what better time to start a Monthly Favorites than during November?! I’ll call it my “Thankful Favorites”! Here are just a few tiny things that have been my go-to’s for this month.  #1. Deep…

The day may be over but the spirit definitely has not gone. Sitting here a little after thanksgiving I can’t help but feel even more thankful for what I have. Food, family, friends, my partner, and my son. What more could I ask for?  Our thanksgiving was perfect from the turkey to the decor to the fire burning on the TV. My mom and I set up the decor very simple for nine adults and six kids……

It’s been quite a while since making a new blog post and as I lay here in bed next to my sleeping five month old and listening to the rain, I feel inspired to write.  It’s a rainy Sunday morning, the day after my family and I celebrated our early Thanksgiving. Chris and I got to take our son to visit with my dad’s side of the family for our celebration. We have so many sides of family that we fit…

Well, let me tell you, Baby has OTHER plans for you. Mason didn’t sleep in his co-sleeper for very long. We started bed sharing after 3 days. Okay, so that was my choice. BUT it wasn’t the original plan. The cute little co-sleeper is a smaller version of a crib and goes next to your bed for easy baby access. That apparently wasn’t close enough for me. I never slept because I was constantly checking on Mason in his co-sleeper crib making sure my sweet little newborn was still breathing or was swaddled correctly. Bringing him into the bed with Chris and Me made me feel 100 times better and able to sleep more. (Aside from the times he woke through the night.) Now, I can’t imagine not sleeping in the same bed with my cuddle bug!

My journey through breastfeeding was anything but easy. My son had an Uncoordinated Tongue which caused him to pull his tongue back and he would bite me. Even with no teeth that still hurts! TMI Warning* Within our first week this issue caused my nipples to be sore, crack, and bleed! Ouch! I was extremely sad that our breastfeeding bond was full of pain and little accomplishment. I pushed through it as long as I could so that he could get those amazing nutrients but eventually I had to stop and let myself heal. In the meantime, I supplemented with formula and pumping and within a few days I finally healed. Although the outside of my breasts were better, the inside ended up paying for it. Soon after, I ended up with clog ducts in my left breast that were pretty painful. This caused me to get mastitis TWICE! Mason ended up refusing to nurse on that side making it very hard to heal. It took a little over a month to finally dislodge my clogs with a hand pump and get Mason back onto nursing from my left side. A very frustrating process in which I almost gave up nursing. I didn’t want our experience of breastfeeding to be over though. I kept trying and every day got better and better as Mason grew older. He is two months now and we are having a wonderful time breastfeeding. To be honest he still takes formula here and there when I am unable to nurse. -I HATE pumping! (Can you relate??) But that baby still loves his boob! :-D

As for sleeping when baby is sleeping during nap times? That didn’t work for me. Aside from nursing to sleep, I can never fall asleep during his nap times. I also can’t leave the room or else he wakes up. He senses his mama is gone. Haha! So most of the time I lay in bed with him so he can get a decent nap or I do things in the room such as clean or work on my projects. At night-time, I nurse my son to sleep, and we wake up anywhere from 2-3 times a night to nurse. You definitely can’t control how or when a baby sleeps but I thought I could at least control when I sleep. –Wrong!

All plans (or non plans) aside, motherhood is an amazing journey! I love every moment of it. Mason is such a good baby that I couldn’t have asked for better company 24/7. He loves: to smile, to try to talk, play in his bouncer, cuddle with mommy and daddy, His Lola (Grandma – My mom) time, to observe every new place, to be held facing forward, and suck his little fists. He is so smart and such a happy baby boy! He makes a million different faces, toots like a man, makes the cutest sounds after sneezing, kicks one leg when he gets fussy, and loves to snuggle in mommy’s neck when he’s sleepy. Mommy and Daddy love you bubba and couldn’t imagine our lives any other way! 

-XOXO

One Week to Two Months:

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Thank you for reading and checking in on Mason :-)

Today is officially my Estimated Due Date! That puts me at 40 weeks and a day along carrying this little boy. Since Mason hasn’t arrived yet, we had a doctors appointment to check on my progress. It seems as though this guy is perfectly comfortable and safe in my tummy. I guess he’d rather just stay in! Haha!  I can honestly say at this point, I am feeling quite large. I look like a turtle on its…

Hey Mamas & Daddies! So, I am in my final month of pregnancy and preparing for Mason’s arrival. In this time I am reaching out to you for any advice, tips, or tricks you have in the parenting world. Chris and I are first time parents and want to know as much as we can! Please share with us ANYTHING you want. Birth stories, breastfeeding stories, vacation stories, food stories, playtime stories,…

Maternity Photoshoot – Alameda Beach 4•20•16

Rashelle & Chris – Alameda Beach 2016 I am happy to finally share with you, OUR MATERNITY SHOOT! Baby Mason is on full display and happy to show how he lays in my belly! I feel very blessed to have worked with an amazing photographer Tamera of Tamera Marie Photography! You can tell she has a passion for what she does and her attention to detail is proven at the scene and in her photos. I’m a very…

Our Easter was a very FULL and eventful day! It started off slow and lazy, then out of no where we were hit with the rush of getting ready, cleaning, preparing food, and seeing all the family we could. Chris and I managed to see three sides of family and by the end of the night you just see how truly grateful you are to have a big, loving – and loud – family ;-) I wanted to write about our day in…

Savings Savings and… SAVINGS! 

Quick Post here guys! Sorry for any grammatical errors but I wanted to share on the fly! I know it’s late but oh well! ;-) Chris and I went to Target tonight, aka my happy place, and every time I walk in I HAVE to check the baby section. It’s no secret that little peel off coupons hide on boxes of diapers or bundles of wipes. Since I found my first $3.00 off Orange coupons for The Honest Company…

The Honest Company has this great offer where you can sample out their products for just $5.95! You can combine the Diaper Trial and Essentials Trial for that one price. In my box I received six diapers with the prints that I chose, a pack of 10ct. wipes, and travel sized items of their Healing Balm, Hand Soap, Face & Body Lotion, Multi Surface Cleaner, and Shampoo & Body Wash. (I ordered the…

I have this things for make up. I’m sure we all do though. We love to  look pretty and make up helps with that feeling.  So trips to Ulta, Sephora, or the local drugstore for the cosmetic isle is a part of our normal shopping routines. However, if you’re like me, you don’t like seeing money go. It’s a love hate relationship to splurge on such beautiful products. Since having a baby on the way I…