Goodbye 2013 and Goodbye Blog

Yes, you read right. I'm hanging up the towel on the 'ol blog for now. 

Blogging hasn't been high on my priority list lately, but then I would feel guilty when I went so long without posting. This is self-induced guilt, I know, but I just need to make a clean break for now. 

I have written almost 1,000 posts over a span of 6 years. I've documented single life, dating, engagement, marriage, baby #1, and baby #2 - and I've LOVED doing it! But now my days are full of diapers, dishes, and dirty clothes; games, giggles, and Goldfish.

I could make time, but right now there are just other things needing my attention.

I will still be around on Facebook and Instagram, so follow me there if you want to keep up with the happenings of our family!

Whole30 - 1 Week Down

I've waited a little while to share this anywhere, but now that I have a week under my belt, I feel like it's okay to officially claim that I'm doing a Whole30. 

What in the world is the Whole30, you ask? Basically it is a strict Paleo eating plan for 30 days. So no sugar, dairy, grains, or legumes - and guess what? I'm not dead yet! ;) 

We had already been eating Paleo dinners since the beginning of September, and enjoyed pretty much everything we made. (We love the Against All Grain cookbook!) Jason was about 90% Paleo, but I was eating pretty much whatever I wanted all the time. 

Leftover birthday cake? Gone. 
Cookies and brownies from my sweet Mamaw? Gone. 
Chick-Fil-A nuggets and fries? Basically every day. 

I have been working out at the Y consistently for 9 weeks, and have felt better overall, but hadn't seen any improvement in my particular problem area. 

As a side note, I only gained 20 pounds with Miller (since he came so early), and lost that pretty quickly, but when I stopped nursing, I gained - you guessed it - 20 pounds. I weighed as much as I had 8 months pregnant. Except I wasn't pregnant. None of my pants fit. My shirts got super tight. The number on the scale didn't bother me so much (other than the fact that it kept rising...), but the way I felt was not how I wanted to feel.

So after a lot of prayer, God nudged me in this direction. Cut out my addiction to flavored coffee creamer, Halloween candy, French fries, and wheat thins. Get drastic and see if you survive. It's been tough!!!

I started out by cleaning out anything in our pantry that wasn't "on plan." Which... was basically everything. 

It's just stored for later, but now it won't mock me every time I open the pantry. 

So what HAVE I been eating? Breakfast is bacon, eggs, and grapefruit if we have it. (For the FIRST TIME in my life, I'm not piling sugar on my grapefruit. I took a note from my MIL who sprinkles salt on hers - it brings out the sweetness!) Lunch is leftovers or grilled chicken, grapes, sautéed zucchini or steamed broccoli, and a sweet potato for "dessert". Sweet potatoes used to mean butter and tons of brown sugar. Now it's cinnamon and salt, for the same reasons as the grapefruit. 

Dinner is typically one of our favorite recipes from the Against All Grain cookbook - BBQ bacon burgers, meatloaf muffins, slow cooker chicken tacos, and almost ALWAYS mashed garlic cauliflower, which fulfills my craving for mashed potatoes. 

Alright, do you think I'm crazy yet? Don't knock the cauliflower til you try it! :) It's definitely hard when temptation is all around (like ANY trip to Walmart, or the amazing cookies and cream cake I'm still having dreams about), but I'm committed to sticking it out! I'm ready to feel better and not feel like such a slave to sugar. 

Have you ever given something up (like for Lent) that you didn't think you'd actually be able to do for the set amount of time? What would be the hardest food/food group for you to give up?

Hobbies and Health Lately

Obviously, by my million posts about Project Life, you see that I've found a creative outlet lately! :) I've been doing other things too, of course, like keeping a sweet 2 year old and a squirmy 7 month old alive. I've been back at church choir, after a long hiatus this summer (during my difficult season with Miller's dietary issues), and I'm sooooo thankful to be back! Of course, we're working on Christmas music, which is crazy, but lots of fun. Wednesday night and Sunday morning are some of my favorite places to be. God is always present in our time together.

Jason has been working out at Crossfit for a couples months and really loves it! Through that group, he has become more interested in the Paleo lifestyle. At first I was very reluctant, but now I'm ok with it, just not committed to it (yet). We've been making healthy dinners and stuff, but I haven't been strict with it the rest of the day, but J has! I'm proud of him for sticking with it, and for being patient with me. 

So that said, he bought the "Against All Grain" cookbook and we've liked everything we've made so far: mashed cauliflower, lemon-garlic zucchini, BBQ burgers, chicken broth, butternut squash soup, and my most favorite - banana bread! Mmmmmm...

I joined the YMCA last month! There is one really close to our house, and childcare is almost always available, so no excuses! (Well except for the "my kids are sick" excuse. But we're all better now!) When I go to the Y, I either do strength training (via the ActivTrax site/app), or I go to Zumba! I didn't know what all the fuss was about - I have several Facebook friends that do it regularly, and now I know why! It's fun, fast, and it will make you all sweaty. Which, in my case, is a good thing, since I don't tend to push myself with cardio on my own. 

Ok so we've covered my creative outlet, working out, Paleo stuff... Oh yes. My personal revelation that is not new to anyone. I've come to realize, if I don't have a plan for the day, I get nothing accomplished. Simple but such a revelation for me. One day this week, I made a really long to-do list (more like a brain dump of all the tasks that have been swimming around in there) and thought I would try to get one thing done during naptime. I ended up crossing like 6 things off the list! However, on the days that I don't have a list/plan, then even if I do several things, I feel like I haven't accomplished anything. Plus, I'm the kind of person that likes to cross things off... are you?

(story of my life)

So there you go! Some of the things going on in my world lately! Stay tuned for "Clothes & Habits Lately", I know you're just DYING to know. ;)

What have YOU been up to lately?

My Fourth "Fix" - Stitch Fix Review

UPDATE: I just loved the first sweater! It was a keeper!! 

Can't wait for Fall weather so I can wear it!

I got my fourth "Fix" from Stitch Fix!! This was my favorite fix EVER!

 I was in trouble as soon as I opened the box - I loved almost everything!!

Okay friends. I am just going to put the pictures out there, and I want to hear from you!! 

Last time I made the decision on my own, and I wish I had asked your opinion first! :)

First pictures are with my phone in the mirror. 

2nd pictures are with the self-portrait camera and shows the colors/textures better.

RD Style Tiff Lurex Lined Knit Sweater

Papermoon Wynn Polka Dot Print Front Pocket Blouse

Collective Concepts Esten Button-Up Sleeveless Blouse

TCEC Roxanna Chevron Open Knit Cardigan

Rapti Pashmina Blend Scarf

Check out my previous fixes below or visit Stitch Fix to 

fill out your own personal profile and schedule your very own fix!!

{1st Fix}

{2nd Fix}

{2nd Fix - Update}

{3rd Fix}

Let me know what you think!!

A New Ritual

A mug I love.

A creamer that makes coffee worth drinking.

A stillness in the house.

A prayer journal and my favorite pen.

A site to help me navigate the Word.

A new ritual.

Wake up & read Truth.

Where In the World Have I Been?

It’s the question everyone is asking! Okay, I’m flattering myself a bit, but I have heard it a lot over the past month or so. “Where in the world have you been?” And it’s hard for me to say, because there’s the easy answer – “We’ve been busy this summer and out of town some.”

But then there’s the real truth – July was the most challenging month of my parenting life.

I shared a little bit with you in my post about mommy guilt. I told you how we found out Miller wasn’t gaining weight well while I was nursing, so I started nursing him more frequently, which actually made him throw-up 11 times over a 5 day period. Then I told you in his 5 month update that I made the decision to switch him to formula. A tough decision, but one that has slowly pulled me out of the funk I was in, towards a better attitude about my new mom-of-2 job.

When people asked about Miller, I’ve felt compelled to tell them that so far, he has been harder than Jack was… He has reflux, colic, and dairy sensitivities. He cries a lot. He’s either happy or he’s not. Why did I feel like my acquaintances needed to know this? Wasn’t “Yes, he’s a very sweet baby” enough to answer the question?

Since Miller has been on formula, he is happier. I am happier. The whole family is happier. I don’t feel the need to explain Miller’s life story to people anymore, because that’s who he was, not who he is today. And I feel like I’m different too. We are learning about each other, and I wouldn’t trade this sweet, 6 month old, cuddly, raspberry blowing, squeals-while-he’s-laughing baby boy for anything. 

So, I may not try to catch up on what I haven’t written about this summer, but I am going to try to post a couple times a week going forward. Here’s what you can expect from me coming up soon:

Project Life – documenting the everyday moments
Getting Up Earlier – morning time alone, #SheReadsTruth, #HelloMornings
Tot School – intentional teaching through playtime
Life SKiLs – a myriad of topics by some of my favorite people
Links I Love – letting you know some of my favorite go-to blogs

What are some things you'd like to read about? 

Have you missed me? (Thanks for raising your hand, Mom! :) ) 

Being Out of Words & Mommy Guilt

I was listening to a podcast earlier by another blogger who said that she hadn't been blogging as much lately (she has 3 boys - 4, 2, and 6 months) because she uses so many words during the day that she just doesn't have any more words to use on the blog.

This is how I feel!!

Right now, when I have downtime, I either take a nap (sleep when the baby sleeps!!) or do chores. Usually blogging isn't on my mind, except to think about all the stuff I haven't blogged yet. Then the bloggy guilt comes, and this week, I can't handle any more guilt.

Monday we went to the doctor for both boys' check-ups, Jack's 2 year and Miller's 4 month (2 wks late).  [Insert line about "how I still need to take official 2 year old pictures of Jack and write a big 2 year old post" here.] So everything is all good with Jack, except I need to do a better job of brushing his teeth. Whoooops.

We get around to Miller and here's where the bummed out/guilty part comes. Jack has always been on the lower end of the charts for weight, anywhere from 30-40th percentile, and over 75th percentile for height. So when they told me that Miller was only in the 2nd percentile for weight and height, I was SHOCKED!! (This means that 98% of boy babies his age are bigger than he is.)

Prior to our appointment, I had been feeding him every 3 hours and trying to stick with a routine of eat, awake for an hour or so, nap for as long as he will, and then awake until it's time for the next scheduled feeding. He has felt bigger to me, showing growth milestones of alertness, babbling, holding his head up, etc. But the proof is in the pudding, he's just not gaining as much as we want him to.

So here comes the Mommy Guilt, "How did I not notice this sooner?" "If I had brought him in 2 weeks ago on his actual 4 month birthday instead of waiting to do both boys at once, I could have already been working on this!" "Will I have to stop nursing and give him formula to get his weight up?" "Will I have to start feeding him cereal even though I'd like to wait until he's 6 months?" "Is THIS why he cries all the time?"

Sigh.

So to answer some of those questions... The doctor did want me to start him on cereal and so far so good on that front! (Compared to Jack who HATED it for the longest!) He really likes it and it hasn't seemed to upset his stomach. It also hasn't made him sleep any better - so there goes that myth!

The doctor gave me some formula to use if we need to. I've been using it to mix with cereal, but overall I've just been nursing as often as he needs to. Yesterday was our first real day of demand-feeding and he was just so dadgum happy all day long. And took great naps. (Didn't sleep so great at night, but you can't have everything!) It was really good to have positive progress after such a rough Monday.

Also, I don't know what I would've done without Cara at the doctor with me! She came to help wrangle the boys. She held Miller while we did Jack's stuff, then took Jack out to the van while we finished up with baby brother. Then the rest of the day she listened to me moan and groan and whine about how hard it's been lately, and she let me whine - then talked some sense into me. Thank you B.

Oh, and did I mention that she helped me make a cake for Jack's birthday? I made the cake and then she and Jack made the icing!

It's still not easy. I still don't have all the answers. Even the ones I kinda need right now. But God is in control, and I will trust in Him with all my heart, and lean NOT on my own understanding. In all my ways I will acknowledge Him and He will make my path straight! (Prov 3:5-6)

Just help me remember that when life is like this:

Being a Mom - the Hard Stuff

I've got to preface this all by saying I have good kids. Truly.

Sweet, funny Jack who makes me laugh within 5 minutes of him being awake - EVERY day. Precious, happy Miller whose mile-wide-smile makes my whole body feel all warm and tingly.

Really good kids. At any given time, if you ask me how things are going, I will most definitely, with all sincerity tell you that things are wonderful - because they are! I am living the dream!! Married to the man God created for me, and staying home with two precious boys who make me never doubt that THIS is what I've always wanted to do "when I grow up".

BUT...

It's hard.
It's really hard, some days.

It's hard when Miller keeps crying, and keeps crying, and keeeeps crying, and I don't know what to do to make it better. Luckily we have figured out that he has reflux and a milk intolerance (both can be treated) which were causing a lot of his fussiness, but then he is also colicky, which is basically like "Hey, your kid will cry a lot, and there's nothing you can really do about it."

It's hard when Jack tries to throw himself out of my arms when I'm not doing what he wants to do. The tantrums have begun, people. His new phrases are "Noooo..." "I don't want to do that," "I don't have to do that," "I don't like to do that," "I don't need to do that." I feel like I'm constantly weighing - "Is this really worth disciplining him for?" or "If I don't nip this now, he'll never learn." I mean, you think you know how you'll handle things, but until you go through it, you don't really know.


It's hard to keep up with the house. I can tell myself it's not a big deal to let it go, but it weighs me down sooooo much when it looks like a bomb went off in our kitchen. And our living room. And... our whole house.

It's hard to say no to the playdates, and Bible studies, and groups, and all the activities. I say yes to a LOT of them because I thrive on social interaction, but then the running around wears me down. The hassle of hauling two kids around (even in my awesome mini-van), is sometimes more than I can bear. Grocery shopping? Kill me. And if I do manage to get through Walmart with both boys and a cart full of groceries, then I have to get both boys and all the groceries out of the car and into the house. Kill me again.


It's hard to connect with my husband and give him my best after I've poured myself out all day, and I know that he has most likely had a stressful day at work too. We just want to zone out in front of the TV when the boys (finally) go to bed, and most nights we do.

There's a lot of hard stuff going on around here. But let's be honest - it all pales in comparison. No one is sick. My husband has a job. We have a beautiful home and 2 cars and an AMAZING support system of family and friends. We are ALIVE and filled with the love of Jesus.

Yes, it is hard and it will continue to be hard. But I know we are "in the good 'ol days". Right here. Right now.

My Third "Fix" - Stitch Fix Review

UPDATE: I kept the gray dress! I loved the comfy fit and that the sleeves were actually long enough to cover my freakishly long arms. But I'm sad to say I didn't get the first top. I really really should have. I didn't think it looked that great (I felt like it should have had a collar!), but then looking back at the pictures, it was really cute. So yeah, I will always look at my pictures and ask for y'alls advice before making my decision!! :)

I got my third "Fix" from Stitch Fix!! Y'all... this is so much fun! The thrill of getting the package, opening it, and seeing what someone else has picked for you? So awesome!!

{1st Fix}

{2nd Fix}

{2nd Fix - Update}

So, full disclosure - I told you that I ended up getting the cute car print shirt from my last fix? Well, I was super bummed because I found a hole in it (well, several in the seams, actually). I let Stitch Fix know, and they responded quickly, letting me know that they didn't have another one of the same shirt, but that they would refund my purchase PLUS my styling fee. I hated to send the shirt back because it was so cute, but I was very happy with how they handled it.  :)

So it was time to schedule another Fix!! I'll show you what all I got and then let you figure out what I kept! 

Before we begin, I gotta apologize for my Biggest Loser obsession in the background... I have been rewatching almost all the seasons on Hulu. It's just such a good show! 

Also, please ignore my horrible smile in like 3 of these... 

I try to just do ONE shot per outfit, but yeesh. I shoulda looked at these first. Haha!

Papermoon Dellora Button-Up Zig-Zag Blouse

Ellison Brooke Dot Print Sleeveless Tie Top

Daniel Rainn Jasmen Ikat Embroidered Sheer Tank

THML Meesha Striped Drawstring Dress

Oxmo Ryder Jersey Longsleeve Dress

What do you think I kept??

Ready to join in on the dress-up fun? Schedule your first Fix today!!

My Second "Fix" - Stitch Fix Review UPDATE

Hey friends! Okay, so yesterday when I posted about my Second "Fix" from Stitch Fix, I asked for your advice to help me pick what to keep! I asked on Facebook too, and got some great responses. 

I decided to look at my 2 favorite tops and see what I could find in my closet to go with each of them. That is the WHOLE POINT of Stitch Fix - to pair up a fun new piece with stuff you already have!

So in addition to the lovely jeans I wore with everything yesterday, I knew that my navy skirt would go with both tops, so that's what I went with first.

there's that sweet puppy, Dash!

I would totally wear this to church or out on a date with the hubs. 

Then I took off the belt and added a fun red necklace:

Again, I can definitely see myself wearing this out. 

Then I decided to get a little out of my comfort zone and try the high skirt/tucked in shirt thing...

I don't like it, but I probably did it wrong. :-p

Then I kept the skirt on and put on the other top:

I like the way the shirt flows out at the bottom and then the skirt narrows at the bottom, for a little fake hourglass action! 

And then I thought - oh yeah! I have these great coral shorts that would go with the coral in this shirt!

But once they were on, it was very obvious that my coral shorts are slightly faded and REALLY pink, so no, they don't go.

So after looking back through the photos from yesterday and today, I definitely see a clear winner - the Everly Maccina Car Print Tab Sleeve Top! I'm glad I gave it another chance and wore it a few different ways, because I really like how it fits me. Oooh and maybe I can find some red capris or skinny jeans to pair with my new top. :)

Okay, are you ready to sign up for your first Fix?! 

It's so much fun! 

And, because this was funny, here's another photo bomb. :) 

Sweet boy with a mouthful of animal crackers.

My Second "Fix" - Stitch Fix Review

{UPDATE: check out what I decided to keep & why!}

I'm excited to post about my second "Fix" from Stitch Fix!! What's Stitch Fix? Basically, after you fill out a fun Style Profile, your personal stylist picks out 5 items specifically for you and mails them to your house! You pay $20 for a styling fee, and then that $20 goes towards any purchase you make from your Fix! 

(I blogged about my first fix here!) 

I propped my camera up with the timer set to get some pictures with me actually wearing the clothes! I've looked at a ton of blog posts about Stitch Fix, and my favorites are when they show themselves actually wearing them. :) So here goes with the awkward posing. Haha!

Here's what my personal stylist Jen sent me, 4 tops and 1 dress:

Here's the first top - Everly Maccina Car Print Tab Sleeve Top. I really liked the fit on this one - it reminded me of the top I loved from my first Fix, however, the colors weren't my favorite. 

But look how cute the print is - especially for a boy-mama. :) Cars and wrenches and nuts and bolts. Cute!! (I wish the background was red or white or something different...)

The next top was the RD Style Rufus Cut-Out Button-Up Tank. I loved the bright pink color, the triangle cut outs...

...and the longer in the back style is fun. Buuuut, I really hated how it came up so high in the front, and it was one of the more expensive pieces in my Fix.

This top is the Blu Pepper sharon sleeveless sheer tank. I didn't like it right out of the box, and it didn't do much for me on, either. It's just not my style, but it did fit in my "Spring style" request with the sheer, sleeveless look. 

And the last top, DownEast Olivia Leaf Print Peplum Top. I really liked this one! The first picture I took, I was all sassy and turned to the side, but then you couldn't see the cut at the bottom. So here's my awkward pose so you can see it better. :)

And here's the dress, RD Style Freddy Sleeveless Chiffon Dress. It's a very "current" style and I like that! It's brighter than this picture shows, which I also love, but it's a little too short for me. I know, I know, I'm a total prude! I just wouldn't feel comfortable out and about in it or bending over hauling all my kids around. :) The style card showed it with some leggings under it, but I'm afraid I'd have a hard time finding the perfect ones... I'm open to suggestions!

And here's the back - there's a little keyhole and button at the top - cute!

Aaaaaand we're done with the fashion show.

Time for a nap! :)

What do you think? Which ones do you like? What should I keep??

Ready to sign up for your OWN Fix?? Sign up at Stitch Fix!