January 30, 2015

Busy

Life with a 4 year old and a 2 year old whilst being 9 months pregnant makes life....full.

God has really been teaching me about the importance of gratitude lately as well as the importance of taking one day at a time. Both have really been life changing. Days or even moments that I see God's graces and not just the hard, heavy, and exhausting are so delightful. When I just stop and sit and watch my kids--life is so full of grace for me. Yes, it is really really really hard and can be extremely discouraging. When I choose to concentrate on the good, life just looks different and the hard and discouraging become a distant fog in the background.

On a separate note, my Aunt surprised me with this amazingly beautiful watercolor of my sweet angel. I cried and cried when I opened it! She is so talented and captured every detail of my little girl so perfectly.
 I actually did jot down a list of '2015 resolutions' but never got around to blogging about them. Most were about Mommy changes. Half way through January I stumbled across this little gem. These are some major goals for me as a Momma.
 These littles love messes and mess they will create. All day. Every day.

 This pregnant lady got some news from the doc in the beginning of December that I was gaining to much and told to walk more...I attempted it ONCE by myself. The bob weighs 34 pounds, parker weighs 40 and Blakely weighs 35ish. That's a grand total of 109! I felt like I was going to pass out 95% of that little adventure...Needless to say, I haven't been on any more walks without Clint.
 Zizi gets dressed up a little too much these days from her little buddies.
 Blakely has loved matching Momma with her slippers! If I am ever wearing them, she will run and put hers on too!
 The entire house is their playroom! I'm a work in progress to just let them play and not get all OCD on them.
 Favorite picture of the month! No, I did not place that Santa hat on her. This is how I found her around 10pm.
 Although life does not often look like this....I am so happy for the moments that do!
 They might argue on occasion, but they sure do love each other.
 P got a drill for Christmas and she immediately ran to grab it when she saw that Daddy was working on the cabinets.
Zizi is so good with them! This is yet another blessing I am thankful for!
 Showing off some new clothes! Uncle Brian must have taught her this pose!
 Enjoying the great outdoors!




Look at that sweet sweet smile! Oh, how I love you Parkey!!!
 Daddy and Blakely in the 'spaceship'.

I try so hard to write down things that are said and done around here. Things that are so precious I want to just bottle them up and remember forever.  I just can't seem to remember anything even an hour after it happens. I'll hear something from one of them and I think to myself, just soak it in, remember this & I guess I'm just out of room in my memory =( Here are just a few though that I happened to take note of this month.

1. "Can I marry Parker when I am older" (Blakely)
2. Parker tells on everyone. If I turn the tv off he runs to clint and tells him that "Momma turned the tv off". If I tell him no, he will go tell clint I said "no". He tells on blakely for everything. (and I mean EVERYTHING)
3. Parker calls Blakely 'Bakey'
4. Parker has colored Monkey's eyes twice now, as if he isn't getting ratty enough! Purple and highlighter yellow.
5. Blakely loves nighttime now that Parker is in her room! She will listen to me read a book at night and then we will here her in there 'reading' the same book to Parker.
6. Blakely prayed last night so sweetly thanking God for her 'warm home, food she got to eat, and her friends' she also prayed healing for me because 'Alli Kate is making Momma so sick'. Tear.
7. Parker often asks where something is: "where Monkey is?" and will then exclaim right here (or "riche hewr"!!! very cute!
8. A few more adorable Parkey phrases include: "I can't reach", "oh no! It's broken now", "I have it", "I wuv you", "stop", "ahhh gallishous" (delicious),  "are you kidding' me" (my favorite!)


Up very soon (about 2-3 more weeks) we will be welcoming Miss. Alli Kate into the world. Since I've been so terrible about blogging, I feel certain that to promise more blogging is just foolish. I will try though!

January 2, 2015

A new year!

2014 brought us some pretty exciting stuff! Mainly, that our family of 4 would soon change to 5! We cannot wait for sweet Alli Kate to get here already! It was a great year. I feel like I grew so much in gaining perspective to this life I'm living. Time with the Lord is essential to my daily perspective turning from worldly stuff to the 'big picture'. With this being my last pregnancy, I am trying desperately to find the good in day to day living. This one has been really tough in the beginning, but right now I feel amazing. I love feeling AK's kicking and hiccups. I love this one so so much already.

I've come up with some goals in 2015 that I really follow through with.

1. Finish reading through the entire Bible.
2. Write out 1000 gifts and thank God for each thing written.
3. Start each day in the word and prayer every hour.
4. Read through at least 4 parenting books.
5. Whisper in anger instead of yell. Find patience through Christ.
6. Get back to pre-baby weight.
7. Exercise regularly starting in May.
8. Walk Zizi whenever possible
9. Think before I speak-always!
10. Quit complaining and grumbling and replace those constant negative thoughts with positive ones.
11. Read devotions and scripture to kids every single day and pray over them fervently.
12. Stick with our budget and not get obsessed or discouraged.
13. Do what works for our family not other's expectations!
14. LET GO OF EXPECTATIONS and just enjoy life.
15. Put God 1st, Clint 2nd, and kids 3rd.

These are things I truly want to do and be.

Here's to 2015. It's gonna be a good one.