5 on Friday (on a Saturday)

So please ignore the fact that this post is actually happening on Saturday...I had grand plans and basically my phone wouldn't upload any pictures over my Wifi connection...so a 5 on Saturday post it is! 

 

Don't forget to head on over to April's blog to catch up with all the other fabulous ladies! 

 

 

1.  Practically since Elyse was born,  her cousin Jackson has been asking if Elyse could come visit at his babysitter's house one day.  And it wasn't just because he wanted her to come play...he wanted her to be his "show & tell."  Jackson LOVES Elyse and he wanted to show her off to all his friends.  Is that not the most precious thing ever?!?

 

Finally a few weeks ago, my father-in-law had made plans to make it happen and then the crazy snow storm hit a few weeks ago...so it was postponed.  But last Thursday, my in-laws picked up Elyse about 10 in the morning and they headed to Jackson's daycare.  Jackson was shocked when she arrived and they played for a little while before Mamaw & Pappy treated the two youngest grandkids to a pizza lunch.  And Jackson also managed to teach Elyse his weird fascination with rubbing ears...don't ask questions about this video, I don't understand it either! 

 

2.  Thursday was another ridiculously cold day and while Elyse and I had originally made plans to run a few errands, I decided to punt on those and we stayed home in our jammies & comfy clothes.  I whipped up a new muffin recipe and was pretty pleased with the outcome.  I added some fresh blueberries to the original recipe and they are super moist & yummy.  Why do I love muffins so much?  I try to convince myself that they are at least slightly more healthy for me than donuts since they're not fried...good justification right? At least these have whole wheat flour, greek yogurt and fruit!

3.  As I mentioned I left Elyse in her jammies all day on Thursday...literally all day.  I even delivered her to my parents for a sleepover in her jammies.  I honestly think that might be a first for me in her 2 years of life...we normally at least change into sweats & a t-shirt!  But seriously could she be any cuter?  And her daddy loves that she loves playing with her Duplos...Legos are next for sure!

4.  Part of the reason that she stayed in her jammies is that I think her poor little body must have been fighting off some sort of bug.  No other symptoms besides a slightly runny nose & a mild fever.  We had LOTS of cuddles and LOTS of screentime (thank you Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood & Chuggington). Yes, my child watches tv.  Yes, I am very thankful for it at times.  I actually ended up napping with her for a bit because she just couldn't settle.  Thankfully she woke up happier, but still just a little off...but she seems all better now!  *And will you check out those eyelashes & lips...oh I could eat her up! 

5.  Tonight we have another Missouri State Bears game...which means another opportunity to see Boomer!  Our last game was on Tuesday night and we have definitely made some serious progress in the character interaction department...she voluntarily gave him a high five!  Hugs still weren't allowed, but at least she touched him. And thanks to Papa who was right there to get it on video!  Maybe Santa will be better 10 months from now! 

 

Happy Weekend everyone...and stay warm!



Splish Splash, Elyse LOVES Bathtime!

I saw a post from one of my favorite bloggers and it reminded me that some of the best photos come from the most everyday activities.  I got a new prime lens for my camera for Christmas, and while I'm still a total & complete amateur at using it (and most of the time it still stays on auto), I have really enjoyed the difference in the photos that come from the prime lens. 

I totally copied Sara's idea and had a little bathtime photo shoot on Friday evening before bedtime.  And contrary to what the pictures may look like...we were NOT torturing our child, she has learned to love having water poured over her head. 

And the sweetness from this photo session pretty much ended as soon as it began!

Maybe one of my favorite photos of all time...ornery little Elyse!

Weekend Rewind--My Zumba Girl

I haven't done a weekend rewind in a VERY long time, and I honestly miss recapping our sometimes exciting, but other times mundane weekend happenings. 

 

So...hold on to your seats, this one was incredibly exciting...not really! 

 

Friday evening we just stayed at home, I fixed a new recipe from Pinterest & it was a huge hit!  Super simple and super yummy....but not super healthy.  However, it will definitely be making it into our mealplan rotation!

*picture from PlainChicken.com; Chicken Lazone...absolutely delicious!

We spent the rest of the evening just hanging out at home and we all cuddled up on the couch to watch Planes and eat popcorn before Elyse headed to bed.  This has become a pretty standard Friday evening for us and I love it!  Dinner at home, movie and popcorn...love family date nights at home! 

 

Saturday morning Hubby had to work and I decided to take Elyse to Zumba with me.  She does pretty well during Wednesday mornings with a small group, so I figured we'd be good with a bigger group as long as we stood in the back in our normal place.  Well...there were like 35 ladies and one of my good friends saved me a spot on the front row (which is where I like to be when I'm by myself.)  When I asked Elyse if she wanted to stand in the front with Andrea, my bestie & the Zumba instructor, or in the back...she chose the front.  So off we went!  I really thought she might be in the way, but that little girl danced her heart out for the most part of the entire hour!  She kept asking to get on stage with Andrea and I was able to resist her until the cool down...she helped us stretch it out! 

After Zumba we spent the rest of the day napping & just hanging out at the house before heading out for dinner with Hubby's parents, & his sister & her family.  I broke out my Converse shoes thanks to a tip from Pinterest Told Me To and I LOVED the look.  I can't tell you how many times I've almost put these in a garage sale, but I'm so glad I held on to them.  I can definitely see myself getting lots of wear out of my Converse this Spring!

 We headed to one of our favorite local pizza places for dinner and we had just put our name in for a table for 9 when we had one of those "parent firsts" that you hope you never experience.  Hubby was holding Elyse and she asked for me to hold her so I took her and she was facing my chest when I heard a burp...that was a little more loaded than normal.  Hubby & I quickly left the restaurant hoping that none of her "sickness" managed to find it's way to the floor.  There was a bench right outside the restaurant and I sat down as we were trying to decide what to do when she managed to get sick two more times.  She was upset of course...but I quickly remembered that we had an extra change of clothes in her diaper bag...and from now on there will always be a change of clothes! 

 

She honestly acted like a new kid afterwards, so we did what any normal parent would do...we stripped her down, changed her clothes, stuck the yucky clothes in the trunk, and went in to have a nice dinner with our family.  She honestly didn't act weird the whole rest of the night and even had an appetite for a ton of pizza and froyo afterwards!  Our group was seated near the entrance, and we couldn't help but giggle a bit as another small child got sick as they were leaving the restaurant in the exact same place...I'm thinking the restaurant employees were counting down the hours until they got to go home! 

The best I could do of Mamaw & her grandkids!

Yesterday was a normal Sunday with church, lunch, naps, playtime and small group.  We're starting to get back in our routine and it's definitely a nice feeling.  The holidays are great, but something about a routine and a consistent schedule makes life seem so much more peaceful.  Hope you have a fabulous week! 

5 on Friday!

It's time again for my weekly randoms post...and as has been the norm recently, all photos courtesy of my iPhone.  I promise when it's not so grey, and yucky, and cold outside I'll break out my big camera again...until then, cropped iPhone/Instagram photos it is! 

1.  Due to various scheduling issues...I considered this past Monday my "new year" in regards to getting back to fitness.  Zumba is really the only thing I had been doing and my attendance had been ridiculously low for the past few months.  However, armed with some new workout gear & new shoes, Hubby & Elyse dropped me off on Monday evening and it felt great!  I was also able to go on Wednesday morning and plan to go tomorrow as well!  I'm looking forward to getting back into my Zumba routine. 

2.  On the mornings when I'm home with Elyse I really try to get in and out of the shower before Hubby leaves for work...but sometimes that just doesn't happen, especially when I have a Zumba workout that morning.  Thank goodness for the iPad--I can hop in the shower and get ready real quick while Elyse practically doesn't move.  Itsy Bitsy Spider, Chuggington, & Old McDonald apps are totally educational right?

3.  Yesterday I had one of those moments where I literally laughed at God.  It was as if he sat me down and said..."Listen, I've got this."  I honestly wanted to go grab someone else's Jesus Calling devotional to make sure that everyone else's January 8th looked like this...or if God just plopped this page in front of me exactly when I needed it.  I got it God...I'm waiting on you, and I'm going to try my hardest not to stress over it. 

4.  Hubby & I have booked a quick getaway to Charleston in May.  We've been to the area before but have only driven into the city for day trips. We currently have reservations at the Hampton Inn-Historic District but we may try to find something more local & boutique like if we can find a good deal.  Any suggestions for dining or activities?  We won't be renting a car and we'll be there for 4-5 days...I can't wait! 

This photo of Charleston is courtesy of TripAdvisor

5.  And for your viewing pleasure...here's a video I shot of Elyse last night while we watched Monsters University for the 25,498 time!  Here reaction is the EXACT same every single time....we are BIG Mike Wysowski fans in our house!  And don't forget to watch until the end...Hubby & I laugh every time!

 

Head on over to April's blog to check in with all the other fabulous ladies who participate in 5 on Friday!

 

FROZEN (not the movie!)

So just like almost everyone else across the majority of the country, we are stuck in a crazy weather pattern with some ridiculously low temperatures.  Thankfully we had actually already planned to spend Friday & Saturday at home because it's been a crazy last few weeks, and Hubby went to the store early Saturday morning to avoid the pre-snowstorm crowds.  We stocked up on easy/warm meals to get us through the next few days. 

 

We knew the weather was going to be interesting when this was the graphic posted by our local weather station for the forecasted windchills this morning...

 

The snow started after dark on Saturday night and actually fell until after noon yesterday.  I honestly have NO IDEA how much it snowed, but churches all across the area were cancelled which resulted in an extra day at home for us. We spent all day in our comfy clothes, just hanging around as a family of three...being lazy and playing with all of Elyse's new toys from her birthday & Christmas. 

 

I got up and put my new mini-muffin tins to good use...and made these Cinnamon Sugar Mini Donut Muffins.  They were delicious and the perfect start to our snowed in Sunday.   

After breakfast we started the hard chores, Elyse helped her Daddy wash all the dishes...which she loved! 

 

We built a fort and invited all of her stuffed animals to join us, we colored, we did puzzles, we read books, we colored, we played on the iPad, we rode the tricycle around the house, we let Bogey in out of the cold, we colored, and we just LOVED our time together.  We don't get a chance to have a no obligations day at home with the three of us very often...so we definitely took advantage of it. 

 

Hubby couldn't stand not getting outside and shoveling a little bit...and it's a good thing!  He shoveled at least enough for us to get both cars out and he might have enjoyed himself a little bit.  All I can say is that he can't tell me that he didn't get to wear his snow ski gear this year!  ha! I also took advantage of the snowed in weekend and cleaned out my closet, the refrigerator, freezer, and my pantry!  woohoo!  Nothing like some spring cleaning in the dead of winter!

After Elyse's nap and some basketball watching, we decided to bundle up and head out for dinner.  Wendy's chicken nuggets and fries are some of Elyse's favorites...so we bundled up our snow bunny, left our sweats on, and headed out for a quick dinner. 

We finished off the evening with a crowd favorite...a viewing of Monsters University.  This little girl could not have been more pleased!  It was a wonderful day and a great time to just sit back and relax!

Now if the weather would just warm up a bit...I wouldn't complain a bit!

5 on Friday---2014!

It's time for the first 5 on Friday of the New Year & I'm going to start off the new year by sharing a one last event from 2013 & a few extra pictures from my phone!  

 

 

1.  One of Hubby's gifts to me was tickets to see Elf the Musical in St. Louis....on the Saturday after Christmas! He doesn't ever plan things like this--he might by me tickets but it's usually months in advance and I finish up the planning.  He made hotel reservations and had reserved all day Saturday for shopping, the show on Saturday night, and then he wanted to visit a newly renovated golf store in the area on Sunday morning.  It was the best time and such a blast to get out of town by ourselves--even if it was just for one night! 

2.  We started off Saturday morning with a stop at a local donut shop we'd never been to...Hurts Donut!  They have some crazy donut flavors, but I think our favorite was the maple-bacon longjohn!  DELICIOUS!!!

3.  We totally failed on making reservations for dinner so we ended up eating at an Italian place near the theater where we'd eaten before...again...DELICIOUS!!!  And the show was so fun.  If I'm being honest I had pretty low expectations so I was pleasantly surprised at the result.  Sure there were some deviations from the original movie--but you come to expect that with any movie turned musical.

4.  We celebrated New Years Eve this year with some really good friends who also happened to have a sitter...we had dinner and drinks at a local restaurant and then headed back to our house for games and dessert.  I'm happy to report that for the first time in several years, I actually saw the clock strike midnight...central time zone.  We normally celebrate with all you east coasters & then head to bed...but this year we actually rang it in properly! 

5.  And one more picture that I just have to include is all the way back from Christmas Day.  I think I mentioned that Elyse completely zonked out on my during present opening at my parents' house...and I snapped a quick photo of her to put on Instagram; however, I didn't realize that it appeared as if her new baby was trying to pick her nose!  ha!  Poor baby...she was TUCKERED!

Hope you all have an amazing start to the New Year!  I know I'm ready to get this New Year going! 

A New Year for Imagining

And just like that, 2013 is gone and 2014 has begun.  I seriously can't believe another year has gone by.  It seems as if every year moves faster than the last and that each moment is more fleeting than the one that came before it.

I honestly find myself thinking that it was only last year that Elyse was born....she's 2.  We've been an official family of three now for over 2 years and it seems like just yesterday that I was pinning two paint samples to the nursery wall as I revealed to Hubby that we were pregnant.  Hubby & I have been married for nearly 8 years...and it's hard to even remember what life was like without him by my side.  We've moved to a time in my life when the clearest of memories aren't those of me being by myself, but memories that include a husband, and a little girl.

Last year my new year's post centered on the word intentional...and honestly, that post wasn't intentionally about that word.  But it was mine for 2013.  And for the most part I feel as if I achieved my goal.  I made great strides in being intentional as a mom and as a wife and just as a person who want to follow God with her whole heart.

This year, my word is proving more difficult to discover.  I think it's more of a mindset than a single word.  I could use the word "faith" or "patience" or "wait"....but none of those really seem to capture my goal for this year.  This year I really just want to stand back & watch.  No, I don't want to become a lazy bum who sits on the couch and watches TV all day & eats an entire bag of cookies.  But I want to be still & be quiet.  And to wait.

I know that God has so much in store for me as a wife, and as a mom, and as a friend and I want to be ready for it when it happens.  I want to remove my crazy high expectations of everyday life and just enjoy the moments as they come.  And I want to stand back in awe when God's timing does finally arrive and be completely and utterly speechless.  

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us. " Ephesians 3:20

God can do more than we can even imagine. I want to be patient and simply enjoy the moments that I have as a mom and a wife and a friend.  I want to have faith that God's plan for my life is more than I could ever dream of and that his timing will be all together perfect when he reveals his plan.

So I want to imagine, and be ready for God to go even beyond my farthest dreams.