Ding-Dong! Anyone There?

Vacation is sadly over. I will admit that it was awesome being able to step away from our busy life to get a few minutes of sandy peace and sunshine! It was definitely needed. Now that I am back, I have been itching to share a few more scary stories with you! Mostly because I was able to speak with my neighbor directly about things that have been happening around the house. And I mean that literally. Apparently, things have been happening outside of our home as well. Now, prior to my blog post about the hauntings, she and I have never spoken about it. After reading my blog, however, it was brought up casually in our conversation the other day.

One thing I haven't mentioned in prior posts is something that happens pretty regularly. Cody gets up for work around 5:30 every morning. He is usually pulling out of the driveway no later than 5:45. I know right, it only takes him 15 minutes to get ready, it is ridiculous. Anyway, so I can hear his work truck pull out because our driveway ends right beside our bedroom window. It is actually quite annoying because it wakes me up every morning, but it is a sound that I am used to. Not everyday, but a few times a week I hear the familiar sound of Cody getting into his truck, starting it, and backing out of the driveway. About two minutes later, it sounds like he is coming back into the house. I can hear a bump, as if the front door is being closed, and then it sounds like someone is pacing or walking in circles looking for something. On occasion, it has been so distinct that I have gotten up to help him search for whatever "he" is looking for... only to find an empty house. One morning, about two months ago, it happened. I heard him leave and then I heard the pacing foot steps. I sat up and called out his name. Even though it was morning, it was still dark out, which left me feeling a little vulnerable and spooked. The footsteps stopped immediately after I called his name but no answer. Thinking I had somehow dreamt it, I laid back down and tried to go back to sleep. Nope. There they were again. Pacing. And then a drawer opened. The drawer to the table by the front door. I then heard muttering, like he was talking to himself, and it was low but it was clearly Cody's voice. Maybe he hadn't heard me or maybe he didn't want to yell back because he was by the boys' room. I texted him, "What are you looking for?" and waited. About one minute later, Cody called me. When I answered he asked, "What are you talking about?" I continued to tell him that I had heard him looking for something in the drawer and asked if he had lost his keys. "Honey, I am on the interstate right now, I left about 30 minutes ago." He replied. My heart sank. Then I realized, I didn't hear the footsteps anymore. Needless to say, I couldn't go back to sleep. I got up and turned on every light and started to research what I had heard. Now, I don't know how true this is, but it was actually a very common thing in the paranormal world. It is something called a "Spirit Mimic." It is a spirit's ability to mock sounds that we are familiar with, such as a person's voice, a door (or drawer) shutting, footsteps, etc. The reason behind spirits doing this is to mostly get your attention. Apparently, a lot of entities want acknowledgement because they thrive on energy. Whether it is good or bad. Have you ever thought someone called your name but they didn't? Or heard footsteps when no one was there? Or a doorbell, perhaps? This leads me to my next story. 

Just a little fact about me: I will not come to the door if you come to my house unannounced. Sorry, but it just is not going to happen. I have seen way too many Lifetime movies where that ends badly for the housewife. It is sad that that is how the world works, that we are scared to go to our own front doors, but unfortunately that is just how it is. But on this particular day, I was expecting a package. A book that I had been dying to read so I was anxiously awaiting and my UPS app had anticipated its arrival that day. In the middle of doing dishes, the doorbell rang. I did my little happy dance all the way to the door, only to realize that no one was there. I opened the door hoping that they'd left the package but nothing was there. I thought it was strange but went back to my dishes. The doorbell rang again. This time twice. I peeked through the blinds and didn't see a car, UPS truck, mail truck, or anything in the driveway. So of course I think, what moronic child is playing ding-dong-ditch in the middle of the afternoon? And this mama was not about to be played. I posted up by one of the windows that actually looks out onto our front porch. I stayed very still (thankfully Oliver was napping or this stakeout would not have been so quiet). I waited about 15 minutes and nothing happened. Realizing how silly I looked, I went back to cleaning. And there it was again. Ding-dong. Ding-dong. Ding-dong. This time, I happened to be picking up shoes from the front door and quickly jumped to the window on our door. No one there. Unless this child was invisible or a track star, I don't know how they would've gotten away so quickly without me seeing part of them. It was a little annoying, but I honestly did not think much of it. Even though we don't have many young kids in our neighborhood, it was something that could be shaken off as a prank and I left it at that. 

I actually have not thought much else about that story until we arrived home from our vacation a couple of hours ago. My neighbor and I look out for one another's homes and I went over to speak with her when we returned. As stated earlier, before my blog -- I had never mentioned any of these stories to her. Not to many people, actually. Mostly because people are so quick to call you crazy when something is out of the ordinary. And some will only assume you're making it up because honestly, some are very hard to believe. Anyway, since she has read my blog we have spoken about our different experiences and it turns out... a lot of them are similar.  Apparently, while we were gone she had almost the same doorbell experience I had had. She said that she and her dad were home a couple of days ago when her doorbell went crazy. It started to ring over and over and over and there was no sign of a car in her driveway or anyone outside. Just like I did, she assumed she was going crazy -- until her dad confirmed that he heard it as well and that they had gotten to the door quickly enough to see someone if they had been there. This verified that something was definitely going on between our homes and though we don't know what it is, it seems to enjoy the attention it is getting. And from what I can collect, it definitely sounds like this is Spirit Mimicking. 

As I was speaking with her this evening, I asked her what type of vibe she gets when stuff happens. And oddly enough, she said that she gets a very "childish" vibe. That whatever this is, seems like child-like behavior. She also mentioned that she hears what seems to be small, quick footsteps, as well as laughing. Even though it is an uncomfortable thing to hear or discuss, it gives me comfort to know that I am not insane and that someone is actually on the same page. My goal over the next few days is to look for history of this land. Maybe something goes further back before the house was even built? Or maybe it is just me that is haunted? Have you ever had an experience with a Spirit Mimic? Or thought you had? Please share your story in the comments below and always check under the bed before turning out the lights. 

Fall Mantel Decor: On A Budget!

It's Fall! Well, almost. So I decided to get into the spirit with a DIY! I wanted to do something a little different this year and stray away from the typical fall colors. As much as I love them... the orange, reds, and yellows didn't blend too well with the earthy vibe I am going for in my new living room! All the more reason to go to Dollar Tree! And we all know I am always looking for a reason to shop there. One of my favorite things to do is find something cheap and make it look expensive and Dollar Tree is just the place to do it! So, here it is! My fall mantel decor for under $10.00... cause this mama is on a budget, y'all.

Honestly, it isn't EXACTLY how I want it to be yet... I'm still debating on what I should add. Possibly more ivy? But for less than $10.00, I think it is pretty cute. So let me show you how I did it!

These foam carving pumpkins are the cutest and only $1.00 a piece. I grabbed five of these and then made my way to the floral section and grabbed three strands of faux ivy, also $1.00 a piece!

I didn't get a picture of the painting process, however, I will give props to Cody and Maycen for helping me cover the bright orange punkins with some white acrylic paint! And last minute, I found some twine in one of my craft drawers! Now, if you don't already have this you can find it at Wal-Mart. Mine still had the price on it ($1.00) and I am pretty sure it was in the craft section. 

This was the fun part! I basically just spiraled the string around the tip of the pumpkin, hot gluing as I went further up. On some of the stems I went further up with the string, giving it a more whimsical look. 

And that was it! It took me maybe an hour total, including the paint drying time! It was super fun and I was able to include the boys in this one. Let me know what you think about it -- or if there is anything you think that I should add to it! If you decide to try it, show me! I would love to see how it turns out or the twists that you'd put on it! Happy Fall, Y'all!

Homemade Ghost Stories

Grab your flashlights -- it is time for some ghost stories! I wish I could say that some of these weren't true, however, sadly... this is my creepy little life. So, I have been thinking about what other stories I should share with you and I had good ones that I had planned to share in this entry but it seems as though my "visitors" had something else in mind. In one of my previous entries I mentioned that Cody would be going out of town for work soon. What I didn't mention is that he has actually been out of town the past couple of days. The reasons for me not posting that I was home alone, with two children, on the internet should be obvious but now that he is back in town I can say that! Under those circumstances I had some odd experiences over the last few days that I would like to share. Paranormal? You decide. 


The first night that Cody was out of town was actually Wednesday night. The boys and I went about our normal routine and I was actually starting to relax. Most of the day was over, it was almost bedtime, and nothing had happened so far -- we were in the clear. *Buzzer sound* Wrong. The boys obviously sleep with me when Cody is away. I pretend its for them but honestly, I am a chicken shit and don't like to sleep alone. So we had just finished video chatting with Dad and I begin to walk around, locking doors, checking windows, and turning off lights. Now, if you can imagine, my house is a complete circle on the inside. When you walk into my front door you have the option to go left into the hallway or if you go straight it takes you through the living room, into "the office" or what is now the playroom, through the kitchen, through the bonus room and then back into the hallway that leads to our bedrooms and that goes back into the living room. That was probably the worst explanation but you get it, it's a circle. So I start in the kitchen and make my way through the office and living room turning off lights. After I check the door and step back into the hallway I noticed by looking into the kitchen that the light was still on in the office/playroom. Maybe I forgot to hit the switch. I go back into the office, turn the light out, walk through the living room and step back into the hallway. And what do ya know? The office light is on... again. Maybe I'm not doing something right? I am trying, at all costs, to avoid the possibility that this is something paranormal. That maybe my light switches are jacked up somehow. I stand in the hallway for a minute, trying to get my life together, and I am staring into the kitchen where the office light can be seen. I stand there for about 30 seconds and then "click" the office light turns off. So after changing my underwear, I climb into bed. The boys are enjoying their 15 minutes of electronic time and are not the slightest bit concerned that their mother has just suffered 3 mini strokes, a heart attack, and a possible ankle fracture. So, it takes me forever to get adjusted and clear my head and thankfully nothing else happened that night. 

The next day, in broad daylight, my curiosity gets the best of me. I turned the switch on and off, walked in and out of the room, talked to myself way too much, and come to actually no reasonable conclusion. We have never had any electrical problems. Being married to a very particular electrician, that wouldn't be a possibility anyway. So I have no idea what it could have been. Hopefully, it was some kind of glitch and I just scared myself to death over nothing.

That night, I tried to keep my mind occupied. We played games, read stories, and watched a movie. All seemed well until it was bath time. The boys were in their bubble bath and I was running around trying to make the house look like humans lived there (not wild animals) when one of Oliver's trains went off in the playroom. (The office and the playroom are the same room, I apologize if I am extremely confusing.) So, that is not incredibly uncommon. Sometimes when the boys are responsible for cleaning their playroom, things get shoved and crammed any kind of way in their toy bins, so this didn't startle me too much at first. So I find the train and take it out of the bin completely. I place it on top of the shelf/organizer and proceed to my chores. Everything seems to be going smoothly, I get the boys in pj's and in bed. By the way, I was KILLING that single mom life. Like a boss. I'm just saying. So the boys instantly pass out because it had been a long day and I'm excited because that means I get to watch an episode of Weeds. If you don't know what that show is, I don't know what you're doing with your life. Anyway, mid-episode I hear that stupid train again. And this isn't the first time I have had an experience with that specific train, might I add. So I get up and walk back into the playroom. And what do ya know, the light was back on... and there sits that happy little train just choo-chooing away in all its creepiness. Needless to say, that light stayed on and that train sat right there because I was not setting foot in that room. And that train chooed for 20 minutes, by the way! If I haven't ever had faith in Duracell batteries, I did Thursday night! 

My final experience actually happened a couple of hours ago. Which is the whole reason I started on this entry. Now, I don't really know how to describe this one. It makes me seem a little bonkers but my story must live on. So, I was actually curling my hair in my bedroom and Mayce walks in and asks if he can run outside and grab a ball from their playhouse. Oliver is lying on his bed in his bedroom, which is directly next to ours so I can hear him interacting with an app on his iPad, answering questions that it asks him. I tell Mayce to let me finish with my hair and I will walk out with him. "Moooooom! It'll take me two seconds -- I'll be right back!" So I tell him it's fine but to leave the front door open and that I was counting to five! Side note: Our front door is a little wide for its opening, so when you open it you have to tug pretty hard and when you close it you have to put your back into it. And it is loud! So I heard him open the door and push the storm door and the storm door close behind him. Oliver is still yelling at his iPad. I count to five out loud. I am still curling my hair, staring directly into the mirror, when out of the corner of my eye I see Maycen come into my bedroom, pick up something, and run back out. And I thought to myself I didn't hear the storm door open back up and I didn't hear the front door close. "Did you close the front door?" I asked. No answer. "Mayce! Did you close the front door?" Nothing. I walk into their bedroom to find Ollie in the same spot he was minutes before and then I hear "Mom!!" from outside. The front door is still opened and the storm door is still closed. I step out on the porch to find Maycen standing on top of his playhouse. "There are ants all over the ground, I'm scared that if I get down they will bite me!" I asked him if he had been out there the whole time. He nodded. I asked him if he had come in and gone into my room. He shook his head no. Of course I asked him a few more times because I KNOW that I saw someone about his size slip into my room and back out. Maycen is not one to lie, even if he knows it will get him in trouble, so I usually take his word for it. Oliver had not moved but I asked him anyway. Of course, he said no. So.. that left me wondering.. who came into my room? Or, should I say, what came into my room?

Any ideas? Let me know in the comments below what you think it could be! Also, I have looked into the history of our house and could not find anything out of the ordinary so I am kind of at a stand still right now. If any of you know how I could get more information outside of just a Google search -- fill me in! And why is it, do you think, that "they" like to mess with me when I am alone? Should I set up a camera?! You tell me. Be safe and always check under the bed.

Is My House Haunted: Take 2

So, I honestly had no idea that so many people were that interested in the paranormal activity of our home! I have received some of the funniest messages and comments with a lot of requests to keep posting so here it is: Part 2.

Now, I thought about this a lot last night and a part of me wonders if the house is haunted.. or if it is just me! I have read that entities can latch on to people just as well as places and this would not be my first experience with ghosts. I do have many possibilities as to who these beings could be as during my childhood I endured several deaths in my family, as well as friends. In the course of 5 years or so, my family suffered terrible losses starting with my 22 year old brother in 2003. Following him over the next few years were two of my uncles, a family friend, my grandpa, and two great grandparents. By the time I was a teenager I then lost one of my oldest friends and then one of my newer friends on my birthday in 2013. Obviously, I have suffered great losses, but death is not something that I fear or that I am unfamiliar with. I think that most of my generation in my family can relate to feeling like we were in a funeral home every few months. We actually grew very close with the funeral directors as to where they knew us all by name. Weird, right? I can say that it was hard and that my childhood was probably different than most, but having suffered so much loss you begin to appreciate people while they are here. It made me love my husband and children deeper, as well as acknowledge the people who mean the most to me in my life. We never know when our last day will be and I try to be forgiving and let go of meaningless grudges. Life is seriously too short.

So now that you have a little back story you can see why I am probably surrounded by all kinda paranormal activity. Although we have experienced the most in our current home its probably because we are so aware of our surroundings here that we are able to tell if something is off or if the house feels different. A lot of times I can actually feel when something is about to happen. There will be a certain smell or a feeling that someone is watching me. In saying that, one incident comes to mind and it is probably the scariest of them all. Mostly because I was alone.

So, I have been blessed with a husband that is a homebody. He honestly prefers to be at home with his family to pretty much anything. So when the opportunity came up for a guys trip to Myrtle Beach I basically had to talk him into going. Now this was in the midst of everything going on in the house and it was becoming pretty regular so he was very hesitant about leaving. But silly me, I urged him to go because he seriously needed a break. I began to regret that decision about 5 minutes after he walked out of the door. The boys went to visit their grandparents for the night and I was totally A-L-O-N-E. It was about 5:00 that evening and I was trying to occupy myself with Netflix when my cellphone started ringing. When I picked it up it read the numbers "111-111-1111" on the screen. I answered the call and it was nothing. I was half expecting some cliche heavy breathing on the line but no, just silence, and then it hung up from the other end. About 10 minutes later, it did it again. "111-111-1111". I answered and it was nothing on the other line. Starting to get a little anxious, I called Cody and spoke with him for a little while to make myself feel better. He assured me it was probably someone pranking me or a telemarketer at some point. By the way, who gave them access to cell phone numbers? Jeez! Anyway, so this happens 2 more times. Finally, I call my mom and I am talking to her about it and she says, "That's so strange because a few months after your brother died, we started getting calls like that every once in a while. No one was ever on the other end but I just always told myself it was him trying to reach out and let us know he was okay." This should have comforted me but no, it gave me the heebie jeebies and I wanted my husband back home asap! I continued my Netflix scrolling and it called AGAIN! Finally when I answered it was a lot of white noise. Just heavy static. So in my cliche, horror movie victim voice I yelled "WHO IS THIS!?" And it was the CREEPIEST effing laugh on the other end. And I seriously just got cold chills even typing it. It sounded like a really young little girl and then the call ended. I was done. I called Cody, who was now 3 hours away at this point and he suggested that I call a friend over to keep me company. And you always see these scenarios in horror films and you're like "Why doesn't she just leave the house?" but truth is I didn't feel like getting dressed, I just needed to be in my fat pants and I had just rented a movie that I REALLY wanted to watch. So if this little girl was going to get me... she was taking me out in a messy bun and yoga pants. So, I called my friend Tray. He came over, very hesitantly, and stayed for about an hour before hearing a noise in another room and then bailing on me! Once again I was alone. So, what do you do? You lock yourself in your room and watch Disney Channel. Duh. I finally convinced myself to just stick it out and suck it up. And I am actually sort of glad that the boys weren't home. I was so jumpy that I would have seriously freaked them out. It was just a heaviness in the house. A feeling where you know you aren't alone and I wasn't diggin' it. The best way that I usually occupy myself is writing in my journal. Yes, I know, I'm 12.  So by 10:00 pm that's what I had tried to do to keep my mind off of things. About 20 minutes into it, I heard a sound in the kitchen. It sounded like something had hit the countertop or fallen over but I could not think of what it could have been. And do you think that I was going to check? Uh, no. So I brushed it off. A few minutes later, it was the same sound but a little louder. Something wanted my attention and whatever it was -- it was a brat. So I hyped myself up and decided to check it out. Now, just to give you a visual I am going to include a picture of the two frames that were on my kitchen counter.

I just snapped this picture, it wasn't taken that night or anything but I just wanted you to get an idea of how the frames were positioned. This is how they are aways positioned. When I came into the kitchen both frames were facedown and if you zoom in on the yellow picture frame you can see that it hit the counter so hard that it actually broke in two places. The lower left corner and the right side have cracks in the frame. I was really freaked out. Now some would say that it was coincidence, that maybe the frames weren't positioned right and they fell. But both of them? Within minutes of each other? Others might say it was the wind. Well, others, its not the 50's and we don't keep our windows open around here. So, there is no logic that I can find as to what may have caused it. But if you have any guesses -- let me know!

So, thankfully, nothing else happened while he was away. Whatever was scaring me obviously could tell I had had my feel for the night. I didn't mention ANY of this to Cody while he was gone. He was expected home late the next evening so we went about our usual schedule and was in bed by 10 or so. Cody still hadn't gotten home and I couldn't hold my eyes open any longer so I passed out. The next morning, as we were talking over breakfast, he mentioned something that really spooked me. He said that he made it home about 2 am or so and noticed that I was sleeping. He said that he didn't even really walk into the bedroom that he jumped straight into the shower to avoid waking me. As he was in the shower he said he could hear music playing in the bedroom. He assumed that he had woke me up and that I was watching videos on my phone. When he got out of the shower, he still heard the same music. When he opened the bedroom door, I was still asleep in the same position. The Pandora app was opened on my phone and a Secondhand Serenade song "Your Call" was playing. Now, if anyone knows of a glitch or something where this has happened or is common please let me know, but as long as I have had Pandora it has never opened on its own or chosen its own station randomly. I have also not heard that song in years so it was odd that it had played, it wasn't one that I commonly listened to on the regular. So I filled him in on everything that had happened while he was gone and we just concluded that something or someone was trying to get a message across but what that message is, I have no idea. It is still extremely difficult for me to listen to that song, I have tried to analyze the lyrics to see if there is some sort of message that was trying to be conveyed but I ultimately end up turning it off. 


Now, a lot of people have asked how this has affected the boys. And yes, it has. However, we try not to bring too much attention to it. Both of them have said very uneasy things and we try to stray their mind away from it. I think Maycen has been affected the most. Mostly because he is a lot more verbal than Oliver. One night, we were lying in bed and I was flipping through albums on my phone to show Cody a picture of something. I flashed by a picture of my brother. Maycen was about 3 at the time and he asked me to stop on that picture. Obviously, Maycen has never met my brother and was really too young to understand any stories that I would have told about him. He stared at the picture for a few seconds and said "That's him." I looked over at Cody and then turned to Mayce. "That's who?" That's the boy that comes in my room. I calmly asked him what he meant and he replied, "That's the boy that comes in my room sometimes when you're sleeping. Always when you're sleeping." He was speaking about it so casually that I couldn't quite tell if he was being silly. And I asked, "Does he scare you? Why does he come into your room?" He said "No! We roll the ball. On Fridays." At this point I am in a state of shock. I ask him multiple times if he is playing with me, but at the age of 3 I don't think his sense of humor was developed enough for him to understand why that would be funny. He answered every question that I had very calmly and then climbed down from the bed and went into his room. That was the last I heard about that. 

The experience with Oliver was not so pleasant. It was in the middle of the afternoon, I was off from work and Mayce was in preschool so it was just Oliver and myself home for the day. I was trying to coax him into taking a nap, which was not working, and so we were lying in my bed together. I was singing one of his favorite songs and just as he started to doze off, he opened his eyes wide and said "Mommy, look!" And pointed to the ceiling. I asked, "What is it?" He said "Do you see the shadows?" Now, this was in the middle of the day so I wasn't necessarily as frightened as I was frustrated because it honestly seemed like something he was saying to get out of a nap. "No, I don't see any shadows." He kept pointing and said "Yes you do." I said "No, I don't see anything. Are they good shadows or bad shadows?" He whispered "Bad." Now the door to the bedroom was cracked slightly and as soon as that word left his mouth the door clicked shut and then it honestly sounded like something with very tiny feet and short steps did a lap around the house. It scared me so badly that I called Cody at work and made him leave early. I was so shaken up and the footsteps were so loud that my first actual thought was that someone was REALLY in my house. Like, a living person. But then all went quiet again. Oliver bursts into tears and all I wanted to do was leave but I was terrified to leave the bedroom. That was also probably one of my scariest encounters, I don't like to talk about it much. I still get cold chills. 

Cody and I try not to verbalize about these things out loud. The boys are still mostly unaware that something is going on and we would like to keep it that way. They have no issues sleeping in their room at night, and this also had a lot to do with why I put them in a room together. It brought me more comfort that way. So those are the stories that I have for today, and there are plenty more that I would love to share if you guys are interested! Please keep commenting and messaging me, I love to hear others' thoughts on the paranormal! Also, I have noticed that more activity happens when I am alone... Cody will be out of town for work soon, any ideas on what I should do when I am here alone?! Let me know. Until next time -- Check behind the shower curtain before you pee. :)

Our Haunted House?!

I'm baaaaack! So I feel like it has been forever since I have made a post but in my defense things have been super busy around here! Maycen has started K5 so a lot of time has been devoted to lunch packing, crying, reading logs, homework, and wondering why my sweet boy thinks he is a grown man now. 

One thing I have been super excited about is the fact that it is officially September! That means two awesome things -- my birthday, of course, & Fall! Although the official first day of Fall isn't until later this month.. I can tell that it is cooling off outside, which means Halloween decor is fair game, right?

And speaking of Halloween -- this post will be for the paranormal enthusiasts! Now, if you don't believe in ghosts, which is cool, then this post may not be for you. However, I do and I actually believe that one may be bunking with us at the Wollenberg residence!

Now, before I get into details I do want to say that this entity is something that I don't believe to be harmful. I have never felt threatened or "scared" in our home, but I have been a little creeped out from time to time! We have many assumptions as to "who" this presence could be, but of course I have no way of knowing for sure. 

We purchased our house from a very sweet, little lady who had decided that she would be more comfortable living in an assisted living facility. We had some difficulties at closing due to some missing paperwork on our loan company's end. The company was in a different state and it was closed by the time we had gotten to the lawyer's office. We were going to have to postpone the closing and it was getting overwhelming. I began to tear up because this was something that we had been pushing for and the process had taken way longer than anticipated. I started to cry. This sweet little lady handed the keys to us and told us that even though the process had not been completed that the house was ours. We were able to drive away from that office and go home. I will always, always love her for that.

About 6 months after we'd moved in, I awoke one night suddenly. I just opened my eyes. The house was quiet. Too quiet. I sat up and then all of a sudden, out of the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of a petite figure with white hair quickly slip around the corner into the hallway. To this day, I cannot exactly describe the feeling that came over me. It wasn't terror, but a calming feeling. Given the scenario I should have been spooked... but I wasn't. I got up quietly and stepped into the hallway -- nothing there. I checked on the boys and they were sound asleep. I knew that what I had seen was an elderly lady, but had no connection as to why the spirit of one would be in our house. I brushed it off as my imagination and climbed back in bed. I brought it up casually to Cody the next day, but we both just concluded that I was either seeing things or was still partially asleep. Somehow, I couldn't shake it. The odd part was that 2 days later, we were outside doing some yard work when our neighbor walked over to speak. She had lived in the house next door for years, and her parents before her, so she was very familiar with the lady that previously owned our home. She handed me a newspaper clipping, which was the obituary of our home's previous owner. She went on to tell us that she had passed away a couple of night's prior in the nursing home. Cody and I glanced at each other and wrapped up the conversation. I held on to the obituary and it actually hung on our fridge for a few months after that. We've honestly never spoke of it since but I believe that she was making one final round in a house that she had lived in for many years, to be sure that everything was okay, before passing on. Call me crazy but that thought brings me comfort. 

Now, over the next few months, nothing occurred. There were no sightings in the middle of the night or spooky sounds... Until about 6 months ago. This is when things started to take a turn. Now, I still did not feel threatened, but I could definitely confirm that it was not my imagination. It started one night in March. Cody and I were sitting on the couches watching TV. I was sitting on the love seat with my back to what we called the office at the time. Cody was on the opposite couch with a sleeping Oliver beside him and Maycen had gone into his room to play on his iPod. I can honestly say that I am quick to cry ghost, however Cody is not. But what happened next spooked us both. From behind me, in the office, I heard a loud whisper call out "Mama!" that made every single hair on my neck stand up. I was looking down at my laptop and was so frozen with fear that I was scared to move. I glanced up to Cody who was staring, wide-eyed, back at me. For a good two minutes we just stared at each other before Cody broke the silence with a "What the hell was that?!" I was scared but relieved that I wasn't the only one that had experienced it. Although it did not sound like Maycen at all I called out to Maycen who immediately answered me from his room. Not only can you see his doorway from the living room but we could both honestly say that there had been no movement. Trust me, when he has his iPod... there is NO movement. So, once again we both pretended that it didn't happen and did not speak much of it.

A couple of weeks later, I had some friends over. (Shout out to Erica & Tray!) I hope you guys don't mind me using your names :) I had not mentioned to either of them that this had happened prior. We were hanging out, taking a ridiculous amount of selfies, when it sounded like something fell in "the office" behind the loveseat. This was the same room that the voice had come from a couple weeks before. I still didn't say anything because I didn't want to spook them but a couple of jokes were made about ghosts. The next day at work, though, Tray mentioned that his younger relative was scrolling through his pictures on his phone and asked who was in one of the pictures. The particular picture was of him and Erica on the love seat in my living room. She then asked "No, who is the girl behind you?" As soon as those words left his mouth,  I held my breath. Obviously, there was no LIVING being in the photo behind them but after we all examined the picture, you can slightly see the outline of a girl. You can make out her facial features and even her long hair. I finally told them what Cody and I had heard a few nights before. Needless to say, they were hesitant about coming back to my house for a while after that. 

This is the point where the activity began to pick up in the house and I firmly believe that it was because we were now aware of it. I can't say that I was really "on edge" at this point because I have always been told the more it is acknowledged the worse it will get. So even when something did happen, we tried not to give it much attention. It had gotten to a point where things began to go missing or would move places. Now, this could be our imagination. We could have just misplaced things and not remembered but this seemed to be different. For example, one evening we went out to the movies. We locked the door behind us and were gone a good 4-5 hours. When we returned, the light that I had left on was out. I noticed this from the driveway. Not giving it much attention, we went inside. The door was still locked and keep in mind that no one besides us has a key to our home. My heart jumped up into my throat after we stepped in the door. The stack of mail that was kept on the entryway table seemed to have been thrown across the living room. I immediately panic and think "break-in" but nothing else was out of place. Cody checked out the house, the doors, and the windows... nothing/no one was there but there was no explanation that either of us could come up with to comfort ourselves. 

We had another experience similar to that one. When we went out for the evening and came home all of the magnetic letters from the fridge were ALL OVER the kitchen floor. That has actually happened more than once. Toys will move on their own and just the other night, we were sitting in the living room floor (the boys were in the kitchen) and one of Oliver's trucks slowly began to roll across the floor from one of the corners of their playroom. What is odd is that most of the activity is coming from the same room. We have recently opened up the wall from "the office" to the living room, to make a larger space. It is now a play room for their boys and now throughout the night [and day] toys begin to sing and roll on their own. As a matter of fact, last night I woke up to the sound of Oliver's train "choo-chooing" at 2 am!

Most can rule these as coincidences and call us crazy. But one night I think that I was able to get proof that maybe it is something paranormal. Once again, we were sitting in the living room. The boys have a really large inflatable ball that they rarely play with. It was over by the entryway table. In the middle of our conversation, the ball just rolled over to Cody. Jokingly, he pushed it back across the floor. To our surprise, it stopped right in the middle of the floor and rolled back to him. I immediately grabbed my phone and started snapping pictures. I didn't think I would catch anything, it was mostly just for fun. Oddly, as I was taking the pictures error messages were popping up on my phone and the pictures were not saving. It was very strange because it was something that it had never done before. And as I scrolled through them only 2 pictures would show up. I will share the one I have with you. 

You be the judge!

Please let me know what you think about our experiences! Real? Coincidences? Would you like to hear more ghost stories (because yes, there are more!) Sweet dreams, loves! 

Product Review: MONQ

Happy Monday! And I say that in the least sarcastic way possible. Today, I am really excited about a product review and I will get a video up as soon as I have the chance because I know its easier to actually see something. Now, if you haven't already heard of MONQ... you should cancel your plans today and stay tuned because it is pretty exciting. 

Let me explain a little about MONQ because from first glance you're probably like why is she so excited about these little sticks?! MONQ is a personal essential oil diffuser. Whaaaaaaat, you ask? Well, basically, this pretty little stick allows you to directly inhale therapeutic aromatherapy into your olfactory system. Cool? Yes, I know! 

So, the first question that came to mind for me was: Are these electronic cigarettes? And the answer is NO! These contain no tobacco, no nicotine, and no artificial chemicals. Each vial contains a custom blend of essential oils and plant extract. So these are completely safe to use indoor/outdoor/at work... you get the idea. Each vial comes in a different color and contains 3 different essential oils to help you obtain your specific goal. There is: Healthy, Zen, Vibrant, Sexy, Sleepy, Happy, Skinny. I just realized that I listed quite a few of the Seven Dwarfs... hmm.. 



Anyway, I am not going to lie. Part of the reason I fell in love with these is because they're precious. Each one has the cutest little crystal type stone on the end that lights up each time you inhale, and each vial is the prettiest shade. 

The real reason I purchased my first one, which was Zen, was due to my high level of anxiety. I am really not crazy about anxiety medications, just because of how they make me feel, so I decided to take a healthier, more natural route. 

You start by inhaling a small amount in through your mouth and out through your nose. It usually takes about 3 times to feel the effects and thats it. It isn't something that you have to do consistently or all day, it can be used on your lunch or bathroom break. It would be ideal if you have a job that keeps you very stressed or wound up. Or if you're in school and freak out before a test!

My next purchase was Sleepy. I have the WORST restless legs and for some reason when its time for bed... thats when my mind wants to think about every single thing that I didn't get done for the day or my next DIY project or if vegetarians eat animal crackers? Needless to say, I needed help. I will admit that I was a little disappointed when I didn't just fall over after my first inhale like Aurora when she pricked her finger. *Insert dramatic reenactment here* BUT I gave it a few minutes, took a few more inhales/exhales... and I will say that it didn't take me AS LONG to fall asleep and I didn't wake up at all. Now, this could completely be a mental thing -- but I have been using it a little over a week each night and I am sleeping like a baby! So, if it is all in my mind -- that is fine with me because I was getting up every night over my legs or my wandering mind. So overall, it was a win for me! And the Sleepy also has Lavender in it which is one of my favorite scents and it kinda leaves a nice lingering smell. 

So last but not least... pricing. If you go to the MONQ website, they offer different packages. You can order all of the different blends at once or order them individually. Individually, each vial is $20.00. They last, if used sparingly, up to about 2 weeks. They do offer packages with blends that correspond with one another. And any order over $60.00 qualifies for free shipping! Whoop whoop! BUT WAIT -- THERE'S MORE! If you use my coupon code: AMBERWOLLENBERG you can get a couple dollars off! Mhmm... snag that coup and get to your happy place!





All purchases are confidential so if any of you decide to try this -- please let me know what blend and how you liked it!!

https://monq.com/?rfsn=293295.f68d6b


Also, I have a Sexy in the mail headed my way, so as soon as I get it, I am going to actually post a video of the packaging, presentation, etc. And you will find that on here!! 

Stay Happy & Healthy! 

raising gentlemen.

Each household has different rules and standards. I have always believed that no matter how ridiculous some may seem, a parent's wishes should always be respected and abided by. I know the way we do things in our home are probably a lot different than most, and that is okay. Like I have mentioned in previous posts, what boundaries are set at your house are your business. So I wanted to share some of the things I try and teach my boys on a daily basis and explain why.

Manners

This is a biggy for me. And this has actually been one of the most controversial topics when I have discussed it with other parents. My boys are to address any adult with "ma'am" or "sir". Why? Because I see it as being respectful. Now, not all people feel like this and I know that this is mostly a Southern thing. Where as some parents think it is a little old fashioned and unnecessary (which is cool) It is just something that I will not budge on. And it is actually something that I never had to force or scold my kids about. Each time they would answer me with a "yeah" or "what" I would just politely respond "ma'am" and now its just natural for them. It isn't forced, and it doesn't inconvenience them in anyway. The same with "please" and "thank you" which also come naturally to them now. Now, this is something that if forgotten I do have to stop and remind them that this is vital. No one owes you anything, and even if it is a waitress or just a kind stranger holding the door for you... say "Thank you." It takes two seconds. 

Don't Stink

It does not matter what you are doing for the day -- always brush your teeth! And wash your hands after using the bathroom. The reasons speak for themselves! Especially with little boys!!

Drink Plenty of Water

Water is always accessible in our house. I actually got an amazing idea from my sister, who kept a jug of ice water, that has the spout, on the counter throughout the day. My boys have LOVED this idea.. and they're so preoccupied with being able to pour the water themselves... they don't even care that its water. Definitely something to consider if you have little ones that aren't so crazy about H2O! I actually keep the jug in the fridge. I bought the 99 cent, thick plastic cups and hot glued a magnet strip to the back of each of them and just stuck them on the fridge! They love coming through and filling their own cup and then attaching the cup back to the fridge. I wash them at the end of the day and then they are ready for the next! If you try this idea, please let me know how it works for you!

Sugar is Great! (But bad for you!)

Now this is also a tricky one, and this is one that I think it is hard for people that aren't of our generation to grasp the concept of. Candy is not the same as it was back in the day. As much as we want to believe that "they wouldn't sell it if it wasn't good for them." Your health means absolutely nothing to mult-billion dollar corporations. And just because it says "Sugar Free" on the box DOES NOT MEAN IT. Over the years, different companies have gotten really slick with how they advertise, and most of it is false. Now, with that being said -- No, I am not the Wicked Witch of the South, my kids are allowed to have sweets... but in small doses. Call me crazy, but this is something I have researched heavily. And won't go into (this time) but if your curiosity is killing you.. please look into some documentaries such as "Fed Up" which can be found on Netflix OR just Google "What sugar does to a child's body?" You will never look at a KitKat the same again. Now, I won't lie. I LOVE sweets. And we do still enjoy dessert after dinner and the occasional candy bar from the check out line at a grocery store. This is not something we want to make a regular thing and definitely not something we want to become habit. Sugar is habit forming. And obviously, this is hard for a 3 and 5 year old to understand. Their logic: It tastes good so it can't be bad for us! That is why I feel it is important for parents to intervene at such a young age. Preventing a habit from ever developing is a lot easier than breaking one. 

Do Your Chores

Though they be but little, they will know to clean. This has been the hardest one yet. And I am all for letting kids be kids but they will also be kids that know how to pick up after themselves. In my opinion, kids should be held responsible for the items that they take out and know that before another toy comes out, the other needs to be put away. For a while I was guilty of letting them have their fun and it was quicker if I just came in behind them and picked it all up. It wasn't until I heard my five year old say "Just leave it, Mom will clean it up." It set in that I was setting them up to fail. Although I would keep it from them as long as I possibly could, the real world is coming. And the less I make them do now.. the harder it is going to punch them in the face. Since they are still small, it has been easier to make it a game of "Who can pick up the most toys first!" or "Let's pick up all the toys that are green, now all of the toys that are blue, etc..." If toys are left out, they lose privileges with that toy for a certain amount of time. I am starting to see a change and they have actually began to pick up without me having to ask, but this is still something that we struggle with, and it is something that I am sure will be ongoing into their teenage years. The point is to not give up. Even though it is probably quicker for you to just do it, you're not teaching them any life lesson by doing it for them. That is something that I often have to tell myself. Same goes for putting their laundry in the basket, putting their plates in the sink, etc. Even if the tasks aren't BIG, if you make things like this part of their normal routine, it won't seem like a chore later, in my opinion. 

Express Yourself

I have never wanted my kids to feel like they can't tell me or show me how they're feeling. Now, this is where that thin line comes in. Yelling, hitting, or raising their voice to me is not tolerated. This is only something that I have been experiencing with Mayce lately (5 year old). He has gotten to an age where when something bothers him, he wants to scream and hit things, and voice that he is mad. Which is completely okay with me. As long as he does no harm to himself or the people around him, I encourage him to let it out! I may have to ask him to remove himself from the situation until he is calm but I have found that once he comes back and we can talk about it... you can literally see the weight lifted from his shoulders. We ALWAYS make a point to talk to him about it afterward. We give him an opportunity to express why he was mad and then we explain why we took the disciplinary actions that we did. This method works for us. Even if something leads to corporal punishment, he is always allowed a chance to voice how it made him feel. And that usually leads to him not doing it again. I have never understood why or how a parent would discipline a child, whether it be spanking them or scolding them, and then get mad at them for crying and/or telling them to stop crying. How else are they supposed to express themselves? Laughing? That is just my logic.

Be Honest

I regret this one sometimes. Usually those times when I get "Mom, your butt is big" or "Your hair is crazy" are the times that I regret telling them to be so honest. However, when my five year old comes to me and tells me he did something, even though he knows it is something that he will get in trouble for, it makes me feel good. We are raising kids in a world that is CRAZY now. And I think it is vital for them to know that they don't have to lie about anything. Even if someone else tells them to. Even if it is something they think will get them in trouble. Even sometimes, when it is something I DO NOT want to hear... I listen, and even if they do get into trouble for it, I am always sure to tell them "I appreciate you being honest with me about it" and pray that honesty is a quality they hold on to. 

Stand Up For Yourself & Each Other

Being a Momzilla, I struggle with this one. As much as I want to snatch that brat up on the playground that wants to bully my boys, I don't. They have to know that I won't always physically be there to back them up. There will come a time that a little shithead bully will push their limits and they have to know how to handle it. We don't push violence and we try to stress that words mean nothing, however, they'll know that if someone ever crosses the boundary and touches them -- its fair game. I will never scold my child, no matter how old, for defending themselves or each other.

Don't Stop Trying

If I have never pushed an opinion on you, I am going to now. Parents, never stop encouraging your child. I have personally heard a mother tell their child "Stop! You just can't do it!" And it breaks my heart. We live in a world, a country, FULL of opportunities. No matter what your child wants to do... never stop pushing them to do it. This life is not all about the money that we make, and the day that we die... we take nothing with us. So I urge you to encourage them to enjoy their lives, make memories, and back them on any decision they make. Do not accept "I can't" as a response. As parents it is OUR job to mold and motivate our children to be what they want and be the best at it. 

I would love to hear some of the lessons you teach your children and/or even some that you do not agree with. Thanks for reading, loves!