So Loved

I saw this image somewhere and it is just so happy. And it made me think of my kids {obviously}. I hope that regardless of how crazy things get around here (if you follow me on Instagram, I use #my3ringcircus quite frequently because, well, it is oh so true), that most of all, my kids know how very loved they are. Not only by Brad and me, but by so many others - friends and family alike. I try hard to show them and tell them how much they are loved, and I hope they really listen!

Here are a couple recent pictures of #my3ringcircus...

{December 1st - when Alvin came back!  They were all so excited!}

{Last night eating dinner at Newks - a pretty consistent Sunday tradition!}

Be sure to check back for some more updates of the fun we have been having!

I Never Thought I Would Care

I haven't really gotten caught up in all the hoopla over the royal baby.  Of course, when Kate was hospitalized early in her pregnancy, I wanted the best for her, but that was the extent of it.  Oh, and she has looked cute in every.single.picture that has been put out there of her pregnant!

But when I woke up this morning and checked my email, I had a headline kind of email from Us Weekly (I subscribe to the magazine, so I get their emails as well) saying the baby is on the way!

 And I got excited!  I even started following a page on Facebook called "Royal Baby News" - oh dear.  But I guess it is only fitting - we had our own tea party with Kara and Carter the day of the big Royal Wedding (it was actually Katie's birthday!), so I guess it is only fitting that I am sort of excited about it all!

So, boy or girl?  Me? I think girl.  Who knows.  I also think it is so neat that there is such a tradition in how news of the baby's arrival is announced - with the announcement being displayed publicly behind the gates at Buckingham Palace! 

I just love this picture from last summer's Olympics.  They are so cute!  And I bet they have the cutest baby - they are such a good looking couple!

OK, now back to normal life things.  Like laundry, dishes, tidying up, and such. 

What do you think?  Boy? Girl? Don't care? I, for one, look forward to the issue of Us Weekly that talks all about the royal baby.  :)  

**UPDATE: It's a BOY!!! 8 lbs 6 oz! So excited for them and their little Prince!**

Random Thoughts

• First off, didn't you miss me?!  This weekend was my first absence from blogging the entire YEAR!  I was getting a little tired of trying to come up with posts, so I decided to just take a little break!  And I'm back - for now, at least!
• The other day we were on our way to a store to find some shoes for Katie.  We passed a neighborhood where houses are under construction and the side of one was facing the road.  The wood was up with the cutouts where windows would go.  Katie got so excited and said, "Oh.my.gosh.  Mommy, look!  It's a chicken house!"
• Katie is loving playing doctor just like Doc McStuffins.  She even likes to wear the stethoscope just like she sees on the show!
• Grandma and Katie had a slumber party Sunday night and it was SO nice to be able to go back to sleep after feeding Jack!
• When we got home from leaving Katie at Grandma's, Brad and I were watching Dateline and it was a special on Stranger Danger.  They had kids out and had hidden cameras so that the parents could sit in a studio and watch what their child's reaction was when a stranger approached them.  Goodness it is so scary to think that all those crazies out there know just how to use the "right tactic" to kidnap.  It made me wonder what Katie would do and ways I can talk about that issue with Katie.  I don't think you can start talking about that issue too early!  On the show, the guy acted super nice and either had a puppy dog to show the kid or "free" ice cream and neat things on the truck to show them.  Ice cream and puppies - some of Katie's favorites!  AH!  I think if there are good, age-appropriate books to start reading to Katie about this, that may be the best way to approach it at first.  And of course finding teachable moments will be good.
• I discovered the other night that Jack has a sweet little dimple on his left cheek.  Whenever he is falling asleep while eating, he always has sweet smiles.  And the other night I looked down and saw the cutest little dimple!
• Today is Katie's first day of PRESCHOOL!!  It is still the program at our church, but the three and five day a week programs are considered preschool.  This momma is super excited for Katie to have that opportunity, as well as me to have time to get things done and spend time with Jack.
• It is officially football season!  And I have a whole other post coming on that later this week.  We had a great weekend enjoying the first games of the season with friends!
• I have been doing a good job with the exercise goals - the last two weeks I have worked out 6 out of 7 days!  I like it because it makes me feel better - and lets me eat more :)  I use the MyFitnessPal app on my phone - it is amazing!  It definitely holds me accountable with calorie management and all that!
• There is nothing like sweet baby lips - especially on a sweet, SLEEPING baby!! :)

Lazy Monday Morning

We love a lazy, pajama-wearing morning.  And that's just what we are having!  I went in when I heard Katie up and going potty - look at that hair!! She must have had some wild dreams last night!  Of course she wouldn't cooperate for a picture, so this one will have to do!

 I am glad a lazy morning was in order for Katie too - I woke up with congestion...and I swear the gland on the left side of my neck has never hurt this bad (and it is like a goose egg)!  I am feeling a little bit better now that I am up and at em thank goodness!  I love this of Katie and Sadie watching some Sesame Street!

 And this one didn't turn out so well, but they were both looking out the window at the birds flying around!  So cute.

We just finished eating breakfast - well, I guess it is technically brunch at this time of day.  I may do a little work and Katie wants to color.  Sounds pretty nice to me!  Happy Monday!

A Few Randoms...

• I went to look back at my 20 week picture with Katie and didn't have one!! There is a 19w4d picture and then a 21 week picture.  I couldn't believe it!  I guess I will have to take another one next weekend so I do a "compare the belly pics" post!
• Do not buy candy at the store in the mall - I wanted some Sour Patch Kids (yum!) and payed almost $3 for the equivalent of what I could've gotten for a dollar at Walgreens.
• I am a sucker for BOGO - I went to Motherhood Maternity to buy some new maternity jeans (BY MYSELF - pure bliss!), and the clearance section was BOGO, so I got 4 tops! But hey!  I only payed for 2! :)  And I get tired of wearing the same things over and over when I already don't feel terribly attractive - yay for new options!
• A pregnant woman in a grocery store is dangerous.  Even if she has a list.  I went for milk and some items for a recipe for what I'm taking to a Super Bowl Party and ended up spending $91.  What extras were included? Cheese-Its, Lemon Perrier, Chex Mix, and Raspberry Tea.  I also got some things for Katie (popcorn, donuts, bananas, "brownie cookies"...).  Oh my.
• I am almost finished reading my second book of the year - Water for Elephants!  Not too bad for this early in February!  I am debating what to read next - maybe start the Hunger Games? Or Girl With the Dragon Tattoo? Do you have any suggestions?
• I love hearing Brad and Katie playing - I just got home from the store and they are playing upstairs.  I think it is supposed to be "quiet time", but I hear lots of giggling!
• I don't care who wins the Super Bowl.  I am more excited about the commercials and the food that people are bringing.  Oh and our friends too :)

A Year In Review

I wanted to do a brief monthly recap of our 2011 - so here we are! And I apologize if we missed anything - feel free to let me know if I did!

January:
-Happy 2011!
-Auburn won the National Championship
February:
-Our friends Ashley and Andrew welcomed a sweet baby girl, Avery
-Katie had her first trip to the dentist
March:
-Beach trip! We headed to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic with the Plummer family
-Katie and I headed to Phoenix for a long weekend...had to take advantage of Katie flying for free one last time!
April:
-Another successful TABS Conference for Ashley's work!
-Happy 2nd birthday to Katie!  And a fun Elmo party to celebrate!
May:
-Brad's grandmother turned 90
-Brad and I ran a 5K (first and only one this year)!
-Bookcases were installed in our den (another post coming to note the changes we made to the house this year)
-Our friends Jonathan and Melinda welcomed a sweet baby girl, Elena!
-My cousin graduated from the school I went to
June:
-We got back from our tour of the Carolinas trip (got to visit the Fetrows and go to the beach)!
-Brad and I celebrated our 5th anniversary
July:
-We had the cubbies installed in our laundry room/mud room
-We headed to Atlanta for a weekend with Brad's mom - Katie's first baseball games and a visit to the Georgia Aquarium
-Our friends Jenny and Dave welcomed a sweet baby girl, Tenley!
-Katie started swim lessons for the first time
August:
-Brad and I went to the Train & Maroon 5 concert...it was the first concert for us in a while, and it was AMAZING!
-Our friends Brady and Michelle welcomed a sweet baby boy, Nolan!
September:
-Brad and I went to the season opener UT football game!
-We headed to Florida for another beach trip - so relaxing and fun!
-Brad celebrated his 32nd birthday!
October:
-We officially had lived in our house for one year!
-Annual trip to the pumpkin patch
-I found out I was finally PREGNANT!!!!
-Katie dressed up a cute little German girl for Halloween!
November:
-Katie and I headed to Memphis with Amanda and Julia for a girl's weekend!
-We finally had our 4 generation pictures taken!
-My mom and I headed to Christmas Village (a tradition for us - shopping just before Thanksgiving)
-Ashley celebrated her 28th birthday!
-We headed to the annual cabin trip to a local state park
-We celebrated Thanksgiving!
-Sadie celebrated her 5th birthday!
December:
-We ventured out on the annual trolley ride with my brother
-I had my annual GNO Ornament Exchange
-I went to see the Nutcracker with some girlfriends - so fun!
-We celebrated Christmas with all of our family

Looking forward to all that 2012 will bring!

Still Playing Catch Up

I wanted to post just a few random thoughts....

1) Last night, Katie went into our neighbor's bathroom and started brushing her teeth with Lewis' toothbrush.  Hilarious.  He probably didn't find it quite as funny as Jill and I did. And to justify it, she had just had a bath, so the normal next step would have been to brush teeth!

2) I love that I have reached 50 followers! Thanks, y'all!

3) Yesterday morning, I went into Katie's room to make sure that she still had all of her clothes still on.  Once I saw all was well, I ran downstairs to grab the clothes for her to wear, was coming back upstairs, and guess who greeted me at the top of the stairs?? Yes, you guessed right.  When I went downstairs, she was in the crib...and then she wasn't....I asked her how she got out and she said "neigh," so I asked her if she rode it like a horse to get out and she said yes.  So, she got out safely and was just fine.  I guess a big girl bed is in our VERY near future.  We had talked about doing it over the week of Thanksgiving, but looks like it may have to happen sooner.  She did stay in and go right to sleep last night, so hopefully it was a one time occurrence.  I think we are going to go out and look for big girl bedding today so we can make the transition soon! Oh my.

4) We had pictures done for our Christmas card and I just got the CD of them.  There is one picture on there that just makes me laugh every single time.  I love these three bunches!  Here it is...

Happy Friday and have a great weekend!