It's my birthday. And I swear I'm only 31.

My husband loves me. 

He is so sweet and surprises me this morning with THIS!

Make a wish charm for the almost fulllll pandora bracelet.

And these.

I love Disney movies with some weird level of obession.

I made a list of the ones that I didn't already have and he got me two that I was missing from my collection.

I'd like to pretend they are for Hayes and Elizabeth, but they are for me.

I have a whole drawer full of them at home and I just let the kids watch them.

If you're reading and you want to buy me Lilo and Stitch, that's on the top of my list!

 

And my sister in law got me this.

My brother in law tried to pretend he helped pick it out, but I know better.

I love it! 

You can go get your own from this etsy shop.

I'm so pumped for my gifts and another year on this amazing planet.

My last 31 years have brought such great things and I am thrilled to see what the next year holds!

The last two gifts of the day. Mickey phone case for myself, from.... Myself.
And THE Magic Bullet from my brown child Don! Yay for smoothies and such.

Dance Party

Yesterday my sister brought Buddy over for dinner.

He is our favorite Marine.

We are so proud of him.

We had tacos for dinner.

Well, the kids had nutella sandwiches and chips.

Shock.

After dinner we, well, THEY had a dance party in the living room.

Elizabeth figured out how to play music on Buddy's phone, so we had a spontaneous dance party.

I'm pretty sure that's the only reason Hayes and Libby slept through the night!

Yay for dance parties.

I think we shall have one every night after dinner.  

Yes Elizabeth is without her clothes.

And her socks don't match.

Judge me. 

Disney Updates

I cannot wait to share the loot with y'all when I get back.

We have had so much fun down here.

Full days playing in the parks and taking naps!

We are all sleeping well and having so much fun!

I'm already trying to plan my next trip...

ALX Wrestling

The Friday before we left for Disney was a crazy day! 

We always have wrestling state finals the week before we have that break in February.

I hate it.

It is the most stressful time in the coaching season and it kills my husband.

After it is over he is so tired he sleeps for about 10 days. 

Not really, but something like that.

He and his brother, Sean, work so hard for 4 months and then they crash, hard.

Watching the rounds on Friday.

They watch with such anticipation and excitement.

I can't imagine what their blood pressure is.

I know mine is through the roof while watching and I'm not the coach.

And among the disappointment, you have moments like this one.

Deandre won a state title.

Finally.

This kid.

Ummmmm, you know those kids you see that have an amazing story that is heartbreaking and sad?

He's that kid.

And instead of being that kid who falls between the cracks or uses that as a disadvantage

he uses that and motivates himself to do better.

He worked SO hard for this title and I couldn't be more proud of him!

Such joy in that moment!

He's our little machine that never stops working.

And he won.

Well deserved.

Three state champs this year!

Not too shabby ALX!

ALX Seniors. 

So proud of those boys!

And that sweet little baby is Kendall, my niece.

You can read allllll about her and her mommy here at New Beginnings.

She is clearly amazed by her feet, I mean, the champs.

Kitty's Birthday

This is my sister Kathryn.

Her birthday was February 12th, and I was entirely too busy to post about her that day!

So, I shall back date my post and pretend it happened then.

Because I love her SO much!

She was born in 1985 (you do the math) and according to my parents it was a blizzard outside.

I remember none of that.

I was 3 when she was born and really remember nothing about her being born.

I do love to hear stories about it though.

Apparently I didn't want to keep her because she didn't have a bow in her hair at the hospital.

Oops.

I'm so loving.

I also love to see pictures from right after her birth with us together at home.

I get the biggest kick out of seeing how big my sister grin was when she was placed in my arms.

I know I was proud to finally get her.

I am still so proud to HAVE her!

She's getting married in May and I'm so proud of her for that.

I am also thrilled for her.

I didn't think it was possible for me to love her anymore....

but after watching her love my babies I realized that was possible.

Something about how she loves and the way she loves my kids makes me love her more.

She is the best Kitty they could every have and the best middle Sissy I've got.

Love her to the moon!

Leftover Weekend Love

This is totally appropriate?

What, no?

He wasn't a fan of the cake pop.

He did, however eat an entire cupcake.

Yes, I am insane.

I did indeed order 12 boxes of Girl Scout cookies.

I freeze them and make them last allllllllll year.

I have a hard time saying no to those sweet little girls and the dang cookies!

Started this Thursday night.

Finished by Sunday night.

I speed read.

It could be my super power.

On a side note, I hate books that have the movie covers.

I never buy them (I borrowed this one) because I feel like I'm cheating on the author.

But I am SUPER pumped to see this movie in theatres!

Yes, this is my child.

Yes she is related to her BeBe and has crazy bed head.

Be very jealous.

This is the 'I can't believe y'all told them it was my birthday' face.

He was SO excited about the birthday hat until he realized that they were planning to sing to him.

Mortified.

It was pretty awesome.

Also, Morgan stole my phone and I got this lovely photo.

Hayes got to go to a birthday party Saturday afternoon!

We got to play with Hank and Walker at the gym.

He lovvvvvvvvvvvves his friends from school!

And these lovely things took over my life Friday.

I facilitate a fundraiser for a club at school every year.

This is the money maker.

We sold 900 boxes this year!

I usually have a few leftover.... and I took some home.

Monday morning and I finally trashed the last one because I couldn't stop eating them.

They are little torture devices equipped with too many calories to even mention.

Heaven in doughnut format.

Baby Names & stuff

I have two little people.

I had about 500 names picked out before they were born.

I had about 200 left after I got married and realized I would have to share naming duties.

Ehhh, compromise.

Our rule was that we both got to pick one of the names for the kids.

The other had to give a final thumbs up, but we each picked ONE name.

We are both teachers.

We get 900 crazy names a year.

Seriously, we compete to see who has the craziest new names each year.

I swore I would not name my kid anything too crazy.

I prefer traditional names that people can look at, pronounce easily, and spell without question.

I also swore I would not use their middle names as their name they 'go by'...

Eating. those. words. 



Thomas Hayes came first.

We wanted to call him Hayes, but Hayes Thomas just didn't work as well.

We gave it the 'yell off the backporch' test to see how it flowed.

And it didn't.

Thus, Thomas Hayes it is.

And he's Hayes.

He's named after lots of important people on my husband's side of the family.

His grandfather, George Thomas and his uncle, Tommy.

He got Hayes from my grandfather, who had awful first and middle names.

We were going to keep his name a secret,

but gave that up when my grandfather was diagnosed with cancer

about halfway through our pregnancy with Hayes.

I was horrified that something would happen before Hayes was born and Papaw would never know his namesake. 

We let the secret out of the bag and I think everyone was pretty pumped.

I get a lot of random questions about why his name is Hayes and Haze.

Well, we're not stoners.

Never were, so Hayes is a family name... not a leftover stoner name.

Elizabeth James is such a regal sounding name.

She's a stinker of a girl though.

Quite prissy and a very sassy girl.

It suits her.

Elizabeth is my favorite name ever.

It is my middle name and my momma's middle name.

And I'm quite certain it is the best name ever.

James came from Daryk's grandmother.

She was James Helen and he loved her the best.

He talks about her like she is an angel.

He loved that woman so much that I wish I could have met her.

Actually, everyone talks about her like that.

And I'm pretty sure that our Elizabeth James is going to be just like her.

Sweet and sassy.

A little bit of fire and a little bit of grace.

So there you have our names.

Well, their names.

I'm hoping to add another one to my list next spring!

I have a running list in my phone just in case I need it.



My Fitness Pal

Wooohoooo! 

I get my own little party and such for logging in for 25 days.

I used to skip the weekends, but I've learned that helps me stay focused.

25 whole days.

I can't do anything else for 25 whole days.

I've been logging all food and exercise for 25 entire days.

I've been pretty honest about it too.

There are some reallllllllllllly ugly days in there.

Yesterday was one of them.

O'Charleys and the rolls...

Red Lobster and the rolls/biscuits/yummy goodness...

But, this--well this is dessert.

I love dessert.

Minimal chocolate and lots of fruit for dessert.

I'd like to reverse the quantities and just shovel chocolate in my mouth.

Or possibly just squirt the chocolate syrup straight into my mouth....

I refrain from both.

Instead, just eating the mostly fruit and sorta chocolate dessert.

Annnnnnddddddddd I just love it.

What's your favorite healthy dessert recipe? 

I mean, is that even possible?

24 hours a day isn't enough....

Isn't that how every mom feels?

24 hours just aren't enough.

You make time to bathe, yourself of course.

The kid(s) too, I hope.

You cook, clean up, fold the laundry, wipe noses, tie shoes, and wipe that gunk off the floor....

Oh, and work.

Don't forget work.

And make sure you count the drive time.

Between all of that, or before it, or after it we are supposed to have time to make ourselves

 look like amazing women, who just happen to be able to multitask everything.

Yeah, right.

Lemme know if you have the secret to squeezing it all in.

I'd love to know.

Here lately I've been going to the gym before daylight.

Before the cries of my little people wake anyone else up...

Before the rooster crows and long before most people make coffee.

I like the gym at that time of morning.

It is reserved for those people who are serious.

About fitness, losing weight, lifting weight, or those just plain crazy.

I think I'll be plain crazy.

I mean, who wants to get up at 4:50 when their phone plays 'Fat Bottomed Girls?'

Thank you Freddie Mercury.

If I opt out of the early gym alarm I get the Glee version of 'Slave for You' later.

Thank you Britney S. Pierce.

Either way, my alarms make me laugh.

I'm still working on the stamina to get up at least 3-4 days a week to go to the gym before daylight.

I'm hoping that by next week I'll have it down to an art and I will not have to hear the latter of the songs...

I love reading other blogs about how people manage time.

I've been looking into how people seem to accomplish so much in so little time.

I've also been trying to realign my time and schedule so I'm doing what I deem important.

Spending time with my kids.

Doing the dang laundry.

Getting our home decorated.

Taking care of myself.

Cooking for my family.

This mom, she's got it.

Much easier for me to make it happen first thing.

That automatically makes it a priority.

I'm not doing the fitness/healthy thing because I wanna be a supermodel.

I want to be a mom that my kids admire.

I want to be a fun mom who can have fun with them.

No guilt for me there.

I know that my kids are okay.

My husband is okay without me.

And quite frankly, who's to say that God would gift me tomorrow?

I know they are going to be okay without me.

I have to tell hubs I'm planning to go.

He gently nudges me to get moving in the event that he has to hear Freddie sing two verses...

It is that nudge that helps me realize that he too, wants me to reach my goals!

Well, that and he doesn't want to hear Freddier sing another verse at 4:50 a.m.

Listen to my body.

It says MUCH nicer things when I exercise than when I don't.

The end.

So, my gym time is important for me.

And my kids.

And the husband as well.

I'll be making time for it.

Update Checklist 2013

I set myself some goals this year.

Not a 'new years resolution', but an actual SET of goals.  

My original post is here.

And here's my update for now... 

1.  Run one race a month.  Half marathon, 5k, 10k, something.  Every month.

I'm going to need a small loan to finance all those races.

I didn't run a race in January.

Between being super poor and living on teacher welfare, I chose to avoid that expense.

I did however log almost 50 miles in January.

I'll just have to run an extra this summer to compensate for it.

2.  Pay off all the medical bills.

Between the summer of ear infections and Daryk's gall bladder... we have a handful.

Thankfully, we also have jobs to pay for them.

And auto pay through our bank which is all set up and should be done paying in August.

In progress.

Almost done paying for Elizabeth's birth.

Good thing they don't repo your kids for slow payment....

3.  Pay off Daryk's truck.... and buy a minivan.

There, I said it.

We're buying a minivan.

Daniel says I should make Daryk drive it.

I think he would do it with pride.

And he would rock it.

Debating this purchase in August-ish.

Closer to the end of the year for sure.

Hoping to bank some money for a down payment before we splurge on the amazing minivan!

4.  Learn to focus on the task at hand.

Stop spending time trying to accomplish 14 things at once, do one thing.

Finish that task and move to the next one.

This will be the biggest struggle for me.

I'm working on this one!

I have been doing much better with this at work.

Just have to wrangle my home tasks to this goal....

I have a REALLY hard time staying focused on ONE thing until I complete a task.

Hence, this is my GOAL for this year.

5.  Grow a summer garden consisting of tomatoes and herbs.

I love tomatoes in the summer.

And I'd LOVE to be able to cook with fresh herbs all summer.

I'll let you know how this goes when the weather stops being bipolar.

Also, when spring hits I can plant flowers and such.

For now, we're all freezing, literally.

6.  Create or craft something new every month.

Doesn't have to be a HUGE craft or creation, but something,  nonetheless.

Turned an old diaper wipes box into a hat box for the garage for the kids!

Used scrap fabric and covered it, then stuck it out in the garage for hats!

So proud!

7.  Play soccer with grown ups.

And have fun.

This should start around spring-ish.

COUNTING DOWN THE DAYS.

8.  Read one book every month for fun.

Grand total of 12 books.

If I read MORE than that, I'll make myself cupcakes.

Just got a new book from my favorite author of all time....

Jill Conner Browne.

Fat is the new 30.

Go buy all her books NOW.  

RIGHT NOW.

9.  Use my food dehydrator for fruit and such.

New adventures for healthy snacks for me and the kiddos.

Working on this soon.

I should probably get the dehydrator out of the box first...

Hmmmm....

10.  Blog at least four times a week.

Ehhhh, 15 blogs in January.

Clearly, I need to work on this one a little bit.  

But that's an average of 3 per week... so I'm not too far off!

11.  Print pictures of my kids every month to give or mail to my family.

Complete failure this month.

I'll get on that stat.

12.  Paint and decorate.  this.  house.  

Starting with the kitchen.  

Like, yesterday.

Ughhhhhhhhhh, waiting on my beloved tax return.

You know that money I earned that someone else took....

When I get that back, I'll be browsing paint colors at Lowe's.

Y'all are coming over to help, right?

13.  Organize the bleeping garage.

Will be the death of me and a never ending task, but alas, it must be done.

I cleaned off one shelf.

Bad news, we have about 20 shelves.

Looks like this one will keep me busy ALL year long.

They are too big.

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Piggies

We went to visit my Grandma Ouida this week.

Hayes and Elizabeth had a blast playing.

Elizabeth also had awesome hair.

She's searching for the Dum Dum pops here.

Sneaky kid...