Family pictures

This past Sunday we had family pictures done. It was not an easy task. Getting a 19 month old to cooperate and to smile is impossible not only that but it starting raining as well. After all was said and done, the pictures turned out beautiful and I was really happy with them. I want to thank Kayla at 4 22 Photography for providing us with the most amazing family pictures ever!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

-Ali

Letters to me

I have been thinking alot about my weight lately and how I really need to stand up and take control of my life and my body. I am uncomfortable with the extra weight and I don't feel as confident as I should feel because of it. It's funny. When I was 15, I remember thinking, girl you are fat. I was 130lbs. The smallest I had ever been in my life. I was a chubby kid, with chubby cheeks all through my childhood. In highschool, I started to thin out and blossom if you will. After highschool, I started to take charge of my own meal decisions instead of eating whatever my mom cooked. That is when everything went downhill. I remember eating McDoanlds supersized meals, at least 3 times or more a week. I hate to share this, but sometimes I would eat something from McDonalds and then hide it, and then eat whatever my mom was cooking for dinner. Fat. Fat, fat, fat! I am happy to say I don't do this anymore, but it caught up with me fast. Then when I was 18 I found out I was pregnant. I gained weight. I had my son, and the weight never came off. When I was 24 I became pregnant with my daughter, and I gained more weight, not alot, but I gained. Here I am looking back at myself thinking what was I thinking when I thought I was fat when I was 15? So today I thought it would be fun to share letters to my younger self and future self.

Dear 15 to 16 year old Ali,

 Girl you look good! You are a skinny mini so own that shit, don't hide it. This will seem like a fun time in your life. You will get into your first serious relationship and you will spend the next couple of years in a relationship with a complete loser. He will hate your friends and will alienate you from them, he will fight with you family, and he will bring you down. You will hit an all time low when he crushes your spirit, you don't see this yet. You will do stupid things, and allow yourself to be controlled and treated like dirt. Hang in there, you will get through it and you will realize he wasn't worth your time.

Notice my sneaking of the Mcdonalds cup in the backround, it started around here
but got worse later on.

Dear 17 year old Ali,

 Honey you are starting to look a little chubby, but you ignore it. Lay off of the supersize McDonalds, trust me you will thank me later. You are starting to realize what an ass your boyfriend is and you are starting to stand up for yourself, you go girl! You will break up with him this year. You are also starting to spend more time with the best friend you could ever ask for, these memories and stories with her will last you a lifetime!

You will be so thankful she was still your friend even after losing touch with her because you chose your controlling boyfriend over your frienship, and you ma'am were dumb for that.

 

Dear 18 year old Ali,

 You have gained weight and you know it and you are uncomfortable with yourself but you don't show it. You and your best friend have been having the time of your lives, you are doing some stupid stuff but nothing that you can't laugh at now!  You will get your first tattoo, put alot more thought into what you decide on, trust me, you will thank me later!

 

Your body looks pretty good, but it's going to get worse!

 

 

That summer you have the best summer of your entire life and you will spend alot more time with your friends little brother. You start dating him. Your future sister in law will not be happy about this, but everything works out in the end so it's funny to look back and laugh at this. Little do you know, this guy will be your husband and the future father of your children.

P.s. you may want to realize you are not invincible, and things you think will not happen to you, will happen to you.

 

 

 

Dear 19 year old Ali,

 You are truly happy when you find this out. It is a boy, and he is the most handsome little boy that you ever did see.

 

 

Although this happend alot sooner than you had expected, you are thrilled and over joyed. This baby will be the best thing that has ever happend to you in your entire life. He will be your greatest accomplishment. However, this will also be a tough time, as you could expect being teen parents would be. You make it work and your future husband suprises you at how quickly he adjusts to being a teen dad. He does an amazing job, and thats when you will know, you are going to marry that man one day. You will gain tons of weight, but only for the best reason, you are growing a human inside of you! Hang in there girl this isn't going to be easy but you will be ok!

 

 

Dear 21 year old Ali,

 You embrace motherhood and couldn't imagine life without that little boy. Everything in your life will revolve around him and he melts your heart every single day, and you love him more and more every single day. And that guy you met that summer, well he becomes your husband! You will have the wedding you always dreamed of. You haven't lost the baby weight you gained, and your dress is snug and not the size you wanted, but you aren't concerned about it because you are happy and you have everything you could ever ask for, that is until you get another bundle of joy in 3 years then life really is complete. These times will fly by, so cherish every moment of them. You will start your career journey at a real big girl job and you will stay there for years and be successful.

 

 

 

 

Dear 24 to 26 year old Ali,

 And then this will happen! You will get pregnant with your 2nd child. It's a girl, and she is the most beautiful baby girl that you ever did see. This baby will also be the best thing that has ever happend to you in your entire life. She will also be your greatest accomplishment. Your husband will again do a wonderful job at being a daddy to 2 children now.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Even though he is a little bit more tired now :-) Harworking man and all

 

And this moment will fill your heart with a love that no one could ever fully explain

 

You are finally starting to get your stuff together. Things are still not easy but they are getting better. You are finally starting to lose the weight, little by litte. You could do better though so keep pushing yourself. You are finally starting to be comfortable in your own skin. You are a great mother and wife. You will get a new job here soon, and you will love it. Your kids and husband are your life. You finally have your perfect little family, and you finally feel complete and at peace with your life. There are still things you wish for, but in good time they will come, and the life you dreamed of for yourself will no longer be the future. Life isn't perfect. Enjoy these times, they will go fast. Hey girl is that gray hair I see showing up? That's ok, your blonde highlights will hide it for now! LOL

 

 

 

 

 

She will still be your best friend and the god mother
to both of your kids
 and you will both still have the time of your lives.
 

 

And this will still fill you heart will more love than anyone could ever fully explain

And she will still be the most beautiful little girl you ever did see

 

And he will still be the most handsome little boy you ever did see

 

 

And you will still love that boy from that summer....

-Ali

 

 

Breakfast for dinner...WHAAAT!

Another great weekend, more great memories, and alot of laughs. Saturday was the wedding of my husbands cousin, and to say we had a blast would be an understatment. There was sliding across the dance floor, there was a person drawing charactures ( I was too busy getting my drink and dance on that I missed out on that.) There was a table full of games, a candy station, IT WAS ALL AMAZING! (I am hitting myself for not getting pictures of the awesomeness!)

Thank you Rachel and Travis for inviting us to celebrate your special day with you. We wish you many, many years of happiness! <3

Oh just a car selfie before the wedding

 

My main ladies

 

My sister in law and my bestie

 

Yes this was our dinner at the wedding reception...Breakfast for dinner WHAAAT! Loved it!

 

My supa sexy hubby

 

The Bride!

 

Bride and Groom in the middle
(Notice the draft and bottle beer in my hands, slow down turbo!)

 

 

What you don't take 785 selfies with your bestie?

 

 

with hubby's madre

 

 

My main squeeze

 

 

You can never have too many pictures with your bestie

 

 

I guess you can say things were getting pretty serious... haha

 

 

My mother in law

 

 

The Bride and Groom of 5 years August 1st!

 

I was a picture taking fool, and I actually suprised myself by taking a photo of my food, but when it's that good you must document that deliciousness that was cosumed. Some of these were at the wedding and some were from the bar we went to after the wedding was over. No kids for the night meant Mom and Dad were going to have some fun! I may or may not have fallen asleep at the table when we went for breakfast (again) at 2AM. Good times were had by all!

I will be off of work all next week on a stay-cation! I am excited to spend the entire week with my babies. I plan on taking them swimming and to the museum and the park. We will see if this all gets done! Goal also for next week, throwing out all the clutter I have around the house and organizing my butt off which I have been meaning to get around to but, it's hard out here for a full-time working mama!

 

-Ali