Not A Morning Person...

So apparently there's a limit to most things.

That includes Little Miss Thing's joyful, upbeat, happy personality.

From the hours of asleep to not fully awake there seems to be a window when frumpy and moody reign.

Somebody's apparently not a morning person.

P.S.  All of these pictures were taken in between her telling me to get off her bed so she could go back to sleep.  Whoa girl.  Keep it together.

Even cranky and bent out of shape she's so cute.  If she doesn't want me hovering over her trying to take her picture, bright and early, while she's still trying to sleep, then she needs to reign in the cute- Seriously kid...Sheesh.

Don't worry, within minutes of these pictures she was wide awake, in the kitchen, climbing on the counters, helping herself to the bananas, back to her usual happy self.  All was right with the world.

Blessings,

Summer Dayz...

In an attempt to get outdoors this summer despite the south's heat and humidity I talked the hubster into getting a pool membership.

It's been totally worth it.

The kids are getting some exercise, playing with other kids, getting some vitamin D, and becoming better swimmers.  We've met new people, had some great conversations, and enjoyed each other as a family.

And I've totally mastered packing a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.  So there's that.

This girl is so funny.  She has met more people at the pool than the rest of the family combined.  She just walks right up in the middle of groups, introduces herself, and makes life long friends.  She's the best.  I've said it before and I'll say it again-  I hope she stays this personable and friendly forever.  She challenges me to be a kinder, friendlier, more joyful person without even knowing she is.  Love. Her.

Dives are being mastered...

Boys...are weird, but I just love him so much in spite of all the weirdness.

Did I mention that half the time we're the only ones there?  So it's like having our own personal pool that I never have to clean or manage... It's the only way to go.

Never leave your camera lying around...

He'll regret this picture when I show it at his wedding someday.  #paybackbymom

Other than swimming not much has been going on.  The kids have been reading and playing piano.  Kane's become a master lawn mower- Yay for that.

Our sweet neighbor surprised Ruthie with a Fairy House hidden in our yard the other day- so fun!

We've been taking care of babies- our own and fostered- diaper changes, bottle feedings, and nursing, baths, and cuddles...it's very glamorous.

Our sweet little, foster baby is beautiful and sweet.  Please continue to pray for her and her family.  We've been so blessed by the outpouring of love that's been shown to our family since bringing her home- meals, gifts, friends coming over to hold and cuddle babies and the big kids while I shower and get some things done.  We even had a group of ladies we did not know bring us a weeks worth of meals and buy us some groceries.  It's been challenging to say the least, but already the blessings have outweighed the struggles. God is beyond good!

Happy Summer and Blessings,

Year In Review...

Our 2014...A recap.

Where to start?

A lot happened in 2014 I feel like.

Early 2014 my hubby started to feel the call into ministry after being a high school teacher/coach for the last 8 years.  We visited three different seminaries pretty sure that God was calling him to school first in preparation for full-time ministry.  Even though we were fairly certain that seminary was God's will Nolan still seemed to have a nagging feeling that maybe we were wrong (when you have a wife and three kiddos to think about, quitting your job, becoming a full-time student, and hoping you find a part time job that pays you enough for you and your family to survive on can be a little scary).  However, after visiting Southern Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky we felt certain that is where God was calling us...

We were wrong...

The day after we arrived home from Louisville sure that we were headed there a friend of ours who is a pastor at a church in Alabama called us and told us his church had an opening for an Associate Pastor/Youth Ministers position and he felt like God had laid my husband on his heart.

God is so funny sometimes isn't he?!.

So once again we started praying for direction, for peace, and for His good and perfect will to be accomplished through us.

Would we ever make a decision?  I was starting to wonder.

In the end we truly felt God calling us to Alabama.  The hubby felt at peace knowing that he would be providing for his family while getting experience serving and working in a church all while doing his seminary work online.  It really was amazing how God worked out all the little details and showed us (me mostly) that sometimes we must earnestly seek and pray for His guidance and will to be revealed, and He doesn't always make it easy or quick.  We must learn to be patient as we learn to listen and understand what He's saying to us.  While the uneasiness of being in limbo and just not knowing what we were doing and where we were going was enough to make me completely frazzled at times I wouldn't change that time in our journey for anything. Learning to earnestly pray and seek God during that time grew my faith in ways I didn't even realize possible. We learned to trust God's provision and to know that He would make his plan clear to us in His time.  I learned to trust my husband as he lead our family.  It was such a blessing to experience His hand at work in our lives and has become such a huge part of our story- how God has truly shown himself good and faithful to us.

So in 2014 Nolan changed professions and we moved to Alabama!  Pretty Huge Right?!!

We bought a house that was built in 1912.

In the short amount of time we've been here we've made some amazing friends.

We love our church, and immediately felt right at home.  We work with the youth at our church.  We have them over often.  The highlight was our tacky Christmas sweater party.  I wore a Christmas jumper with matching turtle-neck.  It was pretty legendary I'm not going to lie.

In November we took the students out door to door to pray for those in our community and to offer meals to those in need for Thanksgiving.  It was eye opening to see the huge need in our own community, and a blessing to take our students into the community to serve.  We delivered around 40 meals to those in need on Thanksgiving.  It was awesome to be a part of!  Since we didn't go home for Thanksgiving we had our own Thanksgiving here in Alabama and invited a few friends over to celebrate with us.  I cooked my own Turkey!  It was so scary and gross- I totally didn't pull out the bag that was inside it...oops.

The kids and I volunteer once a week at a local thrift store that raises money to buy food for the needy.  It's pretty awesome to serve right along side my kiddos, and to see them learning to love and serve those in need.

Little man played football for the first time ever, and started piano lessons.  He rocked Jingle Bells out like an All-Star pro at his Christmas Recital.  He's now in basketball season, and he's getting better and better. He continues to be an amazing reader, but his most exciting news of all is that he excepted Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Savior in January of 2014!

Ruthie continues to be sassy, but at the same time sweet and loving.  She loves her big brother and and thinks he hung the moon.  We are hoping she might play soccer in the spring but in all reality she just wants to dance, twirl, dress-up, and use her imagination to take her to places that I'm sure are full of unicorns and colorful dresses and high-heels.

Baby girl is a mess!  She is by far the friendliest child we've had.  She waves at and tells everyone she sees "Hi!".  She's a climber, but by far the craziest thing she does is take her diaper off every chance she gets!  I seriously can't hardly keep the thing on her- and it's all fun and games until she's poopy!  I'm sensing potty-training in her near future- Ugh!

Nolan is doing awesome and I love him more and more each day.  He's serving in our church.  Working on his Masters degree through New Orleans Theological Seminary.  Playing basketball when he can, and starting Monday I'm making him do a 10-Day Detox with me...He's very excited about it.  I feel so blessed to share this journey with him by my side!

There you have it...2014.

It was pretty great!

And crazy...

And Silly...

And Wild...

And sweet...

And I loved every bit of it...

I hope your 2015 is Amazing!  Happy New Year!

Rock Star Soccer Player...

Little Man has really turned into a rock star of a soccer player.

He's a scoring machine!  But most importantly- He works really Hard!

He makes his mama proud!

 

I know I'm partial (and maybe it's wishful thinking)- but doesn't he just look athletic?...I'll answer for you:

Yes.  Yes he does.

What else have we been up to?...

Ahhh yes.

One night I got bored so I dyed both of my older children's hair. 

I might have done the baby's too but she was asleep.

(Before you pick up the phone and call me in- I'm just kidding about the baby.  Blue isn't her color anyway.)

First there was bleaching involved.

I can almost hear you gasping in shock.

But look how cute she was during the whole thing...

Now it's ready for some awesome blue color.

Did you think I was kidding about the blue color?

I. Was. Not. Kidding.

Little Man only got to wear his to school one day and then the next night he got it all buzzed done to the hair without blue on it.

Did I mention that their daddy wasn't home when this took place?

Well, he wasn't, and while he did handle the shock fairly well- I'm pretty sure we won't be doing blue on Little Man's hair again any time soon.  He wasn't quite as shocked by Little Miss'.

TA-DA...

I forgot to take an after picture of Little Man's.

Isn't it so fun!

Maybe we'll do pink next time.

Just kidding Honey and Grandparents...you don't have to call me right after you read this.

I would never do pink anyway- she would look way better in PURPLE.

Prom- Who's A Wonderful Aunt? Me!!!

So it's prom season and yours truly has been super busy Promming it up doing hair and makeup for my nieces.

 

I don't know if you're aware of this or not, but I have my cosmetology licence.

 

I try not to advertise this info too much.

 

So- shhhhh!!!  Don't tell anyone.

 

I love prom. 

 

I'd like to go again actually- To my own.

 

As a matter of fact- a few years ago- I put together an Adult Prom.

 

DJ

Rented out space

Cheesy Photo Backdrop

Streamers

Fancy Dresses

There were even a couple of corsages present

 

I mean- getting dressed up, having fancy hair and makeup- what's not to like!

 

As I write I'm already thinking it might have to be done again- only this time I'm thinking-

80's Prom!!!

 

My husband will be so excited (she said thick with sarcasm)!

 

Anyhoo- My niece looked lovely- I'm an awesome aunt- I'm just sayin'.

 

 

Hair bow made out of her hair...

Her and her Mimi (my lovely mama)...

 

Her, her sweet little sister, and her amazing mother w/my newest niece nice and snug in her tummy (my sister-in-law - my brother out did himself when he married her- just sayin')...

 

She said Prom was a Smashing Success-

With fabulous hair and makeup to help her dance her night away!!!

Easter

I told you about -

Ohhhhh-

I don't know.

Forever ago-

That I'd post some pictures from our Easter.

However- I'm just now getting around to it.

SOrry.

Anyhoo- Better late than never- (the motto I live by).

Little Miss had a big Easter Egg hunt at school.  She was very excited about the goodies in her eggs.  I'm not going to lie- there was chocolate- so I was pretty stoked too.

 

 

 

Because I looooovvvveee her soooooo much- I decided to take her a fun treat.  The smile she gave me was so worth it!

 

 

On the Saturday before Easter we headed to great grandma's and grandpa's for egg decorating, an egg hunt, and some other fun family stuff.

 

Aunt Lai and Little Miss...

 

 

Egg decorating...

 

 

 

 

Everyone joined in...

 

 

Egg hunt...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



After the egg hunt we had our First Annual Family Egg Throwing Contest. 

 

The Hubsters throw...

 



 

 

My throw...

 

 

I totally won the girls competition!  Oh Yeah!!!  Look at that form!

 

I won a gift card for McDonalds. 

 

Little Man won the gift card for the kiddos.

 

We totally represented! 

 

The hubster did not win.

 

However- there was a college baseball player there so I'll cut him some slack.

 

The Family...

 



 

Easter morning goodies... When I went back to look at my pictures of the morning I realized Little Man was in his undies- so none of him- Bummer.

 

 

The Fam...

 

 

 My littles...

 

 

My reality...

 

 

 Ahhhh...

Little Miss Cutie Pie and The VERY handsome hubbinator...

 

 

The hubs with his brother and sister...

 

 

 

We clean up pretty good right?!.

 

It was a Fabulous Easter.

 

The BEST part?...

 

 

Have a great day!