Our family had such a great time at Xtreme Craze we are partnering with them and giving away a family four-pack of laser tag tickets to one lucky www.BlogAboutItAll.com  reader.
The giveaway tickets will be a family four pack of tickets to play laser tag for the day of your choosing.  
Multiple ways to enter to win see below!

Deadline to enter is midnight Friday, October 30, 2015. We’ll announce the winner on my homepage www.BlogAboutItAll.com please check back to see if you won.

Xtreme Craze is located in Rocklin, CA.
Xtreme Craze (Blue Oaks Town Center)
6694 Lone Tree Blvd., Rocklin, CA 95765
Phone: (916) 259-2729

For more information about this giveaway contact Jessica at: theblogaboutitall@gmail.com

Giveaway ends October 30, 2015 12:00 PM PST. Open to Residents of the US only. Prizes cannot be shipped to PO Boxes. Must be picked up.  Winner will be selected by Random.org and be notified by email. Winner has 24 hours to respond before a new winner is selected. Please note that The Blog About It All is not responsible for sponsors that do not fulfill their prizes. I have represented each sponsor with the expectation they will fulfill their prize and in a timely manner. I will contact the sponsor regarding your prize(s). 
Contest winner family four pack will be provided at Xtreme Craze. No exchanges or substitutions can be made once the winner’s name has been submitted. Winner or parent/guardian must be at least 18 years of age with valid photo ID to pick up tickets at Xtreme Craze. I will make every effort to assist you obtaining your prize. If there is an issue with a sponsor, please notify the blog you won a prize from within 30 days for assistance, after that we may be unable to assist you. The product provided for the review was free of charge from the company. The product offered for the giveaway is free of charge, no purchase necessary. My opinions are my own and were not influenced by any form of compensation. Facebook, Twitter and Google+ are in no way associated with this giveaway. By providing your information in this form, you are providing your information to me and me alone. I do not share or sell information and will use any information only for the purpose of contacting the winner.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway: Family Four Pack of Laser Tag to Xtreme Craze


Our family had such a great time at Xtreme Craze we are partnering with them and giving away a family four-pack of laser tag tickets to one lucky www.BlogAboutItAll.com  reader.
The giveaway tickets will be a family four pack of tickets to play laser tag for the day of your choosing.  
Multiple ways to enter to win see below!

Deadline to enter is midnight Friday, October 30, 2015. We’ll announce the winner on my homepage www.BlogAboutItAll.com please check back to see if you won.

Xtreme Craze is located in Rocklin, CA.
Xtreme Craze (Blue Oaks Town Center)
6694 Lone Tree Blvd., Rocklin, CA 95765
Phone: (916) 259-2729

For more information about this giveaway contact Jessica at: theblogaboutitall@gmail.com

Giveaway ends October 30, 2015 12:00 PM PST. Open to Residents of the US only. Prizes cannot be shipped to PO Boxes. Must be picked up.  Winner will be selected by Random.org and be notified by email. Winner has 24 hours to respond before a new winner is selected. Please note that The Blog About It All is not responsible for sponsors that do not fulfill their prizes. I have represented each sponsor with the expectation they will fulfill their prize and in a timely manner. I will contact the sponsor regarding your prize(s). 
Contest winner family four pack will be provided at Xtreme Craze. No exchanges or substitutions can be made once the winner’s name has been submitted. Winner or parent/guardian must be at least 18 years of age with valid photo ID to pick up tickets at Xtreme Craze. I will make every effort to assist you obtaining your prize. If there is an issue with a sponsor, please notify the blog you won a prize from within 30 days for assistance, after that we may be unable to assist you. The product provided for the review was free of charge from the company. The product offered for the giveaway is free of charge, no purchase necessary. My opinions are my own and were not influenced by any form of compensation. Facebook, Twitter and Google+ are in no way associated with this giveaway. By providing your information in this form, you are providing your information to me and me alone. I do not share or sell information and will use any information only for the purpose of contacting the winner.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

We recently visited Xtreme Craze in Rocklin, CA formerly known as Laser Craze.  Our family had a great time.  We took our four boys and nephew ages 8, 6, 5, 4 and our baby.  We visited on their grand re-opening, there was a balloon artist which was enjoyed by all. 

I was not sure if the younger two would enjoy laser tag but they did.  They have a large 7,000 square foot laser tag arena.  My husband played laser tag with them and they all had great fun from the start, choosing a code name, the briefing was informational and they all worked up a sweat.  At the end you are given your score cards to keep. 

We had a large pizza and drinks from the café, once we put in our order our food was out quickly.  The pizza was really good, much better than what I expected.  They have a variety of items available like nachos, pretzels, ice cream treats, Icee’s and more.  The food prices are reasonable as well.  I sat in the café area with the baby while the boys were playing laser tag and the staff was very friendly, checking to see if I needed anything, cleaning the surrounding tables and being courteous.  At one point I left our table with food and drinks still left and they came by and cleaned up the used plates and napkins, but did not discard our drinks and food which I greatly appreciated. 

They have three large bounce houses with obstacle courses and slides.  All the boys enjoyed these they were having so much fun.  This is great if you have younger children and older children, the ones too young for laser tag can play here while the older ones play laser tag.  You can also just purchase bounce house play wrist bands for $9 for ages 3-10 and $5 for ages 2 and under. 

They have a variety of arcade games, you can purchase tokens to play for 0.25 a token or 0.20 a token if you purchase 100 or more.  My boys’ favorite was air hockey, milk jug toss and the basketball arcade type games.  They received tickets and each were able to get a push pop and slap bracelet. 

This place is perfect for indoor play, great during the summer to escape the heat and perfect during the winter to use up some of that energy when stuck in doors during the rainy season.  I really enjoy the variety of play available, that it has bounce houses, arcade games and laser tag.  They were pretty busy and had reserved birthday parties taking place as well but it never felt overcrowded because of the different play areas.  The staff was very friendly and helpful.


We thoroughly enjoyed our time here and will definitely be back.  If you are looking for somewhere to take the family I highly recommend Xtreme Craze.  The kids had so much fun and were ready for a good night’s sleep when we returned home, which is always appreciated by mom.  They are still talking about how much fun they had days later and asking when we can go back.  

Xtreme Craze (Blue Oaks Town Center)
6694 Lone Tree Blvd.
Rocklin, CA 95765
Phone: (916) 259-2729
http://www.xtremecraze.com/

In exchange for my time and efforts in visitng this venue and reporting my opinion within this blog Xtreme Craze has provided me with complimentary tickets to their venue.  Even though I receive these benefits, I always give an opinion that is 100% mine.

Thank you for reading if you've enjoyed the content you've read above please share with your friends.  www.BlogAboutItAll.com





 



Xtreme Craze Review - Rocklin, CA


We recently visited Xtreme Craze in Rocklin, CA formerly known as Laser Craze.  Our family had a great time.  We took our four boys and nephew ages 8, 6, 5, 4 and our baby.  We visited on their grand re-opening, there was a balloon artist which was enjoyed by all. 

I was not sure if the younger two would enjoy laser tag but they did.  They have a large 7,000 square foot laser tag arena.  My husband played laser tag with them and they all had great fun from the start, choosing a code name, the briefing was informational and they all worked up a sweat.  At the end you are given your score cards to keep. 

We had a large pizza and drinks from the café, once we put in our order our food was out quickly.  The pizza was really good, much better than what I expected.  They have a variety of items available like nachos, pretzels, ice cream treats, Icee’s and more.  The food prices are reasonable as well.  I sat in the café area with the baby while the boys were playing laser tag and the staff was very friendly, checking to see if I needed anything, cleaning the surrounding tables and being courteous.  At one point I left our table with food and drinks still left and they came by and cleaned up the used plates and napkins, but did not discard our drinks and food which I greatly appreciated. 

They have three large bounce houses with obstacle courses and slides.  All the boys enjoyed these they were having so much fun.  This is great if you have younger children and older children, the ones too young for laser tag can play here while the older ones play laser tag.  You can also just purchase bounce house play wrist bands for $9 for ages 3-10 and $5 for ages 2 and under. 

They have a variety of arcade games, you can purchase tokens to play for 0.25 a token or 0.20 a token if you purchase 100 or more.  My boys’ favorite was air hockey, milk jug toss and the basketball arcade type games.  They received tickets and each were able to get a push pop and slap bracelet. 

This place is perfect for indoor play, great during the summer to escape the heat and perfect during the winter to use up some of that energy when stuck in doors during the rainy season.  I really enjoy the variety of play available, that it has bounce houses, arcade games and laser tag.  They were pretty busy and had reserved birthday parties taking place as well but it never felt overcrowded because of the different play areas.  The staff was very friendly and helpful.


We thoroughly enjoyed our time here and will definitely be back.  If you are looking for somewhere to take the family I highly recommend Xtreme Craze.  The kids had so much fun and were ready for a good night’s sleep when we returned home, which is always appreciated by mom.  They are still talking about how much fun they had days later and asking when we can go back.  

Xtreme Craze (Blue Oaks Town Center)
6694 Lone Tree Blvd.
Rocklin, CA 95765
Phone: (916) 259-2729
http://www.xtremecraze.com/

In exchange for my time and efforts in visitng this venue and reporting my opinion within this blog Xtreme Craze has provided me with complimentary tickets to their venue.  Even though I receive these benefits, I always give an opinion that is 100% mine.

Thank you for reading if you've enjoyed the content you've read above please share with your friends.  www.BlogAboutItAll.com





 




This week our hot water tank went out.  I came home from picking up my preschooler and I saw a lot of water on the garage floor and I could see water flowing from the hot water tank, this was no little leak.  I called my husband at work to find out what I should do.  I did not even know where to shut off the water to our house.  Which I encourage you to find out ahead of time if you don’t know in case of emergencies like this.  Thankfully my father-in-law rushed over to help me turn off the water and he knew exactly what to do.  He hooked up a hose to empty our hot water tank and turned off the gas to our tank, which gave me great peace of mind to have the help of someone who knew what they were doing. 

Of course this happened in the middle of the afternoon so I knew it was very likely that it would not be repaired that day and I could bring myself to be okay with that.  I figured we could go without hot water for one day.  I love my showers but I could go one day without a shower, I thought.  We found a contractor who would come out on Tuesday, well, that fell through and he ended up not showing up.  I knew Wednesday I needed to take a shower and have my three little boys shower.  You know how smelly boys can be.  It was easy enough to heat up water on the stove to give the baby a bath in his little baby tub, but I was not up to heating up enough water to bathe my three older boys. 

Thankfully we have a lot of family nearby so I called my sister-in-law and went and showered at her house and then later in the evening my husband took the boys to shower at grandma’s house which the boys absolutely loved and thought was quite fun. 

While over at my sister-law’s house I was saying how things like this cause you to remember to be grateful for the little things like hot water.  My sister-in-law who grew up in Guam was telling me she grew up with no hot water, they would have to heat their water if they wanted hot water.  And in speaking with my dad, he was telling me for a number of years he and his family growing up lived on a farm in the middle of nowhere and there was no hot water and they had an outhouse for a bathroom. 

This situation stirred up gratitude in my heart.  I found myself thanking God for all the little conveniences we have.  I was grateful for hot water and my dishwasher that washed dishes.  During these days I was heating up water to wash the dishes by hand and towel dry them.  I haven’t done a lot of dishes by hand in a very long time.  I wash a pot and pan but all the dishes after dinner silverware and all, haven’t had to do that in a while. 

I found myself grateful for technology, internet and cell phones.  I was reminded that my mom delivered my baby brother without my father present because it was before cell phones and he worked out in the construction field and by the time they had the message delivered to him, he arrived to the hospital too late.  I was thinking about how far technology has come just in the last eight years.  The baby monitor I had with my first baby who is now eight had static, would pick up radio stations at random times and sometimes even the neighbor’s baby monitor.  The one I have today is crystal clear, super quiet and does not pick up any interference.  Think about speakers, we used to have big bulky speakers now we have these portable, hand held, wireless speakers that sound amazing.  Think about all the CD's or cassette tapes we would have that now with Pandora and ITunes are pretty much extinct.   I was thinking back to last week when I was annoyed because my internet wasn’t working fast enough and had me re-evaluate my attitude of gratitude. 

Once our hot water tank was repaired it felt so good to take a nice hot shower in my own home.  I am grateful to have family nearby, borrowing an egg from my neighbor is one thing but parading my four children over to borrow their shower would have me in a tizzy.  I know they would let me and friends also but loading up four kids, pajamas, towels and all would have me a little on edge. 
It is great to be thankful for the big things like family and our health, but it’s also important to be grateful for all the little things in our lives that make life much easier for us.  I encourage you to stop and look around you and be thankful for all the little things in your life. 

It was great to have the conversations I had with my sister-in-law and my dad about how they grew up, it was a good reminder to encourage my children to be grateful for all they have. 

Don’t take for granted all the conveniences we have and I know it can be annoying at times when technology does not work the best every time, or when it doesn’t seem fast enough for us, but when you start to have one of those aggravating moments with your computer, or cell phone, stop and think back to just ten years ago what life was like.  Realize that although things break down and don’t always function at peak performance we still have a lot to be grateful for. 

When you give your kids a nice warm bath tonight know that there are still places around the world that don’t have hot water, or even clean drinking water.  Take a moment as a family and discuss all you have to be grateful for. 

Thank you for reading if you've enjoyed the content you've read above please share with your friends.  www.BlogAboutItAll.com.

The Little Things I'm Grateful For


This week our hot water tank went out.  I came home from picking up my preschooler and I saw a lot of water on the garage floor and I could see water flowing from the hot water tank, this was no little leak.  I called my husband at work to find out what I should do.  I did not even know where to shut off the water to our house.  Which I encourage you to find out ahead of time if you don’t know in case of emergencies like this.  Thankfully my father-in-law rushed over to help me turn off the water and he knew exactly what to do.  He hooked up a hose to empty our hot water tank and turned off the gas to our tank, which gave me great peace of mind to have the help of someone who knew what they were doing. 

Of course this happened in the middle of the afternoon so I knew it was very likely that it would not be repaired that day and I could bring myself to be okay with that.  I figured we could go without hot water for one day.  I love my showers but I could go one day without a shower, I thought.  We found a contractor who would come out on Tuesday, well, that fell through and he ended up not showing up.  I knew Wednesday I needed to take a shower and have my three little boys shower.  You know how smelly boys can be.  It was easy enough to heat up water on the stove to give the baby a bath in his little baby tub, but I was not up to heating up enough water to bathe my three older boys. 

Thankfully we have a lot of family nearby so I called my sister-in-law and went and showered at her house and then later in the evening my husband took the boys to shower at grandma’s house which the boys absolutely loved and thought was quite fun. 

While over at my sister-law’s house I was saying how things like this cause you to remember to be grateful for the little things like hot water.  My sister-in-law who grew up in Guam was telling me she grew up with no hot water, they would have to heat their water if they wanted hot water.  And in speaking with my dad, he was telling me for a number of years he and his family growing up lived on a farm in the middle of nowhere and there was no hot water and they had an outhouse for a bathroom. 

This situation stirred up gratitude in my heart.  I found myself thanking God for all the little conveniences we have.  I was grateful for hot water and my dishwasher that washed dishes.  During these days I was heating up water to wash the dishes by hand and towel dry them.  I haven’t done a lot of dishes by hand in a very long time.  I wash a pot and pan but all the dishes after dinner silverware and all, haven’t had to do that in a while. 

I found myself grateful for technology, internet and cell phones.  I was reminded that my mom delivered my baby brother without my father present because it was before cell phones and he worked out in the construction field and by the time they had the message delivered to him, he arrived to the hospital too late.  I was thinking about how far technology has come just in the last eight years.  The baby monitor I had with my first baby who is now eight had static, would pick up radio stations at random times and sometimes even the neighbor’s baby monitor.  The one I have today is crystal clear, super quiet and does not pick up any interference.  Think about speakers, we used to have big bulky speakers now we have these portable, hand held, wireless speakers that sound amazing.  Think about all the CD's or cassette tapes we would have that now with Pandora and ITunes are pretty much extinct.   I was thinking back to last week when I was annoyed because my internet wasn’t working fast enough and had me re-evaluate my attitude of gratitude. 

Once our hot water tank was repaired it felt so good to take a nice hot shower in my own home.  I am grateful to have family nearby, borrowing an egg from my neighbor is one thing but parading my four children over to borrow their shower would have me in a tizzy.  I know they would let me and friends also but loading up four kids, pajamas, towels and all would have me a little on edge. 
It is great to be thankful for the big things like family and our health, but it’s also important to be grateful for all the little things in our lives that make life much easier for us.  I encourage you to stop and look around you and be thankful for all the little things in your life. 

It was great to have the conversations I had with my sister-in-law and my dad about how they grew up, it was a good reminder to encourage my children to be grateful for all they have. 

Don’t take for granted all the conveniences we have and I know it can be annoying at times when technology does not work the best every time, or when it doesn’t seem fast enough for us, but when you start to have one of those aggravating moments with your computer, or cell phone, stop and think back to just ten years ago what life was like.  Realize that although things break down and don’t always function at peak performance we still have a lot to be grateful for. 

When you give your kids a nice warm bath tonight know that there are still places around the world that don’t have hot water, or even clean drinking water.  Take a moment as a family and discuss all you have to be grateful for. 

Thank you for reading if you've enjoyed the content you've read above please share with your friends.  www.BlogAboutItAll.com.

I recently tried a pumpkin smoothie at Jamba Juice.  It was delicious!  Since tasting this yummy treat I wanted to see if I could make a similar one at home. 

I used what I had at home and it came out quite tasty.  I would not say it is the same as the Jamba Juice creation but it satisfies my pumpkin smoothie craving. 

With the Fall season, you see pumpkin creations everywhere Starbucks, Jamba Juice, even McDonalds with their pumpkin and crème pies.  If you went out and purchased one of these treats every day during the fall season, the cost of these treats can add up quickly.  Although it’s fun to splurge every now and then, I encourage you to experiment at home.  It is good for your budget, and also fun to get in the kitchen.  I don’t know about you but there is just something about Fall and Winter that has me desiring to cook and bake more. 

With Pinterest and the Internet at our fingertips you can usually find a copycat recipe for a lot of restaurant treats.  You can usually find a lot of healthier versions as well, which comes in handy if you are trying to eat healthier. 

This is not one of those lighter versions but again, that is the great thing about cooking at home, you can substitute to fit your dietary needs.

Pumpkin Smoothie Recipe
This recipe made two adult servings and three small kids cups.
1 cup Libby’s Pumpkin Purée
1 cup of Ice
2 cups of Whole Milk (You could easily substitute with Almond Milk or Soy Milk)
2 cups of Vanilla Bean Ice Cream (this is what I had, you can substitute with frozen yogurt or regular vanilla ice cream)
A sprinkle of Cinnamon
A sprinkle of Nutmeg
Place all the ingredients in your blender and blend until smooth.  Pour and enjoy!


Pumpkin Smoothie Recipe


I recently tried a pumpkin smoothie at Jamba Juice.  It was delicious!  Since tasting this yummy treat I wanted to see if I could make a similar one at home. 

I used what I had at home and it came out quite tasty.  I would not say it is the same as the Jamba Juice creation but it satisfies my pumpkin smoothie craving. 

With the Fall season, you see pumpkin creations everywhere Starbucks, Jamba Juice, even McDonalds with their pumpkin and crème pies.  If you went out and purchased one of these treats every day during the fall season, the cost of these treats can add up quickly.  Although it’s fun to splurge every now and then, I encourage you to experiment at home.  It is good for your budget, and also fun to get in the kitchen.  I don’t know about you but there is just something about Fall and Winter that has me desiring to cook and bake more. 

With Pinterest and the Internet at our fingertips you can usually find a copycat recipe for a lot of restaurant treats.  You can usually find a lot of healthier versions as well, which comes in handy if you are trying to eat healthier. 

This is not one of those lighter versions but again, that is the great thing about cooking at home, you can substitute to fit your dietary needs.

Pumpkin Smoothie Recipe
This recipe made two adult servings and three small kids cups.
1 cup Libby’s Pumpkin Purée
1 cup of Ice
2 cups of Whole Milk (You could easily substitute with Almond Milk or Soy Milk)
2 cups of Vanilla Bean Ice Cream (this is what I had, you can substitute with frozen yogurt or regular vanilla ice cream)
A sprinkle of Cinnamon
A sprinkle of Nutmeg
Place all the ingredients in your blender and blend until smooth.  Pour and enjoy!


Xtreme_Craze_FINAL_cmyk



Have you visited Xtreme Craze in Rocklin?  Our family will be visiting this week and we are looking forward to posting a review.  With four boys and winter weather quickly approaching we are always looking for fun family venues for the boys to use up some of their energy.  They have a Re-Grand Opening this Friday!

Iconic Rocklin Family Entertainment Celebrates Re-Grand Opening on Friday, October 16 Celebration features special giveaways for first 100 guests, Xbox and iPad drawings, and random acts of giveaways throughout the day!

Rocklin, CA – Xtreme Craze, Rocklin’s iconic family entertainment center offering the largest and most advanced laser tag arena in Northern California, is inviting the community to celebrate its new name with a re-grand opening celebration. 

The re-grand opening, scheduled for Friday, October 16 starting at 1 p.m., features: 

  •  First 100 people in the door get a FREE giveaway prize 
  •  Random acts of giveaways by Xtreme Craze staff throughout the celebration 
  •  Grand prize raffles featuring an iPad and Xbox at 5 p.m., 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. with laser tag or bounce house purchase
  •  FREE balloon artist from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. 
  •  FREE face painting from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. 

 Formerly Laser Craze, the Rocklin business changed its name to Xtreme Craze on October 1. The move is designed to capture the full 360 degree experience that the family entertainment center has to offer – arcade, bounce houses, birthday parties, café and laser tag. The new website URL for the center is www.XtremeCraze.com. All other operational and management aspects will remain the same. 


“We’re humbled by the support and loyalty we’ve received from Rocklin residents and neighboring communities,” said John Hughes, president and founder of Xtreme Craze. “We just want this to be a fun celebration to help introduce the new name to the community. We’re excited to have the community join us for a fun day of activities.” 


About Xtreme Craze:
Xtreme Craze is a premier family entertainment center offering Northern California’s most advanced game of laser tag, as well as high-bouncing inflatable play structures, and more than 20 arcade games in a clean, family-friendly environment. Xtreme Craze is the ideal destination for affordable family fun, kids’ birthday parties, team building events, and community gatherings. To learn more, visit www.XtremeCraze.com.

In exchange for my time and efforts in visiting this venue and reporting my opinion within this blog, Xtreme Craze has provided me with complimentary tickets to their venue.  Even though I receive these benefits, I always give an opinion that is 100% mine.


Xtreme Craze Re-Grand Opening

Xtreme_Craze_FINAL_cmyk



Have you visited Xtreme Craze in Rocklin?  Our family will be visiting this week and we are looking forward to posting a review.  With four boys and winter weather quickly approaching we are always looking for fun family venues for the boys to use up some of their energy.  They have a Re-Grand Opening this Friday!

Iconic Rocklin Family Entertainment Celebrates Re-Grand Opening on Friday, October 16 Celebration features special giveaways for first 100 guests, Xbox and iPad drawings, and random acts of giveaways throughout the day!

Rocklin, CA – Xtreme Craze, Rocklin’s iconic family entertainment center offering the largest and most advanced laser tag arena in Northern California, is inviting the community to celebrate its new name with a re-grand opening celebration. 

The re-grand opening, scheduled for Friday, October 16 starting at 1 p.m., features: 

  •  First 100 people in the door get a FREE giveaway prize 
  •  Random acts of giveaways by Xtreme Craze staff throughout the celebration 
  •  Grand prize raffles featuring an iPad and Xbox at 5 p.m., 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. with laser tag or bounce house purchase
  •  FREE balloon artist from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. 
  •  FREE face painting from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. 

 Formerly Laser Craze, the Rocklin business changed its name to Xtreme Craze on October 1. The move is designed to capture the full 360 degree experience that the family entertainment center has to offer – arcade, bounce houses, birthday parties, café and laser tag. The new website URL for the center is www.XtremeCraze.com. All other operational and management aspects will remain the same. 


“We’re humbled by the support and loyalty we’ve received from Rocklin residents and neighboring communities,” said John Hughes, president and founder of Xtreme Craze. “We just want this to be a fun celebration to help introduce the new name to the community. We’re excited to have the community join us for a fun day of activities.” 


About Xtreme Craze:
Xtreme Craze is a premier family entertainment center offering Northern California’s most advanced game of laser tag, as well as high-bouncing inflatable play structures, and more than 20 arcade games in a clean, family-friendly environment. Xtreme Craze is the ideal destination for affordable family fun, kids’ birthday parties, team building events, and community gatherings. To learn more, visit www.XtremeCraze.com.

In exchange for my time and efforts in visiting this venue and reporting my opinion within this blog, Xtreme Craze has provided me with complimentary tickets to their venue.  Even though I receive these benefits, I always give an opinion that is 100% mine.


I'm teaming up with some great brands and bloggers to share some of my favorite laundry hacks, plus a chance to win a Little Laundry Lifehacks Giveaway (including a $150 Walmart gift card.)

Four Fabulous Laundry Hacks

1. Sick of ironing? Put your iron away and use Downy Wrinkle Releaser Plus instead. Just spray, smooth and tug and watch those wrinkles disappear! Click here to download a coupon. DWR to the rescue 2. Have a stain while you're out and about? Use the Dreft Stain Stick to remove the stain ASAP. Click here to download a coupon. SAMSUNG CAMERA PICTURES 3. Keep forgetting those wet towels in the wash? Febreze In-Wash Odor Eliminator to the rescue. Add some to your next load of laundry, and #SinktheStink. Click here to download a coupon. the-key-to-fresh-laundry Image courtesy of Kids Activities Blog. 4. Trying to get your clothes as soft as possible - and don't have an HE washer? Don't forget about the Downy Ball! Click here to download a coupon. e6229570761b33d88fed43c79a69b24e

Enter to Win

Complete the form below to enter to win a Laundry Lifehack prize pack - full of product from Downy Wrinkle Releaser Plus, Febreze In-Wash Odor Eliminator, Dreft Home and Downy Ball. Plus a $150 Walmart Gift Card.

Little Laundry Lifehacks Giveaway

I'm teaming up with some great brands and bloggers to share some of my favorite laundry hacks, plus a chance to win a Little Laundry Lifehacks Giveaway (including a $150 Walmart gift card.)

Four Fabulous Laundry Hacks

1. Sick of ironing? Put your iron away and use Downy Wrinkle Releaser Plus instead. Just spray, smooth and tug and watch those wrinkles disappear! Click here to download a coupon. DWR to the rescue 2. Have a stain while you're out and about? Use the Dreft Stain Stick to remove the stain ASAP. Click here to download a coupon. SAMSUNG CAMERA PICTURES 3. Keep forgetting those wet towels in the wash? Febreze In-Wash Odor Eliminator to the rescue. Add some to your next load of laundry, and #SinktheStink. Click here to download a coupon. the-key-to-fresh-laundry Image courtesy of Kids Activities Blog. 4. Trying to get your clothes as soft as possible - and don't have an HE washer? Don't forget about the Downy Ball! Click here to download a coupon. e6229570761b33d88fed43c79a69b24e

Enter to Win

Complete the form below to enter to win a Laundry Lifehack prize pack - full of product from Downy Wrinkle Releaser Plus, Febreze In-Wash Odor Eliminator, Dreft Home and Downy Ball. Plus a $150 Walmart Gift Card.



I hope you all have had a fun and memorable summer vacation!  It is that time of year again for back to school.  Here are some tips to help you prepare and plan for back to school, I hope you find them helpful.  Feel free to share any other things that your family does to prepare for back to school in the comment section.

Start bedtime and wake up routine 2 weeks before school starts.  I know with summer break it is fun to let the kids stay up a little later than normal and sleep in.  It is important to practice your school bedtime and wake up routine before the first day of school, not only for the kids to get back in the habit but also for you the parent getting them ready.  This will make the transition back to school smoother for everyone.  It helps them prepare mentally for going back to school.

Pray for your child’s teacher and classmates.  We have always prayed for the right teacher for our children and it has amazed me each year, there has been two specific times where, we were certain of the teacher they were going to have, it was already set, we had met the teacher but even with that, we prayed during summer break and a change took place weeks before school started and it ended up being some of the most memorable teachers that my boys have had and I know it is a result of praying and trusting God to have the right teacher for that specific child.  It does not have to be a lengthy prayer, we simply say “Thank you God for the right teacher for (insert child’s name), thank you for all the right class mates, thank you for godly influence upon their life and for a fun, educational and blessed school year.”  You can make this part of your bedtime routine or even incorporate into the blessing you speak over your meals.  

Clean out and prepare your pantry for lunch and snack packing.  Prepare for packing lunches and snacks by stocking your cupboards and make sure you have the necessary supplies, Ziploc bags, or reusable containers for packing those school lunches.  Have your sticky notes handy for those lunch notes to send with your children.

Have a spot where you set out school clothes the night before.  My kids wear school uniforms which makes getting ready in the morning much easier than picking out an outfit but even with school uniforms, setting it out the night before and having socks and shoes ready to go, makes the mornings smoother.  If you have a specific spot, on top of their dresser, maybe on a hanger on a hook, or on a night stand, it helps both you and the kids stay organized and prepared.  Also have a designated area where backpacks will go, so they don’t have to search in the morning for their backpack and so they know where they go after school and you don’t have them laying around the house.   

Get a head start on back to school shopping, don’t wait until the last minute.  Shop as soon as you see those back to school sales hit the stores.  Not only will you get first pick of the supplies, I find this is especially important when it comes to backpacks and lunch boxes.  You also won’t be rushed the week before back to school trying to get everything.  I have done back to school shopping a few different ways, find what works best for you.  Sometimes going to one store and getting all the supplies at once, makes it easy and less time consuming.  Sometimes, if you can shop a little each week, most stores will have “special” deals on a few items each week where those items will be at the lowest cost.  Remember to pick up extra supplies while they are on sale, this comes in handy to replenish throughout the year as well as if you do not end up using them during the year you will have a head start for the following school year.  This year I had half the items on their supply list already purchased from last year, which cut the cost of my back to school shopping for this year.

First Day of School 2014
Print out or order those “First Day of” Signs for first day pictures.  If you like to take those memorable first day of school pictures, prepare ahead of time, make sure you have your camera ready, batteries charged, and if you want a sign that says the grade and date have it printed out ahead of time, or you can order signs on Etsy Shops and many blog sites, Pinterest is a great place to search for ideas.  Don’t wait till the night before to get ready, have as much done as you can ahead of time.

Prepare a homework station.  If you have all the tools in a central location it makes homework easier so you do not have to search for glue or scissors or any other items.  You can purchase a small bin or container to hold all the necessary supplies for homework such as: crayons, markers, pencils, pencil sharpener, eraser, ruler, scissors, glue and anything else your child may need.  You can find colorful containers at the dollar store and many times right in the back to school section of your local retailer.    

Do something fun the weekend before as a family.  With going back to school and getting back to earlier bed times and homework, plan some fun family things the week before or at least the weekend before back to school.  Visit your local swimming pool, go out for pizza, camp out in the backyard or in the front living room.  Enjoy the extra non-structured time you have now with your children.  I know once school starts, the evenings seem shorter and a little more hectic with homework, and after school activities, so enjoy and savor the moments where you have extra time to spend together without feeling rushed by schedules and to do lists.  

Thank you for reading if you've enjoyed the content you've read above please share with your friends.  www.BlogAboutItAll.com
 

Preparing for Back to School




I hope you all have had a fun and memorable summer vacation!  It is that time of year again for back to school.  Here are some tips to help you prepare and plan for back to school, I hope you find them helpful.  Feel free to share any other things that your family does to prepare for back to school in the comment section.

Start bedtime and wake up routine 2 weeks before school starts.  I know with summer break it is fun to let the kids stay up a little later than normal and sleep in.  It is important to practice your school bedtime and wake up routine before the first day of school, not only for the kids to get back in the habit but also for you the parent getting them ready.  This will make the transition back to school smoother for everyone.  It helps them prepare mentally for going back to school.

Pray for your child’s teacher and classmates.  We have always prayed for the right teacher for our children and it has amazed me each year, there has been two specific times where, we were certain of the teacher they were going to have, it was already set, we had met the teacher but even with that, we prayed during summer break and a change took place weeks before school started and it ended up being some of the most memorable teachers that my boys have had and I know it is a result of praying and trusting God to have the right teacher for that specific child.  It does not have to be a lengthy prayer, we simply say “Thank you God for the right teacher for (insert child’s name), thank you for all the right class mates, thank you for godly influence upon their life and for a fun, educational and blessed school year.”  You can make this part of your bedtime routine or even incorporate into the blessing you speak over your meals.  

Clean out and prepare your pantry for lunch and snack packing.  Prepare for packing lunches and snacks by stocking your cupboards and make sure you have the necessary supplies, Ziploc bags, or reusable containers for packing those school lunches.  Have your sticky notes handy for those lunch notes to send with your children.

Have a spot where you set out school clothes the night before.  My kids wear school uniforms which makes getting ready in the morning much easier than picking out an outfit but even with school uniforms, setting it out the night before and having socks and shoes ready to go, makes the mornings smoother.  If you have a specific spot, on top of their dresser, maybe on a hanger on a hook, or on a night stand, it helps both you and the kids stay organized and prepared.  Also have a designated area where backpacks will go, so they don’t have to search in the morning for their backpack and so they know where they go after school and you don’t have them laying around the house.   

Get a head start on back to school shopping, don’t wait until the last minute.  Shop as soon as you see those back to school sales hit the stores.  Not only will you get first pick of the supplies, I find this is especially important when it comes to backpacks and lunch boxes.  You also won’t be rushed the week before back to school trying to get everything.  I have done back to school shopping a few different ways, find what works best for you.  Sometimes going to one store and getting all the supplies at once, makes it easy and less time consuming.  Sometimes, if you can shop a little each week, most stores will have “special” deals on a few items each week where those items will be at the lowest cost.  Remember to pick up extra supplies while they are on sale, this comes in handy to replenish throughout the year as well as if you do not end up using them during the year you will have a head start for the following school year.  This year I had half the items on their supply list already purchased from last year, which cut the cost of my back to school shopping for this year.

First Day of School 2014
Print out or order those “First Day of” Signs for first day pictures.  If you like to take those memorable first day of school pictures, prepare ahead of time, make sure you have your camera ready, batteries charged, and if you want a sign that says the grade and date have it printed out ahead of time, or you can order signs on Etsy Shops and many blog sites, Pinterest is a great place to search for ideas.  Don’t wait till the night before to get ready, have as much done as you can ahead of time.

Prepare a homework station.  If you have all the tools in a central location it makes homework easier so you do not have to search for glue or scissors or any other items.  You can purchase a small bin or container to hold all the necessary supplies for homework such as: crayons, markers, pencils, pencil sharpener, eraser, ruler, scissors, glue and anything else your child may need.  You can find colorful containers at the dollar store and many times right in the back to school section of your local retailer.    

Do something fun the weekend before as a family.  With going back to school and getting back to earlier bed times and homework, plan some fun family things the week before or at least the weekend before back to school.  Visit your local swimming pool, go out for pizza, camp out in the backyard or in the front living room.  Enjoy the extra non-structured time you have now with your children.  I know once school starts, the evenings seem shorter and a little more hectic with homework, and after school activities, so enjoy and savor the moments where you have extra time to spend together without feeling rushed by schedules and to do lists.  

Thank you for reading if you've enjoyed the content you've read above please share with your friends.  www.BlogAboutItAll.com
 


My due date was set for July 1st, 2015 with my fourth boy.  My husband had just started a new job and was scheduled to go out of town June 15th through June 19th.  At first I was not concerned I felt confident that God has always been faithful in having our babies come on the right day and right time, but as the day approached closer for him to be out of town, my nerves started to kick in.  People would often comment “well at least it’s your fourth baby and not your first” as if that would make it okay for my husband not being at the birth.  Which I understand what they are trying to say but I not only desired for my husband to be at the birth I need him.  I need his support, I need his presence, for me I needed my husband at the birth of this baby.  The birth of a baby is a miracle, and a very special time that I did not want him to miss.     

I reminded myself of my previous birth stories.  With my second son, my husband had also started a new job and was scheduled to be in training in San Francisco which is two hours away for the entire week in which my due date fell.  Well thank God for His grace and perfect timing my second son was born two weeks early, perfectly healthy and unexpected, but needed so my husband could be there.

I remember with my third son, my husband was working about an hour away and I have my babies quickly and that day that he and my mom both were working farther than normal, them just telling me, if you start to feel anything call us so we can come home, stirred up my nerves and I had contractions, I called them to come home and the minute they both arrived at my house my contractions stopped and two weeks later I had my third son on his due date.  In having these experiences it helped me remind myself that God knows the desire of my heart and to trust in His perfect timing, and also reminded me to keep my nerves in check, because being anxious and nervous would not help me. 

We also used wisdom and even though we were praying and believing that this baby would wait until he returned from out of town we planned and prepared ourselves if he wasn’t.  My husband and I asked my sister to be at the birth of this baby if he was out of town.  We all three toured the hospital so she knew where to drive me and take me if I did go into labor while he was out of town.  He made sure the car seat was installed in the car before he left and things at the house were ready.

My strength and peace came from praying and receiving prayer, at church I would have ladies pray for a supernatural delivery, with all the right doctors and nurses and the right timing.  They agreed with me in prayer that this baby would wait until my husband returned home and I held onto those prayers.  

Well my husband was set to go out of town Monday early morning and that Sunday before I started feeling a lot of pressure and very nervous.  I would speak scriptures that I was standing on, remind myself of the prayers that were spoken over my delivery and focus on taking one day at a time.  I knew I had a doctor appointment set for that Monday he was gone, so I focused on making it through Monday and I would speak to my body to be at peace, for my muscles and nerves to relax and be at peace.  For everything my water, mucus plug, to stay intact until my husband returned.  

A nurse friend and my OBGYN told me to drink lots of cold water and to keep my feet up so I did just that.  I had my heart set on not going into labor till he returned.  He was set to return Friday afternoon.  Every day went well other than feeling a lot of pressure I hadn’t had any contractions until Thursday night and early Friday morning, I kept telling myself we did not make it all this week to go into labor right before he comes home, but I had to speak to my nerves, speak to my body and rest in God’s faithfulness.  I am so grateful for God’s grace, I was up in the early morning hours Friday around 2 AM having contractions, I would try to go back to sleep so I could rest and relax and my four year old came into my room and laid down with me, as soon as he came in the room, my contractions settled down and I was able to go back to sleep.  I rejoiced with each new morning thanking God for making it one more day, each day was a victory for me. 

My husband’s birthday was Friday and I thought it would be a nice birthday gift to have this baby Friday evening once he was home and he had time to see our other boys, but Friday came and went and no baby.  My mom was lined up to watch my other boys if I went into labor and I still wanted my sister in on the birth of this baby.  I was in on my sister’s birth when I was only seven years old and even cut the umbilical cord, I thought it would be neat for her to be in on the birth of this baby, also good experience I am grateful that I had the opportunity to be in on a few births even before I was married, those experiences helped me dream about what the births of my babies would be like and how special for someone to be so kind to include you in such a special and personal life changing moment.  

I wanted to work around their work schedules so we had some preference on the day and time frame this baby would be born, and one of the main things was just don’t come on Wednesday, that is a busy work day my mom had planned and more difficult to rearrange.  Also my OBGYN was going to be out of town that Wednesday.  Well 3 AM Wednesday morning I wake up having contractions, I called my mom and sister and told them not to hurry but get ready just in case, I am going to take a shower and I would call them back if they were still coming.  I think God wanted to remind me and my mom to rest and trust in Him in spite of our preferences.  Sure enough it was the real thing, they came over to our house we arrived at the hospital at 4:45 AM and this baby was born at 5:20 AM.  My sister was still able to be in on the birth and go into work.  My mom kept my boys for the early morning hours and my sister-in-law came and picked up the boys so she could still make it to work.  Everything happened very quickly, which I attribute to reading Supernatural Childbirth by Jackie Mize, speaking the Word of God and trusting in Him. 

My contractions were not that strong until we arrived at the hospital I even told the nurse while checking in, “I have my babies fast, so I came in early”.  Once she checked me she said what are you talking about you came in early, you’re ready to go.   A friend of mine who knew my OBGYN was going out of town had said to me pray you don’t get Dr. so and so, hopefully she is not on call she is the worst.  Well upon checking in, I told them right away my Dr. was out of town and they mentioned the on call Dr.’s name which was the Dr. my friend had said I did not want.  I quietly said to the Lord, okay God I trust you, let’s do this quickly with no complications, all the right Dr’s.  Well when the nurse checked me there wasn’t even time to wait for the on call Dr. they went right down the hall and called in another Dr. who was amazing!  I am so grateful for God’s goodness and praying ahead of time for all the right Dr.’s, prayer works.  She was very friendly and reassuring.  She was expecting a baby herself, and she was very personable she and my husband were talking sports, which helped, it was a distraction from the contractions.  She encouraged me to do a small push and then wait for the next contraction, so in waiting for the next contraction she and my husband were talking sports and I had to say can I push now, which is funny now and with that second push our precious baby was born.  Isaiah Israel Briggs, 7 pounds 9 ounces, 20 inches long, Wednesday, June 24th, 2015.  


Something that was often prayed over me was the peace of God, the presence of God to be in the delivery room.  On the way to the hospital I asked my husband to turn on some music and one of my favorite songs about the presence of God was on the radio, which helped me breathe and focus and think on His presence on the drive into the hospital.  I will vividly remember the cool brisk morning air and that song playing on the way to birth this baby.  I will post the song at the end of this post.

We had great nurses to care for me and the baby after, we even had a nurse Jane who was our nurse for one of our other boy’s births taking our babies vitals when our boys came into meet baby Isaiah for the first time and she remembered our family which was so nice.  She let the boys continue to hold the baby as she listened to his heart, such precious moments.  

Something new that they had started at our delivery hospital was they don’t take the baby to bathe or do any checks right away, they immediately place the baby on the mother and leave the family alone for the first hour, then they weigh and do measurements but they don’t bathe the baby for the first 8 hours or even longer.  They say the vernix and amniotic fluid from utero is good for baby's skin and immune system. Helps fight infections and also they are very pro bonding now and letting you have skin to skin time with baby.  They also do the babies first bath right there in your room, and all the other tests as well.  I was really grateful for this new way, I enjoyed watching them do the hearing test right there as I held my baby and being able to ask questions and everyone that came in was very friendly and informative. 

They did a lot more blood test on this baby they were concerned he would be jaundiced, they wanted his blood count to be 20 or under and his was 23 at birth, so they drew blood a number of times and though we were released to go home on Thursday they had us bring the baby back in Friday to draw blood and keep an eye on his numbers, we also had to schedule an appointment with his pediatrician for first thing Monday morning.  I kept speaking over baby Isaiah that he was healed and whole, perfectly healthy for his blood cells to be perfect with no sign of jaundice.  With each blood draw the number kept going down and even at his Monday appointment the pediatrician said I don’t know why they had you guys come in this baby is not jaundiced.  Thank you Jesus!  

Baby Isaiah is very laid back, I know most newborns are sleepy those first few days but he was extremely calm, everyone commented on that.  When they came in to draw blood they would say he’s not going to like this he’s probably going to cry and nope no cry, not even a whimper.  When they came in to give him his bath the same thing, the nurse said he’s probably going to cry, but nope, he was very calm, chill and laid back.  It’s neat to observe each baby and how they are all different and you get a peek into their personality even in the first days of their birth.

If you are currently expecting or plan on having a baby in the future know that you too can have a Supernatural Childbirth!  A birth of your dreams whatever that is for you, with mom and baby safe and healthy.  I am so grateful I have been able to have all four of my babies vaginally, with no drugs or medical interventions of any kind.  Each birth has been unique in it's own way, each time I have learned more about myself, and experienced the goodness and faithfulness of God.  I've watched my prayers be answered and I am so grateful to enjoy the gift of childbirth, the miracle of it all.  It really is a miracle the entire process.  If you are nearing the 40 week mark of your pregnancy, enjoy every moment, yes even those uncomfortable ones.  Pregnancy and childbirth is a gift, savor, relish, soak in every moment, every smell, and sound and take a lot of pictures.  My baby is already one month old as I am writing this, the days seem to go by so fast and they change so quickly each day.  My eldest son just turned eight and I just stand in awe of the miracle of life and I know before I know it he will be eighteen. 

Thank you for reading if you’ve enjoyed the content you’ve read above please share with your friends.

Here is information on the book I mentioned that is extremely helpful with prayers and scriptures to assist you in having a Supernatural Childbirth. 

http://www.familybg.com/node/2278I purchased "Supernatural Childbirth" at Family Books & Gifts:
Product Description:
Pregnancy and childbirth are often depicted as a time of sickness and mood swings for women followed by 12-24 hours of pain and hard labor. Many women have been told they can never conceive. Others have suffered the pain of conceiving and miscarrying. Supernatural childbirth is a practical and realistic look at God's promises for conception, pregnancy and delivery. You will learn how to put faith principal into actions for your child's birth.
Book - $9.99 Link to book: http://www.familybg.com/node/2278
Audio (3 CDs) - $19.99 Link to Audio: http://www.familybg.com/node/2279

If you are like me I love to read birth stories especially when I am expecting, so here are links to my other birth stories:

Song Holy Spirit by Francesca Battistelli:








 

My Birth Story – Baby #4



My due date was set for July 1st, 2015 with my fourth boy.  My husband had just started a new job and was scheduled to go out of town June 15th through June 19th.  At first I was not concerned I felt confident that God has always been faithful in having our babies come on the right day and right time, but as the day approached closer for him to be out of town, my nerves started to kick in.  People would often comment “well at least it’s your fourth baby and not your first” as if that would make it okay for my husband not being at the birth.  Which I understand what they are trying to say but I not only desired for my husband to be at the birth I need him.  I need his support, I need his presence, for me I needed my husband at the birth of this baby.  The birth of a baby is a miracle, and a very special time that I did not want him to miss.     

I reminded myself of my previous birth stories.  With my second son, my husband had also started a new job and was scheduled to be in training in San Francisco which is two hours away for the entire week in which my due date fell.  Well thank God for His grace and perfect timing my second son was born two weeks early, perfectly healthy and unexpected, but needed so my husband could be there.

I remember with my third son, my husband was working about an hour away and I have my babies quickly and that day that he and my mom both were working farther than normal, them just telling me, if you start to feel anything call us so we can come home, stirred up my nerves and I had contractions, I called them to come home and the minute they both arrived at my house my contractions stopped and two weeks later I had my third son on his due date.  In having these experiences it helped me remind myself that God knows the desire of my heart and to trust in His perfect timing, and also reminded me to keep my nerves in check, because being anxious and nervous would not help me. 

We also used wisdom and even though we were praying and believing that this baby would wait until he returned from out of town we planned and prepared ourselves if he wasn’t.  My husband and I asked my sister to be at the birth of this baby if he was out of town.  We all three toured the hospital so she knew where to drive me and take me if I did go into labor while he was out of town.  He made sure the car seat was installed in the car before he left and things at the house were ready.

My strength and peace came from praying and receiving prayer, at church I would have ladies pray for a supernatural delivery, with all the right doctors and nurses and the right timing.  They agreed with me in prayer that this baby would wait until my husband returned home and I held onto those prayers.  

Well my husband was set to go out of town Monday early morning and that Sunday before I started feeling a lot of pressure and very nervous.  I would speak scriptures that I was standing on, remind myself of the prayers that were spoken over my delivery and focus on taking one day at a time.  I knew I had a doctor appointment set for that Monday he was gone, so I focused on making it through Monday and I would speak to my body to be at peace, for my muscles and nerves to relax and be at peace.  For everything my water, mucus plug, to stay intact until my husband returned.  

A nurse friend and my OBGYN told me to drink lots of cold water and to keep my feet up so I did just that.  I had my heart set on not going into labor till he returned.  He was set to return Friday afternoon.  Every day went well other than feeling a lot of pressure I hadn’t had any contractions until Thursday night and early Friday morning, I kept telling myself we did not make it all this week to go into labor right before he comes home, but I had to speak to my nerves, speak to my body and rest in God’s faithfulness.  I am so grateful for God’s grace, I was up in the early morning hours Friday around 2 AM having contractions, I would try to go back to sleep so I could rest and relax and my four year old came into my room and laid down with me, as soon as he came in the room, my contractions settled down and I was able to go back to sleep.  I rejoiced with each new morning thanking God for making it one more day, each day was a victory for me. 

My husband’s birthday was Friday and I thought it would be a nice birthday gift to have this baby Friday evening once he was home and he had time to see our other boys, but Friday came and went and no baby.  My mom was lined up to watch my other boys if I went into labor and I still wanted my sister in on the birth of this baby.  I was in on my sister’s birth when I was only seven years old and even cut the umbilical cord, I thought it would be neat for her to be in on the birth of this baby, also good experience I am grateful that I had the opportunity to be in on a few births even before I was married, those experiences helped me dream about what the births of my babies would be like and how special for someone to be so kind to include you in such a special and personal life changing moment.  

I wanted to work around their work schedules so we had some preference on the day and time frame this baby would be born, and one of the main things was just don’t come on Wednesday, that is a busy work day my mom had planned and more difficult to rearrange.  Also my OBGYN was going to be out of town that Wednesday.  Well 3 AM Wednesday morning I wake up having contractions, I called my mom and sister and told them not to hurry but get ready just in case, I am going to take a shower and I would call them back if they were still coming.  I think God wanted to remind me and my mom to rest and trust in Him in spite of our preferences.  Sure enough it was the real thing, they came over to our house we arrived at the hospital at 4:45 AM and this baby was born at 5:20 AM.  My sister was still able to be in on the birth and go into work.  My mom kept my boys for the early morning hours and my sister-in-law came and picked up the boys so she could still make it to work.  Everything happened very quickly, which I attribute to reading Supernatural Childbirth by Jackie Mize, speaking the Word of God and trusting in Him. 

My contractions were not that strong until we arrived at the hospital I even told the nurse while checking in, “I have my babies fast, so I came in early”.  Once she checked me she said what are you talking about you came in early, you’re ready to go.   A friend of mine who knew my OBGYN was going out of town had said to me pray you don’t get Dr. so and so, hopefully she is not on call she is the worst.  Well upon checking in, I told them right away my Dr. was out of town and they mentioned the on call Dr.’s name which was the Dr. my friend had said I did not want.  I quietly said to the Lord, okay God I trust you, let’s do this quickly with no complications, all the right Dr’s.  Well when the nurse checked me there wasn’t even time to wait for the on call Dr. they went right down the hall and called in another Dr. who was amazing!  I am so grateful for God’s goodness and praying ahead of time for all the right Dr.’s, prayer works.  She was very friendly and reassuring.  She was expecting a baby herself, and she was very personable she and my husband were talking sports, which helped, it was a distraction from the contractions.  She encouraged me to do a small push and then wait for the next contraction, so in waiting for the next contraction she and my husband were talking sports and I had to say can I push now, which is funny now and with that second push our precious baby was born.  Isaiah Israel Briggs, 7 pounds 9 ounces, 20 inches long, Wednesday, June 24th, 2015.  


Something that was often prayed over me was the peace of God, the presence of God to be in the delivery room.  On the way to the hospital I asked my husband to turn on some music and one of my favorite songs about the presence of God was on the radio, which helped me breathe and focus and think on His presence on the drive into the hospital.  I will vividly remember the cool brisk morning air and that song playing on the way to birth this baby.  I will post the song at the end of this post.

We had great nurses to care for me and the baby after, we even had a nurse Jane who was our nurse for one of our other boy’s births taking our babies vitals when our boys came into meet baby Isaiah for the first time and she remembered our family which was so nice.  She let the boys continue to hold the baby as she listened to his heart, such precious moments.  

Something new that they had started at our delivery hospital was they don’t take the baby to bathe or do any checks right away, they immediately place the baby on the mother and leave the family alone for the first hour, then they weigh and do measurements but they don’t bathe the baby for the first 8 hours or even longer.  They say the vernix and amniotic fluid from utero is good for baby's skin and immune system. Helps fight infections and also they are very pro bonding now and letting you have skin to skin time with baby.  They also do the babies first bath right there in your room, and all the other tests as well.  I was really grateful for this new way, I enjoyed watching them do the hearing test right there as I held my baby and being able to ask questions and everyone that came in was very friendly and informative. 

They did a lot more blood test on this baby they were concerned he would be jaundiced, they wanted his blood count to be 20 or under and his was 23 at birth, so they drew blood a number of times and though we were released to go home on Thursday they had us bring the baby back in Friday to draw blood and keep an eye on his numbers, we also had to schedule an appointment with his pediatrician for first thing Monday morning.  I kept speaking over baby Isaiah that he was healed and whole, perfectly healthy for his blood cells to be perfect with no sign of jaundice.  With each blood draw the number kept going down and even at his Monday appointment the pediatrician said I don’t know why they had you guys come in this baby is not jaundiced.  Thank you Jesus!  

Baby Isaiah is very laid back, I know most newborns are sleepy those first few days but he was extremely calm, everyone commented on that.  When they came in to draw blood they would say he’s not going to like this he’s probably going to cry and nope no cry, not even a whimper.  When they came in to give him his bath the same thing, the nurse said he’s probably going to cry, but nope, he was very calm, chill and laid back.  It’s neat to observe each baby and how they are all different and you get a peek into their personality even in the first days of their birth.

If you are currently expecting or plan on having a baby in the future know that you too can have a Supernatural Childbirth!  A birth of your dreams whatever that is for you, with mom and baby safe and healthy.  I am so grateful I have been able to have all four of my babies vaginally, with no drugs or medical interventions of any kind.  Each birth has been unique in it's own way, each time I have learned more about myself, and experienced the goodness and faithfulness of God.  I've watched my prayers be answered and I am so grateful to enjoy the gift of childbirth, the miracle of it all.  It really is a miracle the entire process.  If you are nearing the 40 week mark of your pregnancy, enjoy every moment, yes even those uncomfortable ones.  Pregnancy and childbirth is a gift, savor, relish, soak in every moment, every smell, and sound and take a lot of pictures.  My baby is already one month old as I am writing this, the days seem to go by so fast and they change so quickly each day.  My eldest son just turned eight and I just stand in awe of the miracle of life and I know before I know it he will be eighteen. 

Thank you for reading if you’ve enjoyed the content you’ve read above please share with your friends.

Here is information on the book I mentioned that is extremely helpful with prayers and scriptures to assist you in having a Supernatural Childbirth. 

http://www.familybg.com/node/2278I purchased "Supernatural Childbirth" at Family Books & Gifts:
Product Description:
Pregnancy and childbirth are often depicted as a time of sickness and mood swings for women followed by 12-24 hours of pain and hard labor. Many women have been told they can never conceive. Others have suffered the pain of conceiving and miscarrying. Supernatural childbirth is a practical and realistic look at God's promises for conception, pregnancy and delivery. You will learn how to put faith principal into actions for your child's birth.
Book - $9.99 Link to book: http://www.familybg.com/node/2278
Audio (3 CDs) - $19.99 Link to Audio: http://www.familybg.com/node/2279

If you are like me I love to read birth stories especially when I am expecting, so here are links to my other birth stories:

Song Holy Spirit by Francesca Battistelli:








 

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