Amelia turned 8 and was Baptized

8 years old is a big milestone in our home, Amelia hit that milestone on December 3rd.  Then on Saturday, December 16th was baptized a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

Mia is something special and has the sweetest personality. She is a light, and a peacemaker. We are so proud of her and the things shes accomplished so far, and how much she has grown in just a short amount of time. 

We are so blessed to have her in our family. 

You're Steel My Favorite

11 years.

You're still my favorite.

Merry Anniversary.

I love you.

Are you a better mother for my children?

I was helping a friend at church with one of her boys, I just happened to be right there at the moment, he is the cutest spitfire with a big fun personality, and my friend jokingly said, "I swear he was supposed to be your child, Erica" I laughed and then went about my Sunday.

It got me thinking.

How often do we feel like someone else would be a better mother for our children?

I love my kids, but yes, they can be the worst. But, why do we feel like because our children are not listening, throwing a tantrum, or whatever thing they are doing that drives us nuts, someone else would be a better fit to mother them?

I'm just thinking about loud here, but maybe, its because I get get so burnt out with my kids that the idea of someone else taking care of them is a glorious thing.  Maybe, its that in general kids tend to listen better when someone else is giving them instruction (maybe that's just mine), or helping them do things. Maybe, its that I tend to have a little more patience with other peoples kids than my own.

Do I really want someone else to mother my children? no. Do I believe that there are people placed in my life at certain times to help in my mothering journey and visa versa? yes.

I am glad I have other women around me that I know would be good mothers for my children. I'm glad to have that piece of mind to know that if I need them, I can count on them to mother my children, to protect and love them.

.

One of the many reasons why I love being a member of my church is that I have that built in tribe everyone seems to be seeking. Any connection whether through church, a facebook group, instagram friends, twitter etc. are great places to find women with like minded goals, and values. So many amazing women in the world to connect with!

I hope that in whatever stage in life you are in right now, that you can find those women that help your life be brighter, and happier. It literally can take a village to raise children, a helpful hand, or a listening ear. There is NO better mom for your children then yourself, but there are plenty of helpers

Have you thought someone could be a better mother for your children?? 

4 Years of Camden

Camden is just one of those boys where when you meet him he just melts your heart.  He is stubborn and learning but he has a heart of gold.  From my squishy 8lb 10oz baby to a full blown 4 year old now. He is a social butterfly and is a friend to everyone he meets and just wants to share all the love he can. Always cracking jokes and laughing about something, his personality just keeps getting better. 

I learn so much from this fast growing little boy every day.  I am so grateful he is mine and bring so much joy to our family. 

I can't wait to see him grow more in this next year. 

Now enjoy random pictures of my sweet Camden through the years. 

Capture Motherhood

I was recently tagged in a photo on Instagram by a company that I follow Regalo Baby about capturing motherhood

Capture motherhood with us by sharing your favorite quotes, stories, and pictures. Simply tag us @regalobaby to share and use the hashtag #capturemotherhood. (@airkaka @oursmalltownsquad @alytoash @_mama.woo_ @sahmclothmom @jojoremy We love your IG accounts and would be excited to follow how you #capturemotherhood) . . . . . #tinymoments #uniteinmotherhood #momsunite #momlifeisthebestlife #candidmotherhood #our_everyday_moments #strongmother #momentsofmotherhood #mynameismama #mom_hub #ourcandidlife #simplychildren #illuminatechildhood #parenting101 #bestofmom #letthembelittle #teammotherly #writeyouonmyheart #motherhoodinspired #ig_motherhood #motherquotes

A photo posted by Regalo Baby (@regalobaby) on Oct 13, 2016 at 5:50pm PDT

I love the words they posted "I didn't lose myself when I became a mom I found myself."

Its something that I've been thinking a lot about lately so it was fitting and exciting when they tagged me to share how I capture motherhood.

My younger self never had a definitive plan as to what the future held.  All I knew was that some day I would be a mom.  It was a natural transition for me, but I did have to give up a lot to be able to be a mother.  Social mental, financial. Being a mother takes, and takes, and takes.  Sometimes it takes so much that you feel like you never get anything back.  In just the past couple years I was forced to stop and look at things much differently in all areas of my life.  Things that seemed to be one way, ended up being another.  I had to build myself up more than I've ever had to in order to be the mother and the person I wanted and needed to be.  My perspective on motherhood has changed so much since then and I am glad I've had to change.

For me capturing motherhood is about the spontaneous fun, the mundane and the down right boring moments.  Moments of chaos, and moments of calm.

Its the little mom fails. Getting ready to feed your baby a bottle then dropping it right on his face.  He doesn't want to be near you any more, so you make it work.

Losing a battle with a 3 year old about wearing a winter coat when its 90 degrees outside and he's sweating, but it makes him happy.

Having a continuously messy home even though you swear to your husband that you spent at least an hour cleaning it, oh well.

My squad 💕

A photo posted by Erica Jenkins//Good Job Momma (@airkaka) on Oct 5, 2016 at 10:56am PDT

Seeing your kids have a love for the same thing (technology) and play nicely together.


Being a mother is my job.  Just like if I had a job outside the home, and I bust my butt everyday.  Its hard, its lonely, its worth it.

Thank you Regalo Baby for inspiring this post today.  If you want to join in capturing motherhood use the hashtag #capturemotherhood and tag @regalobaby  on Instagram

Pizza My Heart: MOD

If you know me at all you know that I love pizza.

Its the ultimate food.  It can be eaten for every meal.  Breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert!!! Seriously, love love love it!

Last weekend Chris and I went out for a date night.  He planned it and wanted to surprise me where we were going.

I was very happy when we strolled up to the newly opened MOD pizza near us.  We both had never been.

OH. MY. GOSH!!!!!

Its probably a good thing we hadn't been before because I would have been throwing my money at them way sooner!

THE PIZZA OH THE PIZZA!!!!!

I got the Tristan: Mozzarella, asiago, roasted red peppers, mushrooms and pesto.  I added pepperoni, & green bell peppers

Chris got the Mad Dog: mozzarella, pepperoni, mild sausage, ground beef. He added Canadian bacon and green bell peppers.

I can't stop thinking about this pizza.  It's changed me.

Please tell me I'm not alone in my love for this pizza.  If you are foolish like me and have waited to go to MOD, GO! Please go and become a changed person. You'll love harder, you'll be smarter, you'll become famous. (it won't do any of those things, but wouldn't that be amazing!)

Its the perfect place for a date night! Even if you have your baby as a third wheel.  :)

Peace, love & unicorns

A few days ago I was just sitting and enjoying a quiet night,  just looking at my sweet sleeping babe in my arms and thinking about life.  Its a scary time to be alive. So much hate and fear, but I only thought about that for just a brief moment, then my thoughts turned to all the reason why its such an amazing time to be alive.  

I've come to realize that the things going on around the country right now, that should be scaring me out of my mind right now, honestly have don't affect me that way.  I feel a great sadness, but I don't have any fear.  

I have been blessed with faith and courage, to not let these things bother me. Its a gift I am very grateful for, especially raising my sweet children in a world of turmoil. 

I'm going to continue to spread love & laughter in my tiny little corner of the world and try my best to be an example of what we want in this world. I love my God and my Country and I want people to feel safe and not be fearful. 

Anyway, that was some heavy stuff, I thought I should just pop in and say a few things about all the crazy going on. Seems to me that people are capable of coming together, aka, Pokémon GO. I don't play it but it makes me smile, and laugh at how quickly its spreading so much joy, weird joy, but joy nontheless. The world can be good, we just need to find it and be apart of it.

Peace, love, & unicorns to you all
*hugs*

to dads

Fathers day was yesterday and we celebrated my husband with some gifts, homemade by the kids, and some bought.  We loved on him and made sure that he had a wonderful day.  I love my husband so much and am thankful he such a wonderful father to our children, but this post is about other dads.


I have some incredible men in my family. My dad, & my two brothers.

I'm lucky to have an older brother and a younger brother. I get to be the obnoxious younger sisters and the annoying older sister.  Its truly a blessing for me. 

Watching these two become dads has brought me so much joy i can't even understand it.  Their children love and adore them and they love and adore their children.  

They are truly wonderful men and dads and it makes my heart happy. 

Nate: 

Taylor:

I know they are great dads because they have the wonderful example of our dad.
He is beyond anything i could have ever dreamed of for a dad.  He's hardworking, honest, wise, funny, caring, giving and basically every good thing you can think of.

He is amazing, one of a kind, and i am so glad he's my dad.

Summer days{2}

Another week has come and gone.  These weeks are flying by and going so slow at the same time.  Its the weirdest thing.  

We kept this week pretty low key.  Okay it was only low key because i basically got summer brain. You know when your brain boils from the heat and you forget about basically everything you had planned. Yeah, so that happened. oops. 

We ate popsicles, made a sonic run, watched netlifx, and went to a movie.

So here are some pics of what i remembered to capture of our last week. Oh and just FYI my kids basically wear the same thing every day, its summer, whatevs. 

Camden always wants to be apart of everything the girls are up too. He had just woken up and plopped himself in between them. 

 Cam is a pro and blowing his nose, he sometimes uses a little too much tp though.  

Ev is obsessed with pokemon right now and carries her cards everywhere.  Almost every time i go upstairs shes organizing them. 

I decided to be a cool mom and take the kids to a movie. We went to the dollar theater. This is not something i usually do, cause squirmy kids and movie theaters usually don't mix. We went and saw Cinderella. The girls have been begging me to see it.  About 25 minutes in it basically turned for the worst.  Even though they were asking to go home, i wanted to watch the flippin movie.  It was, okay. I'm sure I'd like it more with no distractions. 

For family night we watched YouTube music videos and danced.  It was a lot of fun and entertaining.  Mia danced to every song and taught us some dance moves she made up. 

**10 cool points if you can tell me what YouTube video were watching in the picture above.**

Welp, that's basically the end. 

the end. 

Second birthday

My mothering heart is in denial that my sweet little baby is now 2.

If you'd like to reminisce on this day with me you can read about his birth story HERE

How do they grow so fast!? It's just crazy! I blinked too many times and the time just flew by! 

Oh my Camden man.

He is super sweet & helpful, loves to cuddle, and loves his sisters so much.  

He's loves to jump off things, climb everything, throw sticks, make messes, get dirty. 

He doesn't like being naked, so thankful for this, BUT hates getting his clothes changed.  Once he's wearing a shirt he wants to wear it all day everyday. Silly, stinky boy.  

He plays pretend, plays videos games with dad.  His personality is just so funny. He's a natural comedian and he barley talks. That's talent. 

We love our Camden Lyle. 

Happy Birthday buddy

We are so lucky to have you in our family.  

last week, today

This past week has been an eventful one. Amazing happy things and stuff that is just sad face.

First i need to write something sad face, which is really rare for me.

Right now, I am at the table of "girls who eat their feelings".

People are moving away and it make me sad.  One of my super amazing best friends, who i love and adore so so much, is going to be headed off on a new adventure. aka:moving aka:two whole states away

I was perusing the isles of Target when she dropped the news of moving on me. I wanted to throw a tantrum in the middle of the shampoo isle but i restrained myself. I was grateful it was over the phone and i was in public, cause i clearly would have lost my mind if i was at home or if i was looking at her face.

I cry a little less any time i think about it now, so that's good.  I've had about a week to process it, but it just bums me out, man. I know i have plenty of time to spend with her and her family before they head off, but wow, its going to be super hard. I haven't even known her very long, but sometimes you just click with people and its amazing!

I will say this though, I am so unbelievably excited for her! I want this for her, like, i want to party all night, excited.  It is a weird mix of emotions, for sure!

Change is hard, but i am a believer in change and how much i need it. Maybe, i could also be a little jelly, that i don't get to go on a super awesome adventure in a new land with her. :)

Plus side: I've already come up with an amazing 'you're leaving me but i still love you' gift!

I big puffy heart each and every person that comes into my life, and i wish i could have everyone stay close but i still big puffy heart them if they leave. I've been "the leaver" a few times and its rough for sure.

I will miss my friend so much but i look forward to many phone/video calls, packages, & letters in our future, and the occasional, I'm coming to visit. :) 

life update

You guys, I haven't done a life update in quite sometime.

Here's whats up with my life as of late.
(disclaimer: as usual, i am the worst at taking pictures, these came straight from my phone.i hope you enjoy grainy.)


-We registered Amelia up for kindergarten. Excuse me? how is she old enough for this! She is so excited. It'll be just me and Camden at home. It will be weird at first, but many walks to the park with friend will probably help cam not miss his sister.

-Speaking of Camden. This dude will be 2 in less than two weeks! I can't even believe it.

-Evelyn had a birthday in January she is now 7. I have a 7 year old kid!! It boggles the mind folks. I took her out of school for lunch and we went to Subway, then we went to dinner later, her choice, Applebee's of course.

-I read books now. Weird i know. We'll one book a month, I'm in a book club, have yet to attend a meeting but still I'm reading. February book: The Giver.I need to watch the movie now.

-I gave up soda, for about 5 minutes. I am drinking about a gallon of water a day though, so that's good, right?

-Evelyn and Amelia are playing soccer for the first time.  They had their first games last week. They are not on the same team, they just both ended up with blue teams though. Evelyn's team is Blue Lightning, Amelia's team is Blue Ninja's.

Their first games were entertaining.  Amelia smiled the whole time even though she didn't get the ball much, but she had a great attitude and loved it. Evelyn smiled, kinda, about half way through the 40 minute game she said "I am so over this" way to be Evelyn. :)

Camden saw the girls line up and ran right up to get in the shot. :) 

 -It has been so nice the last few weeks, we've been spending as much time as we can outside. Love AZ "winter" weather.

-In November-ish, i started working from home. I'm working for my brothers roofing company.

-I have been branching out, meeting new people, getting out of my comfort zone and its been awesome! Amazing things are happening folks! Stay tuned!

I've got a busy life, but its awesome. 

Thanks for stopping by!

You stay classy

THE END.