Project Life 2016 {Weeks 15-19}

Maybe I should just turn this blog into a scrapbooking blog, since that seems to be all I have the time to post---or rather find the time to post.

We did just get back from Branson, so I plan on uploading those photos and events. It was a really great time. We went with grandma Rachel and Tom. I think trip memories the kids make with their gps are worth more than gold to all of us--possible more to the GPs than the kids. So stay tuned for that.

Last I wrote was how our lives had come to a stand still until I got caught up on my pages. I don't know why I say dumb stuff like that--as if I could ever truly be caught up. I did get "caught up" about 1 day after I posted the last entry--but can you believe this---LIFE kept going on?! Whoa. How rude!{said in my best Stephanie Tanner voice} ;) 

So I just keep plugging along...

Here is the latest pages for our album.

Have I said how much I love how I am doing it this year yet?! Because I am and it is working for me.

I do this because "Stories have to be told or they die, and when they die, we can't remember who we are or why we're here." SUE MONK KIDD

Project Life 2016 {week 1-4}

Project Life 2016 edition has commenced.

This past Christmas I spent weeks making a book called Kids Say the Darnedest Things. It was a dream of my to compile of the funny, crazy, witty things my kids had said over the years into one easy to read place. It was a feature on my blog once upon a time when I blogged routinely. Once I finished that little project to give as gifts to the GPs I found my old project life scrapbook that I had never taken the time to print. Persnickety Prints was running a promo for their little 5x5 books and so I decided to go ahead and print the PL2013 book as a 5x5. I fell in love with it and it inspired me to do PL once again. {Which I will show you sometime in the future}.

And after 7 years of scrapbooking I think I may have come up with the perfect system. PL PLUS detailed and focused pages. Now with Instagram I have so many fun memory photos but they just get lost...now they go in my PL spread and if a more focused event occurs during that week that gets its own spread. I am hoping this new system will keep me caught up and make for a more well-rounded scrapbook of our story...of course it is week 10 and I am way back on week 5.


Here are the pages thus far:

Week 1 and 2




Week 3












Week 4


I am hoping by posting these it will keep me motivated to finish the year strong.

Anyone else love doing PL? What is your system?

Happy Birthday MW and Lo! {Party Style}

Hello.
I am back to share about MW's Fifth Birthday and Lo's 7th {early} birthday party.
I decided on a joint party because two different family parties within weeks of one another is a lot of work for me and our schedules. Thankfully they don't seem to mind.

Lo went low key this year with just brownies. I asked if she wanted anything special on it and she kept saying "No, just brownies and ice cream." Thankfully I found this cute little bunting at Target to dress them up a tad, along with a name candle. She was thrilled. I love you baby girl for being so simple and easy!!

Next up was MW's cake. He requested spiderman. He wanted a red cake with a web, but I didn't realize that no matter how much red dye you add to white frosting you still get pink! Apparently I learned later that you have to buy a special red dye to get the desired red...who knew...cake people that's who. Thankfully MW was so sweet and said "That's ok mom, I still love it! Thank you for trying." Oh my sweet boy and THAT is why I love you. Your tender and understanding heart.

I have to include this--we ran to Dollar Tree a few days before the party for supplies and we saw these balloons. I mean how do you say No to a $1 balloon for the birthday kids? You don't. So we were talking about his party and the following transpired--

Touche buddy. This kid cracks me up. His wit is on point like his father. 

{Shhhh don't tell Chad I said that. ;) }

On a side note---we still have Lo's balloon going strong a whole month later. Her real birthday is on the 15th. We wanted to see if it makes it. So dollar tree balloons are where it's at for future reference.

The party consisted of family going out to eat at Chick-Fil-A, a little play place fun; finishing off with cake/brownies/ice creams and gifts at home. The party stage is set.

These two are just two really great kids. I couldn't feel more blessed.

Ready to sing Happy Birthday!

This boy was surprisingly not interested in cake, only presents---actually I am not at all surprised. He loves to get gifts. I feel like he gets a "high" from receiving stuff. He could care less what it is, just that he gets something...

Now this girl loves gifts, but she {mostly} cherishes what she gets. When she wants something you know she really wants it. Like this puppy dog. Last year, she wanted another Our Generation tiny puppy. I said not right now, for your birthday. Well, when her birthday rolled around it was out of stock--EVERYWHERE! She was heart-broken. She eventually found another one she liked just as well. Fast forward this year she finds another Our generation puppy she really wants. I said no, we need to wait for your birthday...only this time I got smart and had Chad distract her while I sneaked it to the checkout. Over the month she would go and check on her dog at Target---he was gone. She was so sad---and then this happened on her birthday!!  She couldn't believe I "found" her dog...well, let's just say baby I learned a lesson last year.

The carnage...they made out like bandits. 

Playing Legos with Auntie Meg. 

Lo made MW these worksheets. Such as tracing his name, a color by numbers and a connect the dots. She is just so clever and sweet. 

Back to MW and his love of getting stuff. He wanted this Jake Skull Rock/Ship thing we found at Tuesday Morning. He begged for it. I said no--maybe for your birthday. Unlike Lo I knew he wouldn't be disappointed if it were gone. He moves on to the next thing like a butterfly. But as his birthday rolled around he asked again--I really tried to say "no." I knew he wouldn't play with it. So we got it. He doesn't play with it. Look for it in my garage sale for $5. ;) And now I learned another lesson about trusting my gut. HA!

We have very limited family time due to crazy work schedules. So when we are together we try to have a game night or movie night. Lo really is into Monopoly. We taught her how to play the adult version--but as you know that takes for-evah to truly complete. So she asked for this for her birthday--the Jr. version. We have spent many an evening playing. She is so good at it and somehow usually wins!

Well that sums up their party. Next Monday on her actually birthday we plan on going out as a family to celebrate more. I just can't believe they are 5 and 7. I can't even handle this. MW is going to Kindy in the fall. Lo is reading Junie B Jones all by herself. Stop growing. 

I love you both so much! Happy Birthday to my two favorite kids!!!

Christmas Blitz

We are approximately 2ish weeks post Christmas and the toys are already collecting dust, but that doesn't dim the memories made and joy expressed during the Christmas season.

At some point {soon} I will add in all the fun little things we did, but this post is simply a Christmas re-cap.
Our church has 6 Christmas eve services. Three on the 23rd and 3 on the 24th. Chad is on staff in the children's environments and had to be present for all 5 plus one to actually attend. It made Chad miss out on some things, but teaching our kids about balancing service and life is worth it. My family went to an afternoon service on the 24th. The kids had this cool live nativity in their environments, but because we got there so early we had to hang out in the sanctuary where Micah was thrilled to learn his name has a WHOLE book in the Bible!
It was an amazing church service per usual.

Since the kids and I were riding solo on Christmas eve we decided to invite ourselves over to my parents' house to hangout until Chad was done at 730p. Some friends supplied us with donuts. Win.

At my parents' we had quite competition between us girls: Meg, myself and Lo on who did the most work on putting together the puzzle. Hint: it was me. ;)

Chilaxin' at my parents watching movies, eating cookies, popcorn, cheese queso dip and crackers and meat was the first time this entire season I got to actually enjoy the Christmas season. Yep. on Christmas eve. I know all the moms out there feel me. We are usually the only ones that make this time magical for the whole family. We do the cooking, the cleaning, the baking, the buying, the planning, the wrapping, the elfing {is that a word?!} etc. Sometimes I wonder what Christmas would look like without me. HA!

When we got home we found Izzy had left us our good-bye note. As much grief as this little elf causes, I always hate to see him go. The kids just love looking for him each morning. But on Christmas Eve the magic lifts and we can give him hugs and kisses to say good-bye.

Then it was time to write our letter to Santa and gifts to Jesus. Leighton is just growing up so much. She doesn't need hardly any help writing her letter. Tear.

MW on the other hand still needs lots of help. HA! Boys.

'Twas the Night Before Christmas with Daddy. My heart.

All set and ready to see what the morning brings. I thought they would never fall asleep and well Santa's helper had to make an early stop to help get the bikes over to the house.

Christmas Morning has come!!
The first thing we do each Christmas morning is sing Happy Birthday to Baby Jesus.

Santa went rogue this year and got bikes. The kids needed them, but it wasn't what they asked for, I was a tad nervous for how that wold go over. MW seemed a tad disappointed but once he realized the other gifts he asked for were under the tree he was happy.

I Love you Jesus!

So our good camera died seconds after the kids woke up, grr. When will I learn. Thank goodness for cell phone cameras.

All they really asked for was remote control cars and helicopters. Lo got one of those little tiny drones and MW a truck. After about 3 days Lo and daddy finally got the hang of the drone. It was a bit sensitive to fly. 

Stockings.

Lo rushed over to see what Santa wrote. Crazy that she can read now. Have to be so careful about leaving notes out regarding anything top secret. :)

Christmases are just so fun. I am enjoying  being able to sit and relax in the morning and play. The kids are so fun to watch and interact with.

They got these cool drawing boards. It is LED and with a push of a button the screen clears. Sure beats the old fashion doodle boards. ;) Which they draw on religiously every time we get into the car.

Lo made MW a coupon book of chores or games she would play with him. He loved it. He always wants to play with her, but she either says no or wants to be a bossy Bessie. Now he gets to be in charge.

Another kiss for baby Jesus.

At least is was a decent day so we could test out our bikes and remote control car outside before we headed to Grandma Rachel's for lunch.

At Grandma Rachel's for Christmas part 2.

Lo is always so thoughtful and grateful for gifts...

MW...well if it isn't his turn he is a tad pouty. HA!

He loves stuff. Kind of like his Daddy. HA!

Singing Happy Birthday to Jesus!

Then on Saturday we were on to Christmas part 3 with my side of the family. This year my sister's family has moved back so the whole family got to be together for Christmas. The kids, especially, MW was so excited to see their cousins. MW and Landrey are two peas in a pod. They both are high energy balls of life. To me they have 2 speeds: off and full blast. HA! Genes they are funny things. Then there was Lo, she gravitated towards Gannon--he was more her speed, quiet. Of course MW is a huge baby fan so playing with Kamdyn was also a win. It was a good time.

My parents got the big kids their own kindles. For MW the one who loves all things tv, movies, video games and electronic he had died and gone to heaven. He couldn't be more happy than to have his very own device. He had recently tried to take over my old iPod touch, but now iPod touch what? HA!

We do a fun "Bad" Santa game, only it is with good awesome gifts. You know you are old when getting a shop vac makes your day. HA! I also got a selfie stick and well let's say that was fun. MW is really into using. Again with the devices. :)

And then the kids disappeared with their kindles and that is pretty much the last we heard from them for the day. Christmas was once again a fun and wonderful time. We are so blessed with wonderful families who spoil all of us with gifts and love. Thank you for our wonderful Christmases!

Then on Sunday, it was time for things to go back to normal. It is always sad to tear Christmas down, but the sooner it was down the sooner I could enjoy the rest of our break.

I tagged this photo with my new made up lyrics from Where are you Christmas, which I found hilarious. 

"Where are you Christmas? You're in my boxes. We won't see you 'til----next year. Your gone."

Until next year.

I hope everyone else also had a very Merry Christmas.