Life Happens No Matter What

Life these days.  It's void of many pictures.  Mainly because I've been lazy.  I've been through a personal battle here lately.  A funk that I'm slowly pulling myself out of.  No pictures also because I have three wonderful children who run at the sight of any camera or phone.  Can I get a amen?  

But life continues, right?  With or without pictures.  Gasp!  I never thought those words would come out of my mouth.  Kid1 and Kid2 had an abundance of pictures of our everyday up until Kid1 was 5 and Kid2 was 3.  Now our days consist of lots of Mickey Mouse.  Indoor and outdoor tricycle riding.  Yogurt.  Bananas.  And mashed potatoes.  And wondering how in the world I forgot what it's like to have a 2 year old in my presence.  It's been a while.  Nothing on this earth could prepare anyone to be the parent of a toddler.  It's the best and the worst all rolled into one.  The messes.  The tantrums.  The food throwing.  Teeth clinching.  Poop smearing. 

But I can't imagine this life without Kid3 around.  And now "mama.  mama.  mama.  mama." - I'm being beckoned in true 2-year-old fashion.

The Best Yes

You guys, I did something that I'm very proud of.  I'm JUMPED out of my comfort zone this last week and started going to a Bible study on Wednesday nights.  We are making big changes in our family and the most important is making going to church non-negotiable.  We've done well going on Sunday mornings, but Wednesdays have never been on the radar for us.  We heard big things about the Wednesday nights at our church, so we went for it.  The girls have choir.  We eat dinner at church.  Then the girls go to their own Bible study, Jaxton goes to be mean to the other toddlers (no really), Mr. Hill goes to his own Bible study and I go to mine.  It's wonderful!

There were several studies offered, but I chose "The Best Yes" by Lysa TerKeurst and to say that I'm pumped is a HUGE understatement.

LOVE. IT.  Like I said, last week was the first one, but it was wonderful.  I'm so excited to learn.  So excited to see where God leads me in this.  I don't feel like I have a problem saying no to things.  In fact, I probably weasel my way out of more things than I should.  I don't feel like my time is too busy.  I think I have enough time for things, but my time management is way off.  And learning when to say yes and how God can lead me to saying yes when it's in His plan for me is something that really made me want to go to this study.  I think, even more, was that it is supposed to be encouraging AND it's all adult women.  Key words there. 

I already learned a lot in the first week.  Lysa TerKeurst is so knowledgeable and teaches in a way that so many women can relate, you know?!  I cannot wait to see where God leads this group of women to learn (and laugh) in the next 5 weeks.  I'm kind of sad that it is just a 6 week course! 

I knew it would be bad.

I'm the type of person that makes a decision, then wants it done right then and there.  My husband LOVES it.  So, I decided this afternoon that Jaxton needed a haircut.  It's something I've known for a while, but dreaded because I knew he'd hate it.  This is the kid who, when we drop him off in the nursery at church, hides himself in the playhouse that's in the room and slams the door on any other poor little toddler that comes along his way.  Or shouts "no!" to the teacher when she offers him a snack.  That's what we're dealing with here.

So to have him sit in a chair while some stranger messes with his hair?  Wasn't gonna happen.  But it was time.  The style he had was definitely a party in the front and business in the back.  All of my children have slow growing hair and it always grows on top before anything else.  I was out of ways to make it look good, so we had to go. 

Several friends gave really good suggestions on places to take him and we ended up going with a place in Bryan that had a kids car that he could sit in while they cut his hair.  Although so very cute and any normal kid would love it, the love from him lasted all of 2.3 seconds until he realized he wasn't there to play.  When she buttoned the cape on him, it was over.  I had to hold him and hold his head still while he screamed.  Thankfully, he didn't have much to cut and in 5 minutes we were done.  A quick little spiked mohawk, eight bones, and we were out the door - with an unhappy, but very cute and stylish, little boy. 

He stared down the stylist, so I'm pretty sure he'll remember quickly who she is next time we go.

Purse Problems

Just in case you're wondering, Kid3 woke up feeling great today.  Thank you, Jesus.  No more throw up and asked to eat as soon as his feet hit the floor.

So, this happened last week ...

Contents :  diapers/wipes are in the big aqua bag.  nail clippers, band-aids, brush, hair bands, who knows what else is in the orange bag.  snacks are in one of the small linen bags.  dinosaurs are in the other.  Jaxton's forks and spoons are in the shark bag. and all of the essential oils I have to have at all times are in the chevron bag.  lip balm. gum.  thieves hand sanitizer. and more baby wipes.  you can never have too many baby wipes.

I was so tired of the purse I had been carrying around for what seems like the last 10 years, that I dumped the contents of it all over my dryer and just left it.  For days.  I only carried around my wallet and, of course, my Carmex.  That was it.  I was so over it.  You know, the big tote / purse / bag / throw-all-your-stuff-in-and-never-find-it-when-you-need-it.  Happens all the time to me.

And how do I lose stuff when I have it all in smaller bags inside my big bag?  I don't even know what happens, but I was OVER. IT.

What's even dumber than me dumping the entire contents of my purse all over the dryer?  It sat here for a few days, then I put it ALL. BACK. IN.  All to carry around the dumb thing again.

Please tell me I'm not the only one who has never found the perfect purse.  If so, you are obligated now to share it with me.

Oh, hey Friday!

This week FLEW by, but I also feel like it was the longest week in the history of all the weeks.  Amen?  This week started Mr. Hill's football games that he coaches, which changed our fairly new schedule and routine.  Not that we had it down just yet.

By the way, as I was going through my pictures, I noticed that the toddler has the iPad A LOT.  Like, a lot.  Poor third child.

We were very excited to go to daddy's first football game!  Funny thing is we never even watched the game.  I pretty much had to bribe them with candy to get them to take a picture with all three bodies in it.  Even if it was the back of their heads, it's a cute one.

It was like free-play for these three.  Running.  Hide-and-seek.  One team wheel barrow races.  Heads up, never pick Kid2 to be your partner in wheel barrow races.  You won't make it past the start line.  Poor girl.

Hopscotch.  More wheel barrow races.  The toddler drank my entire drink.  We chatted with friends from daddy's school we haven't seen in a while.  And we got to hug daddy's neck after the game was over.  And, since the boy is the only child who lets me take their picture, you get blessed with an overflow of these ...

I also love the he wears hats already.  Daddy's team is the Texans, so we picked this one and he wore it the whole time.  Too. Stinkin. Cute.

This also happened today ... 

My bad.  Thankfully, I made it to the gas station and filled 'er up.  We also had playtime with our sweet friends.  Also known as - Jaxton ate all of Ruby's rice cakes.

We ended the day cleaning throw up all over the living room and dining room.  I'm not sure what the deal is, but Kid3 isn't holding anything down!  Probably all the rice cakes!  Or sweet tea.  Anyhoo - I've bathed him and oiled him and put him to bed.  This was NOT how I thought our week would end, but I'm so thankful that Mr. Hill is home tonight to clean up all the vomit help me!