T-R-O-U-B-L-E

This little princess has decided our duvet cover is her new bed. This is the one of the few things in our home not from Target, TJ Maxx/Home Goods or a flea market, so obviously a big no-no. She is in for a rude awakening when Winnie comes back, and she is relocated to a garage/basement for bedtime.

And this guy loves to squeeze behind the couch and play with the blinds/people watch.

Dynamic Duo

Beaver Boy has been leaving his mark...

He also also decided to raid my purse for goodies. Apparently all I carry is receipts and koozies. My debit card was lost for about an hour, but has since been recovered. 

Anyone else deal with this problem?

Because I am really good at Sudoku.

Like It, Love It, Gotta Have It

Day three of a new post. This hasn't happen since BW (Before Woody.)

Since it is summer (what what), I am going to really work hard on blog posts. Oh, and try not to only just show my kid (sorry Mom), but I can't promise.

Like It:

Ikea EMMIE Roll-up Blind

We may have a new house. The inspection in this weekend, so we will see how it comes. I am trying to not get too excited in case this doesn't work out. BUT...if it does, we are going to need some window coverings.  Aren't these cute? At $13, they are very budget friendly. Has anyone used them/have an opinion on other cheap window coverings/want to donate to my plantation shutter fund? No?

Love It:

The massive hydrangea bushes might be the saddest thing about leaving Vern. Usually, they bloom a lot sooner, but some colder temps delayed them until recently. I love looking out Woody's window at them. There are so many, we are allowed to cut the blooms. (I may have made up this rule, but whatever.) Think anyone would notice if I dug this up and took it with me?

GOTTA HAVE IT:

F21 Essential Floral Brocade Skirt

Would you ever guess this was Forever 21? It is from their Love 21 line, which I have really become quite fond of. It is only $17.99, so pretty much free right? It is a perfect work/church/date skirt. It may just have to find a home in my closet.

Hiking We Went

Husband's dreams came true and we went on our first family hike (minus Winnie.)

Want the recap?

• Everyone got sick. Thank you pollen.
• The mountain was really steep.
• I complained. A lot.
• We watched a creepy guy insist on taking these girls' picture over and over.
• Made Husband take me to Quik Trip.

I maybe smiling, but only because we were about to hike back down.

Woody's expression says things better.

Happy Memorial Day, Phone Dump, and House Update

Happy Memorial Day! We were able to spend our weekend looking for houses (more on that later), going to church, and just enjoying being together. I am grateful to the men and women who have fought and given their lives so that I may enjoy this freedom and live in the greatest country. Ever.

Now I shall shamelessly post a bunch of pictures of my adorable child.

Well, maybe not so adorable here. Solid food really irritates him, as does his high chair. Solution? I now feed him baby food, in his exersaucer, in front of the TV. No judgement.

Okay, so maybe we need a TV intervention. Again, no judgement.

What a stud.

First trip to the pool. $50 a Babies R Us, almost passed out blowing up his float, used half a bottle of sunscreen, fought (hard) to get a swim diaper on. And then we spent 15 minutes at the pool.

Unrelated Woody news, I found this pretty nightstand at My Favorite Place. I think I am going to leave the outside stained, and paint the drawers white. Thoughts?

Reading the Bible before church. (Don't mine that it is upside down.)

Party Time

He loves to go to the dog park and watch Lucy. Love that sweet laugh.

House Updates

This experience has been interesting to say the least. When we put Vern on the market, our plan was to build outside the perimeter in a new development. When it didn't work out in phase I, we began to really dread the process of apartment living for six months, then moving again. So we began looking inside the perimeter (or just on the other side.) After all, this is the area we love. The choices weren't great. We weren't expecting, or even necessarily wanting new construction, but there just weren't that many houses (in our price range) for sale in general. We were looking in ten different school zones as well since our number one priority is a good school. Last week, we put an offer on a house (that I loved, loved, loved.) It was only about three miles from Vern, but we just couldn't negotiate the price to one my husband we felt comfortable with and lost the house.

And I acted like a four year old. I take that back, my four year old niece and nephew act better than I did. I threw a pity party of how if we just had 10K more, I could have my "dream home." I complained to God, friends, and poor Brooks. Luckily, I married a man who has a forgiving heart, as well as a wise heart who understands and manages our finances. He works late into the night so that I can work part-time and constantly sacrifices for Woody and me. He knew what was best for us, and this house wasn't it.

So this weekend we saw nine more houses. Oh, and put offers down on two. Neither are my dream home, but that is okay. When Darby from Fly Through our Window redid her house, she talked about how God can take such an ugly person inside, and renovate them into something beautiful. Even though she drastically changed the inside of her house, God can do so much more with us. When I thought of her words, and how I had acted like such a brat, I had to eat my humble pie. Not only am I lucky that my husband is so forgiving, but my God is constantly forgiving and renovating me (which I badly need...daily hourly.) He calls me a Child of God, even with all my sins and imperfections. He sees something in me, and has blessed our family in more ways than I can describe. And how can I complain about bad flooring or dated tile, when there are millions with no roof? 

<I can't believe you are still reading.> Who knows what will happen with these homes. I am excited to make a house our home, and continue to see the wonderful things God has in store for our family. I am grateful for this experience  It has been stressful, there have been tears, and constant second guessing. But this weekend, I felt so strongly God working in my heart, teaching me lessons I need. And that is more valuable than new counter tops.

Woody- Ten Months

I had to bribe him with his toy car

Look at those chompers!

You funny Mom

Covering his smile

Get that camera out of my face.

Woody Facts

• Weight: Around 22 lbs. We had to go to the doctor for an ear infection, but they didn't weigh him.
• Diaper Size: 4
• Clothing: 12 months
• Shoe Size: 3.5-4 wide
• Sleep: Settling into a nice routine. He takes a nap from 12:00 noon-1:30/2-ish. He goes down for bed at 7:00, wakes around 5:00 to eat, but goes back to sleep until Brooks wakes him around 7:20. The joys of the first child, if Brooks is home, we both do bedtime routine. It usually goes bath, nurse, story, prayer, and into the bed. Woody usually talks himself to sleep.
• Eat: Next month, I will begin weening him onto whole milk. Incredibly thankful I was able to breastfeed this long. Same routine pretty much as nine months, except Woody has decided that baby food is much better than table food. Why chew? When he eats baby food, he usually eat 1.5-2 jars. 
• Has been using his four teeth for evil though. We have had some biting issues...
• And Beaver Boy's chompers have left their mark on his crib. 
• Record is four steps on his own! Brooks and I actually both saw his first step on his own. It was awesome.
• Had his first ear infection, and it was in both ears! Last Monday, Brooks called me at work, and said Woody was running a fever and wouldn't stop crying. I came home, but just figured it was related to maybe some new teeth. Woody kept pulling on his ear, so I decided to take him to the doctor. He had to take an antibiotic for a week, but is 100% better.
• And I found out that he LOVES medicine! He takes it like a champ and gets sad when it is gone. (He must get this from me. I could live off of Flintstones vitamins and Dimetapp.
• We start swim lesson soon, but on an especially hot walk, I let him stick his feet in the pool. He thought it was the funniest thing ever. I didn't have any sunscreen on him nor a swim diaper, so I wouldn't let him get in all the way. MISTAKE. I had a screaming child for the next half hour.
• Really likes when I let him play with my keys. He also loves to play with hangers and rolls of TP. First birthday ideas for you. He also lives the pulls on his ceiling fan. They have these "crystals" on them, and if Woody is sad, they are an instant cheer me up. Brooks even wrote a pretty sweet song about "Magic Power Crystals." (Disclaimer: He is not Spencer Pratt. We don't believe in crystals.)
• His personality is so funny. Sometimes he acts so shy, and hides his face. However, if he thinks you aren't paying attention to him, he will get in your face and yell. He also will roll his eyes at you.
• Does not like the church nursery. Cries. Every. Time.
• Cries more to have his nose cleaned than to get a shot.
• One of my favorite times of day is right before dinner. Woody is beginning to get sleepy/tired of playing with me, and he just wants to cuddle in my lap and watch TV. It only last about seven minutes, but they are my favorite. 
• Newest Nickname: Sack of Sugar....I could eat him up!

Happy Birthday Momma!

Not only was this weekend Mother's  Day (my first!), but it was also my momma's birthday on Saturday! I wanted Woody to take a cute picture for her today on the blog, but I am home with a sick little boy- double ear infection, yuck! So here is a happier Woody wishing his Nana a happy belated birthday and Mother's Day.

I love my Nana! When I feel better, I am going to take a cute-to-boot picture for you!

Her children arise and call her blessed;

    her husband also, and he praises her: “Many women do noble things,    but you surpass them all.”
Proverbs 31:28-29

A New Chapter.

I write this post with the up-most fear I am about to jinx myself.

We sold our house. In 48 hours of listing on MLS. On June 20th, Vern will no longer be our casa. Oh, and I don't have a CLUE where we will be.

So how did this happen? Many of you know, that after Woody was born, we had to face to horrible fact that Vern was just too small for a family of five (Husband, Woody, Lucy, Winnie, and myself.) What made it worse is that we were not able to fence in the back yard. Due to Winnie's large size and substantial amount of shedding, my sweet and gracious in-laws took her in until we were ready to move and find a house with a yard.

I love looking at houses. (When I was a little girl, I would by house plan magazines and pick out my future home.) I found a subdivision I loved, that was zoned for a good school, and in our price range. Best of all, they were building two more houses, so I would be able to pick out what I wanted. Well wouldn't you know that those two lots sold before we were able to get our own home on the market. They are going to start construction on the next phase, but those homes will not be ready until December (which means January...or even February.)

We decided to still list our home, in case it took months to sell. HA, you know the rest...

Currently, our plan is still to build. We have a deposit on a lot, but in the meantime, we are still searching to see if we cannot find a home that is already built. This is not easy in Atlanta. Houses are selling withing 48 hours (much like Vern.) Home values are going up too. (This was awesome when we were selling, but stinks now that we are buying.)

This whole process is scary, but such an exciting scary. Every time I panic about living under the I-75 bridge, I remember that I need to release control. Why panic? God knows where we are going to live. We are blessed that we have friends and family in and around Atlanta.

You are amazing if you are still reading. I cannot wait to share pictures with you, and share this journey!