Happy Valentine's Day

Our first Valentine's celebration was at Grandma's. She had the cutest heart dinner for us. The boys loved the red drinks and especially loved their chocolates.  She is the cutest!

I was excited to wear the adorable Valentine leggings my sister gave me. They're the cutest!

 Valentine's Day my day was full of class parties.  First up was Keller. I tried to get out of going because I really don't love class parties.  You just stand their and watch your kid eat treats. It is kind of silly but Keller REALLY wanted me there so of course I put on my happy face and went. 

 Vance was too cool for a picture so instead I left him a love note in his locker ;)

 The last part of the day was Sutton's. He was just happy to see me and had no clue it was a party :)

 After school we went and got Grandma and Grandpa their favorite drinks and took them over to their house. The boys yelled, "We soda like you! Happy Valentines!" when they opened the door. :)

 We try to keep this holiday simple so every boy got a little treat, a stuffed animal and the older two got some coupons that they are VERY excited about.  We also bought them The Little Rascals ;)

 The boys planned an activity of their own. They cut out hearts and had Chad and I go hunting for them. 

 The last of the celebration was dessert. I tried making chocolate molten lava cakes for the first time. They were absolutely divine and I will definitely be making them again!!!

Hope you had a Happy Valentine's Day too!

Vance @ 9

Vance is 9 years old! I know he is only nine but I swear he is becoming more of a young man and less of a little boy.  Here are all my random thought about Vance these days:

Vance is the best big brother.  He is always watching out for Keller and Sutton.  He helps them countless times throughout the day and (usually) doesn't ever mind.  He loves to play with them and keeps them laughing for hours!

He is such a smart boy! School comes so easily for him. He consistently tests in the highest percentiles in all subjects.  His teacher is amazing this year and has been great for him.  He tends to get a little bored in school but it doesn't bother him too much.

Vance believes in Christ.  He really has a testimony that is all his own. He believes so fully in the gospel and really doesn't question. I hope that he will be able to lean on that when life gets hard.

He makes friends so easily.  Wherever Vance goes he finds a buddy.  That being said he really doesn't care to have a "best" friend.  If he wants to play basketball, he is friends with whoever is playing basketball and it's the same no matter what.  He does what he wants and makes friends with those around him. I love that he doesn't follow someone else's lead just because.

Vance has an old soul. He is always saying things that seem wise beyond his years.  Adults always love him because he is so easy to talk to. He sustains a conversation better than many adults I know.

Vance is a little bit of a space.  He loses things all the time. He trips because he isn't paying attention. He forgets things. I don't want to point fingers but I'm pretty sure he gets that from his daddy.

He hates to be late! I am usually a few minutes late to things and Vance hates it.  I never take them late to school but I definitely stress him out by cutting it so close.

He is an EARLY riser.  I mean early.  Like he would like to be able to wake up at 5:00 am.  He gets in trouble if he comes out of his room before 5:45 because I just think that's ridiculous.  It really doesn't bother me because he takes care of himself in the morning but sometimes I can tell he is tired in the afternoons.  It also makes me hesitant to let him stay up too late because he will still wake up just as early the next day.

Vance loves to doodle.  He likes to "free-draw" as he calls it.  I have tried getting him books or doing various art projects with him and he never really likes them.  He just likes a white piece of paper and markers.  Maybe some scissors and tape.  It will keep him busy for hours.

He loves sports.  This year he has tried new sports and he has loved them all.  He is fairly athletic and I am proud of him for trying new things and working hard to earn his spot on the team.

Vance can throw a nasty fit!!! I mean like so nasty you would think he is possessed by the devil.  He will grunt and give death stares and scream.  It is out of control.  You would think he would get sick of consequences but he doesn't seem to mind them.  I am hoping this is a phase and he is just testing to see what exactly we will let him get away with.

He is great at piano but he hates it.  He only has to play 30 minutes a week.  It is such a small requirement that I refuse to let him quit despite his many requests.  Once he stops fighting me he plays beautifully.  He doesn't like to practice but will randomly sit down and play old songs he knows.  He is putting up a good fight but Mama is winning this battle. I tell him I do so many things for him during the week and all I am asking is for 30 minutes of the entire week to practice piano.  It is a completely do-able task.

Vance loves to do whatever Chad does.  He will mow the lawn, work on the cars, etc. He idolizes Daddy.  I can see why. Chad is as good as it gets!

He still loves to cuddle on the couch. I LOVE this. Sometimes I forget to slow down and take the time to sit down on the couch.  However whenever I do it usually doesn't take long for him to snuggle up beside me.  I know the years may be numbered where he likes to cuddle with Mommy so I soak up every second of it.

Vance would only wear underwear around the house if Chad would let him.  It doesn't bother me but Chad HATES it. He takes advantage of the nights Daddy is home to walk around in his briefs.  

He is the messiest eater! He is messier than Keller or Sutton.  Every single thing he eats or touches or even looks at somehow ends up on his face. I am constantly telling him to go look in the mirror and clean his face.  Then he comes back and it is still dirty.  It kills me. Like realllllllly kills me.  Although not as much as having to ask him 8 million times to brush his teeth everyday...

Vance loves to play games.  It is fun now that he is getting older because we can teach him the games we like to play.  

He is always hot. I don't think he has ever asked to wear a jacket.  I make him keep one in his locker at school but I doubt he ever wears it.  All winter long he has gone to school in shorts and a short-sleeve polo shirt.  I always feel like a bad mom when I drop him off but he is old enough to know if he is cold.  He legitimately just doesn't seem to get cold and if he does I think he enjoys being chilled.

Well that's everything I can think of about Vance! 

We love you buddy and hope 9 is everything you want it to be!

Happy Birthday Vance

Vance had opted for an expensive birthday present instead of a party this year. We still managed to make his day feel special.

He woke up to streamers and balloons in his room -

 He was really excited to find ANKI Overdrive on the table along with a giant plate of donuts.

 For lunch I surprised him with balloons and Panda Express at school.  He really loved the balloons. It was sweet to see how something small meant so much.

For dinner I made his favorite: breakfast for dinner. Then we all said the many things we love about Vance.  

The way to this kid's heart is through his stomach so he ate his way through a fantastic birthday!  Happy 9th Birthday Vancers!

Closet Decor

I have wanted to decorate my closet for awhile now and I finally did it!  I just focused on the shelves you see when you walk in. I didn't do anything too crazy but I absolutely love it!! It sounds nerdy but it really is inspiring me. When I get dressed in the morning, I put much more thought into my outfit and just feel better about myself.  It really is all about the little things!

Here's the closet -

It's hard to see the saying above the shelves because of the lighting but it says "enjoy the little things."

Ready!

Sutton has the most hilarious "ready" pose. It is kind of like a speed-skater. One afternoon he was racing at the park and I was able to capture a few pictures of his "ready" pose. He's a fierce competitor.

Monster Jam

Chad and the boys went to Monster Jam! That is one of the boys' favorite things every. This year they invited a few other friends and their dads.  From what I hear the show didn't disappoint. I heard about every crash, flip, race, etc.  Even though I do my best to be interested, I just really don't understand boys. Haha

 I was worried Sutton wouldn't like it and make it hard for Chad, but Chad said he loved it! He snapped a picture of Sutton hanging on the railings and watching the show.  He said Sutton stood like that for forever! 

 I'm so glad that Chad and the boys could get some father/son time in ;)

Girls Weekend!

I had a much needed girls' weekend! It started out with Dani, Gracie, and me going to Waco.  I love everything Fixer Upper, Chip and Joanna Gaines, and Magnolia! Our first stop was the Silos Baking Co. store.

 We all bought some delicious cupcakes, cookies, and pastries.

Then we headed to the Magnolia store.  It is full of adorable decor items, shirts, books, etc. I loved it all! 

 There was no shortage of photo-ops ;)

 After getting our fill of the Silos, we headed to Common Grounds.  Chip and Joanna remodeled a house for the owners of the coffee shop.  I loved the vibe of the place and would definitely be a frequent customer if I lived in Waco!

 Then we decided it was time for some treats. We pulled out our treats for the bakery and had a little taste test of everything. It was all delicious but we definitely had a few favorites!

 We drove down this street where Clint (the carpenter on Fixer Upper) currently lives and also where Chip and Joanna used to live.  There were so many awesome houses with such different styles of architecture. I LOVE driving around cool neighborhoods like that.

 Then we did a little shopping at the stores around the Silos.  They all had tons of cute stuff and we were all pretty excited when we spotted Joanna getting into her car.  We weren't fast enough to ask her for a picture before she got in but we did snap one of her driving by.  We were definitely fan-girling it ;)

 After stopping at home for a few hours, we met back up and Caitlyn joined us.  We went shopping at Northpark Mall and then out to dinner at Kona Grill.  After dinner we headed to our hotel where we continued chatting and laughing for hours.  These girls are the best!!!

 The next day I met up with Jennie for a run at White Rock Lake.  The run went great and I was able to hang in there for 11 miles.  Afterwards we got ready and then stopped for a delicious lunch at TruFire.  The next stop was Lululemon.  Jennie and I decided we deserved a new pair of running capris for our half marathon. They were definitely a splurge but I can't wait to run in them!

After a little more shopping we went out to dinner and then headed home. Jennie and I never get to spend that much time together. We had so much fun and will definitely be doing it again sooner rather than later.

I'm so grateful Chad is on board with me getting some "me" time.  I know some husbands who are not okay with keeping the kids for that long. I didn't realize how much I needed some time away and came back feeling so refreshed! Thanks babe for being such a good sport!

Cuddles

Sutton was napping and I was laying down reading a book on the couch when the big boys got home from school. Vance's eyes lit up when he saw me relaxing (something that rarely happens in the middle of the day) and he asked, " Can I come cuddle you?" He then turned on a show and laid on me until the show was over. 

I just kept reminding myself to soak up every love I get because I don't know how much longer he will be excited to snuggle with Mommy on the couch. I feel so lucky to be three boys' first love ❤️ ❤️❤️      #myheartisfull #raisingfellas

Chad's New Job

The week before New Year's I received a text from Chad around 10:30 am. I am summarizing a little but it said, "I forgot to tell you that before we went to Colorado I went out to lunch with a guy from a company who was looking to hire someone. They offered me the job and I have to tell them by 5:00 pm."

What?!

Come again?!

Chad is always looking for new opportunities. Even though that goes against my nature and comfort zone, I really respect him for it. He loves to network. He wants to know the many opportunities he could have in his career field. He has an idea of where he wants to end up and is constantly looking for what opportunities will best help him get there.

With that being said I obviously wasn't entirely caught off guard when I received the previously mentioned text.  I told him to call me and we talked about everything.  I love that we are a team. We both ask each other questions to make sure we've thought of everything. We listen to one another's points and together we make a decision.  I know Chad could ultimately do whatever he wanted with his career but I love that I have a voice.

We decided to take the job!!!

He will still be a tax accountant.  The company is MUCH smaller than what he is used to.  He makes the sixth employee.  They are a boutique style firm that has a small list of extremely wealthy individuals.  Our hope is it decreases office politics and still has the complexity of clients that Chad enjoys.  His co-workers don't fit the usual "accountant" mold and Chad is excited about that. Haha. He later told me everyone has Nerf guns on their desks. He assured me that's not why we took the job but that it certainly didn't hurt! LOL!!!  Another important deciding factor was the hours at this new company.  They said their employees never have to work on the weekends (even in busy season) and they never require over 55 hours in one week.  Oftentimes Chad works WAY more than that during tax season.  He also received a new title (above what his current position was) and a raise.  Our main concern was the stability of a small company and the possibility for Chad's personal growth in the future.  The company addressed both of those concerns and so Chad took the position!

Chad always hates giving his notice. You'd think he would be used to it by now. Haha. In our 11 years of marriage, this will be Chad's 10th job!!! Me? I'm still at the same job I had when we got married.  I guess opposites attract ;) I will say in his defense that he racked up quite a few of those when he was going to college.  On a side note - we have also moved 10 times in our 11 years. I am definitely ready  for less change ;)

Chad's boss was very nice when he gave his notice.  He helped Chad think of questions he may want to ask the new company.  He also told Chad that if for whatever reason he is unhappy at the new job, that he would love to have him back.  Isn't that awesome?! I'm so proud of my husband.  He works his tail off and does such an amazing job of providing for our family.  I couldn't do what he does and I'm glad I don't have to. I know he feels the same way about what I do on a daily basis for our family. 

After a couple of weeks at the new company, the owner took all the employees and their spouses to dinner. Everyone was so nice and I can see why Chad was drawn to them. They seem intelligent, driven, and fun.  That isn't easy to come by in the accounting world!  

Of course I had to snap a picture before we headed out the door - 

 Here's to our new adventure!

Love you babe and they're going to love you!

Joy

Numerous people had recommended the book "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up." Tidying up doesn't really sound like it would be life-changing.  I consider myself tidy and try to purge regularly but definitely still hold onto lots of stuff I never use.

 After reading the book, I have to admit the method of tidying described in this book was life-changing.  Instead of focusing on what you're going to get rid of, you focus on what you want to keep.  You ask yourself, "Does this item bring me joy?" If it does, you keep it. If not, toss it.  The author has a specific way of going through everything in your house to be most effective.

It starts with clothes because you aren't usually emotionally attached to them.  I was able to get rid of so many things by only keeping the items that truly made me happy.

 The author has a specific way to fold items and it did wonders on my sock, underwear, and pajama drawers.  Look how organized they are!!!

I got rid of bags and bags and bags of things.  Some items were relatively new and other items I have been holding onto for over a decade.  I even got rid of certain pieces of furniture and decorations that simply put didn't bring me joy.  

Now as I walk through my house I just smile knowing everything in it is either a necessity or brings me joy.  I have also started making other decisions based on what will give me the most joy.  

Who knew tidying could indeed be life-changing?!