Sunday, November 30, 2014

SURPRISE a family of 5

And what a surprise it was!
We are so excited to announce a new member of the Malko family
as tiny as a kidney bean right now
but growing in size and in love daily!
We can't wait to meet them in the very beginning of July! 
BUT
3 KIDS!
whew! that makes me all kinds of nervous.
Feel free to comment with some pointer or "what i wish I would have known" 
if you are an outnumbered parent like we're "fixin" to be haha!
If we think we have our hands full now....
Here's to 7 more months of good sleep and lots of prayers!

Monday, November 10, 2014

Young Living Oils

SO recently - about 6 months ago started using Young Living essential oils. I was very interested up front because we prefer natural remedies, eating organic, and using "real ingredients" - wether that be for eating, cleaning, or treating ailments! What really pushed me over the edge was a close friend who had a cavity. In between the time she found out about it and when she went to get it filled she started putting thieves oil on it. When she went in to get it filled she didn't have a cavity anymore! the dentist couldn't believe it - but I could! and I was sold haha! So we bought a starter kit and started using the oils for ailments that we had. My husband really struggles with allergies since we live in the Ohio River valley - and he did not grow up here. He started using lavender, lemon and peppermint oil (mixed with coconut oil) and amazingly his allergy symptoms were relieved! We use lavender on little cuts and scrapes that our kids get constantly - and lavender and cedar wood to help our kiddos rest at night! I LOVE peace and calling essential oil - it is has helped us with coughing fits and those meltdowns that are unavoidable with toddlers! Basically I cannot say enough good things about our experience with Young Living Oils!

In fact - we love them so much that I actually became a distributer - i don't do it much but really just to help out friends and family that were already interested! 

If you have any questions about essential oils please feel free to email me at:
brooke (dot) malko @ gmail (dot) com

Here is the kit I bought to get our family started:

(On November 17th Valor and Peace and calming will be replaced with Mel-A and Citrus Fresh)
When you order a starter kit you automatically become a young living member and get 24% off all future purchases!
If you would like to order a starter kit for your family, feel free to email me with any questions or CLICK HERE to order yours today! 
Some Simple Instructions:
1. Make sure to choose "wholesale member" to enjoy the benefits of membership!
2. The Premium Starter Kit ($150) is the one pictured above and the one I recommend (there are several to choose from. This one includes 11 5ml oils, samples, literature and a home diffuser)
3. Do not sign up for essential rewards - instead click "No, thank you". You can sign up for ER later - once you love your oils and decide you may order more regularly!


~Brooke

Friday, October 31, 2014

Happy Halloween

Today was FREEZING! 
The coldest Halloween I can remember.
But that didn't stop our kiddos from having a blast!
They were Mario and Princess Peach - Camille said they were "Madio Caughts" 
They RAN to every door.
BUT I think they enjoyed handing out Candy even more! 
They each had to give every kid a handful of candy. 
We handed out around 400 pieces tonight!
Anderson commented on every kids costume and if they said thank you, Camille said "Yow yelcum".
We had a warm chili dinner with all of my side of the family,
and it was indeed, a Happy Halloween!




Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Bad Blogger

I am a bad blogger! 
Our kids got big(ish)
See...







Anderson is Now 4
We are Homeschooling him - preschool this year - and loving it!
He loves organization, art and mac and cheese
Camille is 22 months
She loves to sing her ABC's, doggies and making everyone laugh!

They are a delight!
some days are hard
some days are long
all the days are worth it!
Amen.

Saturday, January 11, 2014

Camille is 1!

I seriously cannot believe my baby girl is 1! It is so crazy how with your first you are ready for every milestone and basically aging them up before they really even get there, and with your second you can't help but look at them and think of them as a bitty baby! I guess it is easy to do with a big wild 3 year old running circles around her! She is seriously so precious y'all - and feisty too haha!

Here are some sweet milestones we have reached:
-has taken 14 steps - but not walking yet
- has 3 teeth all on the bottom - I know weird right?
-eats anything and everything - except peas (tonight she ate sausage and peppers for dinner, Anderson had leftover spaghetti haha)
-says: momma, dad, bubu (for anderson), nana (granna), pap, mooo, bock bock, rrruufff, light, yeah, no no, nigh nigh (night night), hi, bye, "her uh do" (here ya go), yay, mmm ma (for kiss), mmmm mmm (for yummy)... i think that is all? I am sure I will think of something else once I post this haha.
-she is a total lover girl - always hugging and kissing someone or something! 
-she makes eyes at her daddy any time he walks in the room! He is her favorite!
-she laughs easily and often
-she is VERY tickelish
-she loves to play rough and wrestle! she gets so wild it is hilarious.
-she can crawl safely up and down the stairs - don't worry we always watch her closely!
-she plays very well independently - something her big brother still has a little trouble with

And here are some of her 1 year old pictures that the very talented Brittany Culver with Halo Photography took! I am smitten with our little lady! And i am sure you can see why ;)













Thursday, October 31, 2013

30 for 30

So, tomorrow, November 1st, I will be 30 years old.... WHAT?!?!

How can that be? Seriously, didn't i just graduate from college, and just get married.... and just have 2 kids. I guess I have lived a lot of life between college and now, but for some reason it doesn't always feel like it! I mean surely, I am not the only mom of 2 kids that, on occasion looks around her living room at the kids and the toys and the mess and thinks "Who's life is this?"

Since 30 seems to be the dreaded number by many ladies my age, I thought I would make a list of 30 things I am so thankful for, in my 30 years of living...

1. My precious Savior - who "sought me, and bought me with his redeeming blood"! 30 years, or 30 more would be unbearable without God's grace daily!

2. My hunky husband! He is seriously handsome, and sweet, and smart, and a hard worker, and he loves Jesus more than me! I mean - seriously y'all - he is upstairs right now wrapping like 100 gifts that he has thoughtfully chosen for me.... I do not deserve him!

3. My son! He is handsome like his daddy. He blesses me every day with sweet kisses and hilarious commentary on life! (With the occasional tantrum or two). He was the first to call me Momma and I am wild about him!

3. My baby girl! She is lovely and full of life! SO smart and so much personality in all 18lbs of her! Who knew you could love 2 kids so differently and so deeply? The joy she brings my heart is overwhelming!

4. My parents - who have honored their wedding vows as an example to me, and who selflessly, to this day, love me and encourage me and remind me daily of who I am in Christ.

5. My siblings and their spouses! Watching them love my kiddos is a feeling I never knew existed! Plus they are pretty fun to hang with - glad I get to do it forever!

6. My community group - so awesome to do life together in our home each week! The ladies in our group have quickly become my closest friends and I love meeting together to talk about Jesus and laugh a lot!

7. Life long friends - you know who you are - we have done some serious ice together - with memories from elementary school or GULP - Middle school, being single, getting married, becoming new moms.... and they still love me - bless their hearts!

8. Coffee - good coffee - amen.

9. Louisville, KY - I have moved away and come back - but this city is home forever! All 4 seasons, great restaurants, sweet friends and great memories! I really do hope to raise my children here.

10. Sojourn! Our church - it has reminded me of the sweet taste of corporate worship in a way I had forgotten. So glad to be apart of this community!

11. Local restaurants - this maybe falls under Louisville BUT - Harvest, Rye, Game, Four Pegs - to name a few - you ROCK!

12. Fall - Pumpkin patches, cooler temperatures, Pumpkin flavored anything, Halloween - my favorite time of year!

13. Our house - I love this little house that we have labored in and changed and made our own! We brought both out babies home here... it is always a relief to walk through that front door!

14. The Jesus Storybook Bible - never a dry eye... from me at least ;)

15. Hulu and Netflix - seriously - I love to veg out!

16. Popcorn - you know, the fresh popped kind - with real butter - yes sir!

17. Sweet Tea

18. Fort Myers, FL - where we spent the first year of our marriage - there is something magical about that place.... it is always so exciting to take a trip there - I can close my eyes and feel the sun on my face and the smell the salty humid air... it takes me back to a sweet time in my life.

19. Mentors - Throughout the years - women who have invested in my life in different seasons as far back as I can remember. Women, who probably don't know it, but come to my mind on an almost daily basis as the wisdom they poured out on me is used still to this day.

20. Graeters Ice cream - Coconut almond chip mmmm

21. My kitchen table - a hand-me-down from my parents - it has been painted, refinished, chairs have been recovered - it has had -an apple carved into the top with a knife by my baby brother 18 years ago.... it has been laughed at, cried at, and eaten at... it is well loved - I cannot imagine feeding my family dinner in any other seats!

22. My husbands job - being self employed is hard work, but the benefits and blessings are great! Love my hard working man and his flexible schedule. (Trust me - he puts in the hours ;))

23. Wednesday night movie night with my man - every week!

24. Writing letters back and forth with the love of my life - something new we have picked up. It has been like falling in love all over again.

25. Nord's Buttercream Donuts!

26. Christmas music - it is right around the corner!

27. A quiet house - after the kids go to bed and the only thing you can hear is clothes spinning in the dryer.

28. SLEEP - I have seriously been missing sleep over the past year or so, but I hope my 30s bring a new season of rest (aka my daughter sleeping through the night HA)

29. A dishwasher waiting to be unloaded - I don't always remember this one - BUT it means this house is filled with full bellies, and a reminder that we have all that we need and more! Plus it means I didn't have to wash them myself ;)

30. And finally for 30 years of ups and downs, of seasons of plenty of seasons of want, for laughter and tears and changes... all of which taught me and molded me into who the Lord is still making me today.

Here's to 30 more!

~Brooke

Friday, September 6, 2013

Matching piggies

I thought this should be documented! Heading to the beach tomorrow and Camille got her first pedicure - from me of course! Now we have matching piggies! The first one of many I am sure! Love having a sweet baby girl to share the girly milestones with!

Family life

It has been a while since I posted a family update! Things in the Malko household are going pretty great! As normal and crazy as ever. Life is so different with 2 kiddos on the move! Camille has been crawling since she was 6 months old (whew... This Momma wasn't ready for that) and she is busier than ever! She crawls FAST, pulls up on anything and everything and does a tiny bit of cruising! She has also recently figured out how to go from crawling to sitting and back to crawling again. She is into everything and  plays pretty well independently! She had 1 tooth, her bottom left. Lately she has become quite attached to her momma, especially if she is sleepy. She says "mama" which is her only word right now. She babbles baba a lot though it doesn't seem like she has related it to anything yet. She is the happiest baby, especially when she first wakes up! Going to get her from her crib is one of my favorite moments! She lights up and squeals when she sees us walk in her room :)

Anderson is almost 3!! I cannot believe it. I feel like over the past 3 months I have watched my baby completely fade away and transform into this little boy. It has honestly been really sweet. He is so smart and observant. He says the most surprisingly witty things, and has gotten a little sassy.. I think it comes from having such good understanding but not quite knowing how to use it appropriately. We are working on that ;) he loves to sing and LOUD - especially in the car! His favorite is the "Songs for the Book of Like" cd that Sojourn collaborated with other churches to create. It is so sweet to hear him sing such deep theological truths in such a precious voice! I could seriously listen to him all day... I basically melt every time we are in the car. He loves planes trains and cars, Jake and the Neverland Pirates, his "baby doggy" and pretend play. He loves to bring me presents (random toys) and when I ask if I can keep it forever, every time he says "no mom, it's to borrow, borrow means give it back". Haha. He also loves to "talk cars" with all of his hot wheels. He is the funniest most loving little guys - even though he is sometimes a little too rough with his sis. But it is the absolute best to hear them laughing and playing together!

Jon's business is going super great! He is so busy but still finds plenty of time to love on all of us :) we love his flexible schedule and appreciate so much his self discipline and commitment to work hard to provide for us. We are all headed to Destin, FL for vacation tomorrow, and are soooo looking forward to this vacation. Then next weekend we head from Destin, to Fort Myers to visit Jon's family! We cannot wait for his grandparents to meet Camille and to see how grown up Anderson is.

Here are a few recent pictures...










Wednesday, August 7, 2013

BLUUM July 2013 Review

I am WAY behind on posting a review for our July BLUUM box! I received it about 2 weeks ago! Let me start off by saying I was blown away this month by bluum's customer service. I had a concern about my box, contacted them about it, and within 24 hours was contacted back. They then proceeded to go above and beyond to make my bluum experience nothing short of amazing! This really impressed me! I love a company that stands behind their product and puts the customer first!! A+ BLUUM!!

Onto my box contents. I am going to make this short and sweet since their are a million other reviews out there that beat me to the punch! Here is a look inside my box....









I didn't go through and price each item this month, but just for a frame of reference, the funktion wristlet is for sale from the retailers website for $39!

That has to put the value of this box at well over $50!!

BLUUM subscription is $25 a month! 

Sign up with this link: http://bluum.me/14uSApw

And As far as I can tell the code PAMPERS will still save you up to 50% off!!

By using my link I will earn BLUUM points! So thanks if you do ;)

You have until this Saturday, August 10th at midnight to sign up if you want to get the August box! After that your firsts month will be September!

~Brooke




Tuesday, July 16, 2013

July Citrus Lane Box Review


We got our July Citrus Lane box for a 40 month old boy today in the mail (I upped his age a bit). Anderson was sooo excited to open it but I did manage to get a few pictures in. We were very pleased (and pleasantly surprised) with our box this month! Here are our contents...

A goodbyn bento box with dishwasher safe stickers to decorate it yourself! This was a huge hit because Anderson Loves stickers! We decorated it together immediately! And he wanted a snack in it right away. He has been carrying it around all morning!

This car was the first thing he noticed in the box. It is a Melissa and Doug paintable wooden car that you put together. Kind of like a first model car. Her actually has done a bigger version of this before and loved doing it so we were thrilled to get this! He cannot wait to paint it!

A pack of freeze dried just bananas - these were consumed immediately as you can tell from the empty package. A big hit! I was happy because Anderson is such a picky eater but he loved these - in my book that means that any kid would probably love them!

Cool it buddy instant ice pack. A 2 pack if single use ice packs that do not have to stay in your freezer - great for the accident prone kiddo ;)

Last, but not least, a certificate for 10 free postgrams. I have never used these before but am really excited to try them. They are photo postcards that you design yourself and the photo pops out as a keepsake for the recipient! Great for out of town family!! 


All in all we were very pleased this month!  The total cost I estimated for this box is...

Bento box - $8.99
Dishwasher safe stickers - $3.50
Wooden car paint set - $5.02 on sale on amazon (normally $8.99)
Cool Packs - $2.99
Just bananas - $1.50
Postgram - $0.99 per card (10 cards)

Total - $31.90 and that is with the car sale price

Last month we were disappointed with our CL box, but after this month, the great products and how excited Anderson was, I think we will keep it up!!

Here is a link to sign up and a coupon code for 1/2 off! 

Coupon: TAKEHALF

This makes your fist box only $12.50 - totally worth it in my opinion!

I will get a credit if you use my link, so thanks a ton if you do!!