Transitioning is for the birds.

Before I start typing away at what I really want to say....I want my future self to remember what I meant to say...what I'm meaning by this post is we are blessed. I get to stay home with my kids nearly every day and I work when I want. That is the perfect life to me. It makes zero sense that we would have more incoming money from me going optional with my position; and that is how I am reminded of how good our god truly is. He knows that our family needs more stability. I thank him every day for giving us the ability to see how much smoother out lives will run.

IN SAYING THAT...
Staying at home has made me see just how much our home has been put on a back burner because of how busy our lives have been. We are clean-OCD-mon hoarding individuals. But it became so hard to constantly switch roles as provider than parent very 1.75 days. It's for the birds. Really.

I have been organizing, and pitching crap on a daily basis. I have figured out it will be financially more responsible to meal plan for two weeks and shop once a week for small essentially that our kids gobble up like bananas and apples! Woo....I need a fruit farm.
I am to the point of pure over load. I do not know what to organize next and I kind of just feel like I need a pro or someone more obsessive than I to come give me their two sense. Any takers?!?
I have however gotten to plan more play dates...have more organized meals and have gotten a lot done. I would really like to just get to a point where I am just maintaining our home rather than constantly changing it😁.
My next battles are kitchen pantry...coat closet and shoes, and than printing lots of pictures to hang. I am really moving away from "art"...I you consider target art lol. I want out home overloaded with memories of our family. I also want an inspiration wall...I want to take old frames and spray paint them dominant colors and put bible verses in them. So we will always have a place to go to to remember what we have and who we are.

What's been going on with C&M?
1. M is still not walking, he walks holding into everything but I mean the kid won't even stand on his own...I think he knows how much it secretly bothers me. I never compare my kids to yours; but no one ever told me how much you will compare them to their sibling. LAWD!

2. C will be 3! I am starting to plan his party and what he wants. he is so funny right now he knows about his bitthday so he tells us what he wants everyday...sometimes its legitimate studf and other times its things that mom and dad have that he thinks he wants...like he wants coffee for his birthday, and he wants a kitchen knife set, he wants a candle for his birthday. He cracks me up! He already picked out fire fighter cupcake kit that has the little flags and cute cups in it from tj max. I told him he already had a fire party last yr and so in response he says he wants a super hero "fighter pawrty". School is going well. He has a good report every class. His daddy did parent obligation day in which we are in charge of snack and drink and being the helper for the day. But to no surprise to us C would not let mommy go. I was perfectly fine with this because I put M back to sleep and took my pumpkin pop tarts and my HOT coffee to the perfectly quiet and hot bath. Than walked into the living room and cuddled up on the couch and watched the view.

3. NKOTB. Nuff said. I was nearly jumping up and down with pure excitement. I will be going to their concert also featuring 98* & B2men with my 4 cousins. Oh I am beyond excited. I have only been to two concerts ever. I have two more on my bucket list that are rascal flatts and Coldplay. #bestillmyteenageheart

4. We are also trying to change out baby stuff for shareable toys and furniture. We purchased a table and chair for the boys from ikea. We only bought one chair for now. M is already trying to steal that one. I'm not ready to add another to the mix.
I also found a lack coffee table in their damaged section that I am turning into a train/fire station table! It was only ten bucks. The storage boxes for the expedit fit perfectly under it. I'm going to get precut wood from lowes this week and add side onto the table so the fire house won't slip off the table.
4. I almost forgot! Mommy got new knives!! Oh and I got them half off @ SAMs club.
5. C finally got to play with his Christmas present from Santa! He had gotten a bounce ball but Santa didn't realize their was no pump in the box. So mommy went and bought a yoga ball and that yoga ball just happened to have a pump inside (I'm here for the kids. Ha ha). He has been bouncing on this thing for 3 days straight. I am in love with how much bouncing helps winter boredom. LOVE. I highly recommend this 7.99 purchase.

First day of pre school! (Kind of)

Well C, you finally got your wish. Mom and dad bit the bullet and found you a pre school! It is Christian based and inside a church. So mommy feels a tad bit more safe....notreally. I might of walked around to see how many unlocked entrances there were to the school section of the church.

You help me pick out your outfit for that morning and you proudly snuggled into your big boy bed promising dad you would call him when it was over! I am so marveled by your love of all things new. It is such a strong characteristic to have, but in such a young age is gold. God really hand selected your attributes that's for sure.

Ok the way to school, in which you ran to the car to leave to get there and you got mad whenever your back pack fell on the floor on the drive there! When we arrived you of course put on your reserved face. Anyone who knows you well know is all a trick! You do it to scope out the scene and then you are off. It was the same scenario when I let your little hand leave mine as M and I tried to leave you. You showed slight hesitation per usual, but after I showed you where everyone else was washing their hands at you followed suit....have me a hug and kiss and we exchanged "peace out dude". All was well in your world. Mommy however was not sure what to do for 2.25 hours so she promptly drove to McDonald's and sat in the car and filled out your paperwork and read her iPhone bible #dontjudge

After class we picked you up from the muscle room (awesome I know!) and you told me all about your snack and playing! I was so proud bub, you have NO IDEA. You called daddy and told him about school and then we went home ate lunch and you passed out for nap!

I will be getting uses to Tuesdays around here!!!!

Well, I will be back to blogging tomorrow just wanted to get that on here so I would never miss a moment.

Family Sunday

We had a GREAT day today. I could of not asked for a better Sunday. We all went to church together! It was a dream come true. My heart is just not able to keep up with the glory of God at the moment.

After church the guys went straight to ikea to get C his new big boy bed. While the kids and I went to target to get a few linens to go along with the new bed and also kandoos wipes because C seems to think he is SO grown that he can quietly go number two and "attempt" to wipe his "cute butt"!!! -that's a direct quote in case you were wondering. he also thinks he has a "cute pee-pee". NO LIE. #momoftoddlerboyshenanigans
The kids ate hot dogs from the cafe ole target which made it possible for me to get in and out! We went home the kids took naps...the boys watched football and slept while I cooked up some chili and than a spaghetti meal for tomorrow.

Tomorrow is one of my last days at work! And then I only work maybe once a week! There is a major glory in only working what you want!

Family day.

Today was just a low key fun day with my family including my brother! We just hung around the house, it was so nice. I slept in till almost eleven today! My hubby is so good to me. Our boys have been sick and I think I'm finally getting bits of what they had. I feel like there is a brick on my nose!

We just decided to order papa johns for dinner. They are running $10 pizzas right now and then I get promo text messages from them, the one today was half off everything! Which means we ordered two large specialty pizzas and only paid 16 bucks! Ilovegettingadealforotherstoshare!

I convinced the guys to go to this outdoor shopping complex so I could buy rain boots and do a return at tj maxx. I ended up buying kamiks from DSW, saved myself 30$, considering I went so I could get chookas from REI. Scored once again. I have got to keep saving money everywhere to keep my but at home!
Than before we left we stopped at yagoot. I thought it would be a fun treat for craig. We forget all our everyday luxuries, I'm getting needed reality checks with him. I love seeing him with our kids. They both just adore him.
Well it is bedtime...I need to finish my new tea (help me sleep) and put away the Christmas crack I made.

Time for a change...

My husband and I have been doing a lot of praying. In general we pray...but this time it was more specific to our current living situation. We in all made a decision for me to go optional at my current job! The Lord is so powerful.
I love the influence he is having on my life. I truly believe in the power of prayer. I believe In the power of if you truly do good things, good things will happen.
And I believe this: anyone who belongs to Christ is a new person; the past is forgotten and everything is new. -Corinthians 5:17
I have been praying for this for years. Years of emotional pain no one should ever have to go through. Watching a family member slowly run through the ranks of drugs is tiring. It's terrifying. It makes you begin to pray not for deliverance from evil an to be healed and have family dinners with that person. It makes you pray that when he dies...he would die in someone-anyone's arms. Never alone. I prayed that I would be able to help raise his daughter no matter what. It is hard to say this with out holding my breath but my little 25 year old little brother is SOBER. Not just 3 months sober because he got in trouble. He is 9 months sober as of January 9, 2013. 5 days after my birthday. One more year with him in my life that I never thought I would get with him.
We celebrated Christmas together and we went shopping together. I haven't spent quality time with him since early high school.
I know that he is human and could easily (theoretically) relapse. But a good friend of mine that I really look up to when it comes to my walk with Christ told me not to fear anymore because Gods got it! This normally should be an obvious belief, but when she said those words to me an instant level of ease came over me. I know that gods got it and no matter the outcome.

I am so excited to be staying at home more and really concentrating on organizing our home, utilizing our knowledge of the Dave Ramsey budget system etc. please pray that this is the right decision for us.

Here are a few pictures of my little blessings.

M&C

Mason: you are growing like a weed again! You started army crawling everywhere! You can get yourself up on all 4's and you kind of get yourself all ready...than you face plant and use your head to scoot to what you want. I have had to get the pack n play out lately because you are all over the place!
You are making the "Ba" sound but nothing much else beyond just being a lot more vocal. You do seem to grunt and growl at us when you want something. It is pretty hard not to laugh and completely forget that you are wanting something.
You think it is beyond funny to blow raspberries in a kind of competition when your mouth is full. We definitely play back because we all have tummy aches from laughing so hard!!
You are still waking up EVERY night between 1-4 (give or take ha ha). We are sooo not used to this because your big brother never ever dared to wake up past 2 months old. So some nights it is a struggle!! But even on the nights we so desperately want you to sleep when we walk in your face lights up and your entire body is so happy! It is a little but of sunshine at 2am. Which in return makes it near impossible to be mad anymore.
You are eating most all foods on your own.
Including:waffles, strawberries, gerber bites, toast, all veggies cut up, potatoes, you have even gotten a french fry from your bro. it was pretty cute, I certainly didn't stop him.
Your still in 6-9 month clothing. and still can not wear shoes because you have itty bitty feet!

Cayden: Bubs your vocabulary is astounding. You are not very good at saying your ABC's or counting by yourself...but if we do it with you, you chyme along. You are slowly potty training. We will just leave it at that. You are in a size 7 shoe and 3t clothes.
Likes: your starting to get into boy shows like Bob the Builder, Chucks Trucks on Netflix and some superheros. You love church. You can hardly contain yourself on the way there and never want to leave when it is time to go. You are still a fireman at heart and light up at the sound of a siren, you love to play baseball and lately you taught yourself to do a somersault! You rarely eat dinner because I refuse to be a made to order cook. But do not worry you are not famished in any way.
You love on your brother like he wont be here the following day.
You are loving on us more than ever and I love every second of it. You say "goodmonin" every morning and you have a bed time ritual of two books, prayers and mommy or daddy drawing circles on your back. You are so my child...I mean really.
 And lastly you are still napping everyday, although if it is late by the time we get home (past 2p) I have a hard time getting you to sleep.
It is still a daily struggle to get you to sleep passed 7am. It is what it is I guess. You have learned to raid the fridge though if mom or dad forget to shut your day. You have helped yourself to mac and cheese, cottage cheese, cheese slices (noticing a trend?!?) and essentially any other food you can get a hold of. Sigh...

HUGE MILESTONES + POOP DOG

my goodness. Although I am there for just about every single milestone my boys have...I still feel like they are growing up faster than I can handle! It seems when one does something new the other has to top him. I guess I should get used to this huh?

Cayden...you have had your tricycle since Christmas from your Mamaw + Papaw. You love your bike! It folds up so we can throw it in our car and head to the nearest park! But on August 24 you got on your bike (at aunt Kim's house) and just started riding it down the sidewalk like you had been riding it for months!! I was scrambling to get my phone out to take video. I was afraid you wouldn't do it ever again for some reason...stupid mom brain. To my dismay you rode that bike for the rest of the night and lots of people got to see you do this! Mamaw and Papaw were so happy to see you accomplish this. I have a feeling Papaw will be trying to buy you a big boy bike for Christmas or your birthday. He is a sneaky one!

Potty training is still a daily struggle. I can with utmost confidence tell you that it is mostly our fault. We have not devoted 100% to it. BUT on the contrary you do not seem to get the idea that poop is not cute to to sit in IN YOUR BIG BOY UNDERPANTS!!!!!

SPEAKING OF POOP...OHHHH "POOP DOG". HOW MUCH I LOATHE YOU "POOP DOG". oh, you want to know what poop dog is?! Ask C. Go ahead...but when you ask him you may want to take a mask so you don't have to smell his breathe. YUP. UGH.

PS. never show your toddler dog poop (thinking I was being a good mom so he wouldn't step on it...but instead he became obsessed)

Mason...my little itty bitty bitty baby whom I literally can not keep track of how old you are because I'm stuck on your being my blue eyed newborn angel. On August 22 not only did you begin eating cut up table food (macaroni and bananas) but when I left to go run an errand you proceeded to pick up the food and eat it with your own fingers!! SERIOUSLY BATMAN! You are also pulling yourself up with our finger and any day now you will be pulling up completely with out guidance.

God is so GOOD. My boys amaze me every single day. I seriously have to step back and take a deep breathe so I completely take in this moment. I do not want to miss a beat.

DRUMMMMMRRROOOOLLLL PLLLLEEAAASSSSEEEE....
JORDAN IS AN OFFICIAL FULL TIME FIREFIGHTER/PARAMEDIC. He starts on September 4th!!! I have never been more proud of this man. You guys I am so beyond blessed!!! God is so GOOD! Did I mention that already?!?

“And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” – Phil 4:19