Fall Cara Box

Oh.My.Goodness!! All of my Cara Box partners have been awesome! BUT my Fall partner, Shannon, over at Life of Poole sent me chocolate! Yes I LOVE snickers and Reese's and M&M's so she sent me a BIG bag do peanut butter M&M's and lots of peanut butter snickers along with dark chocolate (anything is great) hot chocolate and a coffee to go with. Shhhh don't tell anyone but all my chocolate is in hiding from the rest of the family...hehehe. I have new knee high socks and a thanksgiving magazine for new recipes. She also sent red nail polish. It goes perfectly with my gold polish I received from Kim a fee months ago. Apparently I'm easy to please. I mean just send me chocolate, wine, or anything and you'll be my friend for ever! LOL. Thank you so much, Shannon!

If you want to sign up for the next Cara Box, head on over to Wifessentials. There you will find all the details about it and meet some awesome ladies. 

Here's my box:

Here are the goodies! 

Carabox Reveals!!

Well back in June I learned about this modern twist on the age old pin pal exchange. In the two months I have signed up for this exchange, I have met some awesome women. I can't wait to make friends with some other ladies around the US. Below are my reveals for July and August! 

In July I was paired up with a wonderful woman by the name of Kim. She lives in Washington. The theme of the month wasNautical, which is what I am re-doing our guest bathroom in! So obviously I was excited cause Washington is on the coast!! We had ALOT in common...including wine lovers! So she sent me a little bottle of wine! Oh yeah! Plus lots of other goodies! 

In August, I was paired with an awesome mommy of 2 girls with another girl on the way! She actually got married today! And her baby girl is due to arrive in November. Amazingly, she also lives in Washington! Below is what she sent me and I got it just in time to use some of the stuff on my vacation!!

Until the next exchange, talk to you all soon!

Sara

Life's a Beach!

Life is a beach! How? Well have you ever seen a straight flat...I mean completely flat flat flat beach (if you have don't tell me, haha). Ok, so the non-flat beaches, they have hills or ripples or dents or whatever...right? Right! Well so does life! As humans we have our ups and downs like hills and smaller ones like ripples and then we have those life occurrences that hit us like a baseball and leave a dent that lasts with us either for a long time (if it was a good thing) or last a short while (like going to a repair shop). 

My first year as a stay at home has had a lot...A LOT...of ripples, some hills, and a few dents (some of which as still being repaired). On many occasions I have thought that I am just not cut out to be a stay at home mom. Usually its when i have had a stressful few days or something have had enough of the crying and whining over toys and naps and food. Then other times I'm just like 'wow, I have more time with my kids'. I have time to do more with them and help them develop and grow. I honestly like the fact that after Fan has been out in location for a few days and he comes home during the week, I don't have to wait til I get off work to see him, I'm already at home. 

Staying home has allowed me to work more on growing my photography business. I created a website, had my logo designed, put together my brand and packaging and been available to my clients when they wanted to do a session anytime. 

I love my kids and I love my husband and I love my life. The only thing I would change if I had the power would be to win the lottery or I'll settle for having a little more money to pay things off. But until then I will just go with the flow and ride the waves over the hills, ripples and dents that come along. 

Life's a Beach! Have fun while you can!

Sara

Hello! I'm back!! So...here's the catch up!!!

Last time I posted, I was still pregnant with our little girl. Well, she is a WHOLE 15 months now!!!! Gosh where does the time go!!??

There is so much to catch up on, so lets start of course where I left off. Adalynn Kaci was born March 17th. Fan was to be home that weekend so I scheduled to be induced so that he could be with me. We arrived at the hospital at the scheduled time and recieved a call from the charge nurse saying that over night they had many women go into labor and had no rooms available at the time, but would call me when one opened up. So Fan, Eli and I went to eat. Wouldn't you believe it as soon as we got our food, the nurse called me to come in. A few hours later we had our beautiful baby girl!

I was able to take 8 weeks off work and let me tell you it was awesome and tiring as I was learning to juggle both kids and their schedules. I managed. It worked. We survived. I went back to work, pumped at work again and made everything work, but I was still missing my kids. Fan and I talked and decided that at the end of June I could quit and stay home with the kids full time...under one condition...I worked harder and did my photography full time as well. Needless to say its still an on going situation to get use to.

In August 2012, Fan, Eli and I went to Suriname for 2 weeks to visit his family and friends and to see the country he grew up in. It was amazing, beautiful, peaceful...I could live there! The only that was hard was to leave my baby back in the States with my mom and mother in law. I know she was safe but still missed her terribly! Plus I pumped while I was down there so that I could keep up my supply. Any nursing mom knows that having to pump and dump is just down right hard to do, but I survived 2 weeks and several plane rides! We ate a lot. I learned to make a few things. Eli got to run around and see at the aunts and play with cousins. We went to the jungle. Swam at one of the hotels. Went to the market. Walked around town. Got to go out on a fishing boat and catch all kinds of jellyfish and fish. Over all fantastic time!

After getting back from Suriname, we went back to our normal routines. Eli started school, Fan went back to work and I officially began getting use to staying home and not having to wake up and go to work. Don't get me wrong I'm 'working' as hard as I ever had been, but this time it's just a bit different. It's getting up, getting the kids up and ready to take Eli to school, breakfast, lunch and dinner, cleaning, snacking and playing and more cleaning. After a year now I'm still getting use to it! 

After the first of the year, it was time to start preparing for a 1 year and 5 year birthday party. I decided to combine their major birthdays {1,5,10...}. It was a success! We did a princess and super hero theme. I made capes for the kids. Crowns for girls and super hero symbol for boys. We rented a bounce house and I had my friend Ashley with Southern Hearts Bakery make the 2 smash cakes and all the cupcakes. Delicious!! We have more toys now too! LOL

Not too much has happened since their birthdays. They are growing ever to fast. Eli can read now and is learning more and more words. He will be going to Kindergarten in August :-( Addi is growing so much. She is becoming more independent, learning more words, loves to sing and dance. They both love being outside all the time.

We are doing wonderful, loving life, living everyday to its fullest.

Lovies and best wishes,

Fanuel, Sara, Elijah, & Adalynn

Almost time!!!

Well I only have 8 more weeks!! Eeekkk! We are all patiently waiting for our precious little girl. Since I've last updated on my adorable little family, so much has happened. Fan and I finally picked a name for this little girl we are about into the world. Her name is going to be Adalynn Kaci. I have not started shortening her name and really don't think I want to. Inlove the name as a whole. Eli love to talk to her and sing to her either Twinkle Twinkle Little Star or the ABC's. He gets excited to feel her kick. He knows she will be here after his birthday.

We are all moved into our new house and I am loving every bit of it. There is more space, peaceful, quiet. Just wonderful. I can't wait until this spring so I can fix up some gardens and get to planting. Also going to redo the flower beds so they look nicer. I love that I can let Eli go play with the neighbor buddy and no worry about cars flying down the road because our new street is a cul-de-sac and he can just play and be a kid. I love that I have a bunch of windows and can (and have a few times so far) open the doors and windows and let fresh air blow throughout. Can you tell I love this house? :-)

Oh the glorious things that have gone on the past few months. We spent our Christmas in the wonderfully warm Florida sun with my parents, brother, aunt and uncle and cousin. Went to Busch gardens with Fans parents. It was a very nice trip.

Eli can say his alphabet in full now. And sings along with me when I sing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. He is still loving school. Learning more and more everyweek. He has a new buddy to play with on our new street. I can't wait til this summer so he can be outside more and playing around. Fan and I built him a firehouse bed with a slide and he absolutely loves it.

I am still working on Adalynn's room but it will be primarily brown and purple with a splash of pink and some white. I've decided to make her bedding and will hopefully have that done before she gets here. I'm still having to switch my mind from thinking bout boy stuff to girl stuff, but I'll get it.....eventually.

I am still working for as long as I can. A few weeks ago I actually got a jury duty notification. Never thought I would see that. Today is my first day, check in and orientation. Not exciting what so ever. Fan is still working for the same company and is currently in Texas.

We all are ready for warmer weather, sun and the boat. We've only had one snowfall this season which is nice because it didn't amount to very much. The summer will come soon enough. That's about it for now.

Lovies and best wishes,
Fan, Sara, Elijah and Adalynn

What Happened to November?

Well, November has come and almost past already. I can't believe how at some point it seemed to fly by and at other points it seemed to drag on forever. What ever the case we have had ALOT of things go on this month. 

1. Our best friends got married. Sara got to do all the photography for them also.

2. We closed and moved into our new home.

3. Sara's belly is getting bigger. 

4. We are having a girl and have decided to name her Adalynn Kaci.

5. Eli's soccer practice and games are over for the season.

6. Our 2 doggies and Sara get to be on TV on the 28th just cause.

I'm sure there are other things that I am forgetting to mention, but these are/were the important and fun ones. 

It's a slow process, but I have made great strides in organizing, cleaning, and arranging out new house. I LOVE IT! Our neighborhood is quiet and peaceful for the most part. We live on a cul-de-sac so I'm even happier about that. I can't wait to start doing stuff for starting a garden and some fruit trees. After I'm done tackling all the boxes and bags and doing all of the laundry and dishes, it'll be time to start on Adalynn's room getting it cleaned organized, painted and decorated. Then Eli's room, then ours. haha. Luckily we don't have to paint. I'm just so excited! We also have to go to the old house and finish moving whatever is left and cleaning it up a bit before we can sell it. Oh well.

In just under a month we are going to Florida for Christmas. We can't wait for a much needed time away/break/vacation. It'll definitely be different to be on the beach for Christmas instead of being cold and inside.

Well, the year is almost over as well and I sure there is still more in store for us in the Dragman household. So stay tuned for my next update.

Hugs and Lovies,

Fan, Sara, Elijah & Belly Adalynn

Month 5

A lot has happened in the past few months. We are expecting another little one to join our family, we are searching for a new and bigger house, Fan & I have taken on 2 project trucks, we just signed an offer on a house yesterday, Eli is playing soccer and loving it.

Elijah is having a blast! He is going to school 3 days a week and continually learning his ABC's and 123's. I just can't get enough of his version of the alphabet song. His writing is improving slowly, but I know he'll get there. He is loving soccer. Practice every week and games every Saturday. He is just too darling in his little uniform. He has grown fond of me singing him the song 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star' when it's time for bed and I love it! I should really learn a few others, haha.

Baby D #2 is growing and I have started feeling the little kicks it is making. I am in my 5th month and am loving it. I have gotten my appetite back, but still have avoidance foods. Mostly those fried, greasy, fatty ones unless is made it. No cravings such as pickles and ice cream. Although pickles I'm loving, but they have to be the claussen crunchy kind.

After about a month of searching for a new and bigger house we have found one that we both love. It is a 3 bedroom, 2 bath house on 1.25 acres. My favorite part is the country style kitchen. We signed an offer yesterday and are waiting to find out if they have accepted or denied it. Fingers crossed it is accepted. I will post pictures once it is ours. I'm so ready to decorate and make it mine. haha

Recently, in the midst of looking for a house, Fan and I found and bought 2 Chevy trucks. One is a 1951, which is mine. The body style old truck I have always wanted. The other is a 1970, which is Fan's and one that he has wanted for a while. We are going to fix up his first the way he wants it, then we will get to work on mine.

Oh the wonderful things that are happening this Fall. Here are some pictures of soccer and belly.

Our Little Journey

You never know how hard it can be for a couple who is trying to have a baby, until you have walked in their shoes. This is my story of how hard is was.

Two years ago this October, I found out I was going to be a mommy again! Fan and I were both scared and nervous and excited all in one. We had these feelings because we did not know how we were going to handle a two year old and a baby, but we were going to make it work. We told everyone. I had made an appointment for our first doctors visit. I had taken another test just to be sure. Then a week later it happened. I had cramps like I have never had before. I was going to the bathroom frequently because I was bleeding. By the second day I was very concerned. I called my good friend who is a nurse and explained to her what was going on. She told me what could be happening and to call my doctors office. I did. I ended up going to the ER, waiting, crying until I was in a room with just Fan. Nurse and doctor came in. I was informed I was going through a miscarriage. I had suspected it, but really did not want to believe it. It was heart breaking. 

To this day I still think about what could have been, but then I know God had other plans for that baby and was not ready to let it enter our world just yet.

Fast forward to the following September. Fan and I took an extra long bike ride with some friends down one of the prettiest roads in Oklahoma. On our way back home, we took a different route than we did getting there. We came up on a blind curve and ended up having a motorcycle accident. Nobody was seriously hurt or broken. I have my first and only scars to prove it. We rode back home. I had to ride with one of the other guys as my seat on Fan's bike was not stable for me to sit on. When we got back home. We jumped in the car and went to the ER to have us checked out just in case. 

Shortly after the accident I found out I was pregnant again. We were excited! But because of the miscarriage and we still had people asking about the pregnancy, we wanted to wait to tell anyone about this one. Boy was it hard. Then the last week of September, I was back in the ER, crying, waiting, crying some more. Saw the doctor and nurse. Then had an ultrasound. That's when I knew I was going through another miscarriage. What was I doing wrong? Why couldn't my body hold on to these babies? 

From that point I was determined to get my body in shape and in good health so that if I do get pregnant again I was going to hold onto that baby. 

We went through the healing process. Waited. Tried again, but were having a hard time. Then we stopped trying and just enjoyed our time with Eli. We bought a boat and have enjoyed it last fall and this summer as much as we could. 

In July, I found out I was pregnant again. I had been taking my prenatal vitamins. I called the doctors office made my appointments and also had them order a blood test to check my HCG levels. So far so good. We actually made it to the first doctor appointment with his PA and had my levels checked again. Still good so far. I had an ultrasound done at 8 weeks and heard the little but very fast heart beat. 

I am now almost 11 weeks along and am so happy. I'm being careful, eating properly, taking vitamins. And go in for my second doctors visit next week. Eli is excited but not sure what to think yet. 

I love my family and my life. It's been a long hard road but we are making it. I will soon have 2 March birthday's to celebrate and couldn't be happier.

Hugs and lovies,
Fan, Sara and Elijah

Our family will grow another 2 feet in March!

We hope you read the title correctly! If not here is another clue......Come Thanksgiving look out I'll be eating for two! Or Fan + Elijah + Me & belly = 4.

Did you get it now? Yes you are correct!! We are expecting baby #2 the middle of March! We are ecstatic. I hope you don't mind that we waited so long, but due to our 2 previous miscarriages we wanted to be sure this time.

The baby's head is on the left (looks like its squished) and the body is on the right.

Lake. Puppies. Fireworks. Summer.

I can probably count on one hand the number of weekends that we have not been to the lake. Which is all reality is a good thing! I love the lake, our boat, spending time with family and friends. Mostly I'm getting a great tan and getting better at 2, count them, 2 water sports!! My most favorite is wake-surfing, and then wake-boarding. Eventually  and gradually we are getting Eli more and more use to the water and now he has even started standing up on his board we got in Florida when we went in April. Check out some of our pictures below. Also Thumper and Harvey are getting use to being at the lake. They their own little cubby hole to lay in while out on the boat and then they also get to be outside, which they love!

 
 
 

Fourth of July was just recently upon us and Fan, Eli and I spent the day together. Slept in really late, went to Lowes and bought mommy a used, but new to me, fridge/freezer (pics will come soon). And then we watched fireworks  at the local casino with Nana and Poppie. They were big and beautiful, not to mention we were ever so close. I mean like close enough to see the shooting ground where all the fireworks were to go off at. And despite our lack of rain over the past month, they had not major fires there. 
 
 

 
 
 

Despite the blistering hot Oklahoma 100+ degree heat for nearly the past month, this has been a good summer. Eli is doing more and more. Talking more and more. I love it! Just wish I was home more to spend more time with him. I love every bit of him. I love every bit of Fan too. Lately I have been looking for some land/acreage to buy so we can build a house. I really want to build a house, the way I want, with the things I want in it, because inevitably it's where we want to stay for the rest of our lives. But it's hard cause we want to stay within so far of Oklahoma City, since that is where we both work, but we don't want to be too close or too far. I want to have big enough land to have a chicken coop, maybe another farm animal, somewhere Eli and go run around and not worrying about getting to close to the street or being able to play outside whenever he wants. So we will see, we are still looking, as always. Maybe one day soon I'll find the perfect spot. Until then....


Hugs and Lovies,
Fan, Sara and Eli

Meet Harvey!

I would like you all to meet Harvey. He is our newest mini daschund. His color is chocolate and tan dapple. He has one eye that is completely brown and the other is half blue half brown. He is lovable and he is alot fatter than Thumper. Although Harvey and Thumper get along together, there are some things that they don't want to share....some of which they need to. Thumper, well she has an only puppy complex that I hope she grows out of quickly! Harvey is slowly learning his name and potty training is just soooo much fun (can you hear the sarcasm?). 


Here is Harvey:

Here is Thumper:

5 YEARS!!!

Holy moly!! Fan and I made it to out 5 year anniversary!! Yay for us! We are both looking forward to another 100 years together. I couldn't have asked for a better husband and father to my child. He makes me happy when I am sad, makes me laugh when I don't want to. This year for our anniversary we stayed in Oklahoma and just booked a room at one of the hotels in downtown OKC, shopped for a bit, ate at Zio's, and watched a movie. Then the next day we checked out and went to the lake to do some wakeboarding and wakesurfing and camping. We had so much fun together. I don't know of a better way to spend my anniversary weekend than together doing what we love to do. My mom and dad watched Eli all weekend so we had all that much more time to do whatever and be lazy.


I love you, Fan.


Sara

Our lastest makings

I have vowed to always involve Eli in cooking with me. No matter what it is, if he is interested in helping then I will give him things to do. Below are a few things that we have made together over the past few months.

Julia Child's Irish Soda Bread

 Cheesy Broccoli and Chicken Bread Braid

Easy crepes (recipe makes like 40 of them)

Ok, granted we didn't make the milk, strawberries or, angel food cake....BUT we did make the whip cream!

Funnel Cake madness!! Almost as good as the ones at the fair.

Hugs and Lovies,

Fan, Sara, and Eli

Adventures in the Zoo {and my conclusions}

I went on Elijah's very first school trip last week for the last week of his first school year. Sad, I know, I am. He is 3 years old, but my church is also a school from K-2 through college. He has learned so much this past, I just can't believe my baby is growing up. Sad. Again. Yes. I am. Anyhow, back to the school trip........we went to the Oklahoma City Zoo. Eli and I rode with one of his class mates and his mom. We walked around the whole Zoo and had fun hanging out with Gavin and his mom, JoElla.


We had alot of fun. It was also humid and in a way a little sticky. But it was fun. I took my camera so I could get pictures and lots of them. One spot I liked the most and will probably go back to was by the flamingos and their fence. As we were walking to the Children's Zoo so the kiddos could have a little fun, Eli and I stopped beside the fence to see if we could see the flamingos a little closer and we did. It was one of those holes in the wood from where a knot had been, but it was low to the ground. So we squatted/knealt to the ground and looked through. WOW! Amazing colors and we were so close to them. The photographer in me just had to bring out the camera and snap some shots. Yep, I'll be going back to that place.

Eli and I proceeded to the Children's Zoo with the rest of our group. Of course we went to the petting zoo part so that Gavin and Eli could pet the goats. They loved it and had lots of fun. In the middle of the children's zoo they have a nice little stream/fake river where the kids and parents can walk through and play with the rocks and sand. You guessed it it was their favorite part of the day. At the very top of the stream they have a flatter area for the littler ones and it just has little fountains on the ground that they can step on or whatever. I think this is where they got the wettest. Oh well. It was hot.

It we left the Children's Zoo we took a different path to get out. One that I had long forgotten about. Since I was a kid I have always gone to the zoo but as I got older I went less and less, but now that I have a kid (who loves animals and the zoo). Well this path goes straight to the sea lion look out, which is above the sea lion water pit that you can look at below through the windows and it is also the place to see the sea lion show. Well this path, still looks like it did back when. As most of the zoo has been changing over the past years this part doesnt seem like it.

After watching the sea lions swim around for a while we decided to head down to the aquarium to look at all the fish and sea life. Well it came to a point where Eli was asking about some of the fish and what they were and the only thing I could think of was Nemo. The movie, yes that's right. My entire 'teaching' of what the fish were came from Nemo. There were explanations of Nemo's dad, Marlon, and of Dory, the puffer fish and Scarface, and I even explained about the school of fish that Marlon and Dorky come across that help find the path to Sydney. That is when I realized I know alot about the Nemo movie. Which is not the fist movie I have come to know more than most people know about. This is probably because they are Eli's favorite movies.

After being there most of the day playing, walking, talking about all the animals, walking, eating, walking and did I mention walking? We came up on one of the playgrounds for the kiddos to play around some more and wear out a bit more. Us mommies were getting tired and ready to go. Eli and I rode the marry-go-round. He rode on the Zebra and I rode the Manatee. To ride you have to buy tokens and tokens are $1 for one. Sheesh! Yes I had fun but I'd much rather just give them a few quarters since it wasn't even that long of a ride. Oh well.

Just before we left the boys wanted to see the cats. So we stopped off at the lion's hill and looked at them and  then went home. Yes I know shame on us, but we were all tired. JoElla and I came to the conclusion that we like the zoo, but spending all day there is tiring and then you dont really want to go back for a while. Whereas if you go stay for a shorter period of time like a morning or the afternoon, then you dont get so bored and tire quickly. But alas our day came to an end and the boy had a snack in the car and then passed out for the rest of the afternoon. All in all it was a good day.

Hugs and Lovies,

Fan, Sara and Elijah

It's sleepy time

I.Love.Her.

Her = being my new puppy, Thumper.

She is a mini daschund.

I have been able to bring her to work since I got her.

She will soon be staying home after we get our little boy.

The day I took this pic, she wanted to cuddle.

It was stormy outside and so I indulged her.