It's Almost Time!!!

I am so stinkin' excited!!! It is almost time to move and I can't wait!! You know when you are so excited about something and a week seems forever away???? That's how I feel. As I have said before, I will totally miss living here at my in-laws but I am excited for everything to have a place and be organized!!! I know the kids are so excited to see all of their toys again. We close next week!!!

Luckily, we have been busy so it's not like we sit around just counting the hours. We have been enjoying Grayson's basketball games...and he has loved when family can come. This week Lala, Sawyer, and Jansen came!! A couple weeks before Mimi, Pawpaw, Aunt Cindy, Nana, Young Grandma, Amanda, and her little ones all came out!! He had his own little cheering section that day!

We also enjoyed some exciting events in our family!! My sister celebrated a birthday and sweet Liam was born a week later!! What a great gift!! He was a big boy at 8.8 lbs and he is doing great. He recently got a piece that will help with his bilateral cleft lip and palate! It's pretty adorable!!

My sister Megan and Liv

Precious Liam Michael is here

 We also have had some crazy weather around here. About a week ago, we had an ice day I was super bummed when I found out that Joey and Grayson's district had school and mine didn't. We had plans on seeing the Lego movie and thought it would have been perfect to see on a snow day. So, I relaxed a bit at home and then Ella and I brought Grayson lunch and I helped out at the school. I loved it!! I got to have a day to feel like a stay at home mom...it was pretty wonderful!! Then that afternoon we met up with one of Grayson's friends and his family and saw the Lego movie which was super cute!!

The night before he was 97% sure he wouldn't have school the next day

Ella sleeping with her Elsa, Anna, and Cristoff....Frozen is what it is all about!

Lunch with brother

And here is a summary of our past couple of weeks in pictures.....

Sunday selfies

The day I thought Joey rigged my fortune cookie

Love this book and is so helpful!!

Counselor's week gift from the student council..precious, right?

Celebrating my sister getting older!!!

Hot.mess.

This is how I prep to teach Sunday School (hey it's the 3 and 4 year olds)

Happy Valentine's to the ones who have our hearts!

Gloria's for counselor's week...love my job!

sitting.watching.waiting.

A collage of the women I admire...love each and every one of them!

I hope you all have a blessed week and hope to be posting pics of us all moved in within the next 2 weeks!!!

A legacy...

The last time I blogged was at the beginning of this month and for the most part this month has been pretty quiet, thankfully. Last Friday, I got a call at 6:15 a.m. that broke my heart. My Granny had passed away. I knew it was coming but it was still so hard. She was struggling with dementia and was 89. Part of me was relieved that she wasn't in that state anymore but the other part of me was so sad because the majority of my childhood memories include her. She was a strong and beautiful lady. She was widowed at a young age with 8 children. She worked hard to support them and was a loving mom. She was a wonderful Granny who loved butterflies, lilac, gardening, and cooking...and boy, was she a cook. She would always dress up me and Megan and get our pictures made at 'Penney's. She would take us to Furr's in her sweet Caprice Classic (lol) and let me and Megan play with all of her stuff. She has left an amazing legacy of many grandchildren, great grandchildren, and great great grandchildren. We will miss her so much but are blessed to have had the time that we did with her.

We have been busy but trying to make time to relax and be lazy. Grayson started Upward basketball and loves it. He has a friend from school on his team so that makes it 10x more fun!!! Last week, he made 3 shots and we were pretty proud. Ella loves going to his games and "cheering" him on. She even wore a dress up cheerleader uniform to his first game.

I must say I love going to his games and seeing how stinkin' cute all of those Kindergarteners are! He is continuing to do well in Kinder and I can't say how blessed we are with his teachers and school. Amazing! He is learning Spanish and I am impressed!!


Ella is growing like a weed!! I swear she has to have a whole new wardrobe! She tells me it's because she eats mashed potatoes and green beans at school. She is obsessed with Frozen and sleeps with her Princess Anna and Queen Elsa every night!!! Here she is with her new big girl car seat...she is so proud and tells everyone we see that sits in a big girl seat now! 

The house is coming along and we will be moving in a month. We are so super excited but we will actually be bummed about moving out of Joey's parents. #1 It's free...haha. #2 We have gotten kind of attached and it will be sad for us and the kids. But on the other hand, I am excited to decorate and organize and feel like we have a routine down again. The house is done on the outside and pretty much on the inside except for floors and touch ups.

Shopping for furniture with these two equals a big, hot mess!!!

Other than that, we are just doing the day to day stuff like hanging out with friends and spending time together as a family.

Happy 2014!!!

Our family is not big on resolutions but we are big on hopes for the future. Since mine will probably be long, let me start with the kiddos:

 

1. He said he hopes to read his bible more.

2. He wants to help more kids and families who don't have money and wants to give his birthday presents when he is 7 to kids in need.

3. He will eat healthier and might eat some vegetables even though they make him want to throw up!!
 

Haha! I love this boy and it is a blessing to see what a sweet, little guy he is becoming.

 

1. She wants to listen to Mommy and Daddy more.

2. Help kids.

3. Turn into Queen Elsa from Frozen and have ice hands with magic powers. 

We talked about coming up with things we want to do or be better at and I thought she did a pretty good job. #3 may be far fetched but, hey, she is 3!! : )

My hopes for the New Year are things I want to work on to be a healthier me, a Godly wife, better mom, and more of a servant to God. These are all areas I struggle in when multi-tasking as a working mom and wife. 

1. Be better at following the gluten free way of eating that I am supposed to be doing. When I went shopping last week, I really researched products before I went to find more options. I was pleasantly surprised!!  I found all of the below at Walmart and I know with our new Kroger coming there will be so much more!! The Lentil chips are amazing, by the way!!!

 

2. Be a better wife to Joey. Many times as a working mom, I get frustrated with the many demands. Unfortunately sometimes husbands get the rest of us after we have given 100% at our jobs, doing things around the house, and after spending time with the kids....I want to give my husband the best of me and not just the sleepy, grouchy 8:30 p.m. version of me. I know he deserves so much more. I am also so thankful for the blogs The Time Warp Wife and Women Living Well.  

The women behind these blogs write about the importance of putting God first while being a Godly wife and mother. I love the graphics on facebook that daily remind me of what kind of wife I should strive to be because I definitely have a long way to go. The Women Living Well blog is also starting a free book study within the next 2 weeks, so check it out!! 

3. If you know me, I am always planning or focusing on the next big thing. This year I want to treasure those tiny moments that are sometimes the most memorable.

4. Put down technology and interact more. I think everyone is a little guilty of this one. Many times, I think...Wow, I could have been reading my bible for the past 30 minutes instead of online shopping or being on facebook. While I love my blog readin', online shoppin', and Pinterest pinnin' time....I want to make sure I am taking quiet time for God and also talking to my family. I swear there are times where I am on a laptop, Joey is on his phone, Grayson is on his Kindle, and Ella is on the Ipad....oh my!

5. I hope for this year for Joey and I to set a better example of following God to our kiddos!

6. To shop less and drink less Starbucks.....no wait I take that back!!!! Haha! That was the funniest joke ever.

 

7. Be a better mommy. Enjoy and treasure every second with them!!!

8. To be outside more. I was talking to Joey about this the other day. I remember growing up and being outside from the second I got home until the street lights came on. We did that whether it was cold, hot, or raining. I think it is so important for kids and adults to be outside, move around, and get fresh air!!! I noticed when I even take a walk outside, I feel so much better!!!

Klyde Warren Park with Sawyer

Me and the kids after our 2 mile walk! They did great and it didn't wear them out as much as I hoped..haha!

9. To use more natural products and eat natural foods...for the whole family!! With eating gluten free, I tend to try to eat more natural foods that are naturally gluten free. Yet, there are things that I didn't think of until talking to Grayson's pulmonologist. He was telling me with Grayson's asthma and for our family's sake, it is important to use natural products. With the new house, he said things like natural room spray, natural cleaning products, natural candles, soaps, etc. will make a huge difference in his breathing and all or our skin.
My sweet sis in law told me about Mrs. Meyers. She uses the cleaning spray and soap. I hope to invest in a lot of their products when we move and what's even better is that it's not drastically more in price than the other stuff!

My sis in law also told me about a great place to buy it!!! It's through Diapers.com and it's called the Vine.com and has all natural products. I am SO in love with this site now, which I am sure Joey isn't thrilled about since I have already ordered many things off of it! It also has a whole gluten free section!!!! You can find the site here: http://www.vine.com/ 
P.S. They have great deals on Larabars!!

So those are my goals/hopes for 2014. The Lord has blessed us so much and I pray it continues with this new year!!

And I will close with yesterday's events....
I got my tubes tied. Weird to blog about it, I know. We prayed about it for a long time to make sure we felt it was the right decision. With my health/stomach issues we felt it was thr right choice for my body. You might be wondering what we will do if we want more? Since we first met we both discussed adoption being on our heart. So, if we have the desire for more we will adopt...but at this time our family of 4 feels complete.
Surgery went well. I had some issues with pain meds not working so I was there a bit longer than expected (7 hours)!!! The nurses were amazing and Joey was seriously so stinkin' sweet. It made me appreciate him even more!!!

Went in like this.....

But ended up like this...haha....

I felt so bad not being with the kids but they were having the.best.day.ever as quoted by them by eating lunch and going to the park with Nana and Young Grandma!!! (Pictures courtesy of Nana)

I hope y'all enjoy your New Year's Day and that your 2014 is full of lots of love and blessings!!!