Turkey Break

There were a couple of things worth celebrating over this break and a couple of things that were equally heartbreaking.  

This is my brilliant cousin Caleb and my gorgeous sister Kitty! We were celebrating Brandie's wedding to Devin.  It was a quaint wedding with a special set of guests.  I count it the highest honor that I get invited to weddings of my family and friends.  I LOVE weddings and I know that so many people have such a hard time deciding who to invite.  I know that people lose sleep and worry about hurt feelings and agonize over their guests.  I adore being among the chosen and actually getting those invitations!  I will do anything I can to attend them all!

And then there is this kid who apparently doesn't know that you can sleep in on breaks.  

Suns up so I'm up MOM!

Wretch.

I got to spend a few evenings sitting in the woods with my daddy.  Yes, I hunt deer.  Yes I wear makeup while doing so.  And of course I had in my pearl earrings.  What if I killed something?  I would need to look cute for pictures.  I am so grateful my daddy took time out of this week, which was possibly the worst of 2015 for him, to spend some time with me.  We didn't see the first deer to shoot, but it was good quality time together.

Goal Updates: March 2016--more like April.

1. Grow produce this summer.  Start a plan in March and proceed forward with tomatoes and peppers for the summer.  I think I can handle two things.
   
   I should start that now, right?
2. Clean out and organize one room each month.  It will break my little hoarder/sentimental heart to trash some of the things, but it needs to happen.  Starting in the girls' room tomorrow morning.  Closet and drawers need attention.  Hayes' room is in February.  Bathrooms upstairs in March... that's my first quarter done...
   
   I am making major progress with this goal!  Playroom done.  Kids clothes done.  My closet done.  Working on the rest of the house a little at a time.  We got a MAJOR upheaval in April since my sis and bro in law are going to be sharing our space for a bit... So we had FORCED cleaning out of some space.  It was MUCH needed.
3. Paint the rooms... living room, office, dining room... and patch the ceiling kitchen.  While you're at it, let's just go ahead and fix the wires in the living room too., okay?  And purchase new furniture for the living room.  I decided all house updates had to go in the same goal, so I'll have to also repair the master bath wall/ceiling as well.
   
   Living room done.  Dining room next.  Ceiling patching and repair and repaint in June.  New furniture was gifted to us in April!
4. Exercise for 30 minutes at least 3 times a week.  Dance parties in the living room count as cardio.  Running counts.  Weighted toddler carry time does not count.
   
   Yeah, no.
5. Become a Mary Kay sales director.  I desperately want to work a job with some flexibility for my family.  I also really like Mary Kay and the company.  Products are good, company philosophy is good, and the atmosphere is positive.
   
   Still a legitimate goal.  Still working towards it.
6. Plan a trip to Disney for 2016.  Purchase a $100 Disney gift card each month to start piling money away for it.  Kroger fuel points AND a Disney trip.  Two birds;  one stone.
   
   Nope.  Not yet.  I'm only 4 months in, so I can start now... right?
7. Complete a Bible reading plan.  I'm looking at a few, but I'm open to ideas and suggestions people!
   
   I'm a spotty reader at best.  I still love Jesus Calling and I read it sporadically... at best.
8. Schedule a fun date with Daryk each month.  I'd really like to call it my Groupon event... I would love to buy a Groupon/Living Social/Scout Mob date and go do something different each month!  January and February are so difficult because of wrestling, but we can figure something out!
   
   We do this by default, but not as organized as I would like for it to be!
9. Plan and HOLD 5 Mary Kay Skincare and Glamour classes each month.  Who wants to come over and play makeup with me!?
   
   Still working towards this as well.  I need to up my MK game.
10. Develop a family routine/plan and follow through with it.  Weekly plans in progress now...
    
    This seems impossible, but I will keep working towards this goal and complete it eventually.

My new mom BFF

When I realized Hayes was starting kindergarten (much to my personal mom dismay) I began to pray for his peers.  I began to pray for their parents and asked God to bless me with a friend to share worry and joy with.  I began to ask God to send Hayes good friends with good homes and good parents.  I could not have ASKED God for a better set of FRIENDS for Hayes.  I could not have asked God for a better friend for myself either!  Hayes was blessed with two wonderful besties in kindergarten;  Lexi and Rex.  Their families are fantastic and the social life the three of them have at school is equally awesome!

I have enjoyed everything about getting to know Rex's mom and I really enjoyed spending time with her!  We have spent a few nights, days, weekends chatting and letting our boys play!  The connection with another mom has been great.  To share worry and doubt and success with each day and week has been wonderful!  I am SO grateful for the time we have had together and I have begun praying that Hayes will be able to share the next few years of school with the same wonderful peers!

Dentist

Its cool.

We rock the dentist chair and the shades.

So proud!

No major issues and no cavities!

This one.

She's a diva.

I can't even deal with how big her personality is.

Thanksgiving

The baby boy started kindergarten this year.  His handwriting wasn't awesome and he didn't know near as many words as he was supposed to, but off he went.  He did a fantastic job and I'm so grateful for his teachers.  They spend hours with him and all his friends daily and they are precious to us.  These ladies are amazing and I so enjoy them!  Mrs. Watkins is a buffalo hunter and they live near her house!  Can y'all believe that!?

Sweet 'Indian' babies

My Hayesface

So proud of his brown bag turkey!

Halloween 2015

A couple of my favorite people in their favorite costumes.

Spiderman.

A fairy....

and Tinkerbelle.

No teeth... all CHEEEEEEEEEESE!

Future Golf Pro would make Papa so  PROUD!

Or maybe this kid will be the golf pro...

Halloween this year was awesome.  We attended the festival at Ephesus Baptist Church down the road and then spent the early evening of Halloween at our house with some cousins and our family friends.  It was an awesome evening and we had a BLAST!