Thankful

This year, I am thankful for...

1) My babies.  Goodness they are the sweetest things you've ever seen.  I can't even imagine what we did before babies.  They make every day the BEST day.

2) Nate.  He is a pretty good guy to have around.  I am constantly reminded how blessed I am.  He is the best daddy to our babies and they are just as crazy about him.  I love that he likes to spend so much time with us and is always making sure the babies are having fun one way or another.  He is a great leader for our family and makes sure we are always taken care of.

3) Family.  This always makes me teary.  I have not one but TWO great families I am part of.  My family has always been close and I am so, so thankful for that.  We still do every holiday together and a million things in between!  We have a big ole' family and I am proud to be apart of it!  Nate's family is just as big and just as wonderful.  I married into the BEST family and am constantly grateful that I get to be apart of it.  We are blessed.

4) Church Family.  We have the BEST small group around.  I mean it.  It cannot be beat!  We have made some lifelong friendships in our small group and we are thankful for each and everyone of them.  I just think about our babies all growing up together in the church and it makes me so happy.

5) Friends.  I have a small group of friends I have been friends with since Jr. High / High School.  We still get together with our babies as often as we can (which isn't often enough!) and we talk on group texts often too!  I am so, SO thankful for these girls (and their families too).  I can't even imagine doing life without them!

6) Jesus.  Without him, none of the stuff above would be possible.  I have had such anxiety over the things happening in our world recently and I can't help but be reminded of Isaiah 41:10 - {'Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.'} He is always with us and always taking care of His people.  

What are you thankful for this Thanksgiving season? 

Chrissy

Operation Christmas Trees

Last week, Nate headed to deer camp so I took the week off and the babies and I spent some time together.  Nate left early Friday morning so we spent Friday getting Christmas boxes down and buying a new {BIG} Christmas tree!  We have never had 14 foot ceilings in our living room before so it was fun buying a big tree for our living room.  Porter thought it was so cool when we put it up.  He said "Momma, that is HUGE!".  It was so much fun putting up our decorations this year because Porter is soooo into Christmas.  He is just amazed by it all.  Of course, we have to mix in the true meaning of Christmas too.  He knows that momma is crazy about putting up lots of trees and decorations but he also knows that we just do that for fun.  Jesus is the real reason for the season! 

Here is my sweet boy putting his ornaments on his tree.  His tree is full of all of his daddy's ornaments from when he was a kid as well as the yearly ornament we have bought him since he was born.  He gets one new one every year with a significant meaning behind it.  This year it was a Paw Patrol ornament because that has been his big thing this year.  

Here is sister's tree.  It is my old tree I had growing up.  Bright and funky, just the way I like it!  It matches her room perfectly and I can't wait until she is a little bigger and wants to help with decorating. 

Here is our bedroom tree.  It is an rustic, outdoor tree and I love how it turned out this year.  I cannot get a good picture of it for the life of me because it is terrible lighting in our room.  I still have some work to do with ribbon and adding a topper but that will come eventually.  

And my new tree.  It's just traditional red and green but I love it.  It turned out better than I thought it would. I have been buying ornaments for it for a couple of years now and finally had enough for a tree this year.  It is so cozy and the babies love it! 

Here is a picture of Porter's finished tree.  He is so proud.  It's just a little 4 foot tree (I think next year we may need to get a 6 foot because it's getting a little full) but he LOVES it.  We go in every night and sit with the tree lights on and the big light off so we can just look at it.  He keeps telling me he just needs some presents for his best buddies! 

My cousin Amanda came and spent the night with us the Friday night Nate left so she played with the babies while mommy decorated Christmas trees.  She is seriously the best.  We LOVE Manda.  And she loves my babies.  I left to run check on our goats (one is fixing to kid) and when I got back I found these two snuggled up in my bed reading Porter's new Paw Patrol book.  He loves her! 

Saturday we started our morning out running by Maw and Googy's house to help unpack some.  Porter found a nice seat here in Maw's bush.  He is a mess!

We also ran and got a MUCH needed haircut.  He is looking extra big these days! 

Nate was supposed to come back home the following Thursday but by Monday night he was missing home.  He hadn't seen much of anything and no one on the lease had seen anything either.  It was supposed to storm the next day so he figured he would just come home and hunt here.  And I think judging by this picture, everyone else missed daddy too!

Saturday morning, me and this cutie decided to head out for a girls shopping day.  We met Maw for breakfast then we headed to our favorite, Target.  Maw had some other things to do so me and my girl headed out to a few other stores to get some other Christmas shopping done, then we headed home to wrap some presents (and for naps for the little ones!).  

She LOVES these headphones.  She comes in almost every day wearing them.  My be boppin' girl!

And this is how we feel about a short week.  Wishing we could just skip ahead to the long weekend! 

Last night on of my best friends had something she needed to do and she needed someone to watch her girls.  We didn't have anything going on so the girls came over to play for a couple of hours.  My kiddos had SO much fun!  Love my friends and  their sweet babies!

Hope you all have a good, short week and a very Happy Thanksgiving! 

Chrissy

Sweet As Pie

These babies are killing me with their cuteness lately. I know they are mine but I just can't get over their sweet, precious little personalities.

This girl woke up early one morning so we had some early morning girl time watching cartoons, snuggling our baby dolls. That face...she is precious!

This boy is starting to like to play with costumes. He came in dressed as a firefighter last night and said "I am going to put the fire out for you momma! Don't worry!" He's always taking care of his momma! 

We had to visit the doctor this week because little Miss had some sort of bite on her hand one morning when she woke up. It was so big swollen and her hand was so red. After her nap there were 2 more on her arm and another on her other wrist. We still have no idea what they are but the doctor said possibly spider bits or staph although she has never seen staph come up in more than one spot. They put her on some strong antibiotics and by the next night the swelling was down and redness gone. She likes to keep mommy and daddy on their toes I guess! 

Her poor little swollen hand. 

Today is our Friday and we are happy about that! And we are off all next week so I have some fun things planned with the babies. We are also going to put up our Christmas tree this weekend. We had a shower at the house last weekend or it would have gone up the day after Halloween! Just call me the crazy Christmas lady!

Have a good week!

Chrissy

Friday Favorites

We have had a pretty busy week around here.  Just lots of catch-up around the house, getting ready for the NWA Boutique show with my cousin's mobile boutique and a baby shower at the house tomorrow.

Porter asked me one morning while I was taking the sheets off the bed to wash if I would take a picture of him and KM.  Well he didn't have to ask me twice!  My boy does not like his picture taken unless it's his idea so I usually jump on it when he asks.

We had to run to Walmart one night for some groceries.  I took little miss with me and she helped me decide what all we needed from our recipe.  I love having a little momma's girl!  I can't wait for all of the memories I am going to get to make with her doing fun, girly things!

This little ham was eating his preferred snack, tomatoes.  How many 3 year olds do you know that pick to eat tomatoes over other things??  He is SOOO picky though so don't let that fool you.  I can't get him to drink water to save my life! 

Then there's this little priss.  She has been walking around all day with her and Porter's Halloween buckets on like purses.  What a little diva we have on our hands!

 

Tonight I am going to help my cousin at her mobile boutique and then tomorrow we have one of my best friend, Christin's shower at our house.  Sunday is reserved for more shop siding fun!   We have a busy, busy weekend ahead but next week is a short week for us then we are off the entire week before Thanksgiving.  Happy to have some time with my babies! 

Chrissy

Happy Halloween - 2015

Porter was really into truck-or-treating this year which makes it so much more fun! KM had a lot of fun too just doing whatever big brother was doing! And I know I'm biased but they were soooooo cute in their costumes! Just see for yourself....

See, I told you! Aren't they the cutest Batman and Robin you've ever seen?? We had so much fun! 

Sunday we went to church, ran to Sam's for a minute and then the babies came home for long afternoon naps since it was time change.  Mommy and daddy worked on the shop while they napped and then they came out to help. These babies looooove to be outside! 

We had a pretty great weekend around here!

Chrissy

Porter-isms

This age with Porter has got to be my favorite stage yet!  He is saying the funniest things right now!  I wanted to go ahead and make a post of funny "Porter-isms" from recently...and hopefully I'll do these posts often so I don't forget the funny things my boy says!

- He tells us we are his "best".  Instead of best friends, we are just his best.  Example - "Momma, you're my best!"

- He calls Kinley Mae his "bay-bay".  Not baby, "bay-bay".  All other babies are called babies.  But not his sister.  That is his nickname for her...and I LOVE it!

- He went hunting with daddy this past weekend.  I asked him before he left how he got so sweet.  His response:  "Jesus made me sweet Momma!"

- He thanks us for EVERYTHING.  If we make him supper, he say thank you.  If we pick up a toy, he says thank you.  If we buckle him in his carseat, he says thank you.  He is a thoughtful, well mannered little guy!

- When he wants to take a bath he says "Momma, I am dusty!"

- Mom took him to church one Wednesday night and they were talking about Papa Porter.  He could not understand that Papa Porter was mom's dad and also his great- grandpa.  He kept saying "No, Maw.  Papa Porter is my Papa, not your daddy!"  A few days later we ran into town and there was an old, run-down house on the side of the road.  Porter said "Momma, that was my grandpa's house."  I said "Really Porter?  What was his name?"  He said "His name was Papa Porter."  I then proceeded to tell him that Papa Porter was Maw's daddy (not knowing about the conversation he had had with mom the week before).  He started to cry really big crocodile tears and said "No mommy, that is NOT Maw's daddy, he is MY papa!".  He had me in stitches!  I didn't realize he was so protective of his Papa Porter who he has never even met!

- Nate's hunting truck is "Porter's truck".  He refers to it as his truck all the time.  He sold his single cab and bought a new crew cab diesel so he can use for pulling things as well.  So we told Porter he got a new hunting truck.  The morning after we bought it, Nate drove it to work.  I took the kids out and loaded them in the car later that morning to run to the store and Porter noticed "his" truck wasn't in the driveway.  He said "Momma, where is my new truck?"  I said "Well Porter, we told you Daddy was going to drive it to work some so he can pull his trailer with it.".  He said "Momma, that makes me so mad!" (all with a smile on his face...so I don't know if he knows what mad even means!)  I said "Why are you mad Porter?  You are the cutest boy I've ever seen!"  He said "No momma, I'm the maddest boy you've ever seen!"  And I lost it!  Where does he come up with this stuff?!?

- He calls birthdays, "dep-days".

- I'll leave you with this gem. Nates dad always sings the kids some random made up songs. Porter LOVES it. He recently is always asking me and Nate to "sing about it!". For example, we pass a cow. Porter says "momma, let's sing about it!". Or we get a drink of chocolate milk. "Momma, let's sing about it!" This particular day we were driving next to a huge tractor. I only got about a quarter on video because I was try to film on the sly. He usually doesn't keep going once he sees me filming but he didn't seem to mind this time! So happy I got this on video!

First day of KDO

Today is little man's first day of KDO (Kids Day Out).  It's a program at our church one or two days a week (we just do one for now) that lets the babies go have some kiddo interaction during the week with a little more structure. Porter was SO excited when we told him he was going to start "school" today! He even asked if he could ride the bus, ha!

Best I can tell, he had a blast today! He told me he colored a pumpkin, played in the blue playground, and ate lunch with his friends! He's already ready to go back next week!  Can't beat that!  

Fall Weekends

One morning this past weekend, the babies and I made chocolate gravy and painted pumpkins while daddy hunted. They had a good time I think! 

This girl right here loves to eat. She especially loves chocolate gravy and biscuits!

My little Picasso's hard at work.

Love these sweet memories we are making with these sweet babies! 

Daddy also got the babies a new surprise. Porter was pretty excited and has asked to ride it every night after daddy gets home.

Little man also went hunting with daddy one day this past weekend. I asked him how in the work he got so sweet. He said "Jesus made me sweet momma!" I love this boys big heart!

Chrissy

It's the little things

Since I haven't done any monthly updates for Kinley and I haven't documented anything recently for Porter, I thought I might write down a few things to remember about both of them at this age. I am going to try to start doing this regularly again!

Kinley Mae:

-You are 15 months old!
- UPDATE - we just went to the doctor a few days ago.  You are 32.5 inches tall, 26 lbs, and your head is 19".  He said you're perfect (which we all knew!)

- You can say "mama", "dada", "night night", "Gigi", "papa", and tonight you actually said "bye-bye".

- You can't get enough of your momma! Porter would go to anyone but you'll hardly go to anyone if I am around. You just want me to hold you. It's a little exhausting but I know it won't last forever so I am trying to enjoy it while it lasts!

- You have 8 teeth and are cutting at least 4 more that I know of. You have had a reallllly hard time with teething. I hate how bad it hurts you and am so ready for it to be over! 

- You love to blow kisses

- You babble all the time. I don't remember Porter ever babbling so much. You are definitely going to be a talker!

- I've never met such a good eater! You will eat almost anything and will usually clean your plate

- You want to go to sleep right at 8p every night and will sleep until 7-8a every morning. 

- You take a 2-3 hour nap every afternoon around 1.

- You are obviously very scheduled. Porter never really had a schedule so it's funny to see the differences in both of you.

- You will not sleep anywhere but your bed. Vacations, grandparents houses, pack-n-play, they are pretty much non-existent. You want your bed and will just cat-nap anywhere else. It's funny how much your like your bed!

- Your little personality has really started showing! I think you're going to be a goof ball like your brother!

- You LOVE baby dolls. This is a recent development but every time you get one in your arms you will cradle and rock the baby. It's the cutest thing ever!

- You like to dance when you hear music come on the TV.
- It's funny to me, whenever Porter watches Paw Patrol or Blaze on TV you won't pay much attention to the TV but if we turn on Princess Sophia or something girly, you are immediately interested.  Funny how early the boy / girl preferences start! 

Porter:

- You are 3 years, 4 months old!

- You talk up a storm.  You can hold a long conversation with us and say some of the funniest things!

- You are a terrible eater right now. You won't hardly eat anything for 2-3 days and then you'll eat like a bear.  I know this is just a stage.

- You go to bed around 9-9:30p every night and sleep until about 8-8:30a

- You're a daddy's boy all the way.  You want to do everything he does.  You guys are the best of buds. Daddy has never missed bow season and last weekend he actually didn't hunt at all because he just wanted to play with you. Y'all are obsessed with each other and it makes me so happy!

- You LOVE Paw Patrol. For Christmas this year you are asking Santa for the Paw Patroler.  

- Your favorite color is red.  

- You love big trucks, tractors, 4-wheelers...pretty much anything that drives!

- Being outside is your favorite.  You could spend all day out there in the dirt, playing with your four-wheeler, jumping on the trampoline.  Nothing makes you happier.
- You got to go hunting for the first time a couple of weeks ago with your daddy and papa.  You've been asking every day since then to go hunting again. 

- You can count to 10 and say some of your ABC's.  It stresses me out that you don't know they all but you don't like to sit down and learn anything.  You are always on the go and have no desire to sit down and learn.  Momma is in for a real treat trying to get you ready for school!
- You do know all of your colors.


You babies are the sweetest and best of buds.  I can't believe both of you are ours!  Both of you are at such a fun age right now!  I love you both more than you know! - Mommy

I am sure I'll think of something I'll need to add to this list!

Chrissy

Weekends are too short!

Nate's grandpa (Papa Lee) is in the hospital due to a stroke on Saturday. He's doing fine now but has lost some vision in his left eye. We are all crazy about him, especially Porter. I had nursery this morning so Nate headed straight to the hospital this morning when we woke up and me and the kiddos headed to church to keep nursery. On the way, Porter was crying because he wanted to go check on Papa Lee. I told him we'd go visit when he comes home on Monday. Porter says "Momma, I'm sick. I need to go to the doctor!" Sneaky boy! Already trying to be a little con-artist! 

After church, my mom and dad kept the babies so I could go down and sit with Nate and his family. They had a lot of fun with Maw and Googy! These babies aren't spoiled one bit! 

Thanks Maw and Googy for watching the babies! And thankfully, Papa Lee is coming home tomorrow!

Chrissy