Oops!

And just like that....I forgot to blog for 2 weeks! Or maybe more? Actually I didn't forget; I've thought about it every single day but never got around to it. Wah-wah. And I was doing so well!

I'm back!

I have so many things backlogged in my mind and I'm afraid I'm not going to remember half of it now that I've sat down on here to write this thing.

Where did I leave off?

I believe Judy was here the last time I blogged and I promised a picture, so here I am fulfilling my promise. ;) We went to Parker's school one morning for lunch (yes because they have lunch at 10:30 in the morning....) and I snapped this of Grammy and Parker. Parker was so excited and talkative and proud to have us at lunch with him. It was fun!

When we were leaving, Judy noticed the veteran bulletin board that I had sent in photos for a few months ago. Look at all those brave veterans!

And here's our two! Pop and Grandaddy.

On Judy's last night, I made my friend Brenna's famous skillet apple pie and dumped a whole lot of cinnamon on it, but I thought it was still pretty delicious!

We were sad to see Grammy leave (sooo sad) but we managed to cope by finishing off all the donuts she bought for the kids during her stay.

Honestly one reason I haven't blogged is because there hasn't been a ton of really interesting things going on! Hayes has made about 36 pillow forts in the living room (with every dang pillow in the house) and it's beginning to drive me a little more crazy than usual.

I caught just a millisecond of Parker wearing a HAT. I pulled up in the pickup line last week and he was just standing there totally chill wearing a GIANT "I'm 100 Days Smarter" hat that he made for his 100th day of school and I just died laughing. He never EVER wants to wear hats or ears or anything they make at school for their heads. Of course he would just randomly decide to wear the biggest thing he has ever made. I saved it for a week just because I thought it was so funny.

I saw the cutest idea to post love notes on each kids door every day in February (I got the idea from a very cute mom blogger who goes to the same church as my parents in CO), so I started to do it, too....and then I stopped. Haha. On day three I realized the kids weren't that into it (mostly because they can't read/don't want to read). Maybe next year! ;)

Here is my first night attempt:

Parker's school did a Random Acts of Kindness Fundraiser and Parker's most anticipated AOC by FAR was getting to make breakfast in bed for Bryan. He woke up early and made him a card while I made breakfast.

He requested the tray. It was so cute.

"Dear Dad, I know you like blue and you like your job and you like me. I love you, Parker"

I can't!

Me and the little kids double dipped at Chick-fil-a last week....

This meme made me laugh.

I got the kids Valentines printed and LOVED how they turned out! I'll try and take some photos of the finished products. ALSO, my valentine cards sold so well this year and I am so happy! 

The little kids had their Valentines Parties at school yesterday and were so cute and happy. Lily took apple sauce pouches for her friends and Hayes took bubbles. 

Parker's V-day party isn't until tomorrow which I think is super strange since today is Valentine's Day (Happy Valentine's Day, by the way!), but it is what it is. He'll be taking crayons.

--------

Photo below is from Lily and I's second trip to Chick-fil-a. Lily likes to straight-up lick the CFA sauce from the cup and I never catch her in time. 

Bryan had taken the boys to see the new Lego movie which they loved (all three--I'm pretty sure Bryan has a boy crush on Chris Pratt.)

I did Lily's hair in pigtail braids for the first time ever! She wore her new 'do to church on Sunday and to school on Monday. Bryan doesn't think her hair is long enough yet because by the end of both days it looked like she had two "rat tails" (his words). Haha! I don't care. I cannot believe how long her hair is! 

She was a very unwilling model both days. 

This morning I sat out the kids Valentine's on the fireplace hearth (and TOTALLY forgot to take a photo), and the boys were SO sweet when they woke up to open everything. Judy left some Valentine goodies and GG had sent them all cards, so I put those out along with our traditional cheap-o chocolate roses and some Valentine's banners. 

Look at these cuties!

They are thankful for their treats Grammy and GG!

(Also: Parker's watch. I'm not sure why but I think it is utterly adorable.)

Other things worth mentioning but missing a photo:

1. Parker lost another stinking tooth!! I'm not sure what its official name would be, but it's on the top to the left side of his center teeth. The tooth fairy came by literally seconds (I'm not kidding) before he woke up and walked out of his room. Whew! We have a horrible tooth fairy.

2. My friend Aubrey and I are going to the RISE conference with Rachel Hollis this summer! I am so pumped. I've mentioned this before, but I love her podcast and general message and she's going to be in Dallas so we decided we couldn't pass it up!

3. I cannot think of anything else off the top of my head although I'm sure I'll hit "publish" on this post and remember 5000 things.

Funny kid sayings:

Lily saying "Chicken Little" sounds like "Kickin Yiddle" and it's so cute.

Lily's current pre-nap pre-bedtime songs are "Jesus" (Jesus Loves Me), "ABC",  and "Bus" (The Wheels on the bus"). She requests them in this order every time.

We call toots "toot-toots" (I actually have no idea how that started), and me a Lily were sitting on the floor last week and my stomach growled and she goes, "Oh! Mommy toot-toot!", and I was like "NO I didn't!" and got all flustered which she very quickly realized was funny and lead her to start yelling "Mommy toot-toot! Mommy toot-toot!" for the next 20 minutes. She knows she is funny and I know that it's just a matter of time before she yells "Mommy toot-toot!" and dies laughing while we're sitting in church or walking through Target.

AGHHHH I told  you this would happen! My kids have said so many funny things lately but nothing else is in my brain at the moment! I will try to remember more and will post (PROMISE) soon!

Our Week(s) In Photos!

Wooooow I've been a neglectful blogger but I'm bound and determined to not let this be a regular thing!

We have not been up to all that much in the last couple weeks but they have still been very good! 

We've made lots of babies. Play-doh babies. ;) (I couldn't resist.)

I watched these two brothers scheme on one of our trips to our favorite park. The weather has bene wonderful lately!

I've made several pretty darn good suppers (in my opinion), one of them being Paula Deen's Potato Soup. 

I am very obviously not a food photographer.

Lily has covered herself in various types of chocolate more than once in the last week. The below photos are evidence of her encounters with a glass of chocolate milk.

I literally don't even know how she could get this messy from chocolate milk but it happened. 

Y'all know me and my memes. This one made be laugh!

Buzz tells the truth.

I was sitting on the couch enjoying my precious quiet time last week when Bumblebee himself peeked out from around the corner.

I slowly got him to come closer and closer until I could kiss his sweet little cheeks!

We also did another go-round of Texas Sheet Cake in honor of my Mom who had ear surgery last week. (It's her favorite--and don't you worry, I hear my sister made one for her too.)

I found a few Haysie selfies on my phone and they made me so happy. (He has the perfect lips for the good ole' kissy face selfie.)

The little kids pulled out the couch cushions probably 45 times last week (and drove me crazy in the process). Here we see them using the cushion-less couch as a drawing table....

Lily for sure got her nose AND THE COUCH with a few pen doodles. I cleaned her off but not the couch--I have given up.

And our big event of the last few weeks has been a surprise visit from the one and only Grammy! I have no photos except for this super professional-looking shot while we were waiting outside of Uncle Julio's (where else) yesterday. I will try and fix this photo situation before she leaves!

Hayes is apparently the winner of "featured in the most photos" for the last few weeks. Here he is in pirate form with Parker's church tag.

So dang cute.

I love this boy!!

Bryan and I have also been on a few little dates and are going on a big one TONIGHT! YAY! 

Parker was presented with the KINDNESS AWARD at his school pep rally on Friday but don't tell him I told you because he gets super mad (and also did not want to go up on stage!) We are proud of him!

I probably have 50 other things to tell blog world but am out of time--the day is beginning....and I must go!

Our Week In Photos (and scroll to the bottom for a semi-lame request....)

Yay for normal life! Parker started back to school last Tuesday and we have been enjoying the routine again. 

I actually don't have many photos from the last week--whoops.

Here's what I've got:

Lily the photographer. 

We made another trip to the fire truck park on the last day of Christmas break and had a picnic. The weather was perfect and the kids were happy (for the most part). 

We had a BIG day on Saturday because Bryan turned the BIG 3-2! Are we really that old?

We celebrated him with homemade lasagna and Texas sheet cake. 

We sure are thankful for him!!!! He is my favorite.

Our other treat of the weekend was having a very spontaneous overnight visit from the one and only Nonnie! My Mom had flown into Dallas to drive down and see my grandparents, but she also surprised the kids and gave us all a day of fun.

She was there for Bryan's birthday celebration and was also there to sit with us and watch the Cowboys lose (not the best birthday gift!). She also went to church and Uncle Julio's with us before heading off. (And have us lots of play/rest time!)

I am fairly certain my kids wore her out! But I'm also sure she loved it!

Parker was very upset when my Mom had to leave on Sunday night and the next morning when I went in his room to make his bed I found the book that my sister made him to show where our family lives propped open to the Colorado page. So darn sweet!

Other things that happened that I have no photographic evidence of and/or feel are worth the mention:

1. I went to see the Rachel Hollis documentary with my friend Aubree and it was SO good. She also texted to tell me that Rachel announced she is coming to Dallas for a RISE Conference! Anyone want to give me $200 so I can go? ;) (KIDDING.)

2. My friend Tara told us about a new podcast called The Bible Recap that gives you a reading plan to read the Bible through chronologically in one year and provides recaps to listen to after each reading. I'M DOING IT. I'm so pumped! I've attempted to read the Bible through about 45 times and always quit.

Anyways. It is very good and very interesting so far! I highly recommend checking it out on your preferred podcast app and catching up! Tara Leigh Cobble is the host and she is hilarious and just happens to live in Dallas and I'm really thinking there are too many people around this place that I could potentially stalk. ;)

3. Lily is sitting in my lap "talking" on my phone about birthdays and yelling "Bryan! I can't hear you!" Um, where on earth did she get that? (Insert raised hand lady and embarrassed emoji face here!)

4. I made a very tasty one-pot pasta dish last night that was deemed good enough to go in the recipe binder! It is called Creamy Sausage and Spinach Pasta and it is DARN GOOD. I found the recipe right here via Pinterest. (Maybe use normal tomatoes instead of the green chile mix if you don't like spice!)

(via)

5. I finished a book! And I may have read it in one day! Oops. This is why my reading is so sporadic....that whole "live a normal life and be a good mother" thing really gets in the way! Ha. BUT SERIOUSLY. I loved "Where The Crawdads Sing" just about as much as I can love a book. I keep thinking about the characters and I finished it a week ago. It's a little slow to start but the writing is superb (one of those where you feel like you are there because the setting is described so well) and it's got a good mix of heartbreak, young love, and mystery. All good things. 

6. OH!!! IMPORTANT: I've been hard at work on my Etsy shop! It's still FOR SURE a work in progress, but to anyone reading this: could you pretty please click on the link below and click around in the listings in my shop and spend time looking at them??? I know, such a weird request (!) but Etsy analytics and algorithms rank listings in search based on how many times they are viewed and how long each person stays on a particular page and since I don't have a single item from my old shop still listed, I'm really needing some help! 

Pretty please click over to my shop RIGHT HERE. Thank youuuuuu!!!

On a side note: Lily has now moved on from making phone calls to "taking selfies" and then saying things like, "Awwwwww, dat's so cute!"

Bye!!