July 2017

July! Summer in full swing. Another thing in full swing this month was Whole 30. It felt like so many people around us were doing this program and we thought we should try it out. In the end, I dont think I felt better and wasn't groggy in the afternoon. Other than that, all I wanted was some cheese and some bread. :) We celebrated the 4th of July this month, went blueberry picking, went to a big splash pad, and did a whole lot more summer things! We stayed put this month and didn't travel much. Some friends visited us and we celebrated a lot of birthday parties this month for our kid's friends. Christopher and I went to this cool event called Liminal, an evening with Jeremy Cowart. I took away some good ideas for my business. I started something called a "Mastermind" group and I am pretty happy about it! July... its always nice to see the summer come...and also yearn for it to go about now. 

**Funny/Sweet Story's of the month (I remembered to write down)**

Where to begin...there were a bunch this month. Jack and Francine have been getting a monthly book from Dolly Parton since birth. This month Jack asked when the book came "So does Dolly Parton get on her bus and drive our book all the way to our house?" Oh...to be so naive and little. He knows Dolly Parton has a bus because when we went to Dollywood last month he saw it. :)

Another funny thing Jack said was with Christopher. Christopher ask Jack if he has a beard or a mustache and Jack said "Nope. I just got a chin".

Francine is getting her own funny stories of the month! She will tell us something and then at the end she always says, "you understand me?" 

#Jackamadeus - BIG BROTHER update!

• Highlight - We have an eye roller in our house. Its cute right now...because its new. He really has perfected when to use an eye roll. 
• Food - We have become the routine "Pancake Friday" people and Jack just loves it. He was made for a routine! :)
• Play - Jack has really been been into running around the downstairs floor of our house. Our house kind of makes a circle so he just continues to chase himself or Lucy or his sister. Its kind of impressive how many times he goes! 
• Personality/Growing up - We started the reading lessons book with him as a New Year's Resolution for us. He has done amazing with it. He really is enjoying the process I think
• Learning - We have had an awesome teacher this summer at his 2 day program. Miss Tammy has taught him a lot of things about underwater animals and he is loving telling me all his new facts!

#Francineclaire - LITTLE SIS update! 

• Highlight - Poopied in the potty for the first time! way to go Francine!
• Food - She likes to help make our juice in the morning when I make it. She definitely eats whatever we serve when she is involved in the process. She will tell you all the items in her juice: carrots, celery, lemons, ginger, apple, cucumber
• Personality/Growing up - We definitely can tell she has bloomed this past few months. I know that God will keep me praying for patience with her but I know that her tough/strong will is going to serve her so well in the future so I just need to guide her and help her to use that really strol skill for the good! ;)
• Skills - She uses her hands on FaceTime like an Italian person to tell her stories (usually to her grandparents). She likes to re-enact things with her hands too. She was telling her grandparents about how she got hit in the head with a pinata at a birthday party and she kept banging her hand into her head and Christopher made her do it over and over again because it was so funny. 

Until next time....here are some photos from life lately! 

A lot of sass!

4th Of July!

4th Of July!

Blueberry Picking!

Epic Splash Pad

Bradbary's!

The family that wears navy blue sandals together...

One of our favorite neighborhoods, 12th south....working it up the "hill" with two kids on a stroller.

Jeremy Cowart Photography!

Jeremy Cowart Photography!

June 2017

June! Summer is here! The kids started a 2 day school program at a different place for June and July. They both love it. Their teachers they new from the Y-play at the gym. We had quite a few people over for dinner this month. Its funny how that ebbs and flows. But literally I think we had 5 different sets of people over for dinner on weekends in June. It was great to catch up with all of those people. Jack went to his first Vacation Bible School at the church for a couple of days. We got word Christopher's grandpa died so we headed to Georgia for the funeral and to spend time with extended family. I went to Naples on Passion for Baking business and spent some good time with our dear friends, Maren and David and their family. We took the kids to their first theme park, Dollywood. They both loved the rides and if they could they would have done more. We got our house painted white this month and its amazing!! All in all....the summer is off to a good start. Jack and I made a summer wish list and we have checked off quite a few of the things from it this month.

**Funny/Sweet Story's of the month (I remembered to write down)**

In our many road trips this month and small towns we drove through Jack would always point out the water towers and say "is that a milk tank or a water tank?"

This is a sweet story but also just...man...out of the mouths of 4 year olds. 
We asked Jack why he went to Georgia when we got back the next day. He said "Because grandaddy got dead." Later that night we were putting him to bed and he asked "Is Grandaddy going to grow back?" I love how little minds are working and trying to comprehend such big ideas. 

#Jackamadeus - BIG BROTHER update!

• Highlight - Jack is becoming quite the self-starter and completer. I have noticed that if he gets something out to play with like a puzzle he always wants to finish it. 
• Food - He is a boy after my heart. This kid loves all things olives and pickles!
• Play - We have a new game in our house where we take all of the tote bags of the house and fill them up with toys and carry them around the house. Its called, "Going on a trip".  
• Personality/Growing up - These kids are great travelers. They love to sleep in the car and it has made our many trips this month quite pleasant. Also - we might have a kid who is a little semi-obsessed with TV. I try to not allow tv at all during the week but on weekends and on road trips, this kid loves it! 
• Learning - Jack is becoming quite the little artist. He is drawing trees and flowers and people. He also is letting everyone know that he draws in the lines and that is what everyone is supposed to do not just scribble scrabble. 

#Francineclaire - LITTLE SIS update! 

• Highlight - I painted Francine's little toes for the first time and she loved it. I can see pedicure dates in our future very soon!
• Food - She is definitely branching out more and more with food. Her whole life she has not be a fan of avocado (whose child is she)...now she loves it!
• Personality/Growing up - Right now she has an intense stare into your eyes when she asks you a questions. This girl has got confidence for days, but I can see a sensitive side to her. Lord help me to help her balance these intensities. 
• Skills - When she is talking to you she sometimes end her sentence with, "You understand me?" It cracks me up and I am not sure where she got it from. Or she will say something and then say "Okkayyy?"

Until next time....here are some photos from life lately! 

May 2017

May! We had a good time this month! You work hard and you play hard right? That is definitely the theme of my life right now. I took a girl's trip to Chicago with my roomie from before marriage. Had a blast! This month ended the kids school at Christ Church. Manuela and Maren came in town for a week of researching all things sweets and Nashville for Passion for Baking. Usually when you have little kids you got to toddler birthday parties. This month, we went to two 90th Birthday parties. Also Mother's Day was in the middle of the month and we celebrated by going to a fun new brunch spot and the children's theater to see Goodnight Moon. I love these little nuggets to pieces that call me Mama. 

**Funny/Sweet Story's of the month (I remembered to write down)**

I dont know why I think this story is so funny, but here it goes. We were doing a reading lesson with Jack and the word was WENT. And he said it in a sentence, "Ya know...like we went to the cemetery". For those that dont know, we walk to our church's Memorial Gardens (aka cemetery) often since its in our backyard, but still...it was so funny to me. Not...we went to get ice cream or we went to the toy store...we went to the cemetery!

Francine is getting to be a funny kid these days too. We were hanging out outside and she was sitting next to our friend Hunter and she looked up at him and said "Do you like my crocs?" in the biggest NY accent I have ever heard in a while. It was amazing and I was beyond joy! Lately when they get something right, Christopher and I both same "Boom!" Francine has been beating us to the word...she will do something good and come show us and say "Boom!"

#Jackamadeus - BIG BROTHER update!

• Highlight - Jack is becoming quite the self-starter and completer. I have noticed that if he gets something out to play with like a puzzle he always wants to finish it. 
• Food - I have continued to encourage them to try new things but man, American kids are American kids...nothing makes this kid happier then chicken nuggets, french fries, and ketchup!
• Play- the playroom has not gotten old in this new house (well 15 months new!) He still enjoys spending a lot of time in there with all the toys
• Personality - He has always been a very aware child. I am so thankful for his kindness and his intentionality and just he is very intune with people and what is going on around him. Those are usually not things that you describe a 4 year old with but they are instinctual for sure. He also loves to just have fun and not be worked up about things. 
• Learning - We are halfway through our reading lessons book and he is starting to read things wherever we go. Its so awesome to see his face light up when he sees something he can read. 

#Francineclaire - LITTLE SIS update! 

• Highlight - Francine and I were watching the CBS Sunday morning show and they were showing a picture of the country of Japan...she looked at me and said, "Is that poopie?"
• Food - Alert Alert!! Francine likes broccoli! Its amazing. I have tried everything to get this girl to eat greens...finally one green! ;)
• Personality - Lets just say this child is blooming. She is so spunky and funny....in a highly confident way. It makes me so happy to see her come out of her shell. 
• Skills - we now talk about "best friends" in our house....oh Lord! Francine will say to Jack are you my best friend? And then he is required to move her chair closer to him because thats what best friends do! Another thing she is killing me with is she will ask me a question and then she will say "Yes or No Mom...Yes or no!"

Until next time....here are some photos from life lately! 

Dont ever want to forget these piggies