Chef Lois turns 4

 

Chef Lois Turns 4| Picking a theme that specifically tailors to your child. 

 A party fit for a gal who loves to cook, and EAT!

Human Trafficking Awareness Month

Dear mainstream media,

Will you post this picture of me if I go missing? Or do I not make the cut for nationwide coverage of kidnapping? Will you explain to my children why no one cares to help find their mom? Will you explain to my husband that there's nothing you can do to help? HOW IS THIS HAPPENING?!!! Is no one else outraged that these innocent women and children are being taken and no one seems to bat an eyeball. HOW?!!!! I want to scream at the top of my lungs but even if I did, I feel my screams would fall on deaf ears. So I write this....

As I sit and watch the two hour Jeffery Epstein special, my heart breaks for these victims. Why are victims of sex trafficking not worth the attention of the news media? I can't help but be hurt by the complete absence of coverage for the thousands of black and brown women and children that are currently being snatched from society in silence daily. Thrust into sex slavery and the black market for the selling of organs, without so much of a blink from the news. The way I've been informed about the impending danger to me and my children is from social media. Social media, it's how I've learned how to be on alert. Social media is where I'm learning the tactics of sex traffickers targeting black women and children just like us. No two hour specials, no conversation on day time television, nothing, radio silence.

And the reason they've been able to take thousands of us? Because you refuse to tell our story, to post our pictures, to keep us safe. As a woman who has never considered carrying a gun, I am currently signing up for a concealed weapons permit to protect myself. Anxiety has come back into my life when I thought it had disappeared for good.

So what will you do this month? What responsibility will you take in trying to protect the women and children in this country? What agenda will you push? We can't count on you to tell our story, so I urge everyone to educate themselves on this incredibly sad epidemic. To know what to look for when spotting a potential victim. To be vigilant and stay safe. GET PRAYED UP and take action. Let's do anything we can to put pressure on our law makers to put these people away for life and get our girls home!!!


Mad and sad,

Leah

Christmas 2019

This Christmas was so special for us. Moving back to Orlando and being able to spend Christmas with our family and friends. It was perfect! We spent Christmas Eve at my parents for our Christmas Eve dinner they do every year. We have been checking in via FaceTime for the last few years so it was great being there. 

5 Months of Minka

Someone got earrings!!! Following in her sister's foot steps, she got her ears pierced after her 4 month shots! She started sitting up in her Bumbo and her head control has gotten so much better. I cannot stop kissing her and her cheeks have filled to an amazing squishy consistency. The giggles have begun and they are the loudest for you know who, Noelle!! Baby giggles really are my favorite thing ever! Her two fingers are her favorite thing and teething rings are now a thing. We left her for a whole week while we took her big sisters on a cruise and she was amazing. She took the bottle great up until about day 6 and then she almost starved. J/K but she was definitely over it and wanting to nurse. 

Noelle's 1st Spring Break

If you are wondering what's happening around here, yep, it's me, just trying to kick this blog back off with catching up on ALL THE THINGS since I've been gone. So now I am posting Noelle's first real Spring Break back in March! We wanted to do something but knew it wouldn't be a big trip because we were headed for a cruise soon. So we decided to head up to South Dakota which was only a 6 hour drive from Denver. We figured we had to see Mount Rushmore sense we lived this close. Never would we ever be moving closer! First road trip as a family of 5!!

4 Months of Minka

Talking to or telling off her sisters, either way, the chatter is going down. She is a big growler and is tolerating the bottle much better than month 3. She is not sleeping through the night and still waking 2-3 times a night to feed. We thought by this point we'd be moving her into her room. The joke was totally on us!

3 Months of Minka

Minka came alive during month 3. Recognizing her hands and eating her fists, finding her voice and smiling big time for big sister. She would light up anytime Noelle talked to her. Now Lois is another story because Lord knows she is the most smothering. Minka is not old enough to box her but believe me you the love taps are coming!  

2 Months of Minka

Ok, seriously guys, here we go!! I am so determined to get back into the blog game but I cannot go on without catching up on my Minka girl first. Month 2 for Minka was pretty rough! It involved a hospital stay which none of our girls have ever had. I also decided to stop edited all of the pictures on my blog. I want to remember my babies without filters and although some will be edited, most will not be.  

Noelle's 5th Birthday

How is this girl 5? And how am I just now posting this blog? Well, y'all already know how I do so no need to explain. Life has gotten pretty busy with adding another member to our family and now deciding to move back home to Orlando, so in an attempt to catch up I'm going to be posting updates on all these girls!


On January 31st, our girl turned 5 years old! I was happy to goodbye to 4 because it was quite the year with this little lady. The sass has been out of control and always fighting for the last word. The drama and water works were turned on almost daily. But we have already seen better days!!!

Noelle LOVES school and loves her baby sister even more. She is so helpful and is getting better at cleaning up after herself (with much promoting).

1 Month of Minka

We are one month in with sweet Minka Q! It's been a busy month with all the holidays and the family we've had in town but things have slowed down a bit and we are getting into a routine. 

Minka's Newborn Shoot + Christmas 2018 Family Shoot

If you're not over the baby spam, well here's more to feed your need! Minka's newborn shoot was done at day of life number five. Her shoot was not the easiest as she would not fall into a deep sleep for at least the first two hours. None of my girls have ever taken a pacifier and Minka is no different. We tried it and she was just not into it. She has been an awesome sleeper from day one but not for our shoot. She already looks so different now!! Ahh my baby <3

Minka's Fresh 48

This was our first time doing a 'Fresh 48' session and I am so happy we did! This is the day of our sweet girl's birth, December 10th, 2018. She was just about 7 hours old when these photos were taken. We planned for our photographer to come before big sisters arrived so she could capture their first meeting and it worked out perfectly and was beyond beautiful! How was this almost a month ago?

Minka's Birth Story

I forgot to take my week 38 pic in the midst of all the chaos of getting ready for the hospital. I turned 38 weeks on Saturday the 8th and we headed into the hospital for induction on Sunday night. So Sunday night I took this last pic of my last bump. 

Bump #3 Weeks 36 & 37

Hello, if you're looking for me, you'll most likely find me in the restroom. I have hit the stage where I'm visiting the place what seems like every 5 minutes during the day and at least once at night. Getting out of bed has also become challenging so getting up in the middle of the night is a lot of fun.  But the BIGGEST news is that your girl didn't get the pregnant nose. How you ask? I have no earthly clue!!! It usually comes around at 36 weeks and waking up every morning without my nose and lips on swole was so strange. I also did not have any swelling to my feet this time around. No cankles, no pitting edema, no nothing. I have no idea why things have been so different this time around but I am definitely not hating it. I have hit a weight gain of 21 pounds which is a record for me for sure. 

The Last

I'm having all the feels about this being the last baby I'll ever carry. I was just so happy and blessed to have conceived #3. I just wasn't sure we'd agree on having a third. I knew how much I wanted her since I was a child and now that this pregnancy is almost over I find myself thinking of all the lasts. The last time I'll feel these annoying Braxton Hicks, the last time I'll design a nursery, the last time I'll take a maternity pic. Thanks to the Found Shop Vintage I got some pretty cool, out of the box shots of me. 

Bump #3 Weeks 34 & 35

Ok I admit it!! Tj told me a couple weeks ago that he thought I was the biggest I'd ever been pregnant and didn't want to believe him. These last two weeks have forced me to face the facts, I'm bigger than I've ever been! The scary part is I know I only have more room to grow in these last few weeks. I certainly feel like this girl has got to be bigger than the other two. I feel like I feel her kicks higher on my belly than I did the previous times but who knows. 

Maternity Shoot with Courtney Jewell Photography

Umm...so I loved these so much I couldn't wait to share them!!! Our thanks to Courtney Jewell for these amazing photos. 

So if you followed my stories on Instagram about the madness that was trying to find something to wear for this shoot than you know I completely gave up on anything maternity. I was so not into spending the kind of money that the gowns online cost and going in store was a joke. So I opted for good ole' Forever 21 and something that would fit over this 33 week belly. Both the sweater and dress are from there. My thanks to my friend Dani who shopped with me and came over to my house two days before the shoot to make this beautiful floral crown for me. 

Iceland Babymoon

Ok so ya'll know how I do, the more pictures, the longer the blog will take. And this time is just like any other, pictures galore!!

Oh Iceland!! You were good to us. Mostly because we got to sleep in and I didn't have to cook for anyone for 5 full days but also because you were incredibly beautiful. Our baby moon was exactly what we wanted and hoped for. We made this trip at 28 weeks and the flight to Iceland seemed a little problematic at first when we were told that we had to have a doctor's note to travel internationally after 28 weeks. There was no way we weren't getting on that flight. We told them we were 27 weeks and boarded. They didn't want these problems. 

It was cold and rainy for most of the days we were there but it didn't stop us from exploring as much as possible. We stayed in Reykavik, the capital, it's on the coast of Iceland. The airport is about 40 minutes away so we decided to rent a car to get around while we were there. 

Baby Hazley #3 Name Reveal

So if you follow me on social media, this is more of an explanation than a reveal!! Either way, here it is.....

Onesie

Little Miss Minka Quinn Hazley 

Bump #3 Weeks 32 & 33

My body is going to be so ready for labor. That's if frequent Braxton Hicks have anything to do with it. They have been SO FREQUENT the last two weeks. At work, at home, feet up, feet down, hydrated, and especially with a full bladder. I can feel myself slowing down and it seems a little early for that but I do recognize that there is a lot more going on this time around.