Wordless Wednesday

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Meal Plan Monday

Sunday: 

Isabel's 3rd Birthday (Mack's Cousin)

Monday:

Spaghetti and Turkey Meatballs

Tuesday:

BLTA's and Salad

Wednesday:

Beef Stew and Bread

Thursday: 

Steak, potatoes, and Salad

Friday:

Pizza

Saturday:

Bake M&M Cookies for Bake Sale and Mack's

Preschool

Leftovers

Sunday: Fish N Chips w/ Salad

Busy, Busy weekend. I'm sorting through all of the photos tonight from the weekend. We went to a pumpkin patch on Saturday, (local elementary school). Mack's cousin's 3rd birthday party was on Sunday. All of the kids had so much fun. I have tons of photos that I will be posting of the party. 

Thankful Thursday - My Cousin an Addiction Survivor

My cousin is 3 1/2 years older than me. His name is Michael James Ruth. He was like my big brother growing up. He used to make me do the craziest things that would make my mother freak out. For insistence, my cousin thought it would be a brilliant idea to take my training wheels off at the age of two and push me down the street and let go. My mom would freak, and little mikey would say, "It's ok aunty Teri, Kristina can do it watch." I would go for awhile and then crash. 

When we got older he moved away to oak harbor in puget sound of Washington. I didn't see his as much, but when I did see him it was so fun. We would wrestle to the point where I might of been crying and yelling uncle. Besides that we had a lot of fun together. 

When they moved to Washington to California, I begged and pleaded my dad if I could go and visit. They were living in Incline Village at the time in Lake Tahoe. When I first came to Tahoe I fell in love. I knew that I wanted to move here. From there on out, I came for several years leading to the ending of my senior year. I decided then that I would be moving to Lake Tahoe, California and go to college there. My Aunt Dee and Uncle Bruce and cousin Mike came up for my high school graduation and my cousin Mike and I would be making the drive down with my car full to California. This was in 2005.

A year or so later, my cousin Mike had a back injury at work. He went to the doctor as any of us would and he was prescribed oxy cotton and other severe pain meds. I think the other one was methadone. (ya the drug they wean you off heroin with.) Mike took those for a year or so and it turned to something even harder, cocaine and eventually the death drug I call it, heroin. 

It was scrarey to see my cousin all dopped up on heroin, because you knew he was gone for awhile and it was heroin, so to speak, that was talking to you. It wasn't my cousin Mike. My cousin lied, stole, and hurt his family over the drug heroin. However, there was still some of him there left. Even if he was doped up and I needed help, he would be there if I called. He would pull me out of the snow or if I needed anything. Moving a couple of boxes.

Mike was eventually entered and exited rehab several times in the last couple of years due to his addiction. One of the times he came out clean and then he doped himself up so much that he overdosed and was brought back to life by CPR. By this point it was clear that none of us could watch him, my aunt and uncle's marriage would be shattered, he just needed help that none of us could give him. 

He then was packed up and shipped off to this rehab in Honduras. HONDURAS! Ya kinda of out there. However, I know my cousin says it's not the best place, and it sucked. I believe this place really did change him and make him better. I know it was a shady place, and it wasn't ideal, but when he came back he was clean, healthy looking, and starting to look like Mike again.

My cousin was never encouraged as much as he should have been. He was always told he was a fuck up and that he would never amount to anything. He proved everyone wrong, when he came back rehab. He took him awhile to figure out what he really wanted to do. He decided that he wanted to go to culinary school, (my cuz is the best damn cook), and pursue a career in the kitchen and be a chief one day.  He studied hard, despite what every thought if he could do it or not, and in October 2009 he graduated culinary school and was so close to being a valedictorian of his class. He still graduated with his class with honors and attendance awards.

Me and the cousin after graduation ceremony

All in all, my cousin is doing great. It's been 2 years since he has came back from rehab in Honduras, and he is still clean. 

Cousin receiving his diploma from culinary school

My cousin is an addiction survivor and I'm proud of him.

I have my cousin back.  

62.. My cousin's addiction survival 

63. My cousin's presence back in my life

64. Sobriety 

65. Family Bonds

66. Diet coke

67. Fall leaves 

68. Pumpkin pie

69. Glass of Red Wine

Wordless Wednesday

I love being a mom and going to a place to just play with Mackenna. This is from this last weekend. We go to this place called the Kidzone. It's an indoor facility for your kids to just go and play. It's great for us since we live in the mountains for a snowy day and we get bored at home. Here are a couple of quick snaps I got with my phone. 

First Ever Giveaway... Hot Mama Handbags

* Closed *
Hot Mama Handbags by Maranda 

I ran into Maranda's Hot Mama Handbags through a fellow blogger and just fell in love with her Etsy shop. She does awesome work. I bought my hot mama bag in August and just love it. I dumped the diaper bag and now using just my hot mama bag. When I received my hot mama bag in the mail, I first looked at it and said to myself that this could not be hand made. It is so well stitched and it holds all of my crap.

_________________________________________________________

My Hot Mama Bag

Inside

My stuff

Mackenna's stuff

You can fit a lot into this little hot mama bag and still look stylish without lugging around that large diaper bag.

Giveaway

Maranda has a great offer to my readers. She is offering free shipping and a wipee dipee clutch with an order over $50. Which is such a good deal. Please make sure to stop by her Etsy Shop and start to drool over her stuff. If you want to take part in this awesome offer, please make sure that you mention you are from Mountain Mum. This special giveaway to my readers has a 1 week time limit and closes Monday 9pm PST 10/18. 

Free with $50 purchase. 

While you are here, please vote for me and make sure to follow me if you are new.

McFatty Monday

I know, I know this is just silly. But, hey I'm fat and I'm not going to lie about it. (I'm laughing my ass off as I write this) I'm being serious now.... I'm not laughing anymore. I starting this and jumping on the band wagon to regain my healthy lifestyle I used to have. I was fit, athletic and all my clothes fit. Then I had a baby, well she is 2 now. I don't have an excuse anymore time to get back in shape.

I'm too shy, so I won't be posting a photo of my sexy body. (don't be too disappointed). I'm starting McFatty Monday's because I want to join in with the other mom's out there that are also wanting to be their old selves again.

I want to be able to post my progress, maybe as I get braver I will post my photos of my progress, but for now I will just state the facts and the number of lbs or clothes sizes I'm dropping. ha!

I'm going to keep the first post short, because I'm also posting my first giveaway ever on my blog tomorrow 10/12.

Please feel free to give me some advice, what worked for you. Also, feel free to leave me a link to your McFatty Monday's.

Thankful on a Thursday - Mack goes to Preschool

I've been really lucky to have my Mom, Sister-In-Law and my friend Kieara watch Mackenna the first two years of her life. However, my daughter is ready for new challenges and she will be starting her very first day at pre-school next week. I'm so excited for her, because she is going to have so much fun with other kids and playing all day.

Side note: I'm a little freaked out, but it will all work out.

There is also another big change for me. I will be saying good bye to my 6-3pm shift at work that I've been working for the last 4 years. I will be changing to a more realistic shift for Mackenna my daughter of 8-5pm and will be getting her ready in the morning and getting her to and from school. I'm used to leaving the house so early that A. it's still dark outside and B. everyone is still sleeping. So I'm excited to be to get her ready in the morning and head to school and work. Working 8-5 will be weird at first I'm sure, but its for the best for Mackenna right now.


What are you Thankful for this week....

54. Mackenna going to preschool

55. cool and crisp late afternoon walks with hubbs and Mack. 

56. Pumpkin pie

57. A great support system, social, family and friends

58. My friend Amber moving back to CA from WA state. 

59. Diet coke

60. Happy Birthday to "FarFar" (my grandpa) He turned 27 this year. ;)

61. Getting back in touch with the lord.

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