Friday Saturday Sunday

This weekend was a good one.

Friday I got a much overdue girls' night. Then I got to come home to my peeps.

Saturday was my sweet niece's 2nd birthday party. She's 2! And she has a really awesome swing...

Sunday, one of our dearest friends was baptized at church and it was awesome. There were about 25 people all in all there to support her, and as we were all standing there, together, listening to her testimony of faith and being reminded of the journey and the path that she has walked hand-in-hand with Jesus and overcome, it was nothing short of beautiful. inspiring. powerful. There were about 4 people who Skyped in from out of town to be there for her. Her whole family came. Tons of friends. Old and new. It was awesome. We're just honored to have been a part of it and could rejoice forever!

See the double Skype going on? 

Tough weekend to beat. I bet if the sun would ever come out we could give it a run for it's money. We're trapped playing inside games today because mommy is a winter hatin' sissy. Movies, mani/pedis, extra long and unnecessary bath times? That's how we're rollin' today. It's under 40 degrees. Ain't nobody got time for that. 

Until Next Time, 

The Guff

What A Beautiful Time

Well, if you follow me on instagram, you know my 7 foods is going really well. sarcasm. You know... I have real reasons, excuses and justifications. I'll just get to those later. But so you know, I'm not doing it this month. Eh. 

I'm so ready for summer I could die. I hate being cold. I hate being inside all day. Our beach trip is planned and booked and I have got to get back to the running thing so I can wear a bathing suit- and not be the mom at the pool in a T-Shirt and Umbros. I wouldn't. I might. Curse you girl scout cookies! 

I have also recently discovered that the kids consignment shop that I love- hates us. Every single time we go there- something crazy happens. Remember this? Yesterday was no exception.

Chamblee is potty trained. But, to get rid of the 913247 diapers I bought at Costco the week before she decided to be, I usually let her wear them when we are out for errands. Just in case. So, I am on the hunt for something specific and we head to this store. Jake has a full tummy, it's not nap time, and we're all geared up, smiles and giggles, singing Veggietales the whole way. It's cheesy. It's awesome. We enter the store. Jake starts screaming. Well, ok. Then Cham needs to go potty. I can do this. Their bathroom "doesn't work". Really? So, I explain it to Cham and she, very annoyed, pees in her pull up. I give Jake my wallet so he can play with the zippers. This is all fiction, you DFACS dialers. He's content. The hunt is on. Next thing I know I hear screaming from the toy section. "I HAVE GOT TO POOP! NOW! MY BOTTOM TOLD ME SO!" Believe it. It's my daughter. Well, I'm not asking her to poop in her diaper, so we plop our things on the counter, ask them to hold them for us and the plan is to head next door to Kroger for the bathroom. Right when we get about, oh, six feet from the front door she stops. in the middle of the store. And she's not waiting for a bathroom.

The scene from then on out only reminded me of one thing. Giving birth. There was a lot of "I can't hold it, I have to push it out" and a lot of "Can you wait until we get to the hospital bathroom?" "No! Please hold my hand! It's coming out" and "Ok, you're doing great babe!" Right there. In the front of the store. Right. There. And whatta ya know. There was a screaming baby boy to play along with the theme. So. you know. I could be a doula. She delivered and we marched out to our van, poop in diaper and screaming baby in car seat and changed those pants and waltzed right back in that store like it was nothing. And we didn't find what we were looking for. But we bought stuff anyway.

J man is walking like a crazy drunk, wobbly man and there are just no shoes that fit him right. None. It's a little frustrating, can I get an amen? So we are always looking for those. He talks- a lot- babbles and says a few real things like ball, dog, bye-bye, mama, dada, go and I swear I heard him say Jacob the other day. Ask my mother-in-law. It happened. 

Milestone after milestone over here. I {finally} let Chamblee mix her Play Doh colors. It's true. She asks me every time and I'm always quick to say no. Gross. Then, a few days ago, it hit me. Who flippin' cares. It's her Play Doh and if she wants it all nasty and mixed then she should be able to do that. So I said yes. I think we both had a moment of shock. We stared at each other and then she said, "yes?" And then she went to town. Ew.

a girly girl. obviously.

quiet time

something serious.

always. eating. 

buds. 

I love that life is moving on and changes are happening and mostly that it's spring. I love that I'm growing up with my children and that helps me stay positive and press on to greater things than the things that used to weigh me down. I love that I love my family, because some people don't have that luxury, or choose that choice. Letting things go that I used to think I would cripple without has only made me more confident and sure of God's faithfulness and love and mercy and grace. Whoa, the grace. It's happening- this growing up stuff. These milestones. It's all over our house- in our children and in one another. It's such a beautiful time.

Until Next Time,
The Guff

7: A Mutiny Against Excess

Those of you who don't know me in real life and just found my blog probably think I'm crazy. Those of you who have had the special encounter of knowing me closely, well, you know I'm absolutely insane.

That being said, I'm reading a new book. It's called 7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess
Watch this:

I actually don't think this is crazy. Some people I have talked to about it have said, "Oh, I could NOT do that." And sure, it is going to be a drastic, what-was-I-thinking, this is really hard, I don't wanna do this anymore kind of 7 months. But listen. It can absolutely be done. Why? Because if we were only given bananas every day to sustain our lives, I think we would eat them. Every day. And likely be grateful for them. And if we didn't have the luxury of swiping a credit card at Nordstrom Rack whenever we saw a cute shirt, we would have to wear the same shirt every day. And we would. And do you even know how much junk is in our houses? All of us. To say that everyone reading this blog could not give away 7 things every day for 30 days- would kind of be a big ol' lie.

This is going to be misery. I know it. But I also know that we were not made to be in this world to look cute and accumulate all of the prettiest junk and see how much we could stock our refrigerators with.

So here's what I'm working with. Starting tomorrow and for the following 29 days, I will choose my meals from 7 foods. The foods I have chosen are:

Almonds

Apples

Avocados

Bananas

Bread

Brussel Sprouts

Pork

Listen. I don't want y'all commenting about nutrition and I really need some more something in my diet... I've already been grocery shopping and this is what I picked. It's over. 

Wish me luck! You know I'll be blogging and complaining the whole way through, so stay tuned. This woman wrote a whole book on it. Ain't nobody got time for that. I'll be bloggin'. I'm praying that I gain a new perspective and appreciation for food and see and have a more grateful heart towards how God provides so abundantly for my family.

Until Next Time, 

The Guff