Busy Bees

We have been busy little bees this weekend! I can't remember when we've done this much on a weekend in a long time. But I've enjoyed getting to hang out with my boys and spend some much needed time with them.
Friday I woke up early for an eye appointment. It didn't turn out quite like I planned. My intention was to go and have my yearly exam and order contacts. Well my right eye changed 5 steps in just a year so I had to get new lenses for my glasses on top of the contacts. Ugh!!! I despise having terrible vision.
I was at the doctor longer than I planned so we didn't get to take Bryson to the splash pad. I just found out about our town having one and we haven't been able to take him all summer. Makes me feel like a bad mother. How in the world could I NOT KNOW that we had a splash pad? But I am thankful that our parents have pools for Bryson to play in :) We ended up taking him to our favorite fast food place...Chick-fil-A!

Bryson was SO excited to get to play! I get nervous when there are other kids that are a lot older than him playing too. But he just gets right in there with them and thinks he's a "BIG BOY!" It's so hard watching him grow up so fast. Where is the time going???

I thought this picture was funny! Such a precious angel!!

This next picture you might be able to see very well...
On Saturday we took Bryson to the movies. Clay has been wanting to take him to the movies all summer. It was one of the things on his list to do this summer since he was out of school. Cars was still showing at the theater so we thought that one would be a good one to take him too.

Is this picture not hilarious? He loved the popcorn :)

He made it through a little over an hour of the movie which I thought was good for a little boy his age. I am so thankful that we get to make these special memories. Even though we had a small meltdown towards the end, I will not forget the look on his face when me noticed Mater and the other cars!

Church was wonderful this morning. From the music to the guest pastor Kevin Ezell, president of the North American Mission Board. His sermon was great! He spoke on the legacy we would leave and asked us what would people say about us when we were gone? Very convicting and has had me thinking a lot today. Everything I own, every opportunity I have is a gift from God. During this season of my life I want to be in the place that God wants me to be in. I long to be in His will. We are not guaranteed tomorrow. I want my life to count for something and that when I see my Lord's face one day He will tell me "well done my daughter."

Our SS class has a supper club every two months where groups of us get together at different houses. We've been doing this since the beginning of the year and it has been a lot of fun! Today was our get turn with The Hosmer's. I just love this family.

This picture was from Bryson's party

These two little cutie pies played so well together. Bryson would follow Paxton everywhere he went and do the same things he did. It was so sweet! Brooke and I hope these two will be lifelong friends.

I hate having to go back to work after having a weekend like this.

Blessings

I'm sure most of ya'll are pretty familiar with Laura Story's song "Blessings." The first time I heard it on the radio I was in tears by the end of it. When I read the lyrics I was in awe! Going through infertility I would never have thought during that time God was blessing me through our pain. I struggled so much with asking God "why" instead of looking for the blessings he was showing me. My favorite line in the whole song is "that this is not our home!!" Praise Jesus!!!

Blessings - Lyrics

We pray for blessings, we pray for peace
Comfort for family, protection while we sleep
We pray for healing, for prosperity
We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering


All the while, You hear each spoken need
Yet love us way too much to give us lesser things

Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops?
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near?

What if trials of this life
Are Your mercies in disguise?

We pray for wisdom, Your voice to hear
We cry in anger when we cannot feel You near
We doubt Your goodness, we doubt Your love
As if every promise from Your Word is not enough

And all the while You hear each desperate plea
And long that we'd have faith to believe

Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears?
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near?

And what if trials of this life
Are Your mercies in disguise

When friends betray us, when darkness seems to win
We know the pain reminds this heart
That this is not, this is not our home
It's not our home

Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears?
And what if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near?

What if my greatest disappointments
Or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst
This world can’t satisfy?

And what if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are Your mercies in disguise?


Happy Wednesday!!

Random Post - Bullet Point Style

I've been extremely busy this week and it's only Tuesday. We are getting ready to go on vacation in the next few weeks and I'm working a couple of extra shifts on my week off to make up for the days I'll be missing. So today I thought I would just do a bullet list post of some of the things that have been going on.

• First off I got home from work this afternoon and Bryson started singing Jesus loves me. Not just a couple of words here and there, I'm talking about the whole song with just a few words missing. This momma was so excited! I've been singing that to him since we brought him home from the hospital before he goes to bed and I was hoping sooner or later he would learn it and start singing it himself. I hope I can get it on video!

I'm sure most of y'all are familiar with this little icon. I have recently discovered Pinterest. Oh my, this website is genius! Basically it allows you to organize things you find on the internet. You can use it to organize birthday party ideas, recipes, things for your home, weddings, and etc. Trust me when I tell you, you can loose all since of time when your on this site.
• I'm in desperate need of a blog makeover. I've been wanting to get one for some time now, but haven't had the extra $$$. To celebrate their TWO year anniversary Munchkin Land Designs is giving away some awesome prizes! Click on the link above to find out more information. I would love to win a makeover :)
• I'm so excited about tomorrow night. Some of us girls from our SS class are having a girls night out. We haven't been able to get together much this summer due to vacations and such. And since the guys have been going out on what I like to call "man dates" (HA!!) over the last several weeks we thought we needed a night out too!
• I mentioned last week about Blue-Eyed Bride's post on a "Home Organization Notebook." Several of the mom's I follow on twitter have also been inspired and it seems to be taking off. So today I ordered a Life Planner from...
  
  It will be delivered while we are on vacation, so I figured from now until then I could gather all the things I want in my notebook and when I get home from our va-ca I will be ready! I also saw on twitter that you can get a discount off the website when you visit plumdistrict.com. You have to click on the Houston: Katy/Sugar Land area to find the coupon. It's sooo worth it!

Clay and I are getting ready to watch Dual Survival. It comes on the Discovery Channel. We just started watching it last month and are hooked! I hope y'all are having a great Tuesday.

Fun Friday

When I got home this morning from work Clay informed me that he and Bryson were going to the park to meet up with Drew and Elaina. They were going to let the kids play for a while and then take them to Chick-fil-A for lunch.

Ladies I have to tell y'all that I'm really getting into Clay being off during the summer. This is the first summer he's been off since he started back to school in 2007. He graduates next May and then we hope he'll have a job waiting for him starting in August (he's getting a degree teaching Physical Education). It's been such a joy having him at home. Especially on the weeks that I work. And I know Bryson LOVES spending time with him too.

Thought I would share a few pics of Bryson and Elaina. Y'all know I made sure to tell Clay to take lots of pictures so I could blog about it later. Ha!

Elaina was all about the swing.

And Bryson was all about the slide.

I just had to post this picture. Clay said he didn't think they were holding hands, but I will confess that it wouldn't bother me if he did. Ha! These two sweet babies have always played so well together and I hope they grow up to be life long friends.

Enjoying lunch at CFA. I think this is the best fast food place to take your kids. And from the looks on these faces they would agree!

This evening we met up with The Allison's and had dinner at The Armstrong's house. I love that our friends are so close by and that we can get together at the last minute. We let the kids play and have a such a good time! It's so nice to get together with other adults and have adult conversation :)

Kristie made a wonderful dinner. I will definitely be using her pork loin and homemade macaroni and cheese recipe. They were delicious!!

Sheri, Elaina, Jack, and Kristie

Bryson was in awe of Jack's toys. I think there was one point tonight where Bryson tried to get in Jack's walker. Ugh...my child can be such a ham sometimes!

Of course the boys stayed outside doing "boy things." Throwing the football and talking about who knows what. I'm so glad Clay has such wonderful Christian friends he can hang out with and talk too. I honestly believe guys need their time just as much as we girls need our time.

Hope y'all have a wonderful weekend. I'm working on a Home Organization Notebook that I saw over at Blue-Eyed Bride. I've really stuggled in this area of my life and she has inspired me to "get organized."

Two Years

Dear Bryson~

I can't believe you are TWO years old today! It feels just like yesterday that you were born and I was holding you for the first time, all 7 pounds 1 ounce. I can't begin to tell you how long your daddy and I waited for you. I wonder how much I would have missed out in if the Lord hadn't given you to me. I thank Him everyday for giving me the chance to be your mother.

You are such a strong-willed little boy. You have a temper that tests my patience everyday, but bless your heart you get it honestly. I struggle a lot and questions myself most days as to whether I am doing a good job raising you. I think it's just because we are so much alike and I'm having to tell you "NO" a thousand times a day. Ha!

You are the light of my life. The last two years have been nothing short of a gift from the Lord. Your smile and laugh are contagious. I have always said you will grow up to be just like your daddy. Always making people laugh and being the "life of the party!"

I pray for you everyday. I want you to love Jesus more than anything in this world. I want you to follow His will for your life and let His light shine through you in all that you do.

What did your daddy and I do before you came along? You have given us so much joy and so much to look forward to in the future. There hasn't been one single day that has gone by that we haven't laughed about something you have done.

I can't believe how fast these last two years have gone by. I have learned to cherish every moment I have with you because I know one day you will leave us and start a family of your own. I am so thankful that you are my son. I am truly a better person because of you.

Happy Birthday my sweet baby boy! Momma loves you so very much!!

The Help

I just finished The Help by Kathryn Stockett this morning before I went to bed. Love. This. Book! Probably one of my all time favorite books besides Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird. Such a classic.

I'm really getting into the Southern Fiction novels. If y'all have any other suggestions, let me know about them.

To say I'm ecstatic about the movie coming out next month is an understatement. I hate that we are going to be at the beach the weekend it comes out, but I'm sure I can fit going to the movies that Monday night before I go back to work.

I've been really proud of myself for being able to keep up with my book list I wrote about here earlier this year. I've veered a little from my original list and have added a few books too.

Hope y'all have a wonderful Wednesday! Tomorrow my baby turns TWO! I can't believe it. Clay and I have a few special things planned for him. I just hope it doesn't rain. Will blog all about it tomorrow night!!

Happy Birthday Bryson

On Saturday we celebrated Bryson's 2nd birthday. This party was a lot of fun to plan and Bryson had the BEST time! This is his invitation. His actual birthday is on Thursday.

Grandpa and Grandma Amy were able to visit for the past week. They came over to the house a little early to let Bryson open up his present.

I decided a few months back to have the party at one of our local parks in town. I thought it would be a great place for the kids and I wanted to make sure they all had a good time.

I left a little early to go and decorate. This year I didn't do as much decorating or cooking for that matter as I did last year. First birthday's are a big deal and so are his others, but I want to be able to enjoy them and not have to worry so much about the decorations and etc.

Last year for Bryson's birthday I started a table cloth and just take fabric markers and incorporate the theme of his party onto the table cloth. I heard about this idea from a co-worker and thought it was awesome. I also thought it would be neat to have his hand prints each year too. I was really excited about how it turned out. Oh, and those of you that might be wondering, I did not draw those. I wish I could have taken credit, but drawing has never been a gift of mine. I found the pictures off the internet and blew them up on the copy machine at work and traced them.

I will take credit for all 48 cupcakes. Ha! A very sweet lady at work let me have her chocolate cake recipe to try out as cupcakes for the party. I was really nervous about making them and tried them out last week on my co-workers. Because y'all know I'm not going to serve something that I haven't tried out and gotten some reviews on. Ha!! They were actually a huge success! My husband even raved about them which is saying alot since he despises cake all together. And it was a lot cheaper to make them myself than to buy them.

His Mickey outfit turned out so cute.

Our Family

Bryson didn't know what to think with all these people singing to him. Bless his heart, he got so embarrassed.

He was ready to dive into that cupcake. He'd been asking for one all day and I kept having to remind him they were for his birthday party.

Bryson decided he wanted Aunt Erica to take him down the BIG slide. Y'all I was sooo nervous. He has always been one to stay around the slides that are more for his age and Saturday it was like he turned into a BIG boy. He wanted to do all the big kid stuff. So of course y'all know I made my MIL and FIL stand on each side of the slide and my husband to stand at the bottom just in case he flew off. HA!

He was having the best time! I was so proud of him. He's not scared to do anything, but has always been a little reserved if that makes any sense. Clay and I were very excited that he had such a good time. I'm really glad I had the party there.

Bryson, Madelyn (isn't she adorable) and Paxton. This was a close as we could get to getting a picture of some of the kids.

I bought these coloring books at the dollar tree and the cups from Wal-Mart to give out as gifts to the kids. I tied it with a note from Bryson thanking them for coming to his party.

A picture of all of the guests. My camera was on a weird setting so some of the pictures didn't show up well. I was so glad our family and friends were able to share this special time with us. Bryson is so lucky to have so many people that love him.

Flashback Friday

I've done a Flashback Friday post once before. I love doing them! It's so fun to look back on what Bryson looked like a year ago to the day. But it also makes me a little sad...to see my baby growing up so fast.

Y'all have a wonderful weekend. Bryson's party is tomorrow. I'll be up late tonight working on the final decorations. Will blog about as soon as I can.

Almost Wordless Wednesday

This is little boy is ALL smiles today!

His grandmama picked him up from school today and is taking him swimming. They came by the house to pick up his water wings and Bryson went on and on about getting to go swimming.

Happy Wednesday!

Hair Day, Cooking Dinner, and Sweet Bones

I've had this "hair day" planned for over a month. Lindsey, the girl that does my hair stays booked all the time and it's so hard to get an appointment with her. But it's definitely worth the wait. We went to high school together and I can't tell y'all what an amazing job she does on my hair.

This is awful to admit, but I haven't had anything done to my hair in about a year. Isn't that terrible? You'd think being from the South I would be a little better about keeping myself up and I've really trying to get better at that. But it's so hard when you work full time, mom full time and everything in between.

This is the before...

And this is the after!

I love the way it turned out. And isn't there something so relaxing sitting under that dryer and reading a good book? I could get my hair "did" every day! Ha!

Our SS teacher and his wife just welcomed a precious little baby girl, Hannah Ruth, born on June 24th. When someone in our class has a baby we sign up to bring food for that family for the next two weeks. It's a great way to get to know the other couples in our class and from experience, it helps out so so much.

I love that our SS does this! We have made such life long friends in this class. I could not ask for a better group of people to share our lives with and hopefully continue to raise our children together.

I made the Honey Onion Chicken that Jenna posted about here. I've made this several times for our family and both boys love it. I also made green beans and three cheese potatoes. I really hope they enjoyed it.

I don't know if I've mentioned that my dad and step-mom are in town from Texas for Bryson's birthday. They are usually able to come out and spend a week with us loving and doting over him. Bryson eats up every bit!

Tonight we met up with my brother and SIL for dinner at Sweet Bones of Alabama. It's become one of mine and Clay's new favorite BBQ places. We tried the fried green tomatoes for an appetizer tonight. Y'all those were some of the best FGT I've ever eaten. They were like heaven on a plate served with white bbq sauce. YUM-O!!

Our family

Bryson was having a bit of a meltdown right before we got our dinner, so I decided to take him outside for a little change of scenery. The Terrible Two's are in full force at the W house. We eventually made it back inside to eat our dinner.

Bryson, my brother and Michele

Grandma Amy, Grandpa and Bryson

We had a great day today! I still have lots to get done with Bryson's party, but I think I'm going to take a break and watch the rest of the MLB All-Star game. Go National League!!!

Church Singin'

My FIL and MIL's church held a Singin' today. For those of y'all that aren't from the south or have absolutely no clue as to what I am talking about...a church singin' is when a gospel/christian group come to your church and sing/play music. Of course before they get started all the members of the church will bring a covered dish or whatever and you'll have lunch before the singin' gets started. It's alot of fun!

Clay and I both grew up around them. And it looks like Bryson is following suit. This is his second one to go to this year. He loves them!!! If y'all been following my blog, you know that Bryson is obsessed with music.

Since I had to work last night and again tonight I asked Clay if he would take a few pictures. They didn't turn out as good as the ones from earlier this year.

I wish I could have been there. I heard he just clapped and clapped. That's what I hate so much about working at night (really working in general) I miss out on alot of these things. But I'm very blessed to have a job and one where I am off every other week. I really shouldn't complain.

Look at that sweet baby's face. Hard to believe he'll be two in just a few weeks.

Hope y'all had a wonderful weekend! Tonight's my last night of work for the week and then I'll be in party planning mode. I've got so much to do this week I feel like I'm going to forget something. Ha!

Y'all have a great week!!!

Eclipse

A few weeks ago I finished my book for the month of June. Sorry I'm just now getting a chance to post about it. Oh well, that's the life of a momma with a toddler in the house :)

 

I have to tell y'all that I think Eclipse has been my favorite so far out of the first three books. Meyer talks alot more about the past lives of a few of the Cullens' and how they came to be vampires and a little more about the werewolves background. 

 

I have to admit to y'all that before this book and New Moon I was a huge Edward fan, but after reading these last two books I am in love with Jacob. He just seems much more right for Bella than Edward. After watching the previews to Breaking Dawn, I feel like things might not turn out the way I wish they would. But a few of the girls at work have finished all four books and told me that I might not be as disappointed as I think I will. I guess I'll find out next month when I read Breaking Dawn.    

 

This month I'm really excited about reading "The Help." Everybody I know that has read this book has loved it and couldn't put it down. And I'm excited about the movie too!

 

As I'm sitting here typing this Bryson is singing his ABC's over the monitor. Guess he wasn't ready to go to bed just yet. Ha!!! Hope y'all had a great Friday!

Party Prep

I can't believe I'm even writing this post. Where has the time gone? In just a few short weeks I will "officially" not be able to call my sweet baby boy a "baby" anymore. I can't believe he's turning TWO y'all! I tear up just thinking about it.

His birthday snuck up on me this year and so over the last few weeks I've finally been able to start prepping for his party. I'm doing alot of the decorations and fixins myself. We've also invited our friends and their kids this year and I'm really excited about them getting to come and seeing Bryson interact with other kids his age!
This is my list for the party and all the stuff I need to get done. All the smiley faces are things that have been checked off the list :)
On a side note...I am in love with the "Notes" app on the iPhone. I use it for just about anything.

I don't want to show y'all all the details. So I'm just posting bits and pieces. Can you tell it's a Mickey Mouse theme this year? Bryson is obsessed with Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and all things Disney. I get really excited knowing that he enjoys it so much. I've already started planning our future trip to Disney World. Can any of you mom's suggest when the best time is to take your kids to Disney World? That has been a discussion between Clay and I. We can't decide when the best time would be.

This is just a sneak peak of the centerpiece that's going on the kids table. I think it turned out so cute! My creative and talented friend Mary helped me design it. She's also doing his outfit too!

We've planned his party for next Saturday. I can't wait to post all about it :)

Hope y'all are having a great Wednesday!