2016--incoming.....

I typically start each year with a list of goals in mind.  I'm good at writing the goals.  I am terrible at actually achieving the goals.  I blame my mother.  She's a great project starter.  She's not a great finisher.  I'm working to teach my kids to start AND finish things.  I'm convinced it will take me until I DIE to do so... BUT I'm wildly determined to make that happen, so I am going to do it.

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.
   
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...
   
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.
   
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.
   
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.
   
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.
   
7. Complete a Bible reading plan.  I'm looking at a few, but I'm open to ideas and suggestions people!
   
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!
   
9. Plan and HOLD 5 Mary Kay Skincare and Glamour classes each month.  Who wants to come over and play makeup with me!?
   
10. Develop a family routine/plan and follow through with it.  Weekly plans in progress now...
    

My reason for goals, for my job, for my Mary Kay business, and for breathing.
I love those littles.

And my husband, but he's not pictured.

Big Kid

We were able to tour a local elementary school with Hayes and his Puppy friends this spring.  I was so thankful to be able to take part of the day off and spend some time with my big kid before summer gets too crazy.  He was SO excited to go on a field trip and see the 'BIG SCHOOL' in all it's glory...

We arrived and we were on time.  Write it down y'all.

We grabbed some pictures on the steps while we waited for the rest of the crew to arrive.  Chase and Hayes reallly love each other and I'm so thankful for that sweet boy's friendship.  Hayes is really going to miss him in the fall!  Hayes was most excited to sit in the media center and listen to the story.  He was thrilled to experience the gym and the chaos of P.E. as well.  They were playing some crazy game with the balls and the rolling carts.  Crab soccer maybe?  It looked like managed chaos and it was really loud.  I don't do loud...

We waited patiently to have lunch after our tour was complete.  Hayes' teachers informed me that if I didn't pack his lunch in the fall he was going to starve at school because he's so picky.  He freaked out because they put a cheese stick on his lunch tray and he didn't want it.  He also only wanted half of the banana.  They gave him the whole thing.  The nerve...  I am concerned about how his eating habits will change in the fall.  He typically eats a snack mid morning and mid afternoon.  I'm concerned that he will be starving by lunch time (which is really early in kindergarten) and then be starving again in the afternoon once he arrives at AHS.   

I am SO sad that this boy is almost finished with his journey at the ELC.  He's such a joy to parent and I have so enjoyed all the wisdom his teachers have poured into him while he's been there.  Thanks for being a part of the village that raises my baby boy!  

my best friends

Every now and then you find a friendship that lasts a lifetime.

These girls are some of my favorite people ever.  We have been friends as long as I can remember being a friend to a human being.  They are both younger than me and their parents are dear friends of my parents.  I'm sure that's how we became friends... by default because of our parents, but we are friends now by choice.  We are all grown up and living life together as parents of our own children.  Christy on the left, is a member of the Air Force and is currently living waaaaaaaaay far away from us!  Melissa on the right lives about 15 miles from us, but we don't see her terribly often either.  We are always busy!  Thankfully Christy and her crew came to visit this summer and I was able to squeeze in a swimming date while they were here.  I was so thankful to spend a day with these ladies, their children, and their husbands.  It is astounding how similar we are to our own parents and how much we are able to love each other's children.  Spending time with these women makes me feel a lot more normal about my own parenting experience and parenting skills.  I love having them around.  They were a fun crew in my childhood as well.  We spent many days playing in creeks, deer camps, campers, and peanut fields.  There are embarrassing pictures of us in swimming pools with bad haircuts and awful swim suits.  We survived childhood, middle school, graduation, babies, marriages, a divorce or two, and ultimately large families.  

These two are top tier friends y'all.  Top tier.  

She sees.

Sometimes you don't even have to tell them what to do.  

I thought I'd celebrate the week of breast feeding by showing you that my toddler learns about it first hand.  My preschooler sees and knows that this is how babies eat.  She makes me proud to nurse my baby and love that she wants to help!  :)  

Cochran's Dinner Theatre

The scene:  a weeknight at the Cochran's house.

Characters:  A Minnie Mouse and a Bumble Bee (who needs a new costume)

The action is too much for words, but just enough for laughs.

I'm so thankful my parents didn't have the internet for my obnoxious childhood moments.

Just a bunch of pictures in a book or an envelope....

Not that I print photos... so my kids are all stuck in the computer.

The bag of bricks... that finally hit me.

Forgive the rambles.

I'm 35 weeks pregnant today.  TODAY marks the 35th week I've been pregnant with this little creature called Spencer Brynne Cochran.  Just for the record, we are going to call her Spencer.  If you ask Elizabeth she says 'Benser', but that's another story.  Oh!  And as we were discussing Spencer today, Hayes asked if she was 'out yet'.  No bud, you'll know when she's out.  Trust me.  Yesterday marked the '5 weeks until she's evicted via c section if she doesn't come earlier' date.  And she could come earlier.  She could stay in there until the bitter end.  She is coming eventually.  She will come when she's done baking and God says its time.  Thankfully medicine allows me to HAVE a baby, otherwise I would have died in childbirth with #1.  Praise God for modern medicine and amazing doctors, nurses, midwives, and hospital staff.

I'm 35 weeks pregnant and the ton of bricks that fell in my lap Sunday at church was this, I'm terrified.

There.  I said it.

I'm terrified of having another little person.  What on EARTH was I thinking?  How do I know if I'm ready?  Will I ever be ready?  Is that possible?  Do I deserve this?  I can't give it back now.  I'm thinking of all the negative things, which is so unlike me as I'm usually the most annoying positive person.... but I'm terrified.  How will I get anything done?  Can we afford this?  Should I really have done this?  How will I get laundry done?  How will dinner get cooked?  My house will never be clean, ever.  I'll never ever be able to have alone time again.  Ever.  Again, remind me... WHAT WAS I THINKING?!

And then a wave of calm washed over me as the band continued to play...
I got this Carrie.  You don't have to worry.  I wouldn't have given you this child, or any of those children if I didn't think you were capable.  And you are more than capable.  As a matter of fact, I'm proud of you.  I will take care of this if you will just let me.  

I'm sorry, God.  Do you want me to stop worrying?  Do I even know how to do that?  Is that possible?  How do I even start?  I worry about everything.  Food, paying for childcare, money, clothing, laundry, how my body looks and feels, whether or not my kids are getting appropriate nutrition... you get it God?  I don't know how to not worry.

The song continues and I think backwards to my week and the email I shared with someone about being a mom.  I told her that she was doing a good job and I told her not to let Satan steal her joy.  Vomit.  Did I really share that with her less than 24 hours ago?  I did, indeed.  And here I am... letting Satan steal my joy.  It is my joy.

It is my joy to be pregnant and to be able to have another baby... when there are so many women who desperately want to be a mother.  They want to carry a baby, or two and be miserable.

It is my joy to be overwhelmed at the task of being a mom and the caretaker in my home... there are women who are missing their children because they are all grown up now.

It is my joy to remove stains from clothing, and sort loads of laundry, and fold the tiniest of underwear.... because some people don't have those things.

It is my joy to help to raise these little people and teach them about God and all His wonders.  Good or bad, his wonders are new each day.... and I get to share that through the eyes of my children.  His children.

Shame on me for letting Satan steal my joy.  I won't let him do that again.  I won't allow tears to fall unless I'm happy.  I won't allow myself to feel regret for this family I have.  I will not be afraid of the tasks that God has given me in this life.

I will be joyful in all circumstances, even if I am terrified.  I am a child of a God who's got this.  My worries aren't even worth a thought because of His promises and the joy He provides to me.

Cousin Playdate

Last week I got to play with my littles and Kendall.  She came to our house while her Daddy was coaching wrestling with our Daddy.  I go to experience the '3 baby' deal with her for a few hours.  She was the most well behaved of the 3 while they played together.  My two, on the other hand, were making me crazy.  I try to make sure that I spend time with them as soon as I get home, so they will be able to play independently without needing to crawl in my butt.

On this particular day I was NOT successful with the 'play independently part' of the plan.  They pretty much acted like they wanted to play in the middle of the kitchen floor while I tried to cook dinner.  Cooking dinner while trying to hurdle two preschoolers is like cleaning the house while they are playing.  Either way, we had  great visit with Kendall and everyone eventually ate dinner.  

The Princess & The Pirate

I had decided after the lake weekend that we would refer to this as the summer....

of The Princess and the Pirate.

Seriously, not two weeks later Disney Junior released their version of the same thing!

Jake and Princess Sophia.

If you don't know, don't worry about it.

If you do, then you feel my pain and will likely be humming those songs for the rest of the day.

But here they are...

My princess and my pirate.

Seriously?

What IS that face?

Sometimes I think it looks a bit like that guy from The Goonies?

Anyone?

Sunday Funday

Daryk and I volunteer to serve at church every other Sunday. 

A lot of people think we are crazy because we have two small kids and serve in the nursery....

I personally find it to be very entertaining!

A bunch of 1-2 year olds running around like crazy for an hour brings a lot of laughter!

Of course, we get to hang with this crazy girl the whole time.

She loves to play with her friends and her favorite thing is snack time.

Typical.

She also loves this little toy with her BFF Elmo!

And she's getting better about sharing her Daddy, but she still likes to climb in his lap and read.

She grabs a book, runs to you, and says, "Read it!"

So thankful she likes to read... even if it does only last about 30 seconds per book!

Oh... the slide.

She's so strong and stubborn that she pushes the thing around the room until she decides to climb up....

and then slide down. 

I love her sprout.

Wish I could get away with that...

Swear, they're not nekkid

Elizabeth thinks that the recliner is her personal jungle gym.
Hayes uses it as his television viewing seat.
Clearly, together they use it as a mosh pit.
So kind of Hayes to share, not that he had a choice!