Tuesday, January 29, 2019

Landon

Tonight my son pooped in the bath and then pee'd on the floor when I pulled him out. Then he laughed. This is after two timeouts and a host of consequences throughout the day.

Josh and I have always been anti spanking but, full disclosure, I have spanked Landon twice this week.

Is he still in there?



The saga of Landon continues.












Monday, January 28, 2019

Purity Through Marriage

The other night after the kids went down I fell asleep too. When I woke up my mom told me that I had been snoring. SNORING! I was in disbelief. When Josh got home I asked him if I snored. He hesitated and politically stated that I sometimes breath heavily. Breath heavily. After some more prodding he admitted to the snoring. I pushed on, "how long have I've been snoring?' He, again quite hesitantly said very gently and quietly, "about 32 weeks". Guys, I'm 33 weeks pregnant. haha

This week I was the Mystery Reader at Emerson's school. Her teacher sent this photo to all the parents later that day. 😑

My weekly endorsement for purity even through marriage. Just don't do it kids.


Folks, introducing our $25,000.00 (permit required) rain garden! 😑 


Basically the roof on my deck and the interior shiplap. Construction is such a rip.

In brighter news, we have three inspections left to go. Two this week and one early next week. If we pass, the house is ours!

And my daughter, who has been so amiable and wonderful (in stark contrast to her normally sweet brother). We went to a bday party this past weekend and the face painting lady put this stuff on her lips. She wouldn't eat for the remainder of the party to make sure it wouldn't rub off. haha


As I battle a willful little boy today, "God help me to give. Help me to give when I'm tired, to bend low when I'd rather run away, teach when I'd rather command ... Whisper reminders to me throughout this day of the mom I want to be." - lovealways.anjuli

Thursday, January 17, 2019

All The Pretty Things

I was 95% sure we were done after Landon. Naturally I got rid of all the things. Usually this bodes well for me since clutter and mess make me stressed. What I normally don't have, my mom, sister or mother in law usually do. lol Win, win for me! I'm not sure they'd say the same. :p

Anyway, pretty things I'm eyeing for this babe.

I don't know why, but this time around I'm drawn to all the girly things, soft colors, and floral patterns. Like this swaddle.


Both of my kids have a blanket from Aden and Anais and we love them. Isn't this one perfect?


This gorgeous sleep sack from Kip & Co.


All the hair bows.



Pool House Update

The Great Financial Hemorrhage of 2019 continues. Nine days in to the year we hit our medical deductible (thank you baby and ingrown toenail lol). The good news, the rest of the year is covered!

And along the same vein, here's a picture of the house that I don't like to talk about anymore. They installed the countertops, backsplash, bathroom vanity and shower seat. I'm waiting on a great sale from here to get the cabinet hardware. Leaning towards these or these. This weekend they'll install most of the appliances, toilets, and faucets. And next week hopefully they'll finish up the required rain garden and concrete into the garage.

After that I'd better see all the inspections breeze through with flying colors and the electricity turned on. We need to be moved in and the kids settled before this baby comes.

It'll be a mess when we first get in because we still won't have sconces, window treatments, rugs, mirrors, closets, cabinet hardware, and so on but that's ok. As long as the plumbing, heating, and appliances work I'll be a happy camper.

The stress of this project has been immense. Looking forward to Josh's second full time job coming to a close soon.

Monday, January 14, 2019

Knott's Berry Farm

In lieu of a bday party, we took Landon to Knott's Berry Farm with his closest friends, Emerson, Austie, and Uncle Luke this past Saturday. We ended it by meeting family at the famous Mrs. Knott's Fried Chicken dinner restaurant.










It was a much easier day than our normal go go go at Disneyland. We spent our time in Camp Snoopy and didn't even venture into the rest of the park. The kids loved all of the little rides and we enjoyed the short wait times and slow pace. 

Friday, January 11, 2019

Lifting Up Our Maybe's

Today Landon is 3.

Three years ago Landon came almost 6 weeks early. He had trouble breathing on his own so he was whisked to the NICU after he was born. We didn't get to hold him. For 2 weeks we shuttled back and forth from my parents to the hospital, unsure of what was to come.






I remember it like it was yesterday. The burden and the stress of not knowing what was going on. Exactly how serious it all was. If he was going to be okay. He was, ok, of course. But the truth is, we aren't guaranteed a good or easy ending, are we? 

Maybe - nothing remakes everything like grace. 
Maybe - wreckage always births resurrection.
Maybe - Trust what is coming at you, is God coming for you.
Trust that what looks like a wave to carry you away, is the wave that will carry you to shore.
Trust and obey that the One who walks on waves
will make a highway
Out of everything rising your way.
Maybe: Trust that there is no such thing as destruction, only resurrection. 
Maybe: Trust that nothing ruins, only ruins you for anything less than God.

And maybe it is actually possible  -
that in
Surrender to the Master, 
the thrumming drum of your heart 
is Remastered,
Restored
Reworked, Reformed, Remade,
And your joy in His always enoughness
Returns. 

And one shattered heart erupts into a fountain of need, 
and one broken heart becomes a geyser for glory, 
And one split heart is a sacrifice that streams with amens to the One who is the Source of all things. 
-Ann  Voskamp

Landon, my reminder of God's graciousness and faithfulness. Let's lift up our maybe's and ask God to turn them into a kind of Trust we've never known before. 

Monday, January 7, 2019

Tylertown, Mississippi

This Christmas we checked one of my mom's boxes and fulfilled her wish that all of us would be celebrating Christmas in her hometown of Tylertown, Mississippi with her mom and extended family.   My kids finally got to meet their other great grandma and got a taste of what the rural south is all about. 

Thunderstorms, interstates instead of freeways, trees and swamps instead of buildings, Walmarts, no Starbucks, fried food, homes with acres, guns, people with accents. They had a good time. 

Landon especially loved the plane flights. TV for 3 hours straight? Food at his beck and call? Aisle seat? Clearly living his best life. 

They randomly asked if the kids wanted to see the cockpit and sit in the pilots chair. Emerson even got to say Merry Christmas over the speaker phone.

Christmas Eve dinner at a Waffle House in Louisiana. My husband couldn't be happier.



Christmas day at my Auntie Jo's with her kids and their kids.

Notable mention Emerson and Landon slept together for the first time. Landon fell off the bed twice and ended up sleeping with us. How do people who cosleep survive?? Better people than I am.

Hence us two at breakfast at the crack of dawn.

And the main reason for all the effort, this time with my Gram.


These rascals in their first self driving vehicle.

Terrorizing the world with pool noodles.

My cousins!



Visiting my gram in her rest home.


And finally, Landon sleeping in his own bed. Hallelujah! What a beautiful sight.

The rest of my family traveled down to Tennessee to visit my mom's brother, his wife, six kids, and their kids. I was sad to have missed that precious time but was thankful that I made the trip at all.

This week my guys celebrate their birthdays! Josh and Luke turn 33 and 30, respectively, on Thursday, and Landon turns 3 on Friday. The party continues! And by party I mean the appreciation continues, no parties for anyone when mama is in the third trimester and moving around like a beached whale. =)