Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Philippians 4:6
Philippians 4:6 is one of my favorite Bible verses. I think of it when I am worried and use it as a guide of how to pray. Yesterday was bittersweet. We had a wonderful church service with an unscripted moment. One of our deacons was about to lead the prayer, when he asked everyone to sit down because he needed to speak and it might take awhile. What followed was completely heartfelt and precious. He talked about Thanksgiving and what he was truly thankful for. He seemed nervous and emotional as he spoke. I couldn't help but notice as he was nervous and would pause, he would twist his wedding band on his hand. He spoke about how thankful he was for our church, the people in it, and all of the people who serve our church as well as the people who served in the past. He is a sweet man who serves our church greatly himself. I remember him being one of the first people in the balcony to greet us as we were first attending our church. Over the years, we haven't seem him as much since his wife has been ill and they haven't been in the balcony. I teach Sunday School every other week and always notice how he brings his young grandchildren to church with him. In his prayer, he asked for us to continue to pray for his wife. It broke my heart. And then he said he was thankful that God was still in the business of performing miracles. I pray for a miracle for him and his family. I also pray that when Kyle and I are older we can be serving our church and impacting people.
Last night we were driving home and noticed what looked like a search crew. I later found out a 2 year old boy had walked out of his home and was missing. I kept praying for him to be found safely. As I prayed, I could hear the wind roaring and prayed that that baby was safe from the elements. That boy is still missing and our town is working overtime with volunteers to find him. I am also thankful that God is still in the business of performing miracles. And I pray for a miracle for this innocent child.
Monday, November 24, 2014
Wednesday, November 19, 2014
Wedding Trivia
After my post yesterday, I started laughing thinking about tidbits from family weddings of the past. These are some of the things I came up with:
1. When I got married, my grandmother took me to buy a special pair of pearl earrings. Kyle bought me the matching pearl bracelet as a gift. These are two treasures to me!
2. When Austin was the ring bearer years ago in a wedding, man purse uncle tripped him as he walked down the aisle.
3. When I was getting married and getting ready to walk into the chapel, man purse uncle was standing outside the door talking to me and my dad. (Sidenote---why was he out there at this point in time...I wish I could remember???) He kept trying to trick my dad into saying "My mother and I do" instead of "HER mother and I do" when asked who gives this woman.
4. Every wedding I have been in has resulted in divorce with the exception of my own wedding. Interesting, scary, and bizarre all in one.
5. Speaking of weddings, Kyle never wears his wedding band. Never. He says it is super uncomfortable. I even bought him a new one a couple of years ago. Every so often I ask him how people are supposed to know he's married and he just says, "Because I act married." I guess that is all that really matters, people....If you act married.
6. I colored my hair brown literally days before my wedding. I don't even look like myself in pictures.
7. I am the wedding director in Austin and Tessa's wedding. This is a title I gave myself. Tessa agreed to it to be nice and because she knows I love to take control and will put someone in line if needed.
8. I was asking Tessa about the kind of cake they were having at the wedding and she started looking at me a little weird. I finally realized I had the details of her wedding confused with the recent Duggar wedding.
9. I got married Christmas week, Austin is getting married Thanksgiving week. Abby can choose between Easter, 4th of July or Labor Day when her time comes.
10. I love wedding cake. The end.
10. I love wedding cake. The end.
Tuesday, November 18, 2014
Austin Getting Married
I think I have mentioned before that my brother is getting married. Getting married in less than two weeks I should mention. I have known he was getting married since the day he sent me pictures of the ring he picked out earlier this year, but I still can't believe the day is almost here! The day he was preparing to propose I took Tessa (soon to be sister in law) to get her nails done, so she would have freshly painted nails in her first pictures with her engagement ring. Priorities people. I was clearly thinking straight in the excitement. Meanwhile my mom and Grandaddy were (literally) back at the ranch helping Austin prepare for his proposal, which included an airplane fly over and letters made out of flour. Sidenote---it's apparently harder than it looks to make massive letters out of flour. I wouldn't know because like I said, NAIL TIME, but my mom claims it's an art.
Back to the story of Austin getting married, things are getting funny around here. Not funny because of the marriage itself because we are just thrilled about the union. Funny because of shenanigans my husband is mostly behind. Kyle is Austin's best man in the wedding. Kyle is also famous for things like instigating and encouraging bizarre behavior for kicks. For example, when Austin was in maybe 5th grade we all went on a big family/friend cruise for spring break. We drove past a place on the way to the ship called "Ralph's Grill." Kyle then began calling Austin "Ralph" and before we knew it everyone on the cruise called him Ralph. And 4 years later everyone was still calling him Ralph until he finally put his foot down demanding NO MORE RALPH! Kyle and Austin are both participating in No Shave November. While we have told them they WILL shave before the wedding, Kyle is doing his best to convince Austin otherwise.
When Austin was younger, he for some unknown reason went into the woods and cut down the most awkward, bizarre Christmas tree and placed it in his room in a container of water. After Christmas when the tree was more than dead, Austin proceeded to throw the tree out of his bedroom window. It was the biggest mess I have ever witnessed. He then used the central vac system to vacumm the excess water up. Oops. As much of a mess as it was, it was highly entertaining. Last night I was laying in bed and hear Kyle walk into the room on the phone with Austin saying, "I want you to go out to the woods tomorrow and cut down a tree for the living room in your new house...I will even help you."
Shenanigans, I tell you. shenanigans. The main concern I have right now is the speech Kyle will give at the rehersal dinner. I have considered writing it myself and slipping it to him, but he won't go for that. I will be sure to report on it though.
Tessa is a fan favorite of Krews and Kole. She hardly misses one of their events and they always are thrilled to see her. She is always kind to them, while Austin's idea of being a good uncle is scaring them, chasing them, or "fighting" them. I should mention when Krews was born the only contact Austin had with him was touching his forehead. When he was almost a month old I tricked him into oddly holding him. Every child needs a fun uncle!
As for me, I am so excited for Austin to be married and for me to have someone to be on my side to say, "NO! You cannot go hunting this weekend." I'm only kidding (semi-kidding) I am excited for Austin and Tessa to be married and be able to experience life together as a married couple. And I'm excited to have another person to participate in my cookie making party at Christmas with as much enthusiasm as me. While I can't promise Tessa that she will come into an normal, well behaved family, I can promise her she comes into it with open arms and will probably need her own blog to tell stories like I'm sharing with you now.
Back to the story of Austin getting married, things are getting funny around here. Not funny because of the marriage itself because we are just thrilled about the union. Funny because of shenanigans my husband is mostly behind. Kyle is Austin's best man in the wedding. Kyle is also famous for things like instigating and encouraging bizarre behavior for kicks. For example, when Austin was in maybe 5th grade we all went on a big family/friend cruise for spring break. We drove past a place on the way to the ship called "Ralph's Grill." Kyle then began calling Austin "Ralph" and before we knew it everyone on the cruise called him Ralph. And 4 years later everyone was still calling him Ralph until he finally put his foot down demanding NO MORE RALPH! Kyle and Austin are both participating in No Shave November. While we have told them they WILL shave before the wedding, Kyle is doing his best to convince Austin otherwise.
When Austin was younger, he for some unknown reason went into the woods and cut down the most awkward, bizarre Christmas tree and placed it in his room in a container of water. After Christmas when the tree was more than dead, Austin proceeded to throw the tree out of his bedroom window. It was the biggest mess I have ever witnessed. He then used the central vac system to vacumm the excess water up. Oops. As much of a mess as it was, it was highly entertaining. Last night I was laying in bed and hear Kyle walk into the room on the phone with Austin saying, "I want you to go out to the woods tomorrow and cut down a tree for the living room in your new house...I will even help you."
Shenanigans, I tell you. shenanigans. The main concern I have right now is the speech Kyle will give at the rehersal dinner. I have considered writing it myself and slipping it to him, but he won't go for that. I will be sure to report on it though.
Tessa is a fan favorite of Krews and Kole. She hardly misses one of their events and they always are thrilled to see her. She is always kind to them, while Austin's idea of being a good uncle is scaring them, chasing them, or "fighting" them. I should mention when Krews was born the only contact Austin had with him was touching his forehead. When he was almost a month old I tricked him into oddly holding him. Every child needs a fun uncle!
As for me, I am so excited for Austin to be married and for me to have someone to be on my side to say, "NO! You cannot go hunting this weekend." I'm only kidding (semi-kidding) I am excited for Austin and Tessa to be married and be able to experience life together as a married couple. And I'm excited to have another person to participate in my cookie making party at Christmas with as much enthusiasm as me. While I can't promise Tessa that she will come into an normal, well behaved family, I can promise her she comes into it with open arms and will probably need her own blog to tell stories like I'm sharing with you now.
Monday, November 17, 2014
How Dare I
Kyle and I have been watching the interview series The Man Who Killed Osama Bin Laden. I wasn't necessarily planning to watch the series, but we stumbled upon it one night and were immediately drawn in to the interview. To be honest with you, this news loving and current events junkie hasn't been keeping up with world news lately. I would see things going on in the Middle East and other important subjects and would change the channel or put down my readings. And then we watched the first part of the interview and I thought to myself...
How dare I.
How dare I turn a blind eye to the things going on in our world just because they are hard to deal with and not easy to cope with hearing. It is our job as Americans to be informed and know what is happening. And how dare I feel like it is a inconvenience to me to have to hear about these tough subjects like beheading, Christian persecution, and terrorism, when innocent people are having to live these terrible scenarios every single day.
How dare I.
I will never forget 9/11. It was a day that changed America. My young mind was changed and shaped on that day as well. It was a day that put fear into our world. Innocence was lost. Fear was disbursed throughout our nation. In the days following though, I remember such a strong sense of country and patriotism. United we stand, divided we fall became the running theme. America had been attacked, but was not going to be taken down. I still have chills when I see the video of President Bush shouting from the rubble, "I can hear you! The rest of the world hears you! And the people – and the people who knocked these buildings down will hear all of us soon." The crowd reacted with loud, prolonged chants of "USA! USA!" We were united.
How dare I.
How dare I for ever turning the channel when it was too hard to hear that terrorism is still alive and in our world. This war that started by purely evil terrorists on 9/11 is still alive and always will be until every last enemy of America in gone. The interview series on killing Bin Laden reminded me of this and not just the negative side of it.
I remember watching the news late one night and hearing President declare, "Tonight, I can report to the American people and to the world that the United States has conducted an operation that killed Osama bin Laden, the leader of al Qaeda, and a terrorist who’s responsible for the murder of thousands of innocent men, women, and children.
During the special, Navy Seal Rob talked about the 82 minute helicopter ride to the mission to take down Bin Laden. He counted to 1000 and back to 1 over and over to keep his mind busy. And then he remembered President Bush saying, "Freedom itself was attacked this morning by a faceless coward, and freedom will be defended."
Rob hopped off the plane and repeated over and over to himself, "Freedom will be defended."
He talked about the mission and how all of the seals worked together with perfect teamwork. They all put each other's safety ahead of their own. They were all on that mission to put each American's personal safety ahead of their own. They went on the mission without any hesitation. Just 15 hours earlier they had each been home safely with their families, but put each American family above their own. We have the most incredible group of men and women in the world defending us.
How dare I.
How dare I ever take our defenders for granted by not staying in tune with what is going on in their world.
The special showed the reactions of family members of 9/11 victims. Most of them seemed relieved to hear details of the mission. It gave them a sense of closure. For me it gave me a restored sense of patriotism. It reminded me how great our defense system is and gave me a sense of comfort and safety.
Should Rob have gone on record and publicly told his story? I don't know. I know for many people it gave them answers, details, and was a great resource for information. I do not feel like he breached the security of our country. If I were him or his family, I would be more worried about HIS personal safety after such an open interview that partly even took place in hometown.
That is the great thing about our American soldier though.....They are completely fearless. The go into battle every day and put their life on the line for you and for me.
How dare I.
If I ever forget.
How dare I.
How dare I turn a blind eye to the things going on in our world just because they are hard to deal with and not easy to cope with hearing. It is our job as Americans to be informed and know what is happening. And how dare I feel like it is a inconvenience to me to have to hear about these tough subjects like beheading, Christian persecution, and terrorism, when innocent people are having to live these terrible scenarios every single day.
How dare I.
I will never forget 9/11. It was a day that changed America. My young mind was changed and shaped on that day as well. It was a day that put fear into our world. Innocence was lost. Fear was disbursed throughout our nation. In the days following though, I remember such a strong sense of country and patriotism. United we stand, divided we fall became the running theme. America had been attacked, but was not going to be taken down. I still have chills when I see the video of President Bush shouting from the rubble, "I can hear you! The rest of the world hears you! And the people – and the people who knocked these buildings down will hear all of us soon." The crowd reacted with loud, prolonged chants of "USA! USA!" We were united.
How dare I.
How dare I for ever turning the channel when it was too hard to hear that terrorism is still alive and in our world. This war that started by purely evil terrorists on 9/11 is still alive and always will be until every last enemy of America in gone. The interview series on killing Bin Laden reminded me of this and not just the negative side of it.
I remember watching the news late one night and hearing President declare, "Tonight, I can report to the American people and to the world that the United States has conducted an operation that killed Osama bin Laden, the leader of al Qaeda, and a terrorist who’s responsible for the murder of thousands of innocent men, women, and children.
Almost 10 years later Bin Laden was killed. And I wasn't a scared, young girl anymore, but now a wife and mother to one with another precious baby on the way. I sat up and cried tears as I heard that President Obama had just called President Bush to let him know that Bin Laden had been taken down. I cried tears as I watched the people in the streets of NYC and DC chanting USA! USA! United we stand, divided we fall. We were still united 10 years later.
Americans disagree on politics, but nothing brings us together more than patriotism. We fiercely love our country and the men and women who defend us every day.
During the special, Navy Seal Rob talked about the 82 minute helicopter ride to the mission to take down Bin Laden. He counted to 1000 and back to 1 over and over to keep his mind busy. And then he remembered President Bush saying, "Freedom itself was attacked this morning by a faceless coward, and freedom will be defended."
Rob hopped off the plane and repeated over and over to himself, "Freedom will be defended."
He talked about the mission and how all of the seals worked together with perfect teamwork. They all put each other's safety ahead of their own. They were all on that mission to put each American's personal safety ahead of their own. They went on the mission without any hesitation. Just 15 hours earlier they had each been home safely with their families, but put each American family above their own. We have the most incredible group of men and women in the world defending us.
How dare I.
How dare I ever take our defenders for granted by not staying in tune with what is going on in their world.
The special showed the reactions of family members of 9/11 victims. Most of them seemed relieved to hear details of the mission. It gave them a sense of closure. For me it gave me a restored sense of patriotism. It reminded me how great our defense system is and gave me a sense of comfort and safety.
Should Rob have gone on record and publicly told his story? I don't know. I know for many people it gave them answers, details, and was a great resource for information. I do not feel like he breached the security of our country. If I were him or his family, I would be more worried about HIS personal safety after such an open interview that partly even took place in hometown.
That is the great thing about our American soldier though.....They are completely fearless. The go into battle every day and put their life on the line for you and for me.
How dare I.
If I ever forget.
Wednesday, November 12, 2014
The Decision
After my post yesterday, I received a lot of feedback under my Facebook link of the post. And it was all so helpful! The main message I was receiving is I need to do it more for ME. I need to not worry about it being scheduled or have long, detailed posts. My main priority is going to be to document, by writing, important events in our lives. I also love "story telling" so that will be high on my priority list. Basically, I want it to be a little more organic.
With that being said, yesterday was an unexpected wonderful day. Krews had a little allergy to a bug bite, so I kept him home from school. I kept Kole home too because why not? We had the best day watching movies and spending the day in pajamas. It was the perfect day. And completely unplanned. I think if my blog can have that same approach it will be perfect for me.
One of the movies we watched was Toy Story 3. I love all of the Toy Story movies and my kid's love Buzz and Woody. By the end of the movie, Krews was in tears because he was sad that Andy was giving his toys away and going to college. It made me want to cry too just watching him. Then I started getting upset thinking about when my kid's go off to college and leave home. I had just heard that Toy Story 4 was going to be in theaters in 2017. My initial reaction was excitement, but then I had a moment of worry. What if by 2017 my kids don't see the magic in Toy Story? What if it is not the same?? As you can tell, I waste a lot of time with worry and borrowing trouble.
For now I am going to enjoy the present because I will not always have a 3 and 5 year old. And with this blog, I hope when they do go off to college it will give me the opportunity to read what we were doing and re live it. And I hope it will bring me as much joy as these day's with young children brings me now.
With that being said, yesterday was an unexpected wonderful day. Krews had a little allergy to a bug bite, so I kept him home from school. I kept Kole home too because why not? We had the best day watching movies and spending the day in pajamas. It was the perfect day. And completely unplanned. I think if my blog can have that same approach it will be perfect for me.
One of the movies we watched was Toy Story 3. I love all of the Toy Story movies and my kid's love Buzz and Woody. By the end of the movie, Krews was in tears because he was sad that Andy was giving his toys away and going to college. It made me want to cry too just watching him. Then I started getting upset thinking about when my kid's go off to college and leave home. I had just heard that Toy Story 4 was going to be in theaters in 2017. My initial reaction was excitement, but then I had a moment of worry. What if by 2017 my kids don't see the magic in Toy Story? What if it is not the same?? As you can tell, I waste a lot of time with worry and borrowing trouble.
For now I am going to enjoy the present because I will not always have a 3 and 5 year old. And with this blog, I hope when they do go off to college it will give me the opportunity to read what we were doing and re live it. And I hope it will bring me as much joy as these day's with young children brings me now.
Tuesday, November 11, 2014
The Struggle
I feel like I'm in a bit of a blogging funk and am really questioning the entire thing. I love writing and the creative element. I love documenting my life, so I can always remember all if it. But I question is it what I should be doing? Does it really matter? Is it a good use of time? Should I expose details of my life and my family's life? I just don't know. I also worry that my blog could seem annoying to some people, so if I continue as I have been I question whether to link it to my Facebook page or not. I just don't know. I might also just post less often to see how I feel about it. The reason I bring any of this up is to be honest, which is the main purpose of this blog. And also because I did post yesterday, but without a link to Facebook and had several people ask why I didn't, as I typically post 5 days a week.
Maybe it is just a funk. But I just wanted to let anyone who is wondering know where I stand.
Maybe it is just a funk. But I just wanted to let anyone who is wondering know where I stand.
Monday, November 10, 2014
Is It Just Me...
I decided to do a whole post on things that often make me wonder...
"Is it just me..."
1. Is it just me or is your mailbox happy to be free of political flyers now too?
2. Is it just me or is it bizarre how it can be 30 degrees when you wake up and 65 degrees by afternoon?
3. Is it just me or is it a little interesting that Jessica Beil is all of a sudden pregnant after JT was supposedly cheating on her???
4. Is it just me that isn't excited for Doc Martens to be back in style?
5. Is it just me or are you a little concerned too about Bruce Jenner's long hair and perfectly painted pink fingernails?
6. Is it just me or is Jimmy Fallon one of the greatest late night talents ever? Seriously he can sing, dance, act like no other late night host in ages!
7. Is it just me or do you lose your phone while talking on it too?
8. Is it just me that doesn't actually like anything pumpkin flavored, but loves the scent along with all other fall scents?
9. Is it just me or is it hard to eat healthy as the weather gets colder and the clothes get more baggy?
10. Is it just me or is the part of the year with the nicest weather typically spent with people inside because it also happens to be the most sickly time of year?
Maybe it is all just me.
"Is it just me..."
1. Is it just me or is your mailbox happy to be free of political flyers now too?
2. Is it just me or is it bizarre how it can be 30 degrees when you wake up and 65 degrees by afternoon?
3. Is it just me or is it a little interesting that Jessica Beil is all of a sudden pregnant after JT was supposedly cheating on her???
4. Is it just me that isn't excited for Doc Martens to be back in style?
5. Is it just me or are you a little concerned too about Bruce Jenner's long hair and perfectly painted pink fingernails?
6. Is it just me or is Jimmy Fallon one of the greatest late night talents ever? Seriously he can sing, dance, act like no other late night host in ages!
7. Is it just me or do you lose your phone while talking on it too?
8. Is it just me that doesn't actually like anything pumpkin flavored, but loves the scent along with all other fall scents?
9. Is it just me or is it hard to eat healthy as the weather gets colder and the clothes get more baggy?
10. Is it just me or is the part of the year with the nicest weather typically spent with people inside because it also happens to be the most sickly time of year?
Maybe it is all just me.
Thursday, November 6, 2014
Friday Favorites: Princess Kate Style
Happy Friday! It has been a great week at our house! Now it is time for another edition of Friday Favorites.
1. LK Bennett shoes:
My brother is getting married at the end of November! I have been looking for the perfect outfit and shoes and kept coming back to the LK Bennett pumps like Princess Kate is often pictured wearing.
I stumbled upon them on sale and decided to go for it! I am so excited and will wear this classic look for many years!
2. Favorite follow up:
Everyone enjoyed hearing about Kitty Floyd last week. And now Kitty Floyd is popping up in unexpected places. I walked in the bathroom the other, day shut the door, and heard a meow followed by Kitty Floyd jumping OUT OF NOWHERE. Bizarre. The funny thing is my soon to be sister in law said she spent 30 minutes looking for Kitty Floyd Halloween night to put him safely in the house. She had heard a scary story about people torturing cast's on Halloween. Have I ever mentioned Kitty Floyd also got stuck WAY up in a tree one time. He finally jumped. And survived. He is probably down to about 2 lives.
3. Favorite Faux Fur:
When I was sick last week, I decided to order a new robe and house shoes. I got them from Pottery Barn and they are both sooo comfy. I like the faux fur...it gives me a little style even when wearing a robe. I will now be on a mission for a faux fur fanny pack.
4. Favorite game:
Kyle went to a Dallas Cowboys football game on Sunday with some guys from our Sunday School class. He brought the boys back some treats and they were thrilled!!
5. Favorite throwback:
I posted this pic to Instagram as my #TBT because the election week made me miss broadcast journalism. Funny story....I helped keep a blog for the show Fox & Friends called "In the Greenroom." It was a behind the scenes look at all of the guests that came on the show. I loved it and meeting so many cool people!
For more Friday Favorites check out Erika, Andrea, and Narci.
1. LK Bennett shoes:
My brother is getting married at the end of November! I have been looking for the perfect outfit and shoes and kept coming back to the LK Bennett pumps like Princess Kate is often pictured wearing.
I stumbled upon them on sale and decided to go for it! I am so excited and will wear this classic look for many years!
2. Favorite follow up:
Everyone enjoyed hearing about Kitty Floyd last week. And now Kitty Floyd is popping up in unexpected places. I walked in the bathroom the other, day shut the door, and heard a meow followed by Kitty Floyd jumping OUT OF NOWHERE. Bizarre. The funny thing is my soon to be sister in law said she spent 30 minutes looking for Kitty Floyd Halloween night to put him safely in the house. She had heard a scary story about people torturing cast's on Halloween. Have I ever mentioned Kitty Floyd also got stuck WAY up in a tree one time. He finally jumped. And survived. He is probably down to about 2 lives.
3. Favorite Faux Fur:
When I was sick last week, I decided to order a new robe and house shoes. I got them from Pottery Barn and they are both sooo comfy. I like the faux fur...it gives me a little style even when wearing a robe. I will now be on a mission for a faux fur fanny pack.
4. Favorite game:
Kyle went to a Dallas Cowboys football game on Sunday with some guys from our Sunday School class. He brought the boys back some treats and they were thrilled!!
5. Favorite throwback:
I posted this pic to Instagram as my #TBT because the election week made me miss broadcast journalism. Funny story....I helped keep a blog for the show Fox & Friends called "In the Greenroom." It was a behind the scenes look at all of the guests that came on the show. I loved it and meeting so many cool people!
For more Friday Favorites check out Erika, Andrea, and Narci.
Wednesday, November 5, 2014
The Curious Case of Jeriel's Christmas Card
Growing up I always loved spending Christmas night at my grandmother's house. She made Christmas time a grand affair. All of her friends would send her Christmas cards and she would display them on her China cabinet. Every year we loved looking at each of them, but my favorite was from her out of town friend Jeriel. Jeriel always sent a Christmas card with a letter in it reviewing her year. Jeriel was very detailed. That is my nice way of saying Jeriel put wayyyy too much information about her and her family in the letter. She described surgeries and other things no one wanted to hear about. It was so bizarre that it became an annual Christmas tradition that I would read the card aloud to my cousins, who loved this just as much as me.
Grandmother passed away almost 3 years ago at Christmas time. She knew her time was ending and was so upset to be leaving us at Christmas. And so was I. Christmas, tradition, and Grandmother all went hand in hand. I worried Christmas would never be the same without her.
Fast forward two years later and we had moved into her house. I was hosting all of my family for Christmas and was bound and determined to recreate Grandmother's perfect Christmas traditions. I made her famous gingerbread men, wreath cookies, and nut nugget. I decorated the entire house and even made her fruit ice ring for our fruit punch. Everything was in place and ready!
And then the greatest most bizarre thing ever happened.
I went to check my mail and there was a Christmas card from Jeriel, letter and all. It was addressed to my grandmother and sent to my house. My first thought was pure joy because my Christmas celebration could once again consist of a letter from Jeriel. My second thought was oh my gosh she has either lost her mind of doesn't know Grandmother passed away. I thought about writing her a letter explaining that Grandmother was gone, but that I was living in her house now. Eventually I just decided to let it go in case she was off her rocker.
If you are looking for me in the entire month of December, I will be checking my mailbox constantly in hopes of receiving another letter from Jeriel. Fingers crossed! I will be sure to keep you all posted.
Grandmother passed away almost 3 years ago at Christmas time. She knew her time was ending and was so upset to be leaving us at Christmas. And so was I. Christmas, tradition, and Grandmother all went hand in hand. I worried Christmas would never be the same without her.
Fast forward two years later and we had moved into her house. I was hosting all of my family for Christmas and was bound and determined to recreate Grandmother's perfect Christmas traditions. I made her famous gingerbread men, wreath cookies, and nut nugget. I decorated the entire house and even made her fruit ice ring for our fruit punch. Everything was in place and ready!
And then the greatest most bizarre thing ever happened.
I went to check my mail and there was a Christmas card from Jeriel, letter and all. It was addressed to my grandmother and sent to my house. My first thought was pure joy because my Christmas celebration could once again consist of a letter from Jeriel. My second thought was oh my gosh she has either lost her mind of doesn't know Grandmother passed away. I thought about writing her a letter explaining that Grandmother was gone, but that I was living in her house now. Eventually I just decided to let it go in case she was off her rocker.
If you are looking for me in the entire month of December, I will be checking my mailbox constantly in hopes of receiving another letter from Jeriel. Fingers crossed! I will be sure to keep you all posted.
Tuesday, November 4, 2014
It's a Grand Ole Night
Today is election day in the United States. It is one of my very favorite days. It is so incredible that we live in a country that allows us to have free and fair elections. It is something that we should not take lightly. Many people have died for the freedom of our country and I am so thankful!
This morning I pulled up to my voting precinct. This is the same location my great-grandparents attended church. They worked hard for this church and were very involved. My great-grandfather was a veteran and served our country proudly. My great-grandmother was a homemaker and kept the most beautiful garden. I had been missing them this week as it was because every Halloween at their house we were given a dollar bill, a blow pop, homemade cookies, and other special treats. Our country is great because of people like them. He didn't hesitate to fight for our country and she didn't hesitate to support him in that decision. I thought of them as I was going to cast my vote. I thought of their morals and values that consisted of hard work and an unwavering faith in God. They believed in every person doing their part and their best. With their generation mostly gone, I feel a responsibility to represent the wonderful things that they did. Voting for what I believe in is part of that responsibility.
The DAY I turned 18 I registered to vote. I was so excited to finally be able to and knew it was my duty. My favorite class in high school was American Government. I loved every aspect of it and had a wonderful teacher who taught us about our government without partisan preference. When I was in college working on a Broadcast Journalism degree, I loved election night. It was so exciting to keep up with the local elections at our school studio and courthouse. And when I had the opportunity to work at a major news network in NYC during a huge election summer, I loved the atmosphere. I know some people are apathetic, but I just don't understand it. I love the ins and outs of elections.
As a mom, I think elections are more important than ever. These elections help shape our children's future. I want my kids to be well informed American's with a strong knowledge of American History and current events. That is what our children today need!
I try to keep my political opinions to myself in order not to offend anyone, but I have decided part of being true to myself is believing in my opinions enough to share them no matter what others think. With that being said, I do not have to bash the other side or make negative comments. Many of my friends and I have a difference in political opinion. I respect them, just as I know they respect with me.
With that being said...It is a GRAND OLE NIGHT in Arkansas and I am just thrilled. I am still a little nervous about a couple of races/initiatives, but so far it's a good night here. See you in 2016!
This morning I pulled up to my voting precinct. This is the same location my great-grandparents attended church. They worked hard for this church and were very involved. My great-grandfather was a veteran and served our country proudly. My great-grandmother was a homemaker and kept the most beautiful garden. I had been missing them this week as it was because every Halloween at their house we were given a dollar bill, a blow pop, homemade cookies, and other special treats. Our country is great because of people like them. He didn't hesitate to fight for our country and she didn't hesitate to support him in that decision. I thought of them as I was going to cast my vote. I thought of their morals and values that consisted of hard work and an unwavering faith in God. They believed in every person doing their part and their best. With their generation mostly gone, I feel a responsibility to represent the wonderful things that they did. Voting for what I believe in is part of that responsibility.
The DAY I turned 18 I registered to vote. I was so excited to finally be able to and knew it was my duty. My favorite class in high school was American Government. I loved every aspect of it and had a wonderful teacher who taught us about our government without partisan preference. When I was in college working on a Broadcast Journalism degree, I loved election night. It was so exciting to keep up with the local elections at our school studio and courthouse. And when I had the opportunity to work at a major news network in NYC during a huge election summer, I loved the atmosphere. I know some people are apathetic, but I just don't understand it. I love the ins and outs of elections.
As a mom, I think elections are more important than ever. These elections help shape our children's future. I want my kids to be well informed American's with a strong knowledge of American History and current events. That is what our children today need!
I try to keep my political opinions to myself in order not to offend anyone, but I have decided part of being true to myself is believing in my opinions enough to share them no matter what others think. With that being said, I do not have to bash the other side or make negative comments. Many of my friends and I have a difference in political opinion. I respect them, just as I know they respect with me.
With that being said...It is a GRAND OLE NIGHT in Arkansas and I am just thrilled. I am still a little nervous about a couple of races/initiatives, but so far it's a good night here. See you in 2016!
Monday, November 3, 2014
Home Tour: Living Room
This summer, I was really wanting to spruce up my house a bit. I have a Christmas party at my house this year and nothing says "spruce up your house" like having a large event. In the south, if someone volunteers to host a party, shower, or social gathering of any type, they are essentially signing up for a home renovation. Ideally, I would like to take the carpet out of my house and trade it in for hardwood floors. Realistically, with two small children we decided we should probably wait. I decided I was going to have my carpet cleaned as my first step in preparing for my party. And I kind of took a few rooms apart preparing for this and put them back together. I decided now would be a great time to tour these rooms on my blog and explain my process...or lack thereof.
At the same time I was planning this spruce up, the sweet people from www.rugpadcorner.com asked me to review their products. I was given the rug pads in exchange for a review of my honest thoughts and opinions. I was in no way paid to do this.And I was tickled to get to do this. You know you are an adult when you are jumping for joy over rug pads and what they can do for your rooms.
So I decided to start in the living room. I have a nice rug in the living room, but wanted to make it seem a little thicker and more grand. I told Paola at Rug Pad Corner I also wanted a rug pad that could transition with me to hardwood floors in the future. BONUS! So I got my carpets cleaned and used my new rug as the base of my project.
I was immediately impressed at how nice and durable it was without being so thick someone (most likely me) could trip over it.
I also had my rug freshly cleaned and it fit perfectly over the rug pad and no one will ever even notice the rug pad is there. Unless they read my blog, of course. It just makes my rug seem thicker and positions it better.
I got my chairs and ottoman back into place along with the center table. I would like to have these chairs recovered, but just had them cleaned as well. I feel like I should wait until my kids are a little older and less messy. If a time like that ever exists?
One of the smartest decisions I made was to buy a leather couch. Messes just wipe off of it.
And here is a view from the back of the room. My favorite thing to decorate with is pictures of my family. I also use random pieces from here or there. I feel like this mini makeover worked wonders for my room!
If you want to add a little something to your room, I highly advise adding a rug pad from www.rugpadcorner.com. I did have a rug pad in one of my other rooms that I will reveal next week and it was no wear near the quality of my new rug pad corner pad. All Fanny Pack Mom readers can use the code REVIEW15 for 15% off of your purchase!
*I was not paid to review www.rugpadcorner.com. All opinions are my own.*
At the same time I was planning this spruce up, the sweet people from www.rugpadcorner.com asked me to review their products. I was given the rug pads in exchange for a review of my honest thoughts and opinions. I was in no way paid to do this.And I was tickled to get to do this. You know you are an adult when you are jumping for joy over rug pads and what they can do for your rooms.
So I decided to start in the living room. I have a nice rug in the living room, but wanted to make it seem a little thicker and more grand. I told Paola at Rug Pad Corner I also wanted a rug pad that could transition with me to hardwood floors in the future. BONUS! So I got my carpets cleaned and used my new rug as the base of my project.
I was immediately impressed at how nice and durable it was without being so thick someone (most likely me) could trip over it.
I also had my rug freshly cleaned and it fit perfectly over the rug pad and no one will ever even notice the rug pad is there. Unless they read my blog, of course. It just makes my rug seem thicker and positions it better.
I got my chairs and ottoman back into place along with the center table. I would like to have these chairs recovered, but just had them cleaned as well. I feel like I should wait until my kids are a little older and less messy. If a time like that ever exists?
One of the smartest decisions I made was to buy a leather couch. Messes just wipe off of it.
And here is a view from the back of the room. My favorite thing to decorate with is pictures of my family. I also use random pieces from here or there. I feel like this mini makeover worked wonders for my room!
If you want to add a little something to your room, I highly advise adding a rug pad from www.rugpadcorner.com. I did have a rug pad in one of my other rooms that I will reveal next week and it was no wear near the quality of my new rug pad corner pad. All Fanny Pack Mom readers can use the code REVIEW15 for 15% off of your purchase!
*I was not paid to review www.rugpadcorner.com. All opinions are my own.*
Sunday, November 2, 2014
Fanny Pack Fashions: Packing tips and tricks
Since we recently went on a trip and a lot of people travel during the holidays, I thought a post about packing could be helpful. I am absolutely not an expert, but try to be organized and know what works best with kids. My packing usually starts out like this before a trip:
And my unpacking ends like this after a trip:
Just keeping it real.
Tip #1 rolling suitcases: Invest in some large suitcases that roll on 4 wheels. Two large and one medium is the perfect formula for our family of 4 people. The four wheels make them so easy to get thru an airport. Especially with us because we take a double stroller. Now airlines charge for carry on bags, so we prefer to check bags.
Tip #2 personal bags: On airplanes you do get a personal bag (backpack, purse, etc.) so Kyle carried a backpack, I carried a large purse that zips to ensure nothing fell out, and we carried one backback for the boys.
Here is what we take in personal carry on bags:
-billfolds, money, IDs, tickets, any medications we would/could need throughout our trip, chapstick, phones, chargers, granola bars, a change of clothes for each person, laptop/ipad, magazines, gum and candy, Clorox wipes, hand wipes, a bottle of water I buy after security, and a jewelry case.
Tip #3 jewelry case: I carry a jewelry case because I think it is the safest way to go thru security with jewelry. Before I get out of the car, I put my jewelry up and then put it back on as soon as I am past security. It just makes me feel like I won't lose anything and am protecting my jewelry. I usually just take a few pieces that I wear the entire time so I don't have to risk anything being stolen out of my suitcase.
Tip #4 lists: I make a list of what all we will need in our carry on bags (listed above) and our large suitcases. I do my packing based on the lists. I also make a list that I stick to the door of things I need to remember to grab last minute such as my phone charger that I always use the night before we are leaving. On that list, I also remind myself to turn off the air/heat, set the alarm, etc.
Tip #5 laundry: After I have my list ready and before I start putting things in bags. I try to make sure all of our laundry is done and put in its place. It just makes packing easier. I also have my house picked up before I pack just to feel more organized. And I love to come home from a trip to a clean house.
Tip #6 bathroom bag: I have a bathroom bag that I keep packed year round with "doubles" of all of my bathroom supplies. The only exception to this is my hair dryer and flat iron because that would be a little pricey to keep two just for travel purposes. I also don't have doubles of my make up, but I keep my make up in a travel bag in a drawer for organization purposes, so I just grab it and go! If you don't have to pack a bathroom bag each time it saves a lot of time and ensures you don't forget any supplies because they are ready to go!
Tip #7 weigh bags: Once I have everything in the bags from my list, I weigh each of them and make sure they are distributed properly. This saves a lot of time and money at the airport if they are all within weight.
Tip #8 return home: I try to be organized on the return trip home. I put all the dirty clothes in one suitcase, so when I walk in I can drop that bag in the laundry room and start a load immediately. I put bathroom bags and shoes in one bag, and fold and organize all of the clean clothes into our last bag. Unpacking is not fun, but this method makes it faster and easier.
Tip #9 snacks: If we are traveling by car, I always have a bag of drinks and snacks. That way we don't have to constantly stop for little things. And it prevents breakdowns in the car over thirst or hunger.
Tip #10 entertainment: I mentioned carrying and Ipad, magazines, and computer in our personal bags and I always have those for entertainment. If on an airplane, I don't hesitate to spend $3 to buy my kids a movie on the plane. In the car I take all of our DVDs and put them in a multi CD case and let them take turns picking a movie to watch. Busy and entertained kids make for a happy traveling experience.
And the biggest tip of all is for crying out loud while on any trip carry a fanny pack. Or a cross body bag. I carry a cross body bag to try to be a little trendy. It will keep your money, phone, and personal items safe and easy to access. I wore one all around Disneyland /LA (see in the picture) and it was wonderful. Any bigger items we needed we kept under the stroller. This has been a fanny pack mom public service announcement.
And my unpacking ends like this after a trip:
Just keeping it real.
Tip #1 rolling suitcases: Invest in some large suitcases that roll on 4 wheels. Two large and one medium is the perfect formula for our family of 4 people. The four wheels make them so easy to get thru an airport. Especially with us because we take a double stroller. Now airlines charge for carry on bags, so we prefer to check bags.
Tip #2 personal bags: On airplanes you do get a personal bag (backpack, purse, etc.) so Kyle carried a backpack, I carried a large purse that zips to ensure nothing fell out, and we carried one backback for the boys.
 |
| The boys "personal" bag |
Here is what we take in personal carry on bags:
-billfolds, money, IDs, tickets, any medications we would/could need throughout our trip, chapstick, phones, chargers, granola bars, a change of clothes for each person, laptop/ipad, magazines, gum and candy, Clorox wipes, hand wipes, a bottle of water I buy after security, and a jewelry case.
Tip #3 jewelry case: I carry a jewelry case because I think it is the safest way to go thru security with jewelry. Before I get out of the car, I put my jewelry up and then put it back on as soon as I am past security. It just makes me feel like I won't lose anything and am protecting my jewelry. I usually just take a few pieces that I wear the entire time so I don't have to risk anything being stolen out of my suitcase.
Tip #4 lists: I make a list of what all we will need in our carry on bags (listed above) and our large suitcases. I do my packing based on the lists. I also make a list that I stick to the door of things I need to remember to grab last minute such as my phone charger that I always use the night before we are leaving. On that list, I also remind myself to turn off the air/heat, set the alarm, etc.
Tip #5 laundry: After I have my list ready and before I start putting things in bags. I try to make sure all of our laundry is done and put in its place. It just makes packing easier. I also have my house picked up before I pack just to feel more organized. And I love to come home from a trip to a clean house.
Tip #6 bathroom bag: I have a bathroom bag that I keep packed year round with "doubles" of all of my bathroom supplies. The only exception to this is my hair dryer and flat iron because that would be a little pricey to keep two just for travel purposes. I also don't have doubles of my make up, but I keep my make up in a travel bag in a drawer for organization purposes, so I just grab it and go! If you don't have to pack a bathroom bag each time it saves a lot of time and ensures you don't forget any supplies because they are ready to go!
Tip #7 weigh bags: Once I have everything in the bags from my list, I weigh each of them and make sure they are distributed properly. This saves a lot of time and money at the airport if they are all within weight.
Tip #8 return home: I try to be organized on the return trip home. I put all the dirty clothes in one suitcase, so when I walk in I can drop that bag in the laundry room and start a load immediately. I put bathroom bags and shoes in one bag, and fold and organize all of the clean clothes into our last bag. Unpacking is not fun, but this method makes it faster and easier.
Tip #9 snacks: If we are traveling by car, I always have a bag of drinks and snacks. That way we don't have to constantly stop for little things. And it prevents breakdowns in the car over thirst or hunger.
Tip #10 entertainment: I mentioned carrying and Ipad, magazines, and computer in our personal bags and I always have those for entertainment. If on an airplane, I don't hesitate to spend $3 to buy my kids a movie on the plane. In the car I take all of our DVDs and put them in a multi CD case and let them take turns picking a movie to watch. Busy and entertained kids make for a happy traveling experience.
And the biggest tip of all is for crying out loud while on any trip carry a fanny pack. Or a cross body bag. I carry a cross body bag to try to be a little trendy. It will keep your money, phone, and personal items safe and easy to access. I wore one all around Disneyland /LA (see in the picture) and it was wonderful. Any bigger items we needed we kept under the stroller. This has been a fanny pack mom public service announcement.
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