Just When You Think You have It Together

Just when you think you got it together something stupid that is your fault happens to bring you back down. I have been feeling "together" lately so of course I needed a reminder that I am well, myself.

 

Here is a short list of my accomplishments from the last year:
Happy kids
Cleanish house
Daily showers, most days
Friends that I can count on, and trying to be a better friend
Marriage
Volunteering
Reading my bible
Yelling less at the kids, I am a work in progress
Timeliness with 3 children 5 and under
Surviving taking my kids to the swim nazi
A date with my husband.
Crocheting (a new one to the list)
Surviving my first going to freaking kindergarten
Somewhat keeping up on what is going on in the world (thank you NPR)
Being a runners wife
Cooking regularly
Surviving a strep epidemic this winter
Learning about tarantulas
Not double booking anything
Accidently killing a tarantula (well maybe that shouldn't be on my accomplishment list)
We bought a new to us minivan with cash. (Yes we did Dave) It is a sweet drive after driving my 15year old van for 7 years. It has a sun roof, leather, CD player. It is 8 years old but I love and and I feel like it is a Rolls Royce. I love my new to me ride. We aren't letting the kids eat in it, I am parking way out in the parking lots so as to not get dings. (Okay I really like the car)

 

So yes I may have been feeling a little too accomplished. Sure ending world hunger isn't on there, but I have headed up two food drives. Doesn't that count?  I have three kids 5 and under, give me a break people.

 

My lovely middle child needed to be driven to choir practice one beautiful warm Sunday afternoon. Ellis was at baseball practice with his dad. So I carried out my coffee in the mug and the baby. Stuck the coffee on top of the van, secured the baby in her seat, harassed  Lainey to hurry up so we weren't late. (Timeliness is on my list of accomplishments.)


The weather was so beautiful. As I was backing out of my drive way I decided to open my sun roof.  It was all coming together, good weather, new ride, awesome kids. I have been rocking it. Then I heard a clink and a millisecond later and entire cup of hot coffee was pouring on my head and splashing all over the van.

 

There it is.

 

Dear Tiffany,
Get over yourself.

 

Sincerely,
Reality

 

P.S. You are an idiot.

 

We were only 5 minutes late to choir.

Thankful Thursday

I went to take Ellis to kindergarten screening today.

Lainey kept on sneezing snot everywhere and the school had no tissues.

Elliott pooped and blew out.

I somehow had no wipes in the diaper bag.

I didn't have a back up outfit.

There was no where to change her anyway.

Apparently I am a rookie.

Kindergarten makes me crazy to think about it.  

Today I am thankful I didn't lose it at the school. 

Summer Bucket List

I love my best friend. I also love stealing her ideas, she is one smart momma.

I have been very excited about this upcoming summer break. It is the summer before my boy starts kindergarten. The summer before an adult other than myself will have more waking hours with him a day than me 5 days a week. The summer before I have to let loose of some of my control.

I really want an easy going relaxed summer. Today, the first day of summer break, I slept until 7. (That is big time sleeping in around here) We also went to the pool. Gotta work on the tan. However, as my BFF pointed out, it also needs to be intentional. So here is my summer bucket list of things to do with my kidlets.

Summer Bucket List

-Pray together every day
-Go to the library once a week
-Make homemade lemonade
-Deliver cupcakes we make to some public servants
-Go to a zoo we haven't been to before
-Camp in the back yard (Elliott is not ready for full on camping, maybe next year)
-Go to the pool at least 3 times a week, weather permitting
-Try out gymnastics for the first time (Ellis and Lainey that is)
-Go to the aquarium
-Spend several days in Chattanooga with family and friends
-Have chocolate chip pancakes for breakfast at least twice
-Have an all day pajama and movie day
-Have lunch dates with Daddy during the work day
-Go on a picnic
-Read through the entire Children's Bible together
-Paint
-Individual dates with each kid
-Go to the drive-in several times
-Go see a play
-Have a milkshake at Reeves Sain
-Go to the farmers market every week
-Listen to live music
-Have play dates once a week at least
-Attend a festival of some sort
-Go on family walks or bike rides often
-Enjoy this time together, we are living in the good ole days right now

This is good. I am such a list person, can't wait to start marking things off of it.

Still here.

It has been a while since I have blogged, but after a long break I am ready to start it again.

Many things have happened over this last year and a half. Here are some highlights:


We got baptized. All four of us. Together. It was an amazingly good day. Just look at us.

We are glowing. Brian and I want our kids to have everything.

Not stuff.

Everything like a safe, happy, loving, home. Unconditional love from both parents. A relationship with Jesus Christ. The important things.

I am pretty thin in this picture you might notice. I lost 35lbs as side effect of cutting out the processed foods. So I made a logical decision after losing that much weight. I got pregnant.

Introducing:

 

Elliott Beth.

 

Interesting facts about number 3:

 

We didn't find out gender, but were convinced it was a boy.

 

Although people like to tell you if you have one boy and one girl there is no reason to have a third, she is a perfect Striepling and we are glad to have her. This sweet girl is so perfect for us she makes us want more.

 

 I didn't get my epidural in time. (I may or may not have sounded like a cave woman. Of all the all natural child birth stories I have read out of curiosity ONLY, this was not mentioned.)

 

 Oh and sweet Elliott Beth was my Christmas Eve baby. Having her in a stocking made the lack of pain meds okay.

 

 

She is now close to 5 months.

 

 

 

Other news.

 

Lainey is now 3 1/2, and has quite a flair for the dramatic. She loves her baby sister very much, although her initial reaction was, "Why does it have to be a gurl?" She is known at church and school for always smiling. She brightens a room that girl.

 

 

 

Ellis just graduated preschool. He is doing great. He loves reading, dancing, and playing Wii.

He is very excited about kindergarten, and his mother is not. That subject can be a later post. He loves having two sisters, and treats them well as he should.

 

 

And last, but most certainly not least is Brian. This guy has taken up running, and I am so happy for him. And just to announce it to the world, he is planning on running his first marathon in the next year. I am so happy we have our separate interests and hobbies, because I can guarantee I will not take up running.

 

After running his first half marathon.

 

And this is us. Our family of 5. Blessed far more than we deserve to be.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(late) Wordless Wednesday: Little girls with fevers and puppy dog ed.

Lost Camera Cord

I lost my camera cord for a few weeks. What really happened is that Brian put it up where it goes, and I didn't think to look there because I knew that is not where I put it.

So here is the catch up. We took our last trip to Cripple Creek Farm with Project Help, well unless we have another, but I don't know about all that. It was a bittersweet day. The first field trip there Lainey was only 2 weeks old, bumping up and down on a hay ride, and Ellis was 18 mos. It was his first ever field trip and I was not going to miss it! Nursing a newborn and all.

Ellis is still playing soccer. The other day he scored a goal, with a ball that wasn't in play on the wrong side of the field. He kicked it in, looked at us, and we cheered with gusto. So sweet.

I kind of made up a recipe with some tips here and there from friends. Cinnamon apple chicken, with cinnamon couscous. It was very good I have to say. I was proud and took a pic.

Lastly we had another home project for Ellis' school. I am no good at these things, but we did okay. We had to recreate him. It was fun, and we buckled up the "Ellis" we made on the way to school that morning. So fun.

That is about it plus the kids are repeating momma over and over and over. They want to get down from breakfast. Have a good day!

Some Monday Things

First of all my boy is sweet. Today when I dropped him off at school, without thinking I said out loud "son come here and give me a kiss" in a very insistant kind of whiny voice. I don't know I had insomnia last night. After I said it, I saw he was already hanging with his two guy friends in class. They all three looked at me. I considered changing it to a hug as to not embarass him. Before I could even give him a chance to back out he game me a big smooch on my lips without even thinking. My boy still gives me kisses in front of his friends. I hope that doesn't have an expiration date. I know, I know, a girl can hope right?

I realized this morning I snuggle my coffee. I do this behavior only when driving with a travelers mug of coffee, but when not drinking i hold it to the right side of my face, and lean my head on it. I feel as if I have done this a while, and just now actually thought about it. So weird. It feels so good and warm on my cheek though.

I am addicted to Pinterest. I see so many awesome recipes and ideas my head spins, then I can "pin" them and they don't get lost in Neverland, and I can share them too. It is awesome, but look at your own risk. It can decrease productivity, and then increase it to insanely high levels do to all the projects you will start.

I still very much love our new puppy, who is turning into a giant. He is sleeping on his back at my feet right now laying on them and keeping them warm. He loves to touch me if possible. We have never had a big dog before, who can just peer into our trash can, etc, but he really doesn't get into any trouble. Plus we have already have been trained in sneaky dog area. Roger, rest his soul, although just a tiny jack russell, was able to get on our counter tops if he so felt the need. He ate a pregnant lady's Christmas bread while she napped from exhaustion. Roger trained us for these things. However, knock on wood, Fisher has yet to use his size to snoop or get into things he shouldn't. Our giant dog, who everybody warned us about, is far less trouble than our 14 lb one, that I still miss often.

It is a rainy day. I am wearing shorts and a sweat shirt. I am about to make a million pancakes to freeze. I love my family. God is way to good to my underserving self. The Titan's won this weekend. Happy Monday!