941

One of my favorite authors, Michelle Myers, posted:

 "We have 940 Saturdays between our child’s birth and when they turn 18. So with an unplanned snow day today, instead of allowing myself to focus on the things on my list that won’t get checked off, I’m choosing to see today as 941."

I'm not going to act like the snow day I had dreamed up in my head, actually unfolded.  Quiet family breakfast together around the table.  Snuggles on the couch.  Playing in the snow.  Coming in to a bowl of chili & hot chocolate.  I can make a video capturing the "sweet" moments of the day.  Nope.  

In fact, it went the exact opposite.  Instead of a lazy morning due to my efforts of getting up early for some alone time to read/pray/sip coffee & watch it snow, both boys were up within ten minutes of my feet hitting the floor. 

"Can we go out side?  Can we go outside?  Can we go outside?  Mom, Can we?  Can we?  Can we?

x 2.3 million."

It's not that I didn't have plans to go outside.  Of course, I did!  <insert a little sarcasm for the sentence coming up> I just wanted to enjoy a warm cozy morning by the fire with smiles on everyone's face & joy in everyone's hearts.  Cade cooked French toast for breakfast & the pleas to go outdoors continued.  As well as the pleas to build a tent.  And pleas for the phones/tablets.  My head was spinning.  STOOOOOOOOOP.

Finally, after the second time of taking them out for a spin-& fa-reeeeezing to DEATH

They had smiles on their faces.  That quickly faded when I told them it was naptime.

The Lord knew we all needed it!  Especially those early risers!

Of course they didn't go to sleep in the moods they were in, but they did have quiet time upstairs & we caught our breath...

What a difference a nap/quiet time can make!

Later Tuesday evening, we rode to look at Cade's jobs (in which we got coffee & smelt Tepper's farts all the way home).  Yes, she has very bad gas.  If you have any tips on how to help a dogs stomach issues, please share.  She is killing us!  Soon after airing out (😂), I got a pleasant surprise-of massive proportions...a call that my school district had called for another SNOWDAY!  

And permission to work from home.  God knows I needed a day to just work on paperwork 😜

#lifeofSLP

Sadly, Cam only had a one hour delay.  He was a little down, but once I told him we would meet him for lunch (his life was changed!).  He has begged me to come have lunch with him forever.  As bad as I have wanted to, either I have to work, am only off on a sick day, or we have been off on days together.

Wednesday  was the perfect opportunity!

He kept reminding me.  "Mom don't forget!"  He woke up, first words, "Mom, did you remember that you are having lunch with me today?"  "Do you know what time my lunch is?"   "Don't forget!"

I love him.

He was beaming when we walked through those cafeteria doors.

That is all my big boy has talked about since we picked him up.

Lunch.

As much whining as he did on Tuesday, swinging by to have lunch with him for thirty minutes made his LIFE.  It definitely helped me remember to NOT take everything so seriously, realize that they are just kids, & though they may make you feel like the worst parent ever in one moment, in another they will have you feeling as though you made the moon❤️  

No school.  Work from home.  Two hour delay this am!

Have I mentioned how much I love snow??⛄️

Weekending

Busy weekends go by even faster than the normal weekends!  I call this the weekend, the weekend of eating out.  Friday evening, Cade's parents & sister came in to town for the Fishing exhibition.  Friday was a blur of a quick trip to gobble down Mexican food & take a romantic walk without kids through Target.  Cade decided it was a great idea to buy mega stuffed Oreos & valentine Reese hearts + a n o t h e r football #boys (that Tepp chewed up the night after).  

He hates me & my efforts to overcome my holiday eating habits.

Saturday, we woke up & Cam went to the fishing exhibition.  This exhibition is becoming a tradition with him & his Joe Daddy, as they have went the past three years.  Conley opted out-he's a homebody through & through.  It was a lazy morning for the rest of us, but by noon we were all up & ready for lunch.  I hadn't been to Conner's in f o r e v e r.  It was delicious as expected.  Then, we went to At Home.  Have you guys been there yet?  Cade & I went Christmas shopping there in December, but we spent a lot more time browsing on Saturday.  You can basically find anything you can dream up home decor wise...although, I hate to admit I'm not impressed by prices all that much!

'

Cade went to the Men's Banquet at our church.  I couldn't convince Con to get a picture with his handsome dad, but Cam is always up for a pic!  

My mom came that evening & we watched movies + caught up with each other-it's been basically since Christmas since I have really got to sit down & talk with her.  I have missed that!  Cam waited up to show Cade his new Black Panther mask & claws as long as he could, but eventually fell asleep before he got back.  Ahhhhh, love these sweet boys of mine.

Aside from how Sunday started... coffee e v e r y w h e r e-it was a perfect day.

Sunday, we had a special visitor to our church...Mr. Ken Ham.  Have you guys heard of him?  I've wanted to hear him speak for a long time & have been so excited for this day.  My mom too, as she had heard him speak before!  It was everything I thought it would be & more.  

He has such a great message as to how we as Christians need to know our foundation & why we believe what we believe.  His series "Answers in Genesis" is SO what our world needs to hear.  Even if they don't believe it for themselves, they can understand why Christians believe what we believe.

In random news, Kane (Glenn Jacobs) the wrestler/mayor of Knoxville was spotted.

That makes me a fan!

And then, would you believe we ate Mexican food again?  We did.

We have a problem.  And I am super prepared to cook this week-no more dining out for us, though I thoroughly enjoyed it while it lasted!

Three things I'm loving lately: 

Iced Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew (may be most favorite iced coffee ever).

Oikos greek yogurt with chocolate chips 

(in a desperate attempt to make healthier chocolate choices-all open to ideas over here!)

Sole Society Cindy tote (in love!). First purse purchase in probably three years.  My work bag is a Sole Society & the quality+price is five star rating in my opinion-I'm pretty sure this bag may be even better😍.

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Can you tell I've been struggling with content?  Yup.  Just figured I'd take pictures & go with the flow.

Just write.

There's this Sunday laundry pile that always need folded & put away before Monday morning that reminds me it's time to go back to reality tomorrow.  

I'm excited about Cade's big birthday week!  He turns THIRTY!  Also, trying not to get my hopes up for snow Tuesday, but it's too late.  

I'm already convinced it will!❄️🌨⛄️

Off to fold laundry & psych myself up for the work week😛

January Days

H o w are we almost into the second month of 2019?

It doesn't seem real!  Cade will be 30 in ONE week.  

We've been over here getting back into the swing of our "normal" & it has been quite the task.  I miss slow mornings at home by the tree when I didn't have a timeline or deadlines looming over me, but I am enjoying everyone being on somewhat of a schedule again, I guess.  We can find positives in everything, can't we?  I sure am trying.  I did enjoy the MLK Holiday-Mondays off should be an every week thing.

We have purged our home, no, not because Marie Kondo told us to.  Because it's what we do in January and during spring cleaning (I'm sure there will be more to purge by then).

  I don't think we've ever gotten rid of so much stuff in all our days of purge!

I'm having trouble with my post-holiday sweet tooth.  I can't quite craving chocolate or making cookies.  I also have been dreaming of ONE good snow. Maybe that would be enough to get me in the spirit of spring?  One thing I'm longing for from the warmer months?  The longer days!  These days of darkness have our family in hibernation mode convinced it's way past bedtime.

  We are trudging to the bedroom by 8:00-8:30 on a typical night.  

I am feeling whispers of new life in my soul as I make my way through 100 Days to Brave with some girlfriends (& read through the book of Psalms on my own!).  We still haven't got to meet up to talk about our readings, but we are hoping to get together soon at a little coffee shop.  I can't wait.

I have temporarily given up on keeping house...as you can see above.

I know we've had her since November, but I haven't really got to talk about how much we are enjoying having a furry friend back in our life again.  I have missed Honor (our first golden doodle) ever since we had to give her to Cade's cousin (so thankful for him giving her an amazing home!  it helped knowing she went to a great place) when our lives were so uncertain a couple years ago, so having Tepp step in has brought so much fun back into our home.  We love her! 

 Thankful for God blessing us to be settled back in together.

Another birthday on the horizon is my almost SIX year old.  I'm not prepared to tell people I am the mother of a SIX year old.  Do you know how old I feel?  I'm obsessed with researching anti-aging routines & comparing myself to my favorite childhood stars (they all look so old now!). 

Also, it doesn't help that at this new job, I'm the oldest now (I've always been the youngest).  All the girls I work with are getting engaged or are newly married, while I'm the "old boring married one with kids."😂

PCB almost two years ago at our favorite-Captain Andersons
Cade asked me why I let him dress like this😂

Please tell me I'm not alone 30 something friends.😩

Back to Cam.  We are planning to surprise him with a trip to the beach for his birthday.  He has requested a "Teppy" (Golden Doodle) party...how fun is that??

 I think it is going to be such a great time celebrating our big boy.  

Who makes treasures for me on the daily.  Have you seen the latest?

He saved his treasure chest marks at school for the zebra bracelet to give me & all the sweet cards & pictures.  He is a gem.

Well, I suppose I have caught up on life lately. 

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend❤️

Friday Favorites || Hello, 2019!

A little late, on this Friday eve, but posting  in posting nonetheless. 

That may just be how I unwind when everyone & everything is settled on Friday evenings:)

Not a lot going on around here on this first Friday back in the swing of life after the holidays.  

Though it's all said & done, I refuse for things to be blah around here (it's been my mood, has it yours?), thus my current view...  

As long as I can justify evergreen & twinkle lights...I will.
#itsstillwinter
Whether it's mood, sleep + eating patterns, motivation...I just "aint got it" this week, y'all.
 Ain't happening.  Hoping for a change soon!

Starting with bright spots in my week:

one. dumplin'

My sister basically strapped me down to watch this one & I'm so glad she did!

I'm not a movie watcher, I have to usually be doing something to sit down & actually pay attention to something besides the Office + Gossip Girl...but if you like Dolly + good softie, you go girl kinda movies-this is for you!  And it's a Netflix original.

two. winter break faves

Um, does 2 weeks off count for it all?

I truly believe we soaked up every single DROP of our sweet time off.  It has been good for the soul.  We have played+cleaned/purged+done family/friend things-repeat & now...you can't tell we did anything.    

But we know what we accomplished & what memories we made!  Everyday we were doing something meaningful.  And though I occasionally wonder why we didn't just Netflix marathon it & sit on the couch- there is nothing that gives me more satisfaction than that our time together was well spent.

I'm making up for lost time on this Friday evening, though.

Ain't doin' nothin.

I feel like using ain't a lot this evening.

three.  office views

Our room we named the "office" has basically been our dropping off den since we moved in.  Cade & I both had so many notebooks & textbooks from schooling along with all the materials I created over the years that we had no method of organizing.  I said enough to waiting to when we could "afford" & just made a small step.  Bought a $30 shelf.  And the room is a different place now.

It's no where near done, & although I think I may paint this bad boy again, we are one step closer!

four.   Because I have failed at taking pictures lately, & I found this one.

Also, me because Christmas is over...Cam, age 9 months.

and last but not least

five. making the coffee pot every night with my hubs

Talk about taking something for granted! It may seem so insignificant, but you know what it signifies?  We are waking up & going to work together...in the SAME place!  And every now & then, we somehow escape for a mini date.  To Mexican food.  This time last year, he had to leave for North Dakota on New Years Day.  I couldn't even enjoy the holidays with the inevitable looming over us, & now, he's here!  Forever & we are never letting go.

Even if we get on his nerves sometimes.😬

Happy Friday!