What's Up Wednesday

{Joining Mel, Shay, and Sheaffer for What's Up Wednesday}

>>What we're eating this week...

Because of crazy schedules, etc., I have not really cooked this week (which is definitely not the norm around here). Monday night we ate out with my parents because we were doing some shoe shopping for the boys at the outlets nearby. Last night, we dyed eggs at my Granny's house and ate over there. Tonight, I'm planning to cook these Honey Lime Quinoa Stuffed Sweet Potatoes (but I'm going to add chicken to them) these. And then tomorrow night, we leave for Sea World until Saturday!

>>What I'm reminiscing about...

I actually just read through some old blog posts, and even though I've been awful at posting lately, I love that I documented some of our memories. And I'm especially happy that I was dedicated enough to post monthly updates for the boys' first twelve years and then quarterly-ish updates since then. Love looking back at things I may have otherwise forgotten.

>>What I'm loving...

Our weather has been kind of all over the place lately. It had gotten pretty warm but then it got cold again all of a sudden. But for a few days in between, the weather was great. I've been enjoying taking the boys outside on our playground while it's pleasant...because the spring/summer heat is coming!!! And goodness it's brutal.

>>What we've been up to...

I posted about it on Monday, but this past weekend, Eric's parents and sister came down to visit, so we had a full couple of days dyeing and hunting Easter eggs and just spending some quality time with them while they were here.

>>What I'm dreading...

I can't really think of much that I am dreading right now...except that my due date (June 11th) seems soooooooooooo far away. I'm kind of dreading the end stages of pregnancy coming up (you know, the swelling, the immobility, and the waiting).

>>What I'm working on...

Next weekend, we are going to be moving Grayer into Wells' room and doing a little redecorating in there (still keeping the train-theme because both boys are OBSESSED with all things train). Once Grayer's current room is empty, we will also start decorating that as the new baby's nursery. I'm calling his nursery theme "Wild & Free" ... it's kind of like a southwestern/Mexican/cactus theme if that makes sense. I'm really excited about doing both bedrooms for our boys and can't wait to get started!

>>What I'm excited about...

We are heading to Sea World on Thursday!!!!! Eric and I went a few years ago, but this will be our first time taking the boys. I cannot wait! I know they are going to love it - and Wells is super into sea turtles right now and I can't wait for him to see that exhibit :) We did the behind the scenes beluga whale interaction the last time we were at Sea World - here are a couple of pictures from that trip way back in 2012. 

>>What I'm watching/reading...

I don't know what to do with myself now that This is Us is on a break. Eric and I do keep up with The Walking Dead, so there's that. As for reading, I just picked up Summer Secrets by Jane Green at the library and am hoping it's good! 

>>What I'm listening to...

I like to have Spotify on in the background at home and at work, and I have a few playlists that I rotate. The boys are cracking us up with the songs they hear on the radio and tend to attach to. Currently, they love "Meant to Be" by Florida Georgia Line & Bebe Rexha and "Let You Down" by NF. If either of those come on the radio, prepare to be serenaded by two little guys. :)

>>What I'm wearing...

Right now, my wardrobe is a depressing matter. There are so many things I can no longer fit in and that makes getting dressed a struggle every day! I am reluctant to buy any more maternity clothes since this is my last pregnancy, but I may just have to bite the bullet and get a few more pieces. On a side note, I needed a pair of black sandals (my favorites broke), and got this pair at Walmart for less than $6! They are really cute and surprisingly comfortable. 

>>What I'm doing this weekend...

As I said above, we'll be at Sea World for Friday and Saturday. Easter Sunday will be spent at church and then at a family lunch/egg hunt at my Granny's. 

>>What I'm looking forward to next month...

Eric is off of school all next week for Spring Break, and I am pumped! He has been swamped at work lately and has also been coaching the school's soccer team, so he has been kind of MIA for that last couple of months. Soccer ends this week, and we are beyond ready to have Dad back!

Weekend Recap

We had a pretty busy weekend, with lots of fun, friends, and family. Here's what we were up to:

Friday
On Fridays, the boys and I usually hang out at home and maybe run a few errands. This Friday, we met my little sister at a nearby coffee shop. We love going there because they have a kids' play room (#canigetahallelujah). Nothing better than sipping an iced coffee in peace while your kids are entertained :) I spent Friday afternoon cleaning up the house to prepare for my inlaws' visit on Saturday. I also got a call from my Dr.'s office saying I passed my glucose test (yay!!!) but that I do have low hemoglobin and need to start taking iron pills (same as with my first pregnancy). Maybe some iron will knock out this fatigue...but with constantly having to run around after two crazies, probably not :) Once Eric got home, we met up with my parents for dinner and finished the night with a quick trip to the park right across from the restaurant.

Saturday
Saturday morning the boys slept in a little (Wells actually slept in a LOT - like until 9:30!!! I really think he is going through a growth spurt with as much as he's been sleeping in lately). We got up and excitedly got dressed and ready for the annual egg hunt at my parents' church. Our church doesn't do one, and we always have fun going back to my parents' church where I grew up. Gigi, Papa, and Aunt Crystal got in to town before we left for the hunt, and the boys were so excited to see them (and the Easter treats they brought, of course!). We all headed to the hunt, and Wells and Grayer did great snatching up all the eggs they could see!

After lunch, I headed out to get my hair done, while Eric took his family and the boys to a local circus. I am sooooooo happy with how my hair turned out. I have always kept my hair pretty long (every now and then I get some chopped off...usually right after having a baby! ha!), but for the most part, I keep it long. My hair is VERY thick and pretty unruly, so keeping it long kind of weighs it down and keeps the poofiness to a minimum :) When I went in for this appointment, I knew I wanted a good bit cut off, but I wanted it beneath my shoulders by a couple of inches. Well, the hairdresser went right above my shoulders, and I almost had a heart attack! But once she finished the cut and color (I got all of my highlights taken out and went back to my natural almost-black hair color), I LOVED it. So, I've got the messy bob thing going on, and it is my favorite haircut I've ever gotten. So much easier to maintain - and hopefully that'll keep me from throwing it up in a bun every single day like I usually do. This picture isn't the best representation of the cut, but it's the best I've got (as I am literally awful at selfies).

After my hair appointment, I met the family back at home, where we ordered pizza and dyed some Easter eggs. The boys are at great ages for this this year, and they had a blast. Wells picked out a cute little monster theme egg kit last week at Walmart, and the ones that we made into monsters turned out so cute! All the good pics from dyeing eggs are on Eric's phone, so sadly I don't have any pictures to share :(

Sunday
We got up and ate breakfast and got ready for church. After church and a nursery volunteer meeting, we headed to my granny's house for our weekly Sunday lunch. Side note: the day these two object to being dressed alike is the day my heart will die. #seriouslythough

Once we got back home, my inlaws packed up, played with the boys a little more, and headed back to NC. We had about 2 hours to relax before heading to our Sunday night small group. We had a great time as usual and were tuckered out from a full but fun weekend by the time we got home.

We have got a shorter week ahead (with Eric's spring break starting on Friday! Woohoo!!!) with another crazy busy weekend coming up. We leave for FL on Thursday night for two days at Sea World before coming back home for Easter! I am so excited for our trip, but for now, it's still Monday. Here's to laundry and cleaning and packing, which is what the week before a trip looks like for alllll mamas. Womp womp.

Grayer: A 2-Year Snapshot

Our littlest guy (well, only for a few more months) turned TWO last month! He is growing up so stinking fast, and I want to make sure to take a little snapshot so I can remember all he's up to at this stage:

Also, let the record show that according to Grayer himself, he's actually THREE like his bubba :)

The Stats: We went to his well-check visit last week, and he weighed 27lbs and was 34 inches tall. He is in the 50th percentile for both height and weight. He is currently wearing 24 month and 2T clothes and size 6.5/7 shoes. We are about to get potty training underway (#helpus), but he is currently still wearing a size 4 diaper.

Sleep: He takes one long nap each day (usually about 1.5-2 hours). At night, he usually goes down without a peep, and it is rare for him to wake up at all during the night. Grayer is our early riser. He doesn't wake up ridiculously early or anything, but he doesn't ever sleep in past 7:30ish. Even if we are out or it's the weekend and he goes to bed WAYYYY later than normal, his little internal alarm clock wakes him up right around the same time every morning. Just like Wells, he always sleeps with his muslin blanket at nap/bedtime.

Talking: For the longest time, Grayer was a man of few words. Let me just say, that is in no way true anymore! He is constantly talking! I would say his vocabulary is pretty advanced for his age - I'm guessing because he has an older brother who is always around (and who is also always talking! haha!). Here are some of my favorite things he says:

• "I sited" - which means "I'm excited!" He says this for lots of things. The other day he said it when I told him we were going to Sam's Club. Crazy kid.
• "Uh-Tuz" - which is "because." He answers any "why" question with this. Example: "Grayer, why are you up so early?" "Uh-tuz, I need to get up." :)  
• "Sumpin sticks" -  which is "something stinks."  He got this from a silly video that he and Wells watch with Eric, and it is so funny to hear him say it.
• "I tant" - "I can't" ...he says tgis all the time when you ask him to do something. Sometimes it means that he really can't, and sometimes it just means that he doesn't want to :)
• "Luh you _____" - when he tells you he loves you, he always says your name at the end. #meltsmyheart
• "Amen" - when it's his turn to say the blessing, it's mostly just the word "Amen." He likes to keep it short!

Brotherhood: He loves Wells to death. He is quite the little copy cat - always wanting to do/say whatever it is Wells is doing or saying. They love playing together and are very bored on the rare occasions they aren't together, but they also know how to push each other's buttons! Grayer has no clue what is coming up in June when he will be getting another brother! I think he will adjust well, but I also think he is going to make it seem like he is growing up SO FAST! 

The Smarts: Grayer knows all his colors and lots of shapes. He likes to sing his ABCs. He also likes to count - he can count to 10 but sometimes needs a little help. He is a smart little fella, and like I said above, his vocabulary is ridiculous.   

Playing: This kid used to be awful at entertaining himself. He was our most high-maintenance baby for sure, always needing attention or to be held. Now, though, he is awesome at entertaining himself. He loves playing trains (he's obsessed just like Wells), cars, sitting down with a book, etc. He is much better at playing by himself than Wells is right now. But he does love playing with others, too. And my favorite thing is listening to him play pretend with his trains. I overhear him all the time having little conversations between them. It is just about the cutest thing in the entire world.

Those Eyes/That Hair: On his last snapshot (at 18 months), I said that it looked like Grayer's eyes were going to be hazel. For a long time, they were blue then gray then finally hazel. Well, his eyes have finally decided that they are going to be brown after all. They are not as dark as mine and Wells', but they're brown! I think they're finally done changing now. As for his hair, it's finally growing in more. He does still have a lot more in the back than up front, but we're getting there! It is very straight, not a curl in sight. And it is a dark blonde.

The Laughs: This boy keeps us laughing all day long. He has such a unique personality. Here's a classic example: During Christmas break in Fayetteville, we were eating out with Eric's family. He called across the table for Eric's sister, Crystal. Once she was looking at him, he looked right at her and licked all the ketchup off of his french fry. Once the whole table was laughing, he repeated the process by calling Eric to look at him. What a nerd.

Dancing: Grayer loves, and I mean LOVES, to dance. If there is a song on, there is a 100% chance he is dancing. In the car, he is always calling our names and then asking us to dance with him to whatever is on the radio. The other day, he was dancing to a video playing on the TV...he decided he wasn't putting on quite enough of a show apparently, so he went to the bathroom and dragged the step stool into the living room to get on top of that and dance. 

Mr. Courageous: Grayer is definitely our daredevil. He does not get scared super easily...unless you take him to the doctor or to get a haircut. He absolutely HATES going to the doctor. If you even mention the word, he cries. It always makes for a fun visit (#not). And he cries the ENTIRE time he gets a haircut, too.

The Paci: Grayer has always taken a paci. But he wasn't hugely attached to it, except for when he was upset or when it was time to sleep. So, I always thought weaning him from it would be easy. Well lately, he has become SUPER attached to it out of nowhere. So, I can see that we are going to need to start limiting it to nap/bed time, and then work our way to no paci at all. 

Favorite Things Right Now:

Toys/Activities: TRAINS. He plays trains for most of the day. He also likes to be outside, likes to race with Wells (either running or racing with cars/trains), and LOVES swinging on our playground.

TV Shows: He is all about Thomas and Friends. He will watch other things, too, but Thomas is his #1. He does really like Bubble Guppies, Doc McStuffins, and Mother Goose Club.

Food: He loves sausage, strawberries, blueberries, yogurt, toast, and pizza. He asks for toast almost every morning for breakfast. He just recently started eating carrot sticks with ranch (one of Wells' favorite snacks), and he is OBSESSED with chips of any kind. We are constantly having to stop him from raiding the pantry.

Songs: Twinkle Twinkle (my favorite to hear him sing), the Thomas & Friends theme song, the Doc Mcstuffins theme song, and Thunder by Imagine Dragons

Books: Right now he really likes his book of Thomas stories he got for Christmas. 

Coming Up:

A couple of nights ago, we took down Grayer's front rail to transition his crib into a toddler bed. We want to get him transitioned into sleeping in a bed so that when we move him into Wells' room in a couple of months, he'll already be used to it. So far, he's doing great with it. He never tried to get up until nap time today, but once we went in and made him lay back down twice, he fell asleep. Fingers crossed that it continues to go as smoothly as it has.  

Potty training is our next project :) He just got some training underwear (Thomas the Train of course), and all we've got to do is get the little potty out of storage. This is another thing we want to get out of the way before the new little guy gets here.

Hard to believe this little fella is 2 already. He is such a joy to us all and keeps things fun and exciting each and every day! We love you so much, Grayer-Bear!

Wells: A 3.5-Year Snapshot

Our big boy is THREE AND A HALF YEARS OLD! And acts every bit of that and more ;) As always, I wanted to document all about this age and what Wells is up to these days.

The Stats: Wells is still big for his age. I measured him the other day at 40 inches tall. I don't know his exact weight, but the last time we went to the doctor, he had hit the 40lb mark. So it is probably right around there. He is solid! :) He is wearing 3T and 4T
shirts, and the same with pants. Some 3T clothes are getting short/snug, but some are still okay. I am officially buying everything in the 4T size, though. He is in a size 10/10.5 shoe.

Talking: So. Much. Talking. If he's awake, he's talking. And sometimes, even in his sleep! (#seriously) His vocabulary is ridiculously large. Even though he can talk with the best of them, he is still only 3 and therefore does still mispronounce some words:
- "Food-gerator" (refrigerator)...which really makes sense if you think about it!
- "Crack stick" is what he calls chapstick. You know, because it keeps your lips from getting cracked.
- "Kee-Buzz" which is "because." He's been doing this a while, and sometimes he does say it correctly. But it just cracks me up.

- He still says "resternot" instead of restaurant.

Favorites:

Toys/Activities: Still all about the trains. He has gotten Grayer addicted, too. These boys can spend ALL DAY at their train table. They both love being outside, too, and playing on their playground they got for Christmas.

TV Shows: Thomas and Friends, Daniel Tiger, and Bubble Guppies. He and Grayer did have a major Blue's Clues obsession for a while after we got some old DVDs from the library.

Color: He is very vocal about his favorite color being red.

Food: I don't think pizza will ever not be his favorite food! But he also still loves fruit (especially berries of any kind), carrot sticks with ranch dressing, grilled cheese sandwiches, and my Granny's creamed corn, which he literally shovels into his mouth. 

Songs: He LOVES the song "Thunder" by Imagine Dragons. And over the Christmas season, there was a house in a nearby neighborhood that had lights synced to a radio station. Two of the songs they would play on repeat were "Christmas Vacation" and a holiday version of "I'm Sexy and I Know It" (don't worry, it literally had nothing to do with the original lyrics - just the same tune). He and Grayer still sing both of those songs around the house. It always makes us laugh.
Books: He still loves his train books. He especially likes a new giant book of Thomas stories that Grayer got for Christmas.

School: Wells is still doing PreK-3 two mornings a week. He is learning a lot and seems to be enjoying it. His teacher told me a few months ago that Wells is quite the talker (like we didn't know that, Mrs. Leanna! Ha!). His school's Christmas program last month was so cute! And he still sometimes sings "Thank you God for Baby Jesus!.." around the house. 

Brotherhood: Wells really is a good big brother to Grayer most of the time. But goodness, can they fight like cats and dogs at times! Mostly over who has which train and whose train is in the way on the tracks. Always train-related! :) They are best friends but also worst enemies at times! Wells is really excited about being a big brother to the new baby in a few months, too. He always asks about the baby and if it's time for him to get here yet. Thanks to my mom, he calls the baby "Bad Bad Leroy Brown." We may have hard time getting him to call him by his real name once he's here! 

Pajamas: This boy LOVES wearing pajamas. He would stay in them all day if he could (and if we are home all day, that's what he does). At nap time, he changes back into his pajamas from his regular clothes. He is a man of comfort. :) He has pajama day coming up at school this week, and it is basically going to be the best day of his life. He cannot wait!

The Quirks: Wells is definitely our cautious child. He takes a little bit of time to warm up to doing new things. He is our little scaredy-cat, too, and gets spooked very easily. Wells is VERY particular about certain things. Here is a classic Wells quirk example: Leading up to his school Christmas program, he would occasionally sing one of the songs they were learning ("Thank You God for Baby Jesus"). In the song, there are different barnyard animals that "sing" with their animal noises. I didn't totally grasp the whole thing, but he kept telling me in little snippets that he didn't like the cow or the donkey. But he told me that he did like the sheep. Well, fast forward to the day of the program. We are watching him sing his little heart out and do the motions for the song..right up until it got to the cow part. He would not do the moo-ing verse at all. He stood completely silent and motionless. Once that verse was over, he kept right on singing and doing the motions...until the donkey part. Same thing. I was dying. It was so funny and SO Wells. The boy is particular about certain things, and I know he gets that, along with his cautiousness and scaredy-ness from me. Bless him. :)

Sleeping: He still takes a good nap most days. Some days he is not tired and doesn't take a nap, but those are very few at this point. We try to get him into bed by 9pm on weeknights. He is our child that likes to sleep in. It is very rare for him to wake up before Grayer, who is our early riser. He occasionally will yell out in the middle of the night for one of us to come to his room. We go in there and calm him down (and maybe lay down with him until he falls back asleep), and if he is really scared or had a bad dream, we'll let him come to our bed. But we really try to keep that to a minimum.

The Smarts: This kid is so stinkin' smart. He can identify every letter (uppercase. we are going to start working on lowercase) and can write most of them. He can spell and write his name. He is always asking what letter of the alphabet a word starts with. He is so curious - always asking a question about something. He is nosy, too! If I am talking to Eric, and Wells didn't hear what I said, he asks what I said. Or if Grayer is getting in trouble, Wells has to know what for. I have told him "none of your business" so many times that he now says it, too - well, actually he says "It's ya business!!!"

Three-nager: Wells is definitely a three-nager, as they're called these days. :) He has all the attitude of a teenage girl some days. We are trying to nip the whining, complaining, and rage in the bud, but man is parenting a preschooler hard! He does have a sweet little heart, but he is still a three year old boy. And that can be rough! The sweetest thing, though, is that after he's gotten in trouble about something, every now and then he'll come to me a while later after it's all been over and say, "I'm sorry I (fill in the blank)." And that just melts my heart!

Devotions: We do devotions about once a week. Since Eric is a teacher, it's a whole production with a story, a video, a craft/hands-on learning activity, and song. Grayer is in bed when this is going on (because he is still a little distracting and would definitely not sit still for it all) but he will join us soon once he is just a little older. So for now, this is a sweet time for me, Eric, and Wells. Wells does really great listening and retaining the information. We use RightNow Media (which we are a member of through our church) for the videos and songs. It brings tears to our eyes to listen to him sing and do the motions for the songs. Wells is a HUGE fan of this one song and always asks us to play it - the chorus is about being a super big, super strong, super wonderful God! And he LOVES singing along. :)

This boy has been such a blessing to us, and we love him to pieces. He makes every day louder, funnier, and sweeter. I can't believe his next "snapshot" will be of a FOUR YEAR OLD! 

What's Up Wednesday

Answering the What's Up Wednesday questions today!

What we're eating this week:
Am I the only one who feels like a crazy hot mess this week? It's the week before Christmas and there is SO MUCH TO DO. And "so much to do" did not include much meal planning for me. Monday, I did make some yummy chicken avocado burgers with roasted sweet potatoes. The burgers were really simple and delicious, so I'll definitely be making them again!

Last night was a total fend for yourself night (the boys had chicken nuggets and fruit, while Eric and I ate tortilla chips with salsa #insertmonkeycoveringeyesemoji! We have a party tonight and a family get-together tomorrow night, so dinner is covered! Woohoo! And then Friday, we leave for North Carolina.

What I'm reminiscing about:
I did a little December recap post yesterday and enjoyed looking back at our festive month (even if it did involve a long-lasting tummy bug!).

What I'm loving:
I am loving that the boys' big Christmas present is getting underway. Eric and some friends have been working on building a playground in the backyard, and I cannot wait for the boys to see it. They love being outside, so this is just the perfect present for them that will get used all.the.time. Here's a horrible quality phone pic I snapped through the kitchen window of the guys working last night. :)

What we've been up to:
Everything! This time of year is just so busy. I don't want the holidays to end, but I am so tired! :)

What I'm dreading:
Packing up all the Christmas decorations. The absolute worst.

What I'm working on:
Planning for Grayer's 2nd birthday (!) in January.

What I'm excited about:
Deciding on a theme for baby boy #3's nursery!

What I'm watching/reading:
I just finished reading Who Do You Love? Definitely recommend!

What I'm listening to:
I have been listening to a 90s playlist on Spotify that is SO GOOD. And I've also been loving listening to Wells sing the Christmas songs he knows (right now that includes Christmas Vacation, Jingle Bells, Santa Claus is Coming to Town, and What a Special Night - which is a song his school performed at their Christmas program).

What I'm wearing:
Starting to get out the maternity wear and belly bands. I love being pregnant, but I hate the clothing rut it brings with it.

What I'm doing this weekend:
We are traveling to NC for Christmas with Eric's family.

What I'm looking forward to next month:
Grayer's 2nd birthday, and baby's anatomy scan!

What's the best gift you've ever given a guy?
Maybe this will turn out to be the best gift...for Eric's birthday back in October, I got tickets for us to go see Jim Gaffigan. We love him, and the show is finally almost here. It's Dec. 30th in Jacksonville, FL, so we are looking forward to a great nighttime getaway while the boys stay with my parents! So excited to spend some time with this guy.

Tuesday Talk

I am linking up with Erika and Ashley for Tuesday Talk! And since I've been MIA for a little while, how about we just do a random Here's-What-Happened-In-December post?

We kicked off our holiday season the weekend after Thanksgiving by attending the Lighted Boat Parade in downtown Savannah. My grandparents like to come down from Atlanta for this event, and we always enjoy going with them. The boys enjoyed getting to see Santa (and no one cried. #bonus), admire the gingerbread house displays and boat decorations, and watch the fireworks. It was a fun little start to the Christmas season!

Since we spent last Christmas in an apartment (between selling our old house and buying the new one), I was excited to get to really decorate for Christmas this year. Wells is loving our little Christmas village pieces (especially turning on the carousel); Grayer is enjoying sneakily removing ornaments and stuffing them inside the tree; and I am just enjoying the all the festiveness. My favorite decoration is obviously on display, and it makes me so happy to look at!

We decided to do Elf on the Shelf this year. We welcomed Dash McJingles into our home, and he has been busy with lots of shenanigans (when we remember to move him... #thestruggle). This is what happens when you think your husband is mature enough to handle elf responsibilities on his own one night...

#imarriedamiddleschooler

Grayer and I got to go to Wells' school one morning to make a gingerbread house. I was going to go alone, but our babysitter fell through. But we made the best of it, and Grayer did okay (and ate way too many of the gingerbread house decorations!). 

And then the stomach bug hit our house! And it hit hard. Grayer got sick a couple of weeks ago, and then the rest of us got it a week later (at the same time). And it lasted a number of days. So glad it's over and that at least we got it out of the way before Christmas! 

 

Oh you know, just staying at home & digging up the yard in our pajamas so we didn't spread our tummy bug germs to the public.

And on a very exciting note...we found out this fall that we are expecting, and we found out last week that it is another BOY! That makes 3, count 'em, THREE boys (#helpusall)! I am due June 10th, just a few days before Wells' birthday. We are excited for Wells and Grayer to have another brother, and I am glad we finally announced it so I don't have to suck in my belly anymore! ;)   

We are gearing up for Christmas (which I cannot BELIEVE is only 6 days away!!!) in all kinds of ways! We rode the Christmas train at the mall this weekend, and Wells had his school Christmas program at school yesterday. Tonight we are decorating cookies; we've got a family Christmas party on Thursday; and then we're leaving for North Carolina on Friday. Eric has been busy building the kids' present in the backyard - a fabulous playground! We are so excited for them to get to play on it, and I know it is going to get years of use! Lots of busyness this time of year, but such a fun time, especially with littles!

 

Waiting to ride the Christmas train!

  

What's Up Wednesday

Joining Mel, Sheaffer, and Shea for What's Up Wednesday!

It has been. a. minute. since I blogged (other than the boys' quarterly-ish update posts). Things have been caaaa-razy around here lately - since I last blogged, we finally moved into the new house. And we have been so busy doing projects, etc. that blogging was definitely placed on the back burner.

Also, if we're being honest, I wasn't in a great place for a while there, with a lot of stress and worry, and I kind of made the decision to take a break from blogging. I even stopped reading other blogs because my comparison game was strong, and not in a good way. It is so easy to think that everyone has it all together when you read blogs and feel like you are not good enough, don't have enough, aren't doing enough, etc. I needed to recharge and take a step back to focus on me and my family and not compare our lives to the lives of others. Anyway, I am now starting to get back into reading some of my favorite blogs and wanting to get back into posting regularly (let's be honest, probably semi-regularly), too. So, what better way to start than a What's Up Wednesday post?!

> What We're Eating This Week...
Monday night, we had friends over and I made Shea's BBQ Chicken Rice Bowls. I've made them a few times and always love them! So yummy! Tuesday night we ate at our small group. Tonight, it's going to be Eric's mom's Spanish Rice recipe, another favorite of ours. I'll probably do a crockpot roast with carrots and potatoes tomorrow night, and Friday, we are meeting my parents at Chick-Fil-A for dinner and so the boys can let out all their energy on the playground ;) BUUUTTTT, speaking of cooking, I saw this the other day. How true?!

> What I' Reminiscing About...
A few weeks ago we took my sister up to college for her freshman year.#ifeelsoold ...She is attending Toccoa Falls College like I did (and where Eric and I met). That of course has had me reminiscing about the good ole college days. College was such a fun experience and exactly what an introverted homebody like me needed! Loved it.

> What I'm Loving...
Our little trips to the library lately. Our boys both LOVE to be read to, and I am a big reader, too. I've been more intentional about taking them to the library to check out new books (and the occasional DVD ;)). A number of our local libraries have great kids' rooms for them to play and explore, so that's always a plus!

> What We've Been Up To...
Eric (a special education middle school teacher) started his school year about a month ago, and Wells began his 2-day PreK3 program a few weeks ago as well. It was sad to see summer go, but I do like having somewhat of a routine again. But, we have not been loving getting up early again. Boo. This is what the boys look like when they have to get up and going so much earlier...

> What I'm Dreading...
Hurricane Irma. We are all glue to the updates, trying to figure out what we need to do. If it's a direct impact, we will obviously be heading out of town, but if it veers some and isn't as dangerous as it's looking right now, we may just hunker down. Either way, not gonna be fun. #goawayirma

> What I'm Working On...
Since I last blogged, we have moved into the new house and have been slowly making it a home. I feel like we have always got some sort of project going on. Right now, I am re-purposing two retail display cabinets (that I snagged on Craigslist for $25!) into a media console. I can't wait to get it all done!

> What I'm Excited About...
Fall! I have always loved the coziness of fall and can't wait to decorate the house and get out all the seasonal candles. There's just something about fall, y'all! And speaking of fall, I'm gonna need this mug (found here)...

> What I'm Watching/Reading...
Eric and I have been watching The 100 on Netflix for the last couple of weeks and have been hooked. We just wrapped up Season 4, and I have no clue when Season 5 starts, BUT I CANNOT EVEN WAIT.
As far as books go, I just wrapped up Saving Grace by Jane Green and  The One and Only by Emily Giffin. Recommend them both! I am now starting Killing Jesus by Bill O'Reilly.

> What I'm Listening To...
I've been making my own playlists on Spotify lately, and I always love browsing other people's stations.

> What I'm Wearing...
It is still HOT HOT HOT in Savannah. So we are still in summer clothes over here, but I am beyond ready for fall clothes...which for us, will probably not happen for another 2+ months. Did I mention it's hot?

> What We're Doing This Weekend...
Depending on what our girl Irma decides to do, we may be evacuating.

> What I'm Looking Forward to Next Month...
I participate in a local consignment shop 2 times a year, and it is coming up. I always get the best clothes at such good prices, and by consigning items with them, I get to shop earlier than the public. Always one of my favorite times of the year! :) I'm also looking forward to scheduling a date night (or two) with my hubby. It's always so nice to spend some quality, kid-free time together. Please enjoy this awfully grainy selfie of us on our last date (which consisted of delicious Indian food and live music at a local coffee shop).

> What Else Is New...
I mentioned that I am now working part-time for our church, and I really love it. It has been such a blessing to work at a place where I am already invested. God's timing & details were completely perfect - giving me a job so close to our new house, giving me a job with the same hours (only 15 hours/wk) as my last one but with a pay increase. The most important thing to me and Eric is that I get to stay home as much as possible with the boys, and so this was the perfect situation for us.

> What Are Your Best Back-To-School Lunch Ideas/Tips?
Last year in Wells' PreK2 program, we packed snacks, but at his new school this year, the school provides their snacks. So, as of now, I am no longer packing anything. But one thing that I do with Wells in general to get him to eat something he isn't crazy about is to give him a little toothpick/skewer. Kids will eat anything on a stick! Ha! So, I see lots of little fruit or sandwich kabobs in his future, once he's old enough to pack a lunch! :)

Can't wait to read everyone else's posts! It feels good to be back! :)