Mission: Success!

She did it!  Confirmed!  Little Peony did a whoppin' #2 in the potty!  I'm still in shock and what a milestone for her.  Let me tell you, 1LuvnMama is so, so, so proud of the little girl!  Her brother, Shadow, wasn't potty trained until the age of 2 1/2.  I'm proud of him too! 

Layout created by:  1LuvnMama
Font:  Pea Bonnie Script

My first drawing using my Wacom tablet.  Just doodling around . . .

a little sketchy, but it was fun to make this for Little Peony!

Well, want the play by play action on today's potty experience?  Little Peony once again tugged at her diaper whining.  I sat her on the throne and nothing happened.  Ten minutes later, she did it again.  I picked Little Peony up and placed her on the throne.  This time the grunting was serious . . . and there "IT" appeared.  It was so cute to see her reaction.  She puckered up her lips and smacked them together to tell me it was a fish.  I just laughed and gave her praise!   When she was done, I let Little Peony flush the toilet and say goodbye to her 'fish'. 

I'm in awe of her!  She is quickly growing up before my eyes.  I'm thrilled, but sad that Littley Peony isn't a baby anymore . . . she's turning out to be such a BIG girl!  One thing I realize is that this is her first experience with the potty thing.  The JOURNEY will take time as she transitions, but I am ready for the long haul!

Could this really be?

This is 2 days in a row that Little Peony has sat on the royal throne, the "potty".   Nothing interesting happened, if you know what I mean.  *chuckle, chuckle*  I do hope that what I'm sharing isn't TMI (too much information) for you, but thought to myself, all parents go through this particular milestone.  Maybe I'm just thinking out loud.

Well, it all started yesterday.  I was on the computer and Little Peony came straight up to me, whining while tugging on her diaper.  She wasn't very happy and I wasn't quite sure what all the fuss was about.  But the tugging continued.  Does she need a diaper change?  Is there an itch that's irritating her?  Does she need to go potty?  !!DING!!  A lightbulb moment!  Could this really be?  My 19 month old daughter is getting ready for potty training . . .

First, the diaper came off.  Second, I quickly sat Little Peony on the "throne".  Third, I held on to her petite little body so that she wouldn't fall in.  And last, the waiting game.  Face to face we waited, and waited, and waited.  Little Peony kept smiling at me and made grunting noises (sorry, TMI again).  No luck, but good effort!

Today, the same thing happened.  My daughter tugs at her diaper whining again.  We rush to the throne and nothing happens, except for the wonderful smiles and the grunting sounds . . . again.  Is she just playing me or what?  Or is this her "AHA" Oprah Winfrey moment of possibly transitioning from a diaper to the potty?  Stay tuned for Little Peony's JOURNEY to pottyhood -this could get interesting. 

What am I wearing for Fall?

Fall?  What is Fall?  Where I live, we have no fall season.  No winter or spring season either.  WE HAVE ONE SEASON ONLY . . . . SUMMER!  Yes, most people call Hawai`i, my home state, Paradise.  I can go to the beach anytime of the year.  Rain or shine, the beach is but a 15 minute drive away.  Here in Hawai`i, the sun can be out and all of a sudden it rains.  Then, it will be sunny again.  Funny huh . . . rainbows are a dime a dozen too.  Don't get me wrong, I love it here!  I sometimes wish that I could experience living somewhere else to see the colorful Fall leaves, the snow falling, the flowers in full bloom, the picking of seasonal fruits, . . . you get what I mean.

Well, this goes out to Amanda (click here to see her site).  If you check out her September 22nd post, she's put together her Fall Collection 2009.  So, what am I wearing these days?  Well, you guessed it!  Tank tops, shorts (whatever is in my drawer), surf board shorts (for those days that I go to the beach with my family), and my trusted slippers.  I added my Whipped Vanilla Liplicious Lip Color from Bath & Body Works into my set.  I love the sheer, glittery look on my lips, plus it has a nice flavor too!

What are you wearing for Fall?  What do you wish to be wearing is the question?  This might give you the insentive to go shopping as Amanda did . . . *jealous* :o)  I just might JOURNEY to the mall or outlet one of these days!

Oh No! Broken Nose!

PICTURE THIS:

I'm laying on the carpeted floor, knees propped up as if getting ready to do some sit-ups.  Little Peony tosses her leg over my body and sits on my tummy, back facing my face.  She happily bounces up and down, up and down, in such joy and happiness.  Many times over, she repeats the same scenerio.

NOW PICTURE THIS:

I'm laying on the carpeted floor, knees propped up as if getting ready to do some sit-ups. Little Peony tosses her leg over my body and sits on my tummy, her back facing my face.  This time she thrusts back in full force, not knowing the severity of what's to come.  CRUNCH!  Ouch!  My nose!  My eyes start to well with tears . . . the pain is excruciating!  Did she really?  Did she really break my nose?

Little Peony quickly removed herself from my body as if to see why I was moaning in pain and holding my nose.  She began to rub the back of her head and amazingly, she was okay.    Immediately, my nose began to bleed from the left nostril, I'm in shock!  Can't believe this was actually happening.  I got some tissue and placed a cold ice pack upon my nose which gave some relief, hoping that nothing was seriously wrong.

That night, I went to bed.  The next morning, I rushed to the bathroom.  I looked in the mirror and to my surprise, no swelling and no bruising, just sore on the bridge of my nose.  No need to call the doctor.  However, later in the day, I noticed some very slight bruising, a tinge of blue.  Do I now call the doctor?  I search the internet for information relating to broken noses.   I'm no doctor, but thought that my situation wasn't severe. If I did go to the doctor, he would recommend I use a cold compress and maybe prescribe some pain medications.

This morning, my nose is still sore and the slight bruising is still there . . . my battle scar.   I'm going to take it one day at a time . . . a JOURNEY to healing my broken nose.

. . . Our loss . . . God's gain . . .

This is Part II of my September 11th post.

As I mentioned, my sister-in-law passed away on September 11, 2004 at the age of 31.  Kristin was such special person.  There was not a mean bone in her body, only a spirit of love and kindness.   She was physically very active and ate healthy.   WHAT (you are probably thinking) happened?

Kristin and her husband long to start a family and tried for years with no success possibly due to her having endometriosis.  She had gone in for a routine laparoscopic surgery to remove one of her ovaries because of some cysts & lesions on the ovaries.  It was supposed to be a fairly simple procedure.  No one had any inkling what would take place.  A week after her initial surgery, she was admitted to the hospital due to a complication.  From that point, Kristin's health quickly turned for the worst and she passed away within days of her being admitted.  Her death was unexpected and untimely.  We grieve for her and still feel the loss.  This September 11th marked 5 years since her passing. 

Kristin loved the Lord and accepted Jesus as her Savior.  We are comforted and have assurance that she is in the mist of her King.  Her life was cut short, but she is now on an eternal JOURNEY in heaven.  We love you Kris!

Photo created by 1LuvnMama using:

Texture Paper by Scrap U

Font:  PetraScriptEF

September 11th . . .

Days come and go.  Years come and go.  I am pretty good at remembering important events and the special moments in my day to day life . . . with the help of my trusted friend, my daily planner.  Ever since I graduated high school (almost 20 years ago), I've kept a planner.  It's like a short version of a journal for me.  Every now and then, I check back to reminisce on the past.

For me, September 11th has left a mark in my mind.  I don't need a calendar or a daily planner to help me remember events that took place that day.  I'm sure the one particular event everyone in the world has etched in their minds is the 9/11 terror attacks on America.    Every year since 2001, we stop and reflect on what happened that tragic day.

What else does this particular date mean to me.  My grandparents were elated to welcome a daughter into their family on September 11th,  my mother.   In 1992, Hawai`i experienced Hurricane `Iniki (meaning "strong and piercing wind" in Hawaiian).  `Iniki severely damaged the island of Kaua`i.  And what do you know, my mother was visiting family on Kaua`i during the time Hurricane `Iniki struck.  Coincidence?  My mother . . . the hurricane . . . September 11th?

Well, this day especially hits home for myself, my husband and his family.  On September 11, 2004, we loss a very special person.  Kristin was my sister-in-law.  She was a wife to her husband, a daughter to her parents, a sister to her brother, a niece to her uncles and aunts, a cousin, and a friend.  She was . . . one of a kind.  Without going into detail, Kris and her husband was on a journey themselves.  A JOURNEY to start a family . . . stay tuned.  The story continues in my next post. 

Too Much Stuff

Happy Labor Day everyone!

I was just cleaning out my little daughter's diaper bag. I will call her Little Peony. Boy, do I have a lot of "stuff" in that bag!

Changing pad . . . Desitin . . .Q-tips . . .Change of extra clothes . . . Comb . . . hair accessories . . . Snacks . . . a few toys . . . Scissors . . . Eco-Friendly Table Toppers . . . Earth Friendlier Diaper Sacks . . . Kleenex Tissue . . . Handsanitizer . . . Baby Wipes . . . and . . . DIAPERS!
*The list goes on*

What does your diaper bag look like? Well, there have been times where I'm fumbling through the bag to just find the baby wipes. Or even a diaper! I can say that I'm an organized type of person, although my cousin says I'm a Type A Personality to the extreme. (I beg to differ. *smiling face*) I just can't keep the diaper bag organized for some odd reason. Oh well, can't be perfect all the time. Funny thing is that I stumbled upon Milk and Honey Designs in one of my favorite sites, Summertime Designs. There is a tutorial on how to make a diaper clutch. I thought to myself, I really need something like that in my diaper bag. I can sew a straight line so that classifies me as a novice. At Milk and Honey Designs, they are offering a giveaway, yes, you heard that right, a GIVEAWAY. Check out her site.

Diaper Clutch made and designed by:  Milk and Honey Designs

Maybe I'll try my hand at making a diaper clutch one day. By the time I get around to doing it, my Little Peony will no longer be in diapers. ;o) And so . . . the JOURNEY goes on.

Baby's 1st Birthday Luau

Hi all!

Hawai`i is such a unique place to live. My family and I went to a Baby's 1st Birthday Luau today. What is a luau? A luau is a traditional Hawaiian feast where family and friends gather together for a meal. I can't remember if I read it somewhere or heard someone explain the significance of a Baby's Luau. In the past, many native Hawaiian children did not survive past their first year due to disease or other factors. Thus, when a child reached his/her first birthday, a HUGE celebration would take place. Today, luaus are an integral part of weddings, graduations, and even a Baby's First Birthday.

Enough said about the significance of a luau and getting back to the birthday party. For the sake of anonymity, I will refer to our friends as DaddyD and MommyW who longed to start a family of their own. They tried for years without success. Along came a pregnancy, but ended in miscarriage. Not long after that, DaddyD and MommyW were shocked when they found out they were expecting again because MommyW was nearing the end of her second trimester.  With more despair, they delivered their baby boy soon after learning of the pregnancy.  He survived not even a week.   When DaddyD and MommyW conceived once more, they were thrilled, but cautious.  How much can a couple take?  

Over a year ago, BabyP was born.  He was premature and showed some signs of concern at the beginning, but he overcame the odds.  Today, BabyP is a strong and healthy boy!  As we celebrated his first birthday, I'm reminded of the long road many couples, like DaddyD and MommyW, face in trying to start a family.  I'm also reminded of how precious life is.  Having infertility issues myself, I feel so blessed and thankful to have my 2 precious children!  The JOURNEY to becoming a mother was unlike anything I've experienced . . . I'm embracing it and luvn the JOURNEY!

Do I Really?

Ok, couldn't help but post today.  I suppose this is my 1st "struggle". 


I wrestled back and forth . . . Do I really want to create a blog?  Do I really have something to say that's of importance?  Do I really want the world to know the happenings of my life?  Can I really do this?  I finally gave in and created this blog.  Now, the question is, Will people be interested in Luvn The Journey? 


As I researched and babbled into creating this blog, I wanted my site to be unique to me.  What I didn't realize is that the initial set-up took more time than I expected.  My attention to detail and being somewhat of a perfectionist played a BIG role in that.  My hope is to complete the layout of this blog and get it up and running so that I can begin my JOURNEY!  *smiles* 

Who Am I?

Aloha! Greetings from Hawai`i. I am "1LuvnMama" of two precious children and a wife to a very amazing man. Through my joys and struggles, and my highs and lows, I'm hoping you will join me as I JOURNEY forward in this amazing thing called . . . LIFE!

**Updated: 3/3/11

What are some of my passions?  Card-making, traditional scrapbooking, digital scrapbooking, crafting, creating, eating 'poke' also known as seasoned raw fish, but most importantly, God and my family!

My boy who is full of energy and is 100% silly! 

He loves life and doesn't want to miss out on it!

My little girl who has the HUGEST
 dimples you've ever seen!  She is sweet and
gives lots and lots of hugs and kisses.

The latest edition to our growing family, Asa Dean! 

He's always happy and content. 

This smile is stuck on him 24/7!  Seriously!  :)

Spreadin' Some Luv ~ {Aloha Freebies}

{ 4 Shadow } Kit