OUR HAPPY EVER AFTER

When you let a 13 month old feed themselves.....

2012-01-26T12:21:00.000-08:00

This is the product:

Needless to say, bath time came right after dinner.

I seriously wonder some times if he gets any food in his mouth. He is at the age where he wants to feed himself, but hasn't figured out how to use a spoon. Therefore, our meal ends like this, although it is usually accompanied by screaming crying and him rubbing the food in his eyes.

Tomorrow night, Evan and I get our last date night before #3 arrives next week. While I am super excited to have alone time with my husband, I am also excited about having a peaceful dinner with no banging spoons, screaming children or chili rubbed eyes to clean. Granted, I wouldn't trade these times as they are "fun" in the midst of stressful and frustrating. I know that they will pass too soon, and before I know it they will be gone and I will wish for a highchair covered in cheerios and chili with a sweet little face for me to clean. This is the stage where God has us in life right now and even in the messiness of it all, I am so blessed and so grateful to be able to love and care for these precious babies. Looking forward to adding to our messiness next week.

From Formula to Headbands

2012-01-25T15:41:00.000-08:00

I feel like I haven't been crafty in quite some time and I have been wanting to be. But to be honest at 9 months pregnant, I don't feel like doing much but getting this baby out. So, crafts have been put on the back burner and just maintaining everyday life with the 2 kids has been a task. Today I was excited to get a 3 minute craft in that actually will be used.

I have been saving formula cans for about 6 months just knowing that one day I would find something to do with them. Well today, I decided to actually put one to use. Miss Curly Q has a ton of headbands and bows and they are thrown in random baskets and pinned to a board all over the top of her dresser. So, I made her a headband & bow holder in literally under 3 minutes with a formula can, scrap fabric a glue gun and some paint pens. It's not the cutest thing, but it serves its purpose and I got to feel a little crafty today.

Basic formula can

Wrapped a piece of scrap fabric on it ( guess I was feeling all Valentinesy) and hot glued it down. I didn't worry about the raw edges at the bottom and top because no one will see them. I just glued them down.

The inside holds all of her clips and bows

The headbands fit around the can perfectly and they stay in place. You could really decorate the top and make it cute and customized. I wasn't that concerned about it so I just wrote something real fast.

I'm sure you could do the same with an oatmeal container and customize these for gifts, maybe even covering them with scrapbook paper instead of fabric so that you could could cover the lid too.

A dream come true

2012-01-20T17:13:00.000-08:00

Words cannot describe how excited I am...and no, the baby is not here yet. In fact, found out today that the baby flipped breech, but that is another story. No, I am stoked because a lifelong dream of mine came true yesterday...are you ready for it???????? I own a mini van! Oh yes, i just said those words. I am totally not kidding. Since high school, a mini van has been my dream car. I always associated it with the whole soccer mom thing, which was my dream life. Evan told me that I had to have 3 kids before we would resort to a mini van....well, #3 will arrive Feb 1st, so we are just making the cut.

We wanted to be really wise with our finances and were basically looking for something that #1 was cheap and we could pay cash for (no payments.....Dave Ramsey would be proud), #2 ran well, #3 had decent mileage and #4 fit us all. Everything else didn't really matter. We knew it would be older and we weren't concerned about curb appeal.

We found a great deal through a friend and couldn't pass it up. I didn't feel like taking the kids to go look at it and test drive it, so I trusted Evan with the decision. He obviously felt it was a wise one and I am glad he did. It is a little smaller than your typical mini van, but it fits us all and I don't feel like I am driving a bus. Now, we are ready for 3 car seats (and hey...we could fit a 4th if need be....just saying).

So, while you reading this may think I am the biggest dork in the world with my old school mini van, I think I am one step closer to super cool and just to prove it, here I am with my new pride and joy:)

Big momma in her van. 2 weeks left of that belly.

The kids were super excited to get in and refused to get out of the back seat.

3 weeks and seriously counting!

2012-01-14T08:40:00.000-08:00

With 3 weeks left to go I thought I would post an updated belly pic. I have been pretty bad about keeping up with those with this pregnancy (sorry baby). Here is #3 in all their big belly glory..well, I guess that would be my big belly glory:) I love being pregnant and I sure will miss the baby bump when it is gone, but I have to say that momma is getting quite uncomfortable these days and you can see why. Any guesses by the way I am carrying what this baby will be??? And yes, after seeing this picture, I realize just how badly I need to go into nesting mode and clean that mirror..yikes!

Update: Shared Room

2012-01-13T06:45:00.000-08:00

We moved the kids into 1 room 3 nights ago. And I must say, it hasn't been as bad as I thought. They both screamed and cried the first night, then little man only the second, and last night, neither of them cried. I think they are finally used to it. I do believe that Knox wakes Dixie up every morning with his jabbering noises, but she just lays in bed quietly.

Nap time is still a work in progress as I have to switch rooms for Knox so that they actually sleep. He was not thrilled with the idea and so to show his disdain, he decided to eat the side of his crib like a beaver on a log. For 2 days I would go get him and the crib would be gnawed down and his face was covered in paint chips (well that's healthy). I finally ordered side rail crib covers, but in the mean time I have rigged up a dish towel with some twine over it. It seems to have done the trick.

I have to say that it is eating me alive to not have their new shared room decorated appropriately. Everything is still cowboy and Knox's name is still written on the wall in rope. I have yet to decide what I want to do as far as decor goes, but it's making me insane in the process. I did get my silhouette machine in the mail yesterday, so I am thinking that I will make some vibrant and fun vinyl art work for the walls...just have to figure out how to use the silhouette first.

I have to say that I am glad that we combined the kids when we did and that there is a free room waiting for baby when I am ready to move them into a room. Once I get some decor going on their rooms, I will post some pics.

Sharing a Room

2012-01-08T20:51:00.000-08:00

So, now that I am a few weeks away from having this baby, I realize that I probably should go ahead and move my 2 kiddos (2 and 1) into a shared room. We have a 3 bedroom house and since I am a big Baby wise mom, I know the benefit of having the new baby in their own room around 2 weeks of age (SLEEP). I have been so apprehensive about making this move especially since my kids go to bed at different times. Little Miss likes to sing and talk herself to sleep while my stud muffin just plays with his hair and kind of coos himself to sleep. I have tried to get them on the same night time schedule, but so far, it's not happening. I just envision them keeping each other up all night. I mean they have to sleep eventually right????

I wanted to wait until I felt that Little Man was old enough (he just turned1), but now I am thinking that with 3 weeks left before baby gets here, I should probably make the transition now to get them used to it before I throw another wrench in their lives with a new bambino here. I am incredibly nervous about how this will go. I am fretting over how I will make nap times work. It seems like night time would be a lot easier since it is dark, but with a little daylight streaming through the curtains, I know for a fact nap will not be happening. I am trying to work it all out in my head and as silly and petty as it sounds, I am stressing. I know it will work itself out as I have friends who have done it and say it works well, it's just scary when it's your turn to try it out.

On an even more silly note, I am sad that the kid's room decor will be ruined. I love their rooms and they are very specific for each one of them (especially since one is very girly and one is cowboyed out) When they share, I will have to come up with a whole new look (that means fun for me, not so much fun for my husband who is not going to like me spending more money), but I don't want to do that until December when I get them bunk beds and have the room established as their room (We will be moving rooms around again at the end of the year. For now it's fit them where we can fit them).

I have been looking up decor ideas and beds. I feel so out of the loop, but I had no idea that they made bunk beds with trundles. I thought this was the coolest invention ever when I saw it. We eventually plan on all three kids sharing one sleeping room and having a separate play room. So that type of bed would be perfect, I guess until we have more kids (yea, I have no clue if we are done or not).

So much to think about that my brain has been going crazy with ideas. I think we will try to combine the kids this week and see how they do. In the meantime, here are some pictures of ideas I have when I can actually decorate a shared room for the kids. Remember that it has to be gender neutral.

A bunk bed like this:

I love these vibrant colors and how basic and non fussy the bedspreads are.

I love the green and blue combo here. Throw in a little pink on the girl's bed and perfect!!!

We'll see how it goes. If anyone knows of places in the area that sell trundle bunk beds for a decent price, let me know as I want to start keeping an eye out for one. Also, if you have any ideas on decorating a boy/girl shared room, I would love to hear it.

1 year photo shoot

2012-01-07T08:40:00.000-08:00

We took my little guy to the park yesterday for his 1 year pics. I wanted to share some of my favorites.

He devoured this cake!

Soon to be Silhouetted!

2012-01-05T14:03:00.000-08:00

I finally caved and I am sooooo excited! I used my Christmas money and ordered a Silhouette Cameo!!!!! I cannot wait to get it in and whip up all kinds of fun projects. Although, by the time it gets here, the baby will almost be here, so it might actually be a while before I can start anything. Every review that I read on it and everyone I talked to that has one, said how amazing they are.YIPPIE!!!!

I think that I am most excited about making my own birthday party decor from banners to food tags and not paying $30 for a set off of Etsy. I can actually be the one who makes the cute stuff. Like this:

I am also pumped to get some vinyl pieces on my wall. I'll make sure to share any projects I do once I get rolling. I know that once the new baby is here and I am taking care of 3 kids under 3, I will have all sorts of time to craft (enter sarcasm), so this will be perfect:)

Christmas in pics

2011-12-30T14:18:00.000-08:00

Christmas was so much fun this year! I loved watching my kids open presents and enjoy all things Christmas. Dixie was particularly fun to watch as she got excited over every gift. This was Knox's first year to really show any interest, since last year he was 3 days old and just slept in his bouncy seat. I really just wanted to upload some pictures from the day.

We celebrated Christmas Eve with my dad and brothers. We got catering from Copelands, which meant I didn't have to cook and it was delicious!

Thanking Grandpa for her puppy.

My littlest little brother.

My biggest little brother.

Having fun opening gifts and spending time together.

Knox loved his drum and is seriously a little drummer boy.

My dad with his kids and grandkids (1 missing)

Playing Cupunk (I think it's like beer pong with no beer. I've never played beer pong, but that's what I have heard. It was a fun game and kept these 2 entertained for a while)

My mom and sis with our matching hats.

1 more month to go.....

My siblings

Christmas morning.

Evan was so excited to get Knox a basketball goal for his room. The tag read:

To: NBA star From: Coach. It was really cute.

Last Christmas as a family of 4

This boy is going to be a musician. He got his own guitar

I already have a crock pot but broke the lid. I have been using a cookie sheet to cover mine. Glad to have a new one..and it's red..bonus!!!

Evan wanted a king cake...and it was delicious!! Pecan Praline

Dixie and her Madame Alexander doll that we named Kelsey.

Playing with her new play dough toys before we even got to eat breakfast.

Knox's fisher price race track.

He shoots....he scores!!!!! I love this picture.

She was sooo thrilled to get a bike. It is going to take her a while to learn how to use it though.

We did Tacky Christmas for Christmas day.

We have started the tradition of doing New Orleans style food for Christmas day. That way it's not like we are eating 2 Thanksgiving meals. Christmas dinner is now my favorite! Here are a few of the dishes.

Boudin stuffed turkey

Stuffed artichokes

Crab cakes and remoulade

We played white elephant with a $20 gift. It's always fun to see what everyone brings and steals.

Thought this was great. The Help and a chocolate cream pie (if you read it, you know why).

My mom got the perfect push up:)

Such a fabulous Christmas with my family. So blessed! Now on to a new year and all God has in store! So long 2011...you were a great one!

1 year with a stud muffin!

2011-12-23T05:50:00.000-08:00

My baby boy is 1!!! I cannot believe that I am actually typing those words. Now that I have children, I truly understand how fast the time flies. Dixie hit a year fast, but for Knox (who is my second), it went that much faster. Before Knox, I had a fear of having boys. I grew up in a family of all women. I do have 2 half brothers, but I didn't live with them full time. Boys scared me: too dirty, too rambuncous, too wild, too tough. I will say thought that after I had Dixie and had my girl, I really did want to experience having a boy, and God blessed me with sweet Knox.

Even at only a year, I see distinct differences between boys and girls. Knox likes to beat on everything and is already into everything, but he is quite the snuggle bug. I have a very unique bond with my baby boy, one that I pray will last a lifetime. I already cry thinking about the fact that one day mommy won't be his number one girl, but his wife will. I know that is a long time off, but really it is just around the corner.

Knox Armostrong, you are such a blessing to me and a joy to mommy's heart. You make me crazy, make me smile, make me love, and make me want to be a better mom. Happy 1st birthday my stud muffin. Now do me a favor and take this next year a little slower:)

Here are some pictures of my little man throughout his awesome first year:

The day we became a family of 4!

First Christmas (3 days old)

1 week old

Loves his big sister

First time in the bumbo

Handsome like his daddy. Evan loved carrying him around in the Bjorn.

First Easter

Loved listening to Daddy playing guitar and playing with the strings. He still loves this!! I think he will play guitar.

Oh the days when you fit into the baby tub:( Bath time is always a favorite.

Starting to move around on the belly.

Seriously...do you have to wonder why I am so in love with this boy???

The mo-hawk, which he grew naturally....one day it will be back. It has grown out for the most part now.

First Halloween

Preparing for his "Little Man" party.

Officially getting into everything and everywhere.

With his first tools

Tis' the season to love your neighbor

2011-12-19T12:43:00.000-08:00

I am still in denial that Christmas is this week. Not that I am not ready or excited for it, but I don't know how it crept up so fast. This season has been busy, busy, busy, as I am sure most of you can relate. December always gets crammed with so much stuff that sometimes I forget to breathe. With that said, I wanted to make sure that we got in one of our Neighborhood Block Parties before the end of the year.

It's always easy to do movie nights in the fall, but once the weather gets a little colder, it's not as easy to have everyone sitting on the lawn for 2 hours at night while they shiver to death. Still, I didn't want November- February to pass us by without connecting with our neighbors. So our little neighborhood team, decided to do a day time Christmas block party. Simple and sweet. We did it during the day from 2-4 and the weather was perfect (cold but beautiful). We served Christmas cookies and hot chocolate (with marshmallows of course). We had a bounce house for the kids, ornament decorating and some Christmas tunes playing. It was super easy to throw together, set up and tear down. Of course the majority of our guests were kids. In our neighborhood the kids roam free, but we are happy to give them something safe and fun to do. It's also neat to slowly get to know them and have them get to know us over the time frame that we have been doing these parties. We did however get to meet yet another new neighbor, which is always fun.

When people come for the first time to one of our block parties, they tend to ask why we do these. This week a lady asked if we just had a lot of money to blow (hahaha..that made me laugh). The truth is, we want to make a positive impact on our neighborhood and build relationships with those God has placed right next door or down the street from us. It's so easy to overlook people and get tangled up in our own lives. These block parties are serving as a fun way to love on people (one of God's greatest commandments). So, here are some pics from our Christmas Block Party. We are always looking for new and fun ideas to do for these parties, so if you have any that can be easily replicated, let me know.

"Joy to the World"...Dixie's version

2011-12-14T06:39:00.000-08:00

On Sunday the kids at our church will be singing 2 Christmas songs. Dixie has never performed in front of an audience, and although our church is small, I just know she'll freeze up. My girl is as shy and timid as they come (she didn't get that from me).When we got home from church this past week, I caught her singing "Joy to the World" or at least her version (combining the 2 verses below) at the top of her lungs since they had just practiced that morning. I knew I had to catch what I could on camera because I will be shocked if I see it happen on Sunday. Luckily after I snuck up on her and embarrassed her, she still did it for me again. I'm not quite sure what most of the words are that she is singing, but she has the tune down. Here are the correct words:

Joy to the world! the Lord is come;
Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare him room,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven and nature sing,
And heaven, and heaven, and nature sing.

He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders, wonders, of His love.

And here is my sweet girl's version. Oh the innocence of children..I love it!

"Little Man's" 1st birthday

2011-12-13T11:45:00.000-08:00

While my little guy doesn't officially turn 1 until the end of the month, we went ahead and celebrated his first birthday along with his cousin, Ray. They are exactly 2 weeks apart and it made for a fun celebration and half the planning and preparation on my part..bonus! Plus his birthday is 3 days before Christmas which is way too much chaos at once.

I get sooo excited about planning my kid's parties. It was one of the many things that I really looked forward to when I had kids. Knox's was in the making for about 6 months. Once I decided on the theme and found lots of ideas on pinterest, I knew for sure this was it.

We had a "Little Man" party, which seems to be very popular in the little boy party world. It was easy to throw together; just some ties, top hats and fake mustaches and we were ready to roll. I cannot believe that my boy has been in my life for a year already. This has been the fastest year of my life..no joke! I feel like I was literally at the hospital with him yesterday and now here he is looking like a toddler and rubbing his first birthday cake in his eyes:( Here are some snapshots from the fun filled day.

The invite (ordered from Etsy)

Chocolate mustache sucker favors

I made the little food tags the night before to add some flair.

My little stud muffin!

The photo booth with props. Wishing that we would have stood in front of a more solid background, but oh well!

My cousin Shannon and I (the hostesses)

Knox just wanted to eat the mustache.

Had to include the baby

The birthday boys

Having fun opening presents

The organic smash cakes made by Shannon. They liked the bananas and icing, but didn't eat much of the cake.

Chocolate in the eyes = not fun!!!

All of the little cousins in our family. Needless to say, family events are always fun and chaotic.

Dance party

My sweet little curly q in Daddy's tie.

Happy 1st birthday Knox Armstrong!!!!

Sugar, flour and LOTS of sprinkles!

2011-12-06T07:30:00.000-08:00

One of the Christmas traditions that we started when we got married, is making and decorating homemade Christmas cookies. It is one of my favorite traditions because it is fun and there is a yummy treat at the end. The task has gotten a little harder with babies. You can't just sit and decorate like you used to because they need your attention or are spilling the entire bottle of sprinkles on the floor (thank you Dixie Jean:) It is still a great time of family bonding though. This year it was neat to watch Dixie get really into it and want to decorate the entire time. Knox wanted nothing to do with the cookies...not even eat them (is that child really mine??) He did however enjoy playing with some of the cookie cutters.

It's always fun to see how everyone decorates their cookies. For me, I sit down thinking that I am about to create a masterpiece and by the time I am done, it looks like a 4 year old decorated my cookie....maybe that's why I taught Kindergarten. My favorite part though is eating the cookies the next day dipped in milk..who would've thought? This is one tradition that is going to stick around for a while. Next year, Knox will join in the festivities of decorating while the new baby will be in their highchair screaming their head off and playing with cookie cutters:) Hmm....I think I may ned to invest in a bigger table.

Dixie and Daddy cutting out cookies

Even the grandparents get in on the fun.

3 generations

Knox wants to make the candy cane one

My Dad and his mad Christmas tree decorating skills

My little brother Dayne had more fun sneaking eating the dough than anything. But he did manage to decorate a few.

She enjoyed this cookie more than you know.

Nanny and Grandpa Ricky

Knox's 1st hair cut

2011-12-02T05:53:00.000-08:00

I always said that if I had a little boy, I wanted to give him a mohawk or spike his hair. Turns out, my wish was granted..for the boy and the mohawk. Knox's hair actually grew into a natural mohawk, straight down the middle of his head and nothing on the sides. Of course I took full advantage of this cute manly hair style and spiked it when I could. People would ask me all the time if I cut it to look like that. While I may not be the world's best mom, I def was not taking clippers to my 3 month olds head to give him a mohawk.

Over time though, his cowlick started growing a lot longer, so he had a mohawk with one long swirl on the back of his head. He also decided to pay tribute to the early 90's and start to grow a rat tail at the base of his neck (ugh..I shudder at the thought). It was not looking as cute and we had family pictures coming up, so I decided that I would trim it myself.

Dixie's 1st haircut was a big deal. We didn't do one till she was 2 (mainly because it took her 2 years to grow out those ringlets) and we went to a fun kid's salon to get it done. We videoed, talked it up, took pictures, etc. For Knox however, I pulled out my everyday scissors and sat him in his high chair (poor second child). He moved so much that I thought surely there was no way this was going to be accomplished without one of us getting poked. After much wiggling and a cookie, I got the 2 pieces that I needed cut and his first curl placed securely in an envelope and in his baby book. My boy is 11 months now and the hair on the sides is starting to grow in. The top is getting too long to spike and the mohawk is disappearing:( I have to say, I'm a little sad about it. Watch, when he's 17 he's going to want a mohawk again and suddenly mom is going to have issues with it:)

Oh look, here I am in pajamas....again and no make-up. This seems to be a reoccurring theme lately...my poor husband.

The countdown begins

2011-12-01T12:10:00.000-08:00

About a month ago, we went on a camping trip with Evan's family. My awesome mother in law decided that it would be fun to make a craft. So, with the help of my also awesome sister in law, they found a tutorial for a really cute advent calendar. Here is mine. It turned out a little LOUDER than I intended, but that's ok.

My MIL bought all of the supplies and while the boys went out on the boat, us ladies stayed back to craft:) I did not get the chance to finish mine on the trip, but brought it home to complete. So, here we are a month later, December 1st and I FINALLY finished my advent calendar just in time. It is made from foam board, wrapping paper, scrapbook paper and sticker embellishments. It was fun to make and I enjoyed coming up with the list of things that we would do throughout the month. Here are a few:

make and decorate homemade Christmas cookies (one of my favs)
Watch a Christmas movie
Drink hot chocolate
Give to a needy family
make a Christmas craft
make Smores by the fire pit
Go look at Christmas lights in the neighborhood
Donate toys
Review all of our Christmas cards and pray for those families
Sing Christmas songs
Tell the story of the candy cane and eat one
make treats for our neighbors and deliver them
Read the Christmas story (the real one..Jesus..not Santa)
Throw a Christmas Neighborhood Block party

Those are just some on our list. Some are simple and fun while others are more meaningful, but they have to be tasks that we can do as a family with 2 kids under 2. It was very cute to see how excited Dixie got today over "drink hot chocolate." (that was Dec 1st) She can hardly wait for her daddy to get home so that we can share such a fun time...just wait till she realizes that she gets marshmallows on top:) Hope your Christmas season is filled with lots of fun and special things to do too.

On another crafting note, I bought some plain cardboard letters at Hobby Lobby the other day and some Christmas yarn. I had the intention of doing something like this with the letters: JOY

Call me crazy, but I could not get the darn yarn to look right on the letters. I couldn't cover the top and the sides of the J in the same direction and quite frankly, it was driving me insane. So after 20 minutes of attempting this yarn thing (which is probably so simple), I unwrapped my letters and decided to cut up wrapping paper and mod podge them. It gives it an imperfect look as the polka dots don't match up. I put them on my buffet in the living room and it adds a nice punch of color.

Christmas puts me in a crafting mood...are any of you crafting out there?

Decorating the Tree

2011-11-26T07:25:00.000-08:00

Last night, we turned our "Thankful" tree to our Christmas tree. We had talked up putting the ornaments on all day. Dixie was sooo excited and I was a little nervous at how Knox would handle all of these new little "temptations." The kids enjoyed it for about 10 minutes and then got tired of hanging ornaments. Dixie mainly just wanted to hold the ones that she liked the best. Knox did surprisingly well avoiding pulling down everything we put up and as of this morning, the tree and ornaments are still in tact. Whether short lived or not, decorating the tree is always a special memory for us each year as it officially starts Christmas season!

Oh yes...we totally have the fake fireplace playing on the tv:) Even if we had a real one, it is way to warm and muggy down here to have it going right now.

Knox hangs his first ornament. Last Christmas he was only 3 days old...wow how time flies!

That baby is poking way out..only 9 weeks to go. And yes, I am in my pajamas with no make-up on..yikes!

Digging through the ornaments..and wow... look at that hair! Albert Einstein must be in her ancestry somewhere.

Daddy Pedi

2011-11-25T20:07:00.000-08:00

Usually I paint Dixie's toenails a new color every week. It's kind of a special bonding time for her and I, while Knox takes a nap. Today however, she demanded requested that Daddy paint her toenails. My feelings were of course a little hurt as I want to claim that as "Mommy/Dixie" time. But, the fact that she loves spending time with her daddy and that he is willing to do things like paint her little piggies, just turns me into moosh. So, today Dixie got a Daddy pedicure. I love catching moments like these:)

Jazzing up a Journal

2011-11-15T06:34:00.000-08:00

I LOVE homemade gifts. First of all, they usually cost less than something you buy from the store and second of all, there is time, thought and love put into them. With Christmas around the corner, I wanted to share a quick, easy and super cheap homemade gift that I have given on several occasions...jazzed up journals.

I believe that I have shared before that I journal to my kids. Each one has their own journal that I write little notes in as they grow. Sometimes, it's a long letter about how much I love them, other times it is just a snippet of what they have been up to, or something funny they did. I so look forward to giving them these journals when they are grown. How much fun will it be for them to read what was going on from a time that they cannot remember and how I was relating to them. These journals are super special to me and it's a way to document life. I also think about the fact that if the good Lord ever decided that it was time to take me home, my kids would have a little piece of me and my thoughts left behind in these journals.

I used to stand on the journal aisle at the bookstore for 30 minutes trying to decide what journal to get for each of my kids. I can't lie, I am a sucker for soft leather bound journals with leather ties and thick line free paper. Something about those just feels timeless and that there is a secret inside (so maybe I'm weird). Those journals however, always run about $25-$30. When you live on a budget, that seems INSANE for some paper. So, I decided to start personalizing my own journals. With a little time and a couple bucks, you can make a cute gift or a personal journal. Here's how:

You will need: a composition book (so the paper stays bound), your choice of fabric (enough to cover the journal inside and out, a glue gun, and any embellishments you may want on it.

Now just wrap that journal up in fabric and glue it (cutting to size). Make sure that you don't make your fabric too thick when you fold it over, or your journal will not close. Then add your flair with your glue gun to the front. You could also wrap a pen in matching fabric. Here is how the latest one that I made for my sweet friend Blair (Happy 30th) turned out.

Happy Journaling!!!

I used pleated trim to make the flower on the front. Just roll around and glue as you go.

So much cuter now!

Make sure to cover the inside too! but remember if it is too thick, it won't close very well. You can always add a band and button around the outside if needed. The great thing about composition books, is they last forever and it's really hard to get the pages to fall out.

Just some trim, a rhinestone and glue.

The finished product.

She thinks we're just fishing

2011-11-09T08:33:00.000-08:00

If you remember from my camping post, Evan had bought Dixie her first fishing pole for their camping trip, but they never had the chance to use it due to her complete meltdown at 11 pm. So, this week on Evan's off day, he loaded up the bike with their fishing gear and he and Dixie Jean rode down to the pond at the back of our neighborhood. They had fun together and once again, I am thankful that he takes the individual time out with her to make her feel special. I am even more appreciative that he tries to capture moments like this on video so that I can take a small part in them. I know that she will treasure these little video clips when she is older.

The song below, played through my head as they were gone. I am totally NOT a Trace Adkins fan, although I do love country music. But, any song about a Daddy and his little girl just gets me. I'm that person who still cries when I hear Bob Carlise's "Butterfly Kisses" (I know most of you are probably gagging right now). I am way sentimental, especially when it comes to my kids and thinking of them growing up. I can't emphasize enough how blessed I am to have a husband who adores his kids and takes time to do things like this with them.

So, take a minute and listen to the song below and get all sappy with me. Then if you care to, you can watch the video clip of Dixie's 1st fishing experience (which by the way, she didn't catch anything, but claims in the video that she caught 3 fish...and the exaggerated stories begin).

October wrap up

2011-11-02T13:14:00.000-07:00

Someone please explain to me where October went. I cannot believe it is November! That means Thanksgiving to plan at my house and finishing touches on our Thanksgiving church banquet, Knox's 1st birthday party in early December, not to mention getting started on Christmas. Before I know it, the holidays will be over, Evan will be taking his annual hiking trip on the Appalachian trail and we will be welcoming our new baby into the world. So, lots of exciting and busy things coming up.

I wanted to post a few pics from the end of October though before the madness begins. October was a wonderful month!

And here are a few of my fav pics from Trick or Treat:

I LOVE dressing up in costume any chance I get. I was sad that the day before Halloween, I had NOTHING! Finally a creative spark hit me with the Prego shirt and from that, Evan's costume slowly evolved. The total cost of this costume was $4!!!

I loved watching Dixie have such a good time. There is a huge difference from last year to this year. Evan and I got emotional watching Dixie show some independence as she walked up to the doors by herself. Looking forward to next year when both kids can Trick or Treat and #3 is being pushed in the stroller. I wonder if I will be sporting the Prego shirt again then.....you never know! October was a great month and now I look forward to November!

"We're going to the country, We're going to the fair!"

2011-10-27T09:35:00.000-07:00

That's a little song that we used to sing as kids and it is only fitting for today's post. With all the planning that came along with my mom's 50th birthday, I forgot to post about Evan and I's fair/birthday date night. I was so pumped about this for weeks. I know...I am easily entertained. But, the fair holds something special for Evan and I. Eight years ago, we went to this same fair as a "friendly" hangout, just the 2 of us right before we officially started dating.

Let's be honest, we were crushing on each other pretty bad, but like a typical woman, I was giving the poor boy mixed signals left and right. I really liked him, but then would tell people he was like my brother. I wanted to hang out with him all the time, but then would talk about other guys to see if he would get jealous (hey, I was trying to see if the feeling was mutual). No, this wasn't junior high, but man looking back I am ashamed of my behavior and what I did to my poor husband back then. Luckily, he made it through the torture and here we are. Thanks for hanging on babe!

Anyway, on this particular night 8 years ago, we had soooo much fun at the fair. We joke about how when we rode the ferris wheel that night, he actually sat across from me instead of next to me. I guess since I said he was like a brother, he was only being a gentleman, but it's still funny to think about. We still have pictures that we took in an old school photo booth from that night and I love to look back at them and wonder what we were thinking.

So, the fair is special to us. We haven't been in about 4 years. It's too far away to take our kids and to be quite honest..way too expensive. They call it the world's biggest free fair. It is free to get in, but man if you want to do anything, you better have some dough on hand. The rides are insanely ridiculous, but the food isn't too pricey. Hence, why most of these pictures are of us eating. You may think it's silly for us to drive an hour away just to eat fair food, but honestly it's the highlight of our night, besides some alone time. Be prepared...you are about to realize what gluttons we are, but I have no shame when it comes to fair food.

The weather was perfect for the fair, cool and crisp. We ate lots, listened to some country music, rode the ferris wheel, played ski ball, ate some more, walked around hand in hand like high school kids, and ate some more. We had a blast just being together without any kids to chase after. Here are some pics from the night. Here is your final warning.....lots of food to come!

We left early so that we could avoid traffic, which we did, right up until the entrance. We passed all kinds of $10 close parking just to make it to the Free parking up ahead. Turns out we wasted 45 minutes in the car and still had to pay $5 for parking. A pregnant lady craving a corn dog & stuck in the car= not a happy lady! We learned our lesson for next time...pay the $10 and park!

Started off with an onion mum and some country music as soon as we got through the gate.

About 10 feet away we spotted the BBQ pulled pork sandwiches and couldn't resist (hey we split it!)

We strolled through the Pioneer village, which contained all kinds of cabins, a schoolhouse and church from the 1800's. It was really neat and totally my husband's dream world. He was born in the wrong time era, as this stuff is right up his alley...how we are married..I don't know. Like they say, opposites attract. I would never survive. Embarrassed as I am, I will tell you that I walked through one of the cabins and asked where the sink was. To which Evan had to remind me there was no running water. Like I said, I would have never survived!

Yea, I doubt the women back then were smiling as they washed their clothes like this. I don't even smile with my washing machine and dryer.

If Evan could have a horse and buggy, he would be a happy camper. And btw...man he's hot! I'm one lucky lady.

Oh yes, I had to have cotton candy..made me sick, but it's a once a year thing. Let's just say the baby was kicking in full force. Sweet goodness alive..look at that belly!

Entering the midway...oh the excitement!

The only ride we rode..the ferris wheel. It is essential, even though it cost us $8 to ride (insane), but hey Evan did sit next to me this time.

Nothing beats the view from up top.

A little ski ball for kicks..and yes, I beat him!

Such a glorious sight!

Oh imagine that, we're hungry again...corn dogs it is!

And why not just completely make ourselves ill with one final snack-shredded pork nachos, as we sit and listen to the history of the fair and the corniest coolest fair song ever. No lie, I have to find this song on Itunes. It's going to be our fair theme song from now on. Think: Blue Bell commercials just with words about a fair. I am still singing it in my head.

Stuffed and chilly it's time to head home. We were sad, but so thankful for a fun date night out, an extra 10 pounds (ok maybe not thankful for that), and a Happy 28th birthday for my man!

50 & Fabulous: Happy Birthday Ma'

2011-10-24T14:04:00.000-07:00

My Mom turned 50 this past weekend! 50...that sounds so old (sorry if I offend you), but I don't look at my mom as being old at all. She looks young and still has a fun spunky side...not to say that most 50 year olds don't. People always think she is my friend though.

I wanted to do something extra special for her birthday this year since 50 is a milestone. So, I decided to throw her a "Pink Party" since pink is her birthstone and what girl doesn't love PINK? I had so much fun planning it and decorating. We really enjoyed the party and it was a great way to celebrate 50 years of a very special lady. Love you Ma and happy 50th.

Here are a few highlights from the party. Most of you have probably already seen the pics on facebook.

The cake table. I loved the scrap banner. I took every piece of fabric remnants that had any pink in it and strung them up. There was pink candy, cookies, lollipops and pink candy pretzels in addition to the cake.

The cake was made by my dear friend Stephanie. It was strawberry with cream cheese and real strawberry filling. If you are local, she does an awesome job and you can check out her facebook page: The Cake Crumb.

I bought a $5 frame from wal-mart and had my husband spray paint it pink and use chalkboard paint on the glass for the birthday sign. Unfortunately, we left it outside and it drizzled on it (hence the spots).

The pergola was hung with pink tulle, umbrellas, tissue paper balls and pink swirls.

These were my favorite decor piece. They were originally silver with red votives, from my sister's wedding. We just shot them with more pink spray paint and they turned out better than I imagined...super girly!!!

Everyone was asked to come in pink to honor the birthday girl. I found the shower curtain backdrop at Wal-mart for $10. It was great for a few people to stand in front of, but with large groups there just was not enough coverage.

Knox tries on the pink wig for fun. He's still adorable!

The kids played "Pin the crown on Nanny"

The older kids and adults did a balloon pop relay...on pink balloons of course.

Singing happy birthday to my beautiful mom.

The guys in their manly "pink" attire.

Here is a video of my favorite part of the night. I laughed so hard I almost peed myself (although that's not unusual for a pregnant lady). It is the balloon pop relay with the adults and then the kids. It was great fun. Since I am pregnant, I got to video:) I must warn you that my family doesn't listen well. It takes a minute into the video for them to figure out how to play. We are also loud! I LOVE MY FAMILY!

Creative Movement

2011-10-18T19:21:00.000-07:00

No, I'm not talking about the dance/drama class that you may have taken at Youth camp (which I loved by the way). Oh the days of youth camp....anyway....back to the point......I'm refering to my children. My kids don't crawl!!! They refuse. They have both hated being on thier bellies and kick and scream the entire time, if we try. Knox will stay on his belly for about a minute, but he only goes backwards, just like a crawfish and I can only imagine how frustrating that is.

Dixie was a scooter. I had never seen a child move like this before, but here is a short video to show you how she got around, and man she was fast. She went straight from this to walking..NEVER crawling. Check out the first few seconds to see her creative move and get a laugh.

Knox is not quite this fast yet (give him another month), and his style is a little different so far. He doesn't push off with one leg, but kind of rocks himself back and forth on his knees and legs while he is sitting until he gets somewhere. But here is what he was doing yesterday that I found very interesting.....spinning (hands free). All that I know, is that my babies have super strong legs and I give them an A for creativity and not following the crowd. I used to be distressed and worried that my kids didn't crawl or walk in the same time frame as other kids. But, they turn out fine and it's neat to see how every kid is different and unique.

Busy Weekend

2011-10-16T12:10:00.000-07:00

This past weekend was a busy one. We had our 4th Neighborhood Outdoor Movie Night. This is one of those incarnational activities that I had mentioned before in a previous post. We switch from block parties to outdoor movie nights as the weather cools off a little. We showed Rio this time and had popcorn and drinks for the neighbors. Everyone brought their lawn chairs and blankets out. There were once again new neighbors that we got the chance to meet. Movie nights tend to draw more kids than adults, but I'm ok with that. They seem to have fun and it gives them something to do on a Friday night. Here are a few pics from the evening.

It's hard to tell, but we had a big crowd!

Dixie and Knox were enjoying themselves too!

Nothing like freshly popped popcorn!

Evan and Jeremy (2 of our awesome guys aka 2 of the 3 husbands) that set up and tear down all of our block party and movie night stuff.

My cousin, Jena and her daughter Brooke, snuggled up in their camping chair enjoying the movie.

The next morning, our church had set up at the Madisonville Wooden Boat Festival in the Children's Village. We had bounce houses, face painting, balloon animals, pictures and caricatures all for FREE! I love that our church LOVES being in and serving the community. It was a fun day. I have to give a shout out to my husband, as he and another friend Matt, made about 500 balloon animals that day between the boat fest and another event that morning. Yea..my man's got skills!!! I'm willing to hire him out for parties (just kidding).

Does it look like me?

Knox enjoyed the boat fest for about 30 minutes

Dixie did not want her face painted, but her cousin Brooke did.

Jena, Brooke and Dixie getting their caricatures done. It was neat to see how they all turned out. I will have to take pics later of them and post them all.

With a busy weekend behind us, I look forward to a busy week ahead. Friday is Evan's birthday and we will celebrate with a date night at the fair (I CANNOT WAIT!) Then Saturday, I am throwing my mom a 50th birthday party with an all pink theme. I will be sure to post pictures. Have a great week!

Not Your Typical Date Night

2011-10-08T11:39:00.000-07:00

If you are a parent, you may be like me, who finds it hard to get any alone time with your spouse. I love this stage of crazy chaos and babies everywhere, but it is very easy to forget that Evan and I NEED alone time together too. First you have to find the time, then the money, then a babysitter. Those things are not always readily available and we often find ourselves having gone a long time without a date night. I reminisce about all the alone time we had before kids and I wonder what the heck we did with all of that time. If you do not have kids, one day you will see what I am talking about. Soak up the time NOW!!! If you find yourself in the same boat as me, make sure that you and your spouse are getting some time together before you go CRAZY! I am realizing how important it is to keep dating even after you are married and have kids.

We have tried to make it a point to get creative and to schedule time for each other. Yes, we have to schedule it or it will never happen. Sleep almost always takes precedence. Sometimes it's a night out to dinner and ice-cream, sometimes it's a red box movie and popcorn and others, it's sitting at the table and playing a board game after the kids are asleep. I sooo look forward to any date nights we get, but I have to admit, that the same things can get mundane after a while.

That is why I was so excited when I ran across this website www.thedatingdivas.com. At first glance it didn't seem like the kind of website that I would be excited about, but then I checked it out. The tag line is "Strengthening Marriages, One Date at a Time." LOVE IT!!! This site is full of fun date night ideas ranging from going out to staying in. There are silly dates, romantic dates, family dates, etc. I will definitely be putting some of these ideas into action. There are also super cute little ideas that you can do on a regular basis for your significant other just to make them smile. So, if you need a little creativity in your love life, are on a budget or just love surprising that special someone, check it out!

National Faith In Action Weekend: DO SOMETHING!!

2011-10-07T08:37:00.000-07:00

This weekend is National Faith in Action weekend. That means getting off of your bottom and well, putting your faith into action. Instead of sitting in a service and getting fed (spiritually), feed someone else. I don't necessarily mean with food, but hey that could work too. Our church has several projects going on this weekend. Evan will be taking care of lawn maintenance for an area of homes that is distraught, damaged and filled with hopeless people. While many others will be painting these homes and doing repairs to bring them new life! It's awesome to see how many people have come together to work on this project, with volunteers and LOTS of paint being donated.

The kids and I will be joining with some other ladies and kids from our church to make fall wreaths (oh yes...we like finding reasons to craft) to deliver to to a local Nursing Home. We have a list of about 25 people who don't get visitors (how sad). We are hoping to bring a little cheer to their rooms and visit with them for a while. We would love for you to come join us if you are local, as there are many projects and something for everyone in the family. If you want to join us look up Bridge Church on facebook.

Check out the video below on our main project this weekend. So......how will you put your faith in action this weekend??? You could make this into a fun family project. Get creative!!!! Don't procrastinate. There are people lost, hurting, lonely and in need who may be waiting for you to knock on their door and be an answer to prayer.

The Most Wonderful Time of The Year

2011-09-30T07:52:00.000-07:00

No, I'm not talking about Christmas, although I LOVE Christmas! But, my favorite season by far is FALL! I wait for it all year and at the first scent of pumpkin or a wisp of a cool breeze, I am in heaven. There is something so refreshing about it. It's like new life gets breathed into me. Maybe it's the fact that I am no longer forced to stay inside with the kids for fear that we will all melt into sugar puddles (oh yea....we're that sweet). I used to get excited that it was fair season. There is something about riding the ferris wheel snuggled up next to the one you love while there is a slight nip in the air. And, I can't deny that fair corn dogs have to be one of the ~~unhealthiest~~ yummiest foods. Once the kids get a little older, fair season will have to come back in full swing!

By September 1st, I am dying to put out my fall decor, but with temps in the 90's, I force myself to at least wait until the official first day of fall despite the temps. We are still in the 80's, but the decor is up and I am in the mood. With fall comes a few musts for me: hot chai (aka fall in a cup), decorating (lots of time spent at Hobby Lobby), crafts, a spicy pumpkin scent burning in my Scentsy warmer and cooking soups and pumpkin desserts.

The other day I bought some mini pumpkins and let Dixie paint them. She had fun and got some good fine motor skill practice with the paint brush. Her pumpkins (yes, she decided that she should be the one to paint her brother's too) were looking really bright and colorful, but after 30 minutes of mixing paint, turned into a lovely shade of blah gray. She was proud of her work and even more proud when we displayed them on the porch beneath the scarecrow. Here she is working on her masterpieces

Now onto the FOOD! Since using pinterest, I think my cravings have grown even more. There are so many amazing recipes on there and when they are accompanied with a picture..oh boy! If you are not on pinterest, you need to be...GREAT inspiration! I have yet to make one from there, but it will be in the works this week. Here are a few that caught my eye (somehow they are all desserts):

Pumpkin caramel cookies

Pumpkin crunch cake

Pumpkin parfaits

Pumpkin butter (might make this for neighbors)

Pumpkin cinammon rolls

Pumpkin cream cheese

I made chicken enchilada soup this past week and chili is in order for this weekend. Next week cauliflower soup is on the menu and I must take the time to make my mother-in-law's chicken and dumplings. Soups...soups and more soups!!! Do you have any good soup recipes???

Now if only the weather would get in the fall mood too!!! Happy Fall Y'all!

Cut Short Camping

2011-09-27T07:27:00.000-07:00

So the big camping day had arrived and Evan tells me, "I don't think I am going to take Dixie camping." I ask why and he tells me that he just had this feeling that she wasn't going to do well. They would get out there, set up and when it was time to go to sleep, she would freak out, screaming her head off. He would have to drive off with a screaming 2 year old in the middle of the night and people would think he was a kidnapper.

I have to admit, I have had thoughts similar to his fear before too. Like if my children start acting up in the store and I have to storm out with them, someone is going to call the cops because it looks suspicious. While, I understood his concern, I was so excited about their camping trip and insisted that he had to take her and she would be fine. My main reasoning..I had already blogged about it. I couldn't let down the people who were waiting for an update:) No really, I was pumped for them to share the experience and I truly believed she would do great.

So, he decided to go through with it (what a good Daddy). They packed up and Dixie was so excited to ride in her Daddy's truck to go camping in the tent. I texted with them several times throughout the evening getting mini updates on how she was doing. I talked to her once and with much enthusiasm she said "I'm camping!" in her little 2 year old munchkin voice. I was so relived to hear it was going well. They went on a bike ride, played some outdoor games, saw deer, rode down to the beach, roasted hot dogs and made Smore's. He would take her fishing with her brand new fishing pole the next day and go on a nature walk.

At about 9:00 he sent me a text saying that they were in the tent watching Tinkerbell (smart man, he brought a movie to settle her down). I thought it was funny when he said that he could hear the chants and cheers of everyone in the campsite around them watching the LSU game and here he was watching Tinkerbell's Great Adventure. Like I said, he's a great dad. He told me she was wide awake and he was about to crash any second. I assured him that she would fall asleep soon.

I enjoyed my night of peace, since Knox goes down fairly early at night. I was just hitting a deep sleep when at 10:30 my cell phone rings with Evan's ringtone. I jumped up so fast knowing that something wasn't right for him to be calling me so late. He proceeds to tell me that he is on his way home with Dixie Jean. Once the movie was over, she insisted that they go out of the tent and go "inside." I think that she assumed that they could just come into the house and see mommy and bubba at any point. Evan tried to explain to her that there was no inside and they were sleeping in the tent. Well, she LOST IT! Here it is 10:15 at night, everyone is curled up in their sleeping bags listening to the sound of crickets and a peaceful night and suddenly they are jolted by the screams and cries of my 2 year old. What can I say....EVAN WAS RIGHT!

So, at 11:30 Evan comes in the door with a little girl wanting her mommy, but doesn't want to go to bed. Evan has to head back to the campsite because he left in such a rush as not to make the other campers more frustrated than they probably already were. He had to camp there that night alone and pack up in the morning. In the mean time, Dixie did not get to bed until midnight and once her Daddy left to head back, she cried for him. It was a frustrating night for all of us! I know that Evan was bummed. He didn't even get to take her fishing.

So, it looks like we will be waiting a while before trying camping in a tent again. I was proud of Evan for attempting and they did have fun the evening that they were there. Here are a few pictures from their time and a video clip (I realize this video will not be interesting to most of you..I am putting it up for family).

She actually did lay in the sleeping bag for a minute.

Watching Tinkerbell

And here is the video clip:

The next day we did go back to the park as a family and had a picnic and took a bike ride.

They look thrilled huh???

A Weekend Surprise for Dixie

2011-09-23T11:04:00.000-07:00

Evan has been dying to take Dixie on her first Daddy/Daughter camping trip. Weather pending, they will hit up a local state park tomorrow afternoon and camp overnight. I have to say, I am a little jealous! I LOVE camping (especially in a tent). But, I am super excited for them to share this fun experience together and hear all about it when they get home. Plus, this belly does not allow for comfortable sleep in a bed much less a tent on the ground.

Side Note: I am so thankful that I married a man who LOVES being a Dad. He adores his children and makes sure to be very involved with them. Dixie has him wrapped around her little finger, and he knows it. When you ask her who's girl she is, she always says "Daddy's girl," no matter how much I try to trick her to say "Mommy's girl." The father daughter relationship is such an important one and one that can affect a girl/woman years down the road. I know that Dixie is going to grow up knowing what a husband and father should look like because of the amazing example that her Daddy is setting. He takes her on Daddy/Daughter dates, tells her she's beautiful and MAKES time for her even when he's exhausted. She's only 2, but I really look forward to seeing how their relationship grows over the years.

OK ENOUGH BRAGGING ON DADDY......

As preparation, Evan set out the tent in our backyard a few weekends ago so that Dixie would be familiar with it. She LOVED it, mainly just going in and out and peeking through the mesh windows. Ever since then, she has talked about going camping with Daddy. I can't wait to tell her tomorrow and help her pack her sleeping bag. I'm praying that she sleeps well, continues to use the potty (oh yes Daddy, you will have the Mac Daddy tent, complete with a Princess Potty) and enjoys her one on one time with him.

So what's on the agenda: smore's (ok, now I'm really jealous), nature walk, the playground, a Daddy concert (complete with guitar and singing duet with Dixie), maybe a bike ride, and sleeping in a tent of course. I am hoping he will take lots of pictures that I can share on here when they return. In the mean time, here are a couple from the backyard tent trial.

and speaking of being a great dad, I am looking forward to seeing this movie, which is coming out soon:

A Much Needed Weekend Away

2011-09-20T11:48:00.000-07:00

I got stuck in a mom rut. For all of you moms out there, do you know what I am talking about? When you feel like you are burning the candle at both ends and getting no time for yourself (you're lucky if you get a shower in?) Throw that on top of pregnancy hormones and you get a meltdown (my first one with this pregnancy, might I add). I was feeling overwhelmed and really just needed a break. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't trade my job of being a stay at home mom for anything. I adore my babies and am so thankful that God has provided a way through my hard working husband to allow me to do that. However, if I get to use the bathroom without the pitter patter of little feet following me to ask me what I am doing, I let out a sigh of relief! Oh, and throw potty training on top of all that (which we have been doing for 4 weeks now...ugh!). I am convinced that potty training is the DEVIL! But we are slowly working our way through it. Needless to say, I was feeling like this:

Wow, that just sounded like a rant of complaints. I just had to let you know why I was feeling so completely overwhelmed. So, one full day and night, I cried and I cried, just releasing some emotion. I am not a hormonal and emotional pregnant woman, but the flood gates opened. My wonderful husband listened and sympathized (or acted like he did...no, he actually does listen) as I spilled my heart out and confessed that I needed a little break.

Let me just say that I have the most amazing husband in the world. He is extremely hands on with the kids. As soon as he walks in the door he jumps in full swing to help with whatever I need (cooking, cleaning, laundry, etc) and plays with his babies. He doesn't stop until we go to bed. I know what you're thinking, "So why are you whining?" I am beyond blessed, but I needed to get out of the house and step away from non-stop mommy mode for a little bit.

Once again, my awesome husband came to my rescue and said, "Tell me what you want to do and where you want to go, and we'll make it happen." (yes ladies, be jealous). It had to be something reasonable and I didn't want to be far away from my kids. After much thought, I decided that a weekend trip to New Orleans with my mom would do the trick. It was just what I needed!

We stayed at the Drury Inn on Poydras (every hotel was booked since it was the Saint's first home game). It wasn't my first choice of hotel, but I was pleasantly surprised when we arrived. Big clean room and GREAT pillows on the bed. Oh my own bed!!! The thought was enough to put a smile on my face. I am getting to the uncomfortable stage of pregnancy, so I flip and turn all night. Plus, the free breakfast and 5:30 kickback (complete with nacho bar) didn't hurt. Evan claims we will be staying at this hotel from now on since there are free nachos:) I won't argue.

Friday night we ate at Domenica which is located in the Roosevelt hotel. It's a John Besh restaurant and they have really interesting and yummy Italian food.

Mom got the lasagna Bolognese which was amazing!

I opted for a pizza with speck, pears, pecans and Gorgonzola cheese..yummy!

This dessert was to die for...Banna Zuppa Inglese in the cutest little mason jar. Banana cake, butterscoth, cream, and peanut brittle.

Saturday we hit up the free breakfast bar and jumped on the street car to head to Magazine street for a day of shopping. I am ASHAMED to admit that I have lived near New Orleans my entire life and have never ridden the street car or shopped on Magazine street. Neither had my mom, so we really enjoyed it! It was lots of walking and this baby bump made it a little more difficult, but with as much food as we were eating this weekend, I needed every bit of walking I could get. We had a nice lunch at Cafe Rani and topped it off with some delicious gelato from Sucre (you have got to check that place out). It was a beautiful day and I was glad to spend some time with my mom just soaking in the sun and shopping (or window shopping).

These next pictures were at a fun vintage consignment store called The Funky Monkey

My mom actually considered buying this get up..hehe..just kidding!

Had to represent for my baby girl! Dixie is actually a Louisiana beer, but we just covered that up:)

That night we went to dinner at The Crescent City Brew House and listened to some great live music. I had the most amazing steak, cooked to perfection (my mouth is still watering over it). We finished the night out at the Canal Place theatre watching The Help. I finished reading the book about a month ago and have been dying to see it. I cried of course, and by 1:00 a.m. this momma was whooped ( I just can't hang anymore). We drug ourselves back to the hotel and crashed.

Canal Place theatre is actually a dinner theatre, but since we had already eaten, we just got soft drinks and expensive popcorn...good grief, I spent $25 on snacks at the theater. It was insane!

Sunday we ended our trip with Brunch at Palace Cafe and headed home. By this point I was so tired from eating and walking all weekend that I was ready to get back. I missed my babies and my husband (the 5 text messages and calls a day wasn't sufficient). I got home exhausted, but also refreshed. It is so nice to be able to take a little time away every once in a blue moon. I think it's good for us moms to recharge and I am thankful for a husband who recognizes the importance of it too:) Thanks babe for treating us to a great weekend!

Are you noticing a food theme here..when you go to New Orleans, you EAT a lot!!!! I came back 5 pounds heavier, but I will just pretend that the baby decided to grow that much.

Move over Lance Armstrong...here comes Knox Armstrong!

2011-09-13T06:14:00.000-07:00

Last week right after Tropical Storm Lee, we had the most fabulous weather. I actually thought Fall might be on it's way, but to my dismay, we are back to 90 something degree days:( While the weather was nice, Evan took Knox for his first bike ride in the big kid seat. Technically, he is still too young, but he held his own and had a blast looking at everything. My little guy was all smiles when Daddy put him the seat (isn't he the cutest munchkin ever!) We are definitely looking forward to some family bike rides when Mother Nature decides to be kind.

Incarnational Living: Block Party

2011-09-12T12:57:00.000-07:00

Since I have been at my current church, Bridge church, my views on church have changed a lot. Like, what church looks like, what my role is in church etc. One of the biggest changes has forced me to look at myself and say, "Am I just attending church, or am I BEING the church?"

Last summer, I went through an AMAZING study with a group of fellow Bridgers called "The Tangible Kingdom." It was an eye opener for sure and made me really rethink my way of thinking about others and how much I value or don't value other people. We are going through the study again this year and I am continuing to learn more and reassess how I live my life (not on just Sundays but EVERYDAY). I had to question if I was being intentional about loving others, because honestly, most of us know, if we are not intentional, we aren't that great at truly loving others (especially those who are not like us).

One thing that the book talks about is something called "Incarnational Living". Incarnational means "to take on flesh." Missional means "to go." So, Incarnational is about how you go and what you see as you go. It encompasses your posture, your tone, your motives, and your heart. It is critical because it will eventually determine whether or not people will want to know you or your God.

I have been very blessed to be part of a very Incarnational church. A church who literally takes on the flesh of Christ. Rather than waiting for people to come to our church, we bring "church" to them. Basically, we just try to show love and help others, especially those who may not get it otherwise, therefore sharing the gospel through our actions, not just our words.

There are 3 couples in our neighborhood (us included), who have decided to really be incarnational/intentional in our neighborhood. Our neighborhood is a mix of different people from different backgrounds and income levels. It's not exactly the kind of neighborhood where you know your neighbors very well and everyone is definitely not getting together for social events. With that being said, we felt a real need to get to know and show love to those who are just beyond our doors. Sometimes it's harder to do that, than it is to go far away and share love with those you may never see again. It means allowing people to see you, get to know you and get involved in your life and vice-versa. It can get messy, especially when they can come knock on your door anytime.

The 3 couples decided that we would start throwing neighborhood block parties as a way to build relationships with those around us and just love on people. We started last year in the Fall doing Outdoor Movie Nights. Our first one was a small turn out. We were not surprised as many people around here questioned what our motives were and had never attended something like that in this kind of neighborhood. We had lots of cars drive by slow out of curiosity. By the next movie night, we had LOTS of neighbors, especially kids. The lawn was packed.

This past weekend we threw our 4th Block party in the neighborhood with hot dogs, chips, popsicles and an inflatable water slide. I was BLOWN away by the turn out! Within a 2 hour period we had over 50 people show up. There were kids coming out of the wood work from every direction. We were able to meet lots of neighbors, several who were repeats, lots who came for the first time and even a few who just moved here and said they were excited to come down and hang out. People were thanking us for doing this. It was a GREAT day to just get to hang out and get to know those around us and do something fun for them.

The truth is, at the core of every one of us, is the need to be loved and accepted, and hey, have some fun! Once people realized that we had no alterior motive, (we are not trying to get them to come to our church or sell them on anything..we just want to love on them) they completely opened up and came down to share their lives with us over a hot dog and a water slide, on a hot day. There were lots of different people there from all walks of life. There was even a lady who came, who is known as the "sketchy" neighbor. She literally has an 8 foot fence built all around her property to keep people out. Our first block party, she sat in her driveway across the street to watch the movie. This time, she was at the party, making conversation with her neighbors. It was really neat to watch.

We are doing the block parties once a month and hoping that over time they will continue to grow and good solid relationships will be formed between neighbors. I think sometimes as Christians, we are so excited about telling people about Jesus (which don't get me wrong, we should be), that we forget that we need to love people, build relationships and earn their trust sometimes first. That's when people are more likely to come to know Christ, when they can "see" it in you, not just hear you talk about it.

I write this not to say, "oh look at me, what a good little Christian," but to challenge you and myself to ask ourselves if we are living an incarnational life? Are we taking on the flesh of Christ daily, even when it is inconvenient with our time schedule. Are we missing opportunities that could be used to show other's love? Jesus didn't always wait for people to come to him, He went to them, especially when they couldn't go to him. He loved on and hung out with the people that no one else would. He didn't care if others thought less of him because of it.

I have to question myself daily if I am "putting on the flesh of Christ." A block party is just a start to incarnational living for me. It's a planned event, a little easier. The real challenge comes when you are just "on the way" of life. Will I make it a point to go out of my way for others in the little opportunities that come along, or will I let them pass me by? I continue to be challenged in this, but on those occasions when I do rise up to meet that challenge...wow....what a difference it makes!

Here are a few tangible and easy ways to show others love:

-Bring baked goods to a neighbor for no reason or to police and fire departments to say thank you.
-visit an old folks home (most of those people don't get visitors)
-pay for someone else's: coffee, meal, etc and do it anonymously (like the car behind you or the table across the room)
-cook a meal for someone who could use a break or help
-use your talents: our church has built lots of wheelchair ramps for elderly people who can't afford it.
-babysit for someone free of charge and offer to do it
-leave an AMAZING over the top tip for your server
-write a kind note to someone

Those are just a few ideas...there are soooo many opportunities to give of ourselves EVERY day, it's just a matter of DOING IT!

Here are a few pics from this past Block Party

Brooke and Dixie ready for the party

My handsome little Knox having

fun!

Embracing the Belly for the 3rd year in a row!

2011-09-08T08:04:00.000-07:00

I usually don't take my first pregnancy belly picture until between 18 and 20 weeks. However, I am fairly certain that I could have taken my first belly picture at about 12 weeks with this pregnancy. I get larger and pop out sooner with each child. Not to mention, that I got pregnant 4 months after delivering Knox with this kiddo, so my body didn't exactly recover (or was that because of the cookies???).

I realized that I was pregnant in 2009, 2010 and now 2011. I wonder how long this tradition will continue??? Hehe! Can't say I mind it. I love being pregnant for the most part and I def love the sweet babies that come after 9 months of looking like a moose. I have my BIG ultrasound on Monday and I can't wait to see this baby kicking and moving around. Here is my first belly picture with this baby at 17 weeks (yes, I know that I look much farther along than 17 weeks...please don't remind me!) One day Jillian Michaels will get a hold of me, if my husband doesn't get to me first:) In the mean time, I will continue to embrace the belly!

Gettin' Dirty

2011-09-07T06:10:00.000-07:00

I have always been one of those people who cringe at getting dirty. When I was a baby, my mom said that if I got a single crumb on me, that I would go "uh uh" until someone got it off. Ridiculous, I know. With that being said, let me defend myself a little and say that I am NOT a prissy girl. I enjoy things like camping (in a tent) and .......... well, isn't camping in a tent enough?? Back in the day I was all about getting in a nasty ole' river to float in a tube for 4 hours...now, not so much!

The thought of my kids getting dirty frightens me as a mom. Mainly because of the clean up after. I don't feel like tossing them in the tub mid day. I think that is one reason why I was a little scared to have a boy. I saw mud pies, worms, frogs and ditch playing in my future and I shuddered at the thought of ALL that dirtiness. I occasionally would see pictures of my friend's kids splashing around in puddles after a rainstorm and would think, "Oh how fun and how brave of that mom!" I longed to be able to be that kind of mom, but who was going to clean up my kid afterward? I know I am sounding OCD here, and I am the farthest thing from that, but seriously, an extra bath was just another task to add to my day. Finally, one day, God slapped me across my face and said "Let your kids enjoy their childhood. Let them be KIDS."

The funny thing is that Dixie turned out just like me. She whines at dirt on her hands until I wipe it off (it's actually quite annoying). Of course I don't do that now, but I think she just straight up inherited it from me. She still loves to be a kid though. So, after Tropical Storm Lee poured down on us for 3 days straight, we were left with some decent puddles in our backyard. I mustered up the courage and walked into our room and said "Evan, why don't you take Dixie puddle jumping outside?" He lit up at the idea and I was proud of myself for even mentioning it:) (NOTICE I SUGGESTED DADDY DO IT).

So, with rain boots on and a backyard to explore, Dixie had her first puddle jumping experience. I think I took about 100 pictures of her. She had so much fun and I think that I had more fun watching her. She stomped and hopped through the puddles, thankfully not getting too covered in mud and muck. The rest of the day, she made sure that she stomped in every puddle she saw no matter where she went. I think this was a good way to break me in before Knox starts eating dirt and shoving creatures in his pockets like prizes.

What's in a Name?

2011-09-05T06:03:00.000-07:00

Here I am 17 weeks along, and I am dying to figure out what the heck we are going to name this next bundle of joy. Since Evan and I do not find out the gender of our babies (it is so darn hard, but worth it in the end), it makes me feel secure in a way to have my names already picked out. I know that probably makes no sense, but I hate being on the fence.

With Dixie, it was easy. Dixie was my favorite girl name since I was about 8. My grandmother had bought this rinky dink movie from a dollar store called "Dixie's Diner" that I would watch over and over again when I went to her house when I was little. I was a bit obsessed with it. In fact, I still have the movie and now Dixie loves watching it. Since that movie, I knew my first child would be named Dixie, I was just hoping my husband would agree. Most people turned their noses up to the idea of such an odd "southern" name, but Evan embraced it. Looking at my curly headed blue eyed little girl, there is no other name that would quite fit her.

With Knox, we kept going between Knox and Beau. We decided that the name Knox Armstrong (Evan's middle name) was our winner. We knew this little guy (not so little anymore) would be tough seeing as how he would make me cry sometimes when he kicked me in the womb. How can you not be tough with a name like KNOX ARMSTRONG? We fell in love with the name and now seeing as how big and tough my little man is, I see why his name is NOT Beau.

So, that brings us to this baby. Here is my running list that we keep going back and forth on and I just want to make a doggone decision. Evan keeps telling me "We have plenty of time." While this is true, there is something about just being prepared with what you will be calling your child for forever. Maybe it's just a mom thing, but I am READY to decide 1 boy name and 1 girl name and be done. Not to much to ask considering that I want 9 months to find out if I am having a boy or a girl.

Girls: Savannah or Lyla and I am opened to finding more
Boys: Phoenix, Memphis, or Tucker

I am open to opinions if anyone wants to offer them:)

STILL Happy Ever After

2011-09-02T08:44:00.000-07:00

So if you read my blog (not sure how many of you have stuck around, and I can't blame you!), you have noticed that I go into Blog funks. I will be doing so well for a while, and then NOTHING! Well, here I go on my roller coaster again. I was reading a friend of mine's blog and got inspired to start blogging again, if not for anyone else's pleasure but my own. It is a neat little diary of what is going on in our lives, something I can look back on. So here is a quick update:

Knox is 8 months, has 2 teeth, is a big ole' boy and pure JOY! He is always laughing and smiling. He has also naturally grown his own mo-hawk, which I love to spike. I always said that if I had a little boy I wanted to give him a mo-hawk. Got my wish! He has grown up overnight and is slowly rocking on his knees as if he is going to take off and crawl any day. He loves to play ball and stick anything possible in his mouth. I am madly in love with this little guy.

Dixie turned 2 in July and is finally mastering pee peeing in the potty. We took a long break since April. We just started back a week ago today because she started resisting me to sit on the potty. I didn't want to push. She is doing a million times better now..finally recognizing the feeling and telling me before she has to go. Now #2 is a whole different story. We have only made it to the potty a few times for that one. Throw in the fact that she got a stomach bug this week, which made #2 even more unpleasant and sporatic and we have a ways to go! But I am super proud of my big girl!

She has more attitude now than EVER. She crosses her arms and sticks out her pouty lip so far, she could trip on it. I wonder where she learns that from??? Evan claims she is just like her mommy, but I beg to differ (ok sometimes). She is super lovey and sweet though, and I am really enjoying her at this age. She sings all the time and loves to dance and be silly.

We are expecting baby #3 in early Feb!!!! Kind of a surprise baby (ok I wasn't shocked seeing as how we get pregnant VERY easily). Knox and this baby will be 13 months apart, and while I am a little stressed over 3 kids under 3, I am pumped! It will be so much fun and chaos all at the same time. I am 17 weeks along now. This pregnancy so far has been relatively easy. It fell between Dixie and Knox as far as sickness, but nothing I couldn't handle. I must say that I LOVE 2nd trimester, but who doesn't?

Evan is busy busy with work and I am busy busy with the kids. We sometimes find it hard to make time for each other, but we recognize it and have been working on it. Once winter is here we will have more time!! Then we throw another kid in the mix:) Life is good and although I live most days in my jammies and a greasy ponytail, I wouldn't trade our happy ever after for anything!!! God is good and we are blessed!

These are the moments....

2011-04-06T12:55:00.000-07:00

It makes me sad to know that this won't last forever:( I wish that I could freeze moments like this. Before I know it, she won't want me to hold her anymore, and I will cry. Why does life go by so fast? Childhood is but a blink of the eye.

PT 101

2011-04-05T13:17:00.000-07:00

We have started potty training....not hard core, bunker down in the house for a week potty training. We are just getting used to the potty. I ask Dixie several times throughout the say if she wants to try. She usually responds with "n-a-nim" (aka M&M). Every time she actually pee pees in the potty she gets one M&M. So, chocolate is her current motivation...I can't say that I blame her. It's so funny because she won't eat it for like 5 minutes. She just stares at it like a prized jewel because she only gets one. FInally after it starts to melt, she begins to eat it in tiny little bites. She is so funny.
I am starting her in the pull-ups next week and we are just going to stay home and see how she does. I am not pushing it, because she is still young, but I know she can do it if she wants to. Either way, my little girl is getting so big and I am SUPER proud of the steps she has taken already!

Picnic and Park

2011-03-31T13:25:00.000-07:00

I LOVE FAMILY DAYS!!!! They are rare lately, since Evan's business is picking up with the arrival of Spring and he had been working on the pergola. But, we finally had one on Monday. We had a picnic lunch and went to our favorite park with the kids. It was a great day.

Dixie loves hummus!

I couldn't help but laugh at Knox...he looked like a Bunny with big floppy ears...or ET, but we had to protect that bald head and I forgot a hat.

Look at that hair!!!!!!

Dixie's first time on the tire swing.

I liked the comparison in size here. One day my little girl will be that big:(

They both knocked out on the way home.

Last year in my twenties!

2011-03-29T10:52:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I turned 29!!! It was a wonderful birthday and a very relaxing weekend. Every year we have a crawfish boil for my bday and this year's was GREAT! The crawfish couldn't have tasted any better and now that we have our pergola in the backyard, it was nice to hang out under it. We had lots of games too: darts, bocce ball, bean bag toss and ladder ball. Such a fun day with the people I love the most.

Only one more year to 30, but I decided to embrace it rather than get all moppy about it. After all, it's just another year to see God's amazing work. I am looking forward to this last year in my 20's. I look at my life and I am so thankful, so humbled. God has blessed me beyond belief and far beyond anything I have or will ever deserve. I am thankful for his provision and grace.

I remember when I was younger there was a show called "Thirty Something." I always thought 30 seemed so far off and the people on the show seemed old to me, but I am creeping up on it. I guess no matter how old you are, you never feel your age.

Sometimes I look at my life and say, how am I married to the world's most amazing man with 2 beautiful kids living in my own house and I have already had a career as a teacher? I feel like high school was yesterday. Life goes soooo fast and when you have kids, that becomes even more true. I hope to slow down this year and ENJOY and SAVOR 29 and all it has to offer.

Here are a few pics from my birthday:

Knox and Ray (cousins 2 weeks apart) Can you tell who is older? It's Ray!

My sweet girl playing in the bubbles

Jaimie, Jessye and Brian playing darts! Darts were a hug hit of the day. I don't even try, because I am more likely to stab someone's eye out than make it anywhere on the board.

Our family has 7 kids under the age of 4. Swing sets are a must and always fun.

Boiling some crawfish!!!!!!!!!! I couldn't get enough and actually want some right now as I am typing this.

Me and my Daddy. I look like him and he's always telling me how the day I was born was one of the happiest of his life (he has 4 kids( I am the oldest)....so he has to throw in the "one of the")

This is how the day ended at 7:30 p.m with the kids on the floor (all bathed) eating pb&j's watching Veggie Tales. Such a hectic and fun phase of life!

Blowing out my 29th birthday candles with my beautiful daughter. Life doesn't get much sweeter (well..maybe a little...if I hadn't given up sweets and been able to eat a piece of that yummy cake...oh well...there is always next year)

Bumbo already????

2011-03-24T15:01:00.000-07:00

How is my little man getting so big? How is he big enough to sit in a Bumbo???? Please, someone tell me how to freeze time. It's going way to fast. Although one thing that I can't wait for: hair for this little guy so I can spike it and maybe give him a mohawk!!!!! Knowing Dixie's hair history, I might be waiting a while. I love my little dude.

Look at this puppy dog face. Mommy is in trouble!

Blog Shmog

2011-03-22T11:32:00.000-07:00

Oh Blog...we have such an unstable relationship. Sometimes, I am so excited to post on you and others, well to be quite frank, I forget all about you. We have to work on this, or else we should end it now. I take the majority of the blame, so I will try harder. I have kind of pushed you to the back burner and I hope you understand and can forgive me.

Here are a few pics of the kids, since quite honestly, I don't feel like giving a big written update...maybe another day:) Thanks for hanging in there.

Chunky McChuckle

2011-03-02T20:35:00.000-08:00

My little man made my day with this sweet little coo/chuckle he did as I tickled his face. He looks like a cream puff with his little round chubby face. It's no wonder I am so madly in love with him.

I'm a lucky lady

2011-02-24T13:32:00.001-08:00

My 3 Favorites:

Looks like she got her daddy's kinky curly hair:)

My handsome

man and little man.

I LOVE MY LIFE!

Valentine's Fun

2011-02-17T05:34:00.000-08:00

I wanted to post a few pictures from Valentine's Day this year. Evan and I don't celebrate Valentine's as a couple really. We do have an annual dinner with 2 other couples every year and play games, but we don't do gifts or anything. I did tell him however that when we had kids, I would be celebrating with them because it is a FUN holiday! So here are some pictures from the day:

Dixie enjoyed going through all of her Valentines from a friend's party. She was super excited that she got 5 suckers and a cookie:)

Valentines morning:

I think Knox likes his outfit...he confirms with a sweet smile.

Dixie helped me make heart shaped strawberry muffins for breakfast:

I made these YUMMY cake balls to pass out to neighbors and friends (thank you Krista). These are seriously addicting and my new favorite dessert. Unfortunately they are just a little too easy to pop into your mouth and then realize you just ate 10...ooppps.

Evan bought Dixie a heart ballon...figured she would like it more than flowers (at this age)...she LOVED it.

We played with pink playdough and cut out heart shapes.

Evan made me a VERY delicious dinner...not a Valentine's Dinner, because he hates Valentines, but an I love you everyday and don't need to prove it on Valentines Day dinner (which just so happened to fall on V day). He was going to do it the night before when he got home from his trip, but I wanted him to spend time with the fam instead of cook. Needless to say, this meal was AMAZING and is going in my top 10:)

Red wine and baked brie with amaretto toasted almonds on top....I could have eaten this ENTIRE tray...I almost did.

A delicious crabmeat salad loaded with all the fixings and topped with remoulade dressing.

BBQ shrimp (you would die if you saw how much butter went into this, but it was sooooooo worth it).

We also spent some of the day in the park because it was GORGEOUS outside. It was a fabulous day and I felt SUPER blessed to be able to spend it with my 3 Valentine's.

He's Home!!!!!

2011-02-15T07:14:00.000-08:00

I haven't posted in a few days because Evan is home and who wants to blog when you have a handsome stud at home after 11 days of being gone:) I was so thrilled when he sent me a text saying that they finished the trail early and would be home on Sunday rather than Wednesday.

His absence was really starting to take a toll, especially on Dixie and we were ready for Daddy to be home. It's so nice having the 4 of us together again. I know that I make it sound like it has been a year or something, but seriously...it felt that way. Now things are back to normal and it feels so good.

Here are a few pics from his trip this year. He said it was his favorite year so far:

One of the shelters along the trail. They set the tent up inside of it to sleep. 3 walls

Do you see how little this tent is?? Yep..they both slept in there.

One day they ran across a working farm. This was the school house from the 1890's. I had to post this because I would love my own little school house:)

Getting drinking water from the creek...YUK! They do treat it will pills though.

The first day they ran across wild ponies. How cool is that?

Crazy Love

2011-02-07T13:19:00.001-08:00

I LOVE to read! I am currently reading a book that is really challenging me and my Christian walk. It's fairly popular, but God is using the author's words to stir things up in me and desire some change in the way my life looks. I encourage you to read it if you haven't already. It's an easy read (only in the sense that it's interesting and easy to understand, but hard in the sense that it will really make you question your priorites, your view of God and view of others). I am praying that the Holy Spirit will do a work in me in certain areas and I look forward to and am a little scared to see what God has in store. I've had spiritual highs when I have read some books, but I really desire ACTION and LIFESTYLE change after reading this and I'm not even finished.

This would make a GREAT Valentines gift as it is about God's relentless love for us. For there is no GREATER love than that!

1 John 3:16:

"In this we know LOVE, that Jesus Christ laid down his life for us." (also Dixie's first memorized scripture verse)

Check out the book, Crazy Love, by Francis Chan and the website which has some great videos at www.crazylovebook.com

Counting the Days

2011-02-05T11:55:00.000-08:00

3 1/2 down 1o 1/2 to go before Evan gets home. Every year he takes a trip to hike the Appalachian Trail. I know what you are thinking..."At this time of year?" Yep, he's insane! I don't understand it, but I know he really enjoys it and needs his "adventure" time away. I was second guessing my decision to tell him to go this year with a newborn and a toddler at home, but so far we are doing great...I think because keeping that daily routine has helped the days pass faster and run smoother.

The worst part of his trip is that I never know when or if I will hear from him while he's gone, due to cell phone service in the mountains. I am a worrier and not knowing that he isn't frostbitten, stuck under a boulder or eaten by a mountain lion, makes me a little nervous. So far I have gotten 1 text that says this is the best hiking he's done...beautiful weather and that he misses us. That made me feel better, now I'm just waiting for the next one.

I thought I would upload some pictures from his trip last year just to show you how crazy he really is. How this is enjoyable...I have no idea! Sure hope he's having fun. We are ready for Daddy to be home!

ok.....so this looks pretty nice.......

Yours Truly,

2011-02-04T15:59:00.000-08:00

Had to test out my new custom signature for my posts. I LIKE IT!

Facelift

2011-02-04T15:04:00.000-08:00

A Blog facelift that is...what do you think????? I don't have a family photo with all four of us, so I created this on picnik. I didn't want Knox to feel like he wasn't part of the family. Check out this tutorial from "Life Sweet Life" below if you want to make one for your blog:

http://www.lifesweetlifeblog.com/2010/09/diy-simple-blog-photo-header-tutorial.html

A little Knox for good measure

2011-02-03T15:06:00.001-08:00

I've had so many Dixie posts that I had to at least throw a little Knox in there. Poor baby..he doesn't do much on a video camera, so here is a picture of him getting his bath. I love the way that he is staring up at his Daddy.

I had to post this one because I am soooooooooooooo in LOVE with this man. He is such a good Daddy and his kids adore him. I can only hope and pray that my son will turn out to be as much of a Godly and AWESOME man as his Daddy.

Tech Savy Dixie

2011-02-03T14:56:00.000-08:00

Ok, so since I figured out how to upload videos from my phone, I have been a little obsessive...sorry. They are all silly randomness, but important to me.

My friend Amber (thanks girl) suggested the Fisher Price website for some cute and easy infant games for Dixie to play during her activity or lesson time. So Dixie played her first computer game today. I'm not quite sure how I feel about it since I am always telling her not to touch the computer. It did keep her attention and I think can be a great learning tool though. Hopefully she will learn when it is ok to push buttons and when it is not or else this is going to be a mess. I must say that she did practice pretty good self control and this is a good way to teach her some:)

Paint Bags

2011-02-03T11:02:00.000-08:00

For yesterday's lesson, I made a paint bag and taped it to the window. I used red since that is one of the colors we are learning this week. We practiced writing the number 1, the letter Aa and drawing circles. I wanted to be able to put it on the table, but it showed up much better on the window. I put just a little too much paint in it, next time we will do a different color and a little less paint. I am leaving it taped to the window for the week so that she can "draw" as she wishes. Just a note: if you want to make paint bags, make sure you tape the top of the bag so nothing leaks out.

Abby and Eve

2011-02-02T14:28:00.000-08:00

I'm so excited that Dixie is starting to recognize Bible characters..even if she does say "Abby and Eve." Maybe we watch a little too much Sesame Street. She will go and pick up the Bible and flip through it periodically throughout the day. She really just likes the pictures. Her favorite is of Jacob's ladder. She likes to see that he is "Night Night." I hope that she will continue her love for the Bible as she grows and we do more Bible Time together. This video is kind of drawn out, but to a momma it's sweet as pie.

Daily Routine

2011-02-02T08:02:00.000-08:00

I started a daily routine with Dixie, thanks to my friend Amber recommending the book Toddler Wise. It's great because Dixie is learning that there are certain times to do things, like watch TV or Bible or a lesson. I left lots of room for free play time, but it is helping to make our day rn smoother and helping me to get things accomplished. I felt like before our days were just kind of wasted, now we get stuff done and spend lots of quality time together while encouraging some independence and learning for Dixie.

One of our alloted times is "Lesson Time." This is short and sweet and this week we are focusing the number 1, the letter A, colors red, and green and circles. I don't know how much is getting through to Dixie, but she likes to color and stamp:) She did pull off the "Dixie Face" we made and said "circle." Yay!

We are also memorizing 1 scripture a month. Here is our February scripture. She said it the first time...guess I pushed the limits after that. But she's doing great repeating it after me. She even asks to do it when it's Bible time and when we pray at night.

A Sweet Moment

2011-02-01T11:39:00.000-08:00

Knox gives Daddy one of his first smiles. It melted Evan's heart and he wanted to just stare at him the rest of the evening..who could blame him?

Dixie Counts to 10!

2011-01-28T19:30:00.000-08:00

Rolly Polly....maybe????

2011-01-27T05:07:00.000-08:00

Most of you will think I am seeing things, but my son is getting chunky and I am sooooooo excited! I love chunky babies. They are perfect for squeezing and eating up. Dixie was always a stick..never a roll on her precious little body. I think Knox will be a little heftier. When I pick him up, he feels solid, like a boy should feel. I don't feel like I am going to break him anymore. Granted, this picture doesn't look like much, but my 9 pounder is starting to get some rolls....come on.....you can see it...can't you? Just give him a few more months and he'll be nice and rolly.

Sugar and Spice & Puppy Dog Tails

2011-01-25T15:45:00.000-08:00

I LOVE having a boy and a girl. You get the best of both worlds. Here are 2 reasons why:

I get to do girly stuff with Dixie like paint her toenails (she finally lets me, even though she wiggles a lot):

I look forward to my little man playing rec sports. I can't wait to go to all of his games and hopefully watch Evan coach his little league team ( I think he looks ready):

I am soooooooooooooo blessed with these 2 munchkins!

Dixie sing's ABC's

2011-01-23T20:15:00.000-08:00

She's a Maneater

2011-01-22T07:47:00.000-08:00

"Wooo ooo here she comes....watch out boy, she'll chew you up...woo ooo here she comes...she's a man eater."

Those are the words that popped into my head as my daughter came to me, with Ken doll in hand and said "Head off." I thought I misunderstood her, but as she tried with all of her might to pull Ken's head off, I knew I heard right. Now granted, this Ken doll is from when I was a kid and his head does pop off easily. I am sure she has seen his head come off before and therefor views him more as a Mr. Potato head type. Although, after watching Ken on Toy Story 3, I kind of wanted to pop his head off too:)

If I put Ken's head back on...she screams.."Head off...head off!" Is it ridiculous of me to be a little worried???????????? I'll save these pictures for her future husband.

Baby Sleep...or lack thereof

2011-01-20T06:47:00.000-08:00

Last night, we moved Knox into his bedroom. Since he is right across the hall, we just left the doors open so we could still hear him, but maybe not every grunt he makes throughout the night. We were also looking forward to turning our fan back on, as we have been sweating since he has been in our room. Turns out, I still heard every grunt, he woke up more than usual, and we couldn't find the remote to our fan (it's the only way you can turn it on).

I am hoping that tonight proves to be a better night as I have found the remote control and I am hoping that covers a little bit of the grunty noises. My sweet boy has been sleeping in his carseat in his crib since he is CRAZY congested and has been for 2 weeks. I am trying to keep him upright until it passes. I am just worried that once he's better, he'll be so used to the carseat that he won't sleep on his back. Either way...he's cute! As much as I dread hearing that little cry in the middle of the night, when I get up and see his sweet face, my disposition totally changes and the world is a better place.

Following in Daddy's Footsteps

2011-01-16T19:18:00.001-08:00

Tummy Time Failure

2011-01-16T17:50:00.000-08:00

Tummy Time is supposed to help build baby's strength in their necks as they attempt to lift their heads. It is also great leg and arm exercise as they kick and move all about. This was our tummy time today. As you can see there is no strength building going on here:) My little guy just wanted to sleep. Yesterday he rolled over from his belly to back two times in a row. I guess he was worn out.

Duet

2011-01-15T14:23:00.000-08:00

Dixie's Dee Dee brought her this adorable pink guitar that is just her size when she came to visit. Dixie always loves playing guitar with Evan on his guitar. He lets her pluck the strings while he's holding the guitar. But now, she has her very own! She's such a Daddy's girl. Maybe one day he will really teach her how to play and they will actually do a duet.

Perfectly Pictured

2011-01-14T05:52:00.001-08:00

Check out these new pictures of our little guy, courtesy of my awesome and talented friend Amber:

Dancing with Daddy

2011-01-13T08:08:00.000-08:00

I have the most amazing husband in the world who just happens to be the best daddy in the world...How blessed am I?? MEGA BLESSED! The other day I asked him to take the baby so I could get a shower in. Those of you who have kids know how that goes:) When I came back, I found him in the kitchen dancing around with our little guy and singing to him. My heart melted, as it does every time I watch him with our kids. When Dixie was younger they used to dance around the house all the time. They still do, when she will let him dance with her...entering terrible 2's:) I hope that one day my children realize how lucky they are to have such an AMAZING daddy...I know they will.

Sissy and Bubba

2011-01-12T07:52:00.000-08:00

Before Knox arrived, I worried constantly about how Dixie would adjust to a new baby in the house, someone stealing "her time" away from us. My first worry was that she would be upset with me and act out. My second worry was that she would be upset with the baby. Luckily neither one of those really happened. She was super whiny at first whenever we would show Knox attention. She would cry for her milk after I had already sat down to feed him. Praise God, that is starting to become minimal as we are in week 3.

The great news is that, she is totally in love with her brother. She calls him Bubba and I don't think even realizes his real name is Knox. She asks for him first thing when she wakes up, pets his head and says "soft," wants to hold him constantly (even if it's only for 2 seconds before she says "all done"), gives him kisses, and shouts bye bye Bubba before she goes to bed. I think she is totally smitten with him.

I cannot wait until he is able to interact and play with her. I think they are going to have a great bond. Here are a few of the pictures that I have gotten of the two of them together so far.

My FAVORITE shot as they look at each other through the nursery window. Knox is staring right at her.

Here she is telling her Daddy to put him back in the baby cart...no joke. This was the first time she saw him.

We have to remind her every once in a while not to bounce Bubba's brains out.

Teaching Bubba how to do Tummy Time.

Sharing story time with Dadda

Helping Momma feed him.

We had a boy!

2011-01-11T19:24:00.000-08:00

Introducing: Knox Armstrong McGinty

We had a boy!!!!! He is beautiful and we are so blessed. He was born Dec 22, 2010. He was 6 lbs 14 oz and 19 3/4 in long. I ended up having a section after 13 hours of labor. Turns out he was wrapped up in the cord and couldn't engage. I was disappointed, but it worked out for the best. I am finally healing now and we are enjoying our family of 4. More pictures to come soon.

MIA

2011-01-09T10:22:00.000-08:00

Sorry that I have been missing for a while. Having a baby will through you for a loop for a little while. We are starting to get adjusted and I plan on being back to blogging world this week...so stay tuned for pictures of our newest little bundle of joy.

Lucky number 20!!!!

2010-12-16T11:45:00.000-08:00

I took Dixie to the doctor yesterday and it turns out she has a double ear infection on top of snot, congestion, fever and a cough....oh yippie...bring on the new baby:) I am praying she will get better very soon. I can tell my sweet girl is miserable and I want to take her pain away. We are on operation get well in 5 days!!!!!

Anyway, I am always interested to see how much she weighs when we go to the doctor. Well, at 18 months, we finally hit 20 lbs. She was 20 lbs 5 oz. She is such a skinny minny! Hopefully she got her daddy's genes. She will be thankful for those when college hits.

Free Housecleaning

2010-12-14T10:00:00.000-08:00

It's been so cold lately, which = no going outside. With a child who wants to always be doing something, that presents a challenge. On Evan's off day last week, he and Dixie decided to blow bubbles in the house. No big deal as long as they stayed on the rug....hey that's free rug cleaning:)

These particular bubbles are from Gymboree and are by far the coolest bubbles ever as you will see from the picture. My friend Lynds had them and I knew I had to get them for Dixie. They make hundreds of little mini bubbles. Turns out they didn't just stay in the living room. I had bubbles landing in the dinner on the stove that night....added a little extra flavoring.

These bubbles also stick and will stay in bubble form if you don't pop them, which makes for a Bubble World all over everything...totally fun! I caught a few pics of the bubble madness. I loved how they stuck to Dixie's hair (yes i said hair....there is a little bit there, for like an hour:)

I think we will be busting out the bubbles again today. My little bit is sick and we have been stuck inside for 3 days now. Gotta get her better before the new little bit arrives next week (hopefully).

Personalized Puzzle

2010-12-09T19:33:00.000-08:00

Saw this idea on one of my fav craft blogs and decided to try to make one for Dixie for Christmas. She loves puzzles. Even though right now this one would be a little advanced for her, I had to try to make it. It turned out really cute, but I ran into one little problem with the picture sticking. If you try it, hopefully you can avoid my mistake.

To make:

Take one existing (not too many crazy edges or curves) puzzle and spray paint it. Use a flat spray paint. I used a gloss finish and my picture doesn't want to stay stuck to it very well. I will have to go back and glue down the picture with super glue around the edges of each piece. You will also need several coats of spray paint to cover the existing picture.

This puzzle is from Target and came in a pack for pretty cheap. It had a slick top, which may have also led to my picture not sticking as well. If you can find an old school wooden puzzle without a slick top and you use a flat spray paint, I bet you won't run into this problem.

Order the picture you want in an 8x10 size with a matte finish. Mod Podge the picture to the puzzle underneath the picture and then mod podge over the picture to seal it. You will have to do several coats over the top to give it a nice seal. Make sure to wait at least 15- 20 minutes in between coats or it gets thick and crumbly.

Once dried, use an xacto knife to re-cut along the outer rectangle edge of the puzzle. You will have to use some elbow grease on this part. Pop out the middle pieces, which will be in one big clump. Turn the puzzle over and using the xacto knife follow the lines of each piece until all of your pieces are cut out. You may have to file down some of the edges where the glue is real thick or your pieces will be very hard to get back into the puzzle.

Hopefully your picture stuck better than mine and now you have a personalized puzzled! How fun and easy.

Elf Yourself

2010-12-07T11:23:00.000-08:00

I make these silly videos every year. I know what to expect, but every year I find myself rolling with laughter. I especially love to watch Dixie's baby head do the dance moves and Evan break it down. If only he danced like that in real life:) Oh wait..sometimes he does. Here is the link to our country elf dance:

http://elfyourself.jibjab.com/view/MJqgpjGmYtumIo8b

Dixie's Chair

2010-12-07T11:03:00.000-08:00

I have been so anxious to get Dixie a chair for her room. Several of her cousins have one, and I always find her sitting in them with a book in hand. My dream was to get an over sized Pottery Barn one, but when I looked at what I wanted, it was going to cost close to $200.... a little much. I continued to look at Big Lots, Wal-Mart and Target but some of them seemed too small and chinky or too big for her size.

Finally, Evan sent me a message one day saying that KidsWoot.com was running a deal on kid's recliners. They are called Dozy Dotes and the reviews on them were excellent. I am not exactly sure how much they normally sell for, but it was on sale for $89. It can recline and rock, although we took that part off of the chair to make it a little shorter so that Dixie can climb in on her own. We will put it back on once she is older. The chair can hold up to 100 pounds (guess mommy won't be sitting in it), so it can grow with her.

I questioned the pattern that I got after I ordered it, but once we got it in her room, I was in love. It adds color and is perfect for her. She is always climbing in it and I am glad that it is developing some independent play on her part in her room when I am not in there. She always says "Dixie's chair."

Good job Baby!

2010-12-07T10:57:00.000-08:00

Good news: went to the doctor this morning and miraculously the baby has flipped head down. I was as shocked as the doc was. I had some painful movement last week that put me in tears that I thought could be it flipping, but I wasn't getting my hopes up. God is good, and I am relieved as of now to put a c-section out of my head and dream of a regular delivery.

My cervix is softening but I am not dilated yet. We will check again on Monday and if I am starting to dilate, he wants to induce at the end of next week in case this baby decides to flip again. It's a very active child. Either way, I am thrilled and thankful!!!

Reminded by my 1 1/2 year old

2010-12-05T12:05:00.001-08:00

Last night my heart melted. Evan made grilled cheese and sweet potato fries for dinner. Since it was coming out in batches, first Dixie started eating, then I did and finally Evan sat down to eat when his was done. As soon as he sat down, Dixie stopped eating and said "pray." We try to remember to pray before every meal, but I have to admit, sometimes we forget. I was so thrilled that my 17 month old reminded us, even in the middle of her meal.

Evan and I always hold hands across the table and we place our hands on her highchair as she is usually still eating while we pray, but on her own, she grabbed each of our hands. We had our first family prayer all holding hands last night. She even sat quietly until daddy finished and said her usual "amen" once we were done. I was a proud momma! I said "It's sinking in!" Evan said she is doing it out of habit, which I know and I am grateful for. That is how they learn, but I can't help but hope that already at such a young age, the Holy Spirit is working on her and building up her love and respect for Jesus.

Last night as we prayed before bed, she grabbed both of our hands again and sat very respectfully as her daddy prayed, where as she is usually climbing all over the place. My little girl is growing up and it's in moments like these that I am in awe of God's precious creation of children.

On a funnier note, I let out a little burp after dinner (small mind you...by accident), when Dixie looks at me and says "scuse me." Yes..my child had to remind me to excuse myself. Wow...she is starting to pick up a lot! It's been fun watching her learn. I just hope she picks up more of the good habits than the not so good ones:)

Turn Baby Turn

2010-12-01T05:44:00.001-08:00

Went to the doc yesterday for my 36 week appointment and to my dismay, found out the baby has flipped breech. I was shocked seeing as how last week the baby was head down and pushing on my cervix. I am totally bummed as my doc said that it is unlikely, but possible that the baby will turn head down this late in the game, which means in the next couple weeks we will start talking c-section.

They will do a full ultrasound next week to see if the baby has flipped and if not, if the baby is small enough to try to flip from the outside. I can tell you one thing...this baby is not small! So, I am praying for this baby to miraculously flip and get head down. Is a section the end of the world...no. However, I had a great vaginal delivery with Dixie and I want to redo it. It will also be a heck of a lot harder to care for a newborn and a 1 1/2 year old after having major surgery. I am scared of a section and scared that my husband will pass out before they make the cut.

I am trying not to get emotional over it, as I just want a healthy baby, but I am keeping my fingers crossed and my prayers flowing. Hopefully next Tuesday will bring some good news.

Dreamin' of pigs!

2010-11-27T18:45:00.001-08:00

Just had to post this picture because she is so darn cute and to show that slowly but surely her hair is getting thicker. Some days it's curly..some days straight. Who knows how it will look when it grows out. I just can't wait to put a sprout and pig tails in it...oh the day!!!!!

Thanksgiving 2010

2010-11-27T09:32:00.000-08:00

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving this year! We got to host, as I wanted to host one more holiday before the baby gets here. It was a lot of work, but it turned out great. We set everything up outside to help with space, and go figure at the end of November it was 80 degrees out. A little toasty, but we made it work. I was so thankful to have all of my family together, except my sister and niece (Audrey was sick). Here are a few pictures from the day

Evan made 2 turkeys (1 roasted one fried). It was his first time ever and they both came out delicious. We had a whole turkey left so everyone could take home leftovers.

Everyone eating outside...notice the tank tops! It's warm!

Everyone wrote on their thankful leaves and loved the tree.

This was before we ate...can't tell. Two preggo cousins. Shannon is due in 1 1/2 weeks and I have 4 1/2 to go. Can't wait to meet these new babies.

Craft Time: Evan's family always made Christmas crafts after Thanksgiving. I loved the tradition so much that I decided to start it with my family. It was relaxing and gave us something fun to do and something to get ready for Christmas.

The babies colored Christmas trees. Actually they decided they wanted to color the pumpkin instead:)

The adult craft: Christmas advent countdown calendars. I did the sample and made everyone magnets ( 1 star and 1 baby Jesus). The star is moved through day 24 and on day 25 Baby Jesus shows up. Everyone made their own designs, and it was fun to see what they came up with. These are made from cookie sheets from the Dollar Tree, acrylic pant, and picture stands. I made the magnets with clear/flat marbles, mod podge, printed google images and hobby lobby magnets. It was fun!

By the end of the day I was whooped and thought I might deliver the baby...luckily I survived after a good back rub from my AWESOME husband and some sleep:)

New Crib

2010-11-27T05:33:00.000-08:00

With the new baby on the way, we needed another crib. Evan's dad was nice enough to get us one. I decided that I wanted to get Dixie a white one to match her room a little better and pass down the cherry wood set to the new baby (poor baby..already getting hand me downs).

I was super excited when we got the crib in...it's beautiful and looks great in Dixie's room. She really likes it too and has been asking to play in it even when it's not time to go to sleep.

Thankful Tree

2010-11-23T07:23:00.000-08:00

I wanted to start a new family tradition this year...a "thankful tree." I was originally going to paint a tree trunk on a sheet and hang it. Everyone would take a leaf and write their name, year and what they are thankful for and we would hang it back on the tree and add to it every year. However, th more I thought about it, the more I thought, how hard it would be to find a place to hang a big sheet every year. So, we decided to put our tree up early and turn it into a thankful tree.

I put the leaves all over it and added 5x7 black and whites of my family. We will do the same thing with the leaves year after year. I am really excited about it and watching how it grows over the years and seeing what everyone is thankful for.