Family Update - End of 2015

Well, you have probably noticed that I haven't posted since Little Man's birthday back in April. We have been so busy lately blogging has been pretty much the last thing on my mind. Hubby had his busiest summer yet with the youth group, and since then we haven't stopped moving. Our little man is growing so quickly it is really hard to believe how much he has changed over the last 6 months. Here is a little recap of our life over the summer, fall and winter of 2015.

Choo-Choo Carsen is Two!!

Purchased here

My little guy turned 2 last weekend. It is so hard to believe, but we had an amazing birthday party on Saturday with family and a few friends.

Little Man is into EVERYTHING that moves, any kind of transportation or balls. We watch Thomas and Friends, Chuggington, Chuck the Truck, etc on repeat. I knew I wanted a train themed party this year to honor his love of "Choo-Choos". I contacted our local train museum and set up a party. We had to pay per person instead of per kid like most places, so we decided to keep it small this year. Which ended up being a good thing because the party room was actually in a real train caboose, and there was very limited seating, in fact the 15 of us could barley fit inside all at once to sing "Happy Birthday".

 The party turned out great and the best part was that they had over a dozen real-life trains that you could climb on and explore My heart was exploding with happiness when I saw just how excited he was when he saw all the trains in the yard.

 He is becoming more and more interested in the potty (pi-pi as he calls it). He kept looking down the
whole and saying "I see you". What a Nut!

         



 My friend Melissa iced cookies for me they turned out so cute.



My dad used to make my birthday cakes growing up so I asked him to continue the tradition and this is what he made. I think the clouds are my favorite part. Little Man loves licking the icing off of the trains.

The entire gang.

I purchased these train hats on Amazon for less than $20 and everyone was excited to get to have one of their own. They are advertised as child sized but they have snaps in the back so they adjusted well to fit all of us. 

It was a great party and I would suggest hosting one of your own or even visiting the Great Plains Transportation Museum if you are in the Wichita area.

Mom's Night Out

Friday was a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. It started off by not being able to shower until 3pm because our sewer line was messed up in the new house and there were plumbers here tearing up a huge hole in my new back yard (luckily we haven't planted grass yet). I spent numerous phone conversations trying to explain to the contractor that our tub doesn't drain properly and that the sewer water has seeped into our downstairs bathroom and got the carpet all wet. PS who puts carpet in a bathroom? ...just saying. I dropped my glasses in the toilet while trying to put in my contacts, then proceeded to lose one of said contacts and therefore had to wear toilet glasses for the rest of the day. My son has entered this new phase where he just likes to scream. Some are short burst, some are long and drawn out, some because he is happy and some because he is mad. Oh but don't forget about the ones he does just for fun.

I tell you this not to complain (well kinda, don't we all just need to vent some times), but to tell you the happy ending. My husband let me off the hook for the rest of the night. He helped me take care of the baby, got me Chinese take-out and I got to just chill and let go of the day. Then Saturday night I got what I really needed, no not a foot rub, but some nourishment for my soul.

My mom, and grandma went to see a movie called "Mom's Night Out" starring Sarah Drew and Patricia Heaton. In the movie three moms who just need a night for themselves decide to go out for some fun. During their girl's night they run into some interesting characters and get into some rather unrealistic trouble. But in the end they all reaffirm themselves as moms.
I could relate to all three characters, Allyson, the mom who constantly feels out of control, Sondra, the preacher's wife who feels she needs to be perfect in everyone's eyes, and Izzy, the one who is constantly reminding her husband that he won't kill the kids in the 3 mins he is watching them. I have felt all of these things in the past year of Motherhood. Some more than others (Hubby is such a great dad, don't take me wrong, but those first few months there was a lot of reassuring) but it is a constant struggle to remind myself just as Allyson learns in the movie, that God made me his masterpiece. I am perfect just the way I am. I do not need to live up to anyone else's standards or compare myself to the other "Pinterest" moms out there. I am learning everyday how to become a better mom, sometimes though, it is  through mistakes.
I recommend going to see Mom's Night Out, it is wholesome and funny, and I promise you will enjoy it. I hope you take away just as I did that God gave our children the mommies they needed. He personally chose you and me to raise these children to be like him and to bless our lives in the process.

So happy Mother's Day to all of my fellow mommies who need some encouragement, who need some support and who need to know that ...

Happy Mother's Day!

Easter Weekend 2014

We were very busy this weekend in Kansas City at the Leadership Training for Christ Conference. We took 18 kids ages 3rd grade to 12th to participate in different events to help prepare them for a life of a Christian Leader. They competed in events from song leading, sermon delivery, Christan Art and more. I was the coach of Christian Banner and those 5 girls did amazing! They created a 5.5'x2.5' banner recreating the life of Moses. They all won a gold and I can't wait to make another one next year.

We also celebrated Easter this Sunday. I was so excited for Little Man to experience his first egg hunt. He wasn't too thrilled about it though, most of the time he was upset about being on the grass. Although once I emptied the eggs and gave them back to him he had a blast rolling them around.

 

I brought back my Easter dress and facinator from two years ago. Hubby wore one of his new suits and we got him a pink shirt to match. I found Little Man's blazer at a consignment sale and paired it with khaki shorts and white button down. I couldn't find a tie that I liked so I stopped by Joann's and found a peach and cream chevron pattern and made a bow tie. I think it turned out pretty good.

My Little Man is Turning One

Its finally here, my Little Man is turning one in less than two weeks. I have such mixed  emotions over how much he has changed in the last 12 months. I have been planning his party off and on for the last 6 months (remember I'm a planner), and I just can't contain my excitement about celebrating my little boy. We are having the party in the children's garden at our Botanical Gardens, I just hope that we have nice enough weather to host the party. I will write a post about the party afterwards.

This past weekend my dad took Little Man's cake smash photos and they turned out amazing. He was very confused at first about what to do with the cake, he just picked at it. Once I showed him he was allowed to actually smash it, well needless to say that was the end of the cake.

Our Christmas 2013

 We had an awesome Christmas with both Hubby and my family. My grandparents came in town for the week and we got some real quality time in. We love to play games and so we spent most of the time that we weren't cooking in the kitchen playing games. We are big fans of spades, rummy, The Logo Game, and more. The best game was the Redneck Life that Hubby got from my parents. It is basically like the game Life, but you become a redneck and get a redneck name such as "Bubba Jr" or "Bertha Jane". You end up with TONS of kids and at the end of the game the person with the most teeth wins. It was not politically correct in anyway, but really is a funny game to play. My favorite part was my Grandma really getting into the part and speaking in a country accent the entire time.

You can find the game on Amazon

 We got to have a white Christmas this year and Little Man experienced his first snow. I'm not sure how he felt about it. I sat him down in the snow and he just sat there like a bump on the log, not really playing with it or really caring about it at all. He wasn't a fan of the snow angels though.

Playing with an ornament from Great Grandma's tree

 We had an amazing Christmas Eve Dinner with my family, and then had Christmas Day lunch with Hubby's family.

 Opening presents with Little Man was so much fun. His favorite part was the tissue paper. He tried to eat all the paper in sight, but loved his new toys. He got an activity table, a little drum, a walker, a car, and a portable high chair. Really he was spoiled. We really are so blessed to be surrounded by so many people that love our little guy.

 I think he was so happy to have his Daddy home for a week straight. It really was great to have some quality time together. 

 Overall I think this was my favorite Christmas EVER! Hubby spoiled me too (I gave him a wish list and he went above and beyond and got me almost everything on my list). Having a little one to share the holiday with really makes it so much more magical. I can't wait until next year when Little Man will get to experience Santa, and the anticipation of opening presents.

 I hope you all had a great Christmas, and I hope you have a Happy New Years!

Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

 Last night we gathered with some friends to see the Christmas lights at Botanica. It's our local botanical gardens and during the holiday season they cover then entire place in over 500,000 lights. It really is amazing.We all got bundled up, and sipped on Hot Cocoa while oooh-ing and ahhh-ing.

His stroller toy is in the way, but he has a HUGE smile on his face.

This rainbow is in the Children's Garden over the yellow brick road-too cute!

My Little "Gingerbread" Man-only fitting since he is always stealing my gingerbread cookies right out of my hands

Look at that red nose

 We even got to meet Santa. Little Man just kept looking up at him wonder who that was.

Gammy(my mom) and Santa are friends, so she joined in the picture too

Thanksgiving 2013

We spent the last week in Tennessee with my family. It was a long road trip there and back but we had a great time.

Little Man did really well on the trip, about the last 2 hours he got really fussy and was tired of riding in the car. 

 He spent some quality time with his Uncle Mike and GiGi.

 We had a fried turkey and all the fixin's. I even made my traditional bacon wrapped green beans. They go fast and are one of my favorite parts of the Thanksgiving meal.

Friday we traveled about an hour and a half to see our friends from Georgia. They are now living in TN as well and just had twins!!! I was so glad that we got to see those precious babies.

Little Man loved his "Aunt" Lauren from first sight

I got to hold Baby D but Baby G decided she didn't want to wake up and join the party.

Saturday we continued our tradition of watching the Iron Bowl (Alabama vs Auburn). Obviously we are all Alabama fans, and sadly there was a somber mood in the room at the end of the game. However watching my Grandma scream at the TV made up for the loss, it was hilarious.

I hope your family get together was as great as mine. Now I'm cozying up next to the Christmas tree and getting ready for "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year"