the weekly-ish recap {January 16-27}

Besides our snow day, I haven't been here to update in a couple of weeks.

Life has just been plugging along!

Since I have been feeling well, I've felt like catching up on things that I didn't keep up with all of last year.

Two Saturdays ago, B Boy had a birthday party to go to at the place where he had his birthday party- Gamer's Only. He loves that place!

Girlie and I made a grocery/household trip to Walmart while he was partying.

We have had a tough relationship the last year and I have been focusing on that a lot lately.

She has a strong personality (which I love) but it can be problematic at times.

Teaching children about heart and character issues is probably the hardest part of parenting to me, especially since I feel like I'm an ongoing work as well.

Speaking of which, I started a new Bible study on Sunday afternoons. 

This study could not have come at a better time.

It has been SO good so far.

After church that weekend, C Girl and I took a meal to a family who just had twin baby girls! C is enamored with these sweet babies!

I snapped this of a sunrise recently. It was so beautiful and a reminder of how much beauty we are surrounded by when we look for it.

Friday night, C Girl went to a sleepover. We let B Boy watch a movie in the playroom and Tim & I had an "at home" date and watched a movie and talked. It was so nice!

Saturday night, we finished our marathon of watching Star Wars movies!

Sunday was church and I made these turkeys take a photo with me before church!

We watched football that afternoon and we also had Sunday evening church activities. When we got home, we watched the 2nd NFL playoff game of the day and learned that the Broncos and Panthers will face off against each other in the Super Bowl. 

We are thrilled to get to see these two teams play.

Monday afternoon, our stray cat friend came in and took a long nap and even stayed while we left to take C to piano lessons! I love when she just makes herself at home!

I caught up on Downton Abbey on Monday. I'm SO sad that this is the last season. I love this show so much! My favorite quote from Sunday's episode: Lady Violet, "I haven't been down to the kitchen in 20 years!" Isabel, "Do you have your passport?!"

I love this picture on Tim's school Instagram. I'm glad they think he is a "hip principal!"

 I just started reading "The Royal We" and "Emotionally Healthy Spirituality." I have heard incredible things about EHS. I cannot wait to finish this book!

 While I was doing Tuesday folders at school yesterday, I had this flyer to put in the folders. It is starting to feel really real that my 4th grader will soon be finishing her elementary school career. I'm not ready to have a middle schooler!

I have been fighting off a little cold this week. I still have PTSD from the great ear infection of last year. I will not let that happen again!

I'm heading to a hair appointment later this morning. I'm looking forward to that.

I wish that I was going to get to hear Serial tomorrow. I'm kinda sad that they have went to a bi-weekly schedule. My other podcasts are on a little hiatus right now too so I don't have as much to listen to lately.

I guess I will start priming a bookshelf for B Boy's room tomorrow. We are revamping his organizational system and the bookshelf will house completed Lego projects! He's excited for that!

Recappin' {August 26-Sept 10}

The day of B Boy's surgery, friends from school brought cards, coloring book and chocolate shake by that evening. It was so kind and thoughtful!

 We just hung at the house and took care of the boy the rest of the week.

 He started to go downhill on Sunday. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday were pretty tough.

Wednesday, I took him to school to have his yearbook picture made but then brought him back home.

C Girl picked out her school picture outfit. She is very independent and opinionated lately, more so than usual!

 I sent B Boy back to school on Thursday. C had an ortho appointment. They removed her bottom expander and then added a few more brackets.

B Boy did great and made it through the entire school day!

He had to miss recess until this week and that was a little hard on him.

 The kids were out of school on Friday and Monday for the holiday. They were thrilled that I wanted to clean out the playroom. Ha ha.

 Saturday morning, the kids were up bright and early and excited about the Razorbacks season opener game!

The Hogs crushed UTEP and we are No. 18 in the country!

I drove to Ft. Smith to meet Jessica so that we could have a friend day! We haven't had one of these in a very long time and it was much needed! We got pedicures, had lunch and then did some shopping! So fun!!!

 We laugh so much!

 Sunday morning, the whole family was back at church! B Boy is now in the same children's church group as C Girl.

 Monday was Labor Day and we had a nice day at home. 

We grilled yummy burgers for dinner. 

B Boy finally started getting his appetite back!

 I pulled out the DSLR this week.

Tuesday was the start of fall Bible study at church.

I'm doing Fight Back with Joy by Margaret Feinberg.

I was glad to get to hear from her recently and I'm reading the book that goes with this. 

I know that I could definitely use some more joy in my life.

I will be looking for #joybombs!

My joybomb for Tuesday was getting to know a new lady that came to our Sunday school class. 

We chatted after Bible study and she is so sweet!

Margaret Feinberg commented on my blog! What!!!

 I'm so very happy to see this sweet boy back to his normal self again!

He is doing a Mad Scientist unit at Trec this semester and he is very excited about that!

Wednesday morning, I met with my mentor, Susan. We have the best time talking and discussing the book we are going through. It almost feels like a counseling session every two weeks. I love her so much!

After meeting with her, I headed to school for a PTO meeting. I'm going to be more involved at school this year, hopefully!

 Wednesday night, Awana started up again at church. Again, B Boy is now in the same group as C Girl. They are both such big kids now. [tear]

Thursday morning, I had a BPTO meeting and then I rushed over to be with C Girl on her field trip to the Peel Mansion. I missed a few stations but I really enjoyed the time I did get to spend with her there! I also got to know another mom in her class. I'm trying really hard to be involved more this year and to get to know other moms better. The past couple of years I haven't done this as well. My health took such a toll on everything :-(

Learning about pioneer life.

 Racing with potatoes on spoons!

 Bobbing for apples!

 The Peel Mansion is so beautiful and has so much history!!!

Words on Wednesday

Well, it is a bitterly cold day here. It is in the teens, but feels like 3 degrees. I wouldn't know firsthand because I will not be venturing out the door today. I am happily camped out by the fireplace contemplating the things in the house that need cleaned but having no desire to actually clean those things.

Yesterday, our Tuesday morning Bible study started again at church.

Ever since the brochure with the new studies came in the mail, I knew I felt God leading me in a different direction than normal. ALL of the studies are always wonderful and I usually choose a study based on what my friends are doing. I love good friend fellowship.

This time, I felt that I wasn't supposed to be in those studies. They are generally studies by well-known Bible study authors and usually have a lot of book work with them.

I always enjoy them and learn a lot, but lately, I have felt the need to be even more intentional with my time, home, and relationships. I felt that digging in directly to scripture was where I needed to be. 

The study we are starting is on the book of Ephesians and I am so excited to get started! The study leader and the ladies in the study are so great! I look forward to getting to know ladies that I don't know very well!

I am also doing the #365daysofTruth through the She Reads Truth app. This will definitely help me to finally read through the Bible in a year. It has each day listed, you can mark it as read when completed, and it posts your total Bible progress. I really need that accountability.

After Bible study, I asked one of my new friends to lunch and we had such a great time visiting!

B Boy failed his eye exam at school for the 2nd year in a row, so he had an eye exam yesterday afternoon. His eyes are perfect so we are not exactly sure what is causing him to fail each time :-(

 I had a meeting with one of my school PTO's yesterday evening and the ladies in leadership there are such a joy! I love when good people take on roles like that!

I was feeling a little nostalgic this morning looking at baby pictures of the kiddos.

It seems like a lifetime ago! They grow up too fast!

Everyday for a month

I posted every day in July of 2010 (July 2010 archive) and I LOVE going back and reading from that time. I wanted to do this again, so since I've already posted something everyday this month, here we go!

We did our gingerbread house on January 1st. This is "ok" fun to me, but the kids LOVE it- probably because they eat candy while they are doing it!

On Sunday, we had our final Christmas of the season with Tim's family.

 It was a very good time visiting with everyone and sharing a yummy meal. We brought a smoked turkey and dressing. The turkey was from a local deli and it was fabulous!

a fun game of left, right, center

 We also had a little winter weather Sunday morning. And the weather has turned bitterly cold.

 The kids received giftcards to Toy R Us from my sister and they were super excited about it! The thing they were most excited when picking stuff out was.... construction paper!

These kids love them some arts and crafts.

I'm excited that Downton Abbey is back and I'm even going to try and watch Celebrity Apprentice. 

Today was back to school day for Tim and the kids. I was so ready to get back into my normal routine.  

I struggle during January and February and I already feel the blues coming on.

I haven't felt well lately and that has not been helping.

I'm praying and hopeful that I can get a good treatment plan soon and start feeling better!

I wrote all of the above last night. After Tim and the kids got home from his basketball duty and we got them to bed, he and I stayed up and watched Sunday and Monday night's episodes of Celebrity Apprentice. It was very reminiscent of the days we used to have "our" shows that we would DVR and then watch after they went to bed. Those were the days long before the kids were in school. It was so nice and I look forward to doing that with him more!

Today, I have woke up feeling a lot better than yesterday. That's a good thing because my Bible study starts back at church this morning, I have Tuesday folder duty, B Boy has an eye dr appointment, and I have a meeting this evening. PLUS my house is a dreadful disaster and I'm SO ready to put all of our Christmas stuff away!

Here's to a productive, feeling good day!
Also- go read this post by Jen Hatmaker!

a weekly recap {art, razorbacks, babies & a brunch}

Last Wednesday night, Tim and I visited Crystal Bridges to see the State of the Art exhibit while the kiddos were in church.

 This set of photos was titled "Recession." It was homes, land and businesses in the after effects of the recession. I felt so connected to this, I guess because we lived through it.

 This was made from pages in the Bible. Below, you can see in more detail what it said.

 We hope to go back with the kids soon to see the things that we were not able to fit in that night!

On Thursday evening, we had a baby shower for my friend, Mary Avery. Sadly, I don't think anyone took any photos :-( This is their 4th child and they do not find out what they are having prior to the birth. They have 3 boys already. She went in Sunday night and was induced Monday morning. I'm happy to report that they had a sweet baby GIRL!!!! They are so thrilled! I cannot wait to meet her!

I have two more friends from Sunday school who are having babies next spring!

 Friday evening was the 2nd annual bowling party for the faculty at Tim's school. I hadn't felt the greatest on Friday, so I didn't bowl, but everyone had a wonderful time eating, visiting and bowling!

I don't get very many opportunities to interact with his staff, so it's always nice to get to know them a little better.

Saturday afternoon, we went to see Big Hero 6. I cannot say enough good things about that movie. 

It was so great!

 Saturday evening, our Razorbacks took on No. 17, LSU. 

We have had 17 straight SEC losses. 

It has been a HARD few years for our program. 

We shut.them.out! 

No, we did not beat the #1 team in the nation, but that WIN was something that we needed like air. 

We probably shouldn't have rushed the field, but it was beautiful. 

And to anyone on Twitter who was annoyed at my celebrating- I'm NOT sorry! 

You have your #Twitterparties, I have my #Razorbackparties. 

I don't know where that came from except that some non-fans seemed a little annoyed. 

But do you hear me snarking about your #sponsoredAD? Nope.

I fell in love with the Hogs when I fell in love with Tim. My family did not watch sports when I was growing up, so this love is a chosen love.

I've been to many games and lived through many losses.

This team has never given up this year despite everything that has not gone right.

You just have to be a fan to understand how we feel.

We feel lots of excitement right now. GO HOGS!

p.s. none of these stadium pics are mine, they are all from Twitter.

We were SUPPOSED to get snow on Sunday afternoon. And while we did get some, we pretty much just got dusted. That was okay though. It was pretty to watch it falling, we had a nice relaxing afternoon/evening, and the kids to not have to miss school the next day!

They did play some Monopoly, which was great until it wasn't. 

B Boy had not been dealing with "loss" very well lately!

I had a district PTO meeting on Monday morning to go over changes to our bylaws. 

I've learned so much over the last 3 years being involved in PTO, some good and some bad.

I've also firmly learned my limits in how much stuff I can add to my daily routines/duties that I have to family and church.

It has been so interesting learning how things work in a school district that is as large as ours and continues to grow. 

I've learned to work with a variety of people, most of whom, are not from our state.

It's also been interesting being the wife of a principal with managing my words and actions very carefully- I always want to be respectful of him! 

 Tuesday morning, was our annual fall brunch for our women's ministry. 

It was so great! I heard that there about 80 women there! 

It was an amazing turnout, wonderful food and we heard the testimony from one of our ladies. 

She shared about her life so candidly and I am so thankful for women who will do that. 

I hope to be that way as well. 

Her words touched me so much.

I will never be able to express what this church, women's ministry, and Sunday school class have meant to me. I love these women so much!

Our women's ministry director announced that she was retiring from her position to help with a new family business. 

She has been a wonderful leader and we will miss her so very much!