The Most Special Gifts

My birthday is New Years Day. I turned 32 and I have to say, this has been the best birthday year to date. I had my fabulous wine tasting the week before, and New Years Eve was spent at home with Mike and the kids. We did our favorite thing, back yard BBQ, and early to bed. New Years day Mike asked what I wanted to do and my one request was the movies. We went to see This Is 40, which I loved, at 10 30 in the morning while my mil watched the kids.

We were home in time for the kids to take a nap, which meant Mike and I got to be lazy, then we went out to Mexican food for dinner. My mother in law made a cake for me, because she loves me- but also because the kids were soooo excited to sing happy birthday. When we got home from dinner Max and Ella insisted I give them wrapping paper and tape. I cut out big squares of paper and they raced to their rooms where they spent 15 minutes at work. At one point Ella ran out and said, "Mom, do you think I can ask Santa for tape next Christmas?" Poor girl, I never let her use tape because they go through it so fast. That night I let her use the whole thing.

After they sang to me and helped blow out candles, I opened presents. Cue the cutest moment ever...Maxwell had wrapped up his treasured plastic tool set for me. Ella snuck in my closet and wrapped my favorite old flip flops and a belt. And Mike gave me an iPad for Christmas/Birthday! How sweet is that? It was a perfect birthday. And it just keeps going. On Sunday I went to lunch with girlfriends, we do an annual December/January celebration for a few of our birthdays. This Wed I get to have dinner with my friend Crystal. I'm telling you- best birthday ever :)

 

 

 

My Boy. Again.

I'm going to take this phase as 'it's about time.' My kids aren't perfect, nor is our parenting, but they've been pretty darn easy. So when they're not, it throws me. The past week and a half Maxwell has been acting out in new ways. Not fun. Hitting and crying/yelling until he works himself into a rage. He gets his little body so worked up it's very hard to calm him down. At home his safe place is his room. I either put him there or he goes himself and he calms down until he's ready to come out and be kind. But we've had a couple of incidents outside of the home this past week, not as easy for either of us to handle.

It's a phase and hopefully it'll pass soon. In the meantime, Ella remains calm and consistent. From birth I've found that these twins balance our home. Just when I think one is 'the quiet one,' 'the cranky one,' 'the silly one,'...they switch on us. Of course they have their own personalities and uniqueness  but when it comes to one needing more attention, they seem to know and the other becomes cooperative and self sufficient. I know that sounds crazy, but when one is being particularly naughty or needing attention (like when the other is sick), they seem to just behave.

Right now Maxwell is taking most of my patience and attention while little Vita happily goes about her day. Two weeks from now it will probably change. And thank goodness for that. If you're reading this, please send a prayer of patience for me and a prayer of self control and obedience for our boy. Because tonight especially, we both need it :)

 

My Husband Loves Me

Lately I have been feeling a little lot down about my weight. Clearly not enough to do anything about it, but I think about it everyday. If you know me in real life, you have seen me get heavier. If you know me through blogging, you have seen selective/cropped pictures. I've never been huge, but I have been conscious of my weight my whole life. I go up and down and most days I don't care. Until I get to a point where I do. And I'm almost there. But this post is about something that my husband said to me last week. We were having a little fun during nap time, wink wink, and I said something about being uncomfortable with how I look. Mike shook his head.

"Sexy isn't about weight. It's about your attitude and who you are. And I promise you, you're sexy." Melt. Thanks Mike for loving me when I'm up and when I'm down.

The BEST Concert

My trip was perfect. I think I was mostly excited to get away and have a good time with Maeg. I thought I'd like the concert, but OH MY GOSH IT WAS SOOOO GOOD. I only knew the songs 8 they play on the radio, but I did not sit down because every song was amazing. Not to sound like a music nerd (thanks to my Dad), but they would go off on these amazing jam sessions with fiddles and guitars and I seriously got the chills. The played for over three hours straight and I didn't want them to stop. As they played their song 'Whatever It Is' I (obviously) imagined that it was written for me and I melted because it's too sweet. But most of their music felt a lot more rock than country and it was just...so good (for the 50th time). If you have a chance to see them- GO!

The trip felt like a vacation. We ate, shopped, and slept in-just like I hoped. Maegann's Aunt and cousins bought tickets at the last minute so we hung out with them too. Her Aunt is Maegann's Mom's sister- and I love them. All of them. Here are my too many pictures, as promised :)

Zac Brown Band
Whatever Is Is

She's got eyes that cut you like a knife and
her lips that taste like sweet red wine
And her pretty legs go to heaven every time
She got a gentle way that puts me at ease
When she walks in the room I can hardly breathe
Got a devastating smile knock a grown man to his knees

She's got whatever it is
It blows me away
She's everything I want to say to a woman
but couldn't find the words to say

She's got whatever it is
I don't know what to do
And every time I try and tell her how I feel
it comes out "I love you"

You got whatever it is

You know I've never been the type that would ever want to stay
Bring 'em home at night and they're gone the next day
But that all changed when she walked into my life
And people ask me what it is
I tell them I don't know
There just something about the woman makes my heart go haywire
And She's gonna be my wife

She's got whatever it is
It blows me away
She's everything I want to say to a woman
but couldn't find the words to say

She's got whatever it is
I don't know what to do
every time I try and tell her how I feel
it comes out "I love you"
You got whatever it is

Now when you love me
Girl that's how I feel
When she loves me I'm on top of the world
When she loves me I can live forever
When she loves me I am untouchable

You got whatever it is
It blows me away
Your everything I want to say to a woman
but couldn't find the words to say

You got whatever it is
I don't know what to do
every time I try and tell her how I feel
it comes out "I love you" I Do

You got whatever it is

A Trip For Me

I am so excited I can hardly stand it. In eleven days I am taking a trip to Seattle...alone! I am going to visit family to celebrate my cousin's graduation, then I'm going to stay with my amazing friend Hillary. Hill just had a new baby girl and her older daughter just turned two...they are darling. I am going for FIVE days and FOUR nights. Four days of time away from home. When I think about being away it's a feeling of excitement mixed with gut wrenching anxiety. I know the babies will be fine...but my heart already hurts from missing them.
Anyway, I'm going and it's going to be an incredible break for me. Thanks Mike for giving me this trip.