Christmas 2013

If you're like most people I've talked to recently, you're wondering where Christmas went!? It's like it came in the night and disappeared without a trace. The build up, the presents, the parties, the functions, the this and that and then in one day, it's all over. Webb is still asking when we can open more presents. I'll tell you, I'm about present-ed out. With his birthday being a month before Christmas, he ends up with sooooooo much stuff! I am not complaining- I am certainly grateful for the gifts but it just ends up being too much sometimes!

Webb was absolutely precious this year. He was so into Santa coming down the chimney, the reindeer on the roof, the toys, the treats, and the endless fun of it all. On Christmas Eve, we watched Christmas movies and an old favorite "The Rescuers" that Nancy brought. We made Christmas cookies for Santa, sprinkled our reindeer food, and read "Twas the Night Before Christmas." Nancy spent a few days so we stayed up putting out toys and getting things ready for Webb. The next morning brought lots of excitement as he tore into his presents. Santa brought dinosaurs, a huge cement mixer, a monster truck (duh), some Calliou toys, some pj's, candy, puzzles, and such. Nancy got him a huge tee pee that he loves. I think the highlight was the Santa train that he's been begging Mimi and Pawpaw to put up for him. They brought it over late that night with a note from Santa. That was a total hit!

So blessed by my little family!

 

Santa was good to me too! I racked up on winter running gear, clothes and such for our trip this summer and my beloved running watch that I've been drooling over for quite some time.

 

 

 

The best gift though, was first of all, finally understanding the true meaning of Christmas for the first time in my life. I am humbled by the faith I've found and what it means to really believe in God.

 

The other gift, the most important gift on this Earth, is right here.

 

 

If I could just eat both of them up, I would. They bring me so much joy every single day.

 

To Chris, thank you for your patience, your quiet spirit, and your sweet smile. You are such a blessing.

 

To Webb, oh, there are not enough words in the English language to describe my love for you. I could swim oceans, run across continents, fly to the moon and back and it wouldn't touch the love I have for you. You are simply divine, my sweet Goose.

 

 

 

Christmas 2013 was absolutely wonderful. I hope yours was as well.

 

xoxo

 

 

 



A Heavy Heart

Last night, news spread that a friend, one whom I've talked about here on my blog, was moved to our local Hospice house. He has been fighting bone cancer for almost a year now. He's endured hours and hours of chemo, a leg amputation, and much sickness, pain, heartache, and disappointment after each chemo treatment failed to work. The news last night was a little surprising to me because this guy kept going and going and going. After sickness from the chemo, he'd bounce back for more. He'd have a set back and he'd remain strong. Steadfast in his faith that the Lord would give him strength. We all knew he was fighting. He was fighting for one more day, one more hour, one more chance to be a father and husband to his beautiful wife and two gorgeous twin daughters. (Webb will marry one of them one day.) :) I can't say I've ever in my life witnessed such strength and honor in God. Every update from Facebook included how his faith had not waivered, how his strength came from the Lord, how he was armored with God's grace.

And then he made a decision. He decided it was time to go to Hospice. You know, nothing says FAITH like making a decision like that. Chad must have an amazing faith in God. He must know that God is going to walk him through every minute of his time here on Earth. He must know that God will not forsake him, let him down, or leave him stranded. He must know that on the other side, a loving God awaits him with open arms to receive him into his kingdom. He must know that his faith, his journey, his life has touched people in unimaginable ways and that God has used him as a vessel to bring people closer to Him. What amazing, unshakeable faith Chad has.

To Chad, Holly, and all my friends at High Rock Church. I get it now. I finally get it. I get that God's grace will bring us closer to Him. I get that we need an amazing God to walk with us every single day. Thank you for helping me get it. Thank you for helping me hold my child a little closer, love my Chris a little stronger, tell my friends and family I love them.

To Chad, I love you, friend. I am thinking of you, praying for you, and asking that God hold you so tightly in the palm of His hand and that you are comfortable and at peace. You are so loved in this community. You have touched many lives. You have done well, my good and faithful servant.

Love,
Amanda

What a Week

*Disclaimer: Lots of rambling here.

Well, the week started off great. Sunday, I ran my 602nd mile of the year to finish out my first full year of running. I felt great after my 10 mile run. We had a great afternoon. I planned a baby shower, wrapped Christmas presents, and did things around the house. Monday, I was observed by my principal, felt great, did great, all was just great! Then Monday night, out of the blue, I started feeling like I was getting another sinus infection. I self medicated and went to bed early. Woke in the night with a headache- again self medicated. I had my gym clothes laid out and a plan to meet my friend Allyson for a 5 a.m. workout. Woke up at 4:30 feeling like a train had run over me. Went to work, felt horrible. Ran to the drugstore for more OTC meds to self medicate, still thinking it was just a sinus infection. By 2:00, I was about to fall over so I went to the doctor. He checked me out and said they'd do a flu test to rule that out. Laid on the table in doctor's office crying, I felt so badly. He came back 10 minutes later to confirm the worst. Flu. Go home, get in bed. Mom brings Tamiflu and Tylenol. Get Webb situated to spend the night at Mimi's. Chris sleeps upstairs in guest room.

 

Yesterday morning, woke up, felt ok, still blah, and stopped up. Coughing, congested, etc. Spend the day on the couch watching movies. Felt a little better. Webb comes home. We think all is well as long as avoid close contact (dr. said he was already exposed Monday night) so we played and ate dinner. Chris feels yucky and has a little fever. He puts Webb to bed. I'm hoping a good night's sleep will help him feel better and that I'll feel well enough to do a few things that Santa needs to do before the big day. Wake up, Webb is fine. I'm ok, still blah and stopped up. Chris feels yucky. Calls doctor. I take Webb to preschool and run a quick errand. Come home and feel like I've been run over by a train. Chris texts with his update. Flu. I immediately begin going into small panic mode. Worried about my boy. Hoping that daddy putting him to bed last night didn't cause him to get it. Call Dr. Ed's office. They say to just watch for fever. Call Mimi. Worried she and Pawpaw will get it too. She says they're fine. I worry. She says she'll bring us homemade chicken noodle soup for dinner. I tell her she's the sweetest Mimi in the world. She says not to worry. She will take care of my baby boy. I hang up, almost in tears. Then she sends me this picture of my boy from preschool. I feel like a horrible mom. I can't pick him up, hear about his fun morning, and put him down for his nap. I remind myself that that's why God made Mimi's. To love and cuddle my Webb too.

 

 

So here we both are, all laid up at home like a bunch of sick, dying people. My boy is BACK at his Mimi's this afternoon while we rest up. All that matters right now is that Webb is happy and well and that we all get better by Christmas. Someone is so excited about Santa!

 

 

Webb before his Christmas party at preschool. Oh, how I love my Goose!

 

Definitely asking for prayers for everyone to feel better and be back to normal in time for Santa. There's a sweet little boy who is counting on him this year! :)

 

Tumble Pots

Today was Webb and Ruby's third birthday party at what Webb calls "Tumble Pots." There's a local gymnastics place in town called "Tumble Tots" that he's been to so you see where he gets the name from. This was a different place but had the same type entertainment as Tumble Tots. Except it had a foam pit which was the star attraction for these sweet children! We had the best time celebrating Webb and Ruby and watching the kids (and adults) play! We sure are thankful for the friends who helped us celebrate. It was a fun morning for sure!

Foam pit fun!

 

Beautiful Rachy.

 

Sweet Ruby. Get the camera out, and girl can pose!

 

 

 

Carrie, Ruby, and Baxter!

 

Someone just wanted the cars off his cake!

 

 

Junk food!

 

 

Bouncing Webb!

 

Princess Ruby

 

The sweet Pyle family. Love them so!

 

 

There's no telling what's being discussed here!

 

 

All I can say is Webb couldn't wait to get in his bed at nap time. All this fun wore him out!

And because he's the love of my life and the reason I blog, here's a picture of my turkey at his preschool play a few weeks ago. Can I please just stop time and make him little forever?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Three

Yesterday we celebrated the third birthday of our sweet Webb! On Thanksgiving day, three years ago he was born into this world and into the loving arms of our family. It feels like yesterday that we were bringing him home from the hospital. Time really does fly by. This year, we had a small family party featuring none other than Lightening and Mater. Daddy cooked a yummy dinner of chicken, sweet tater fries, and collard greens. Webb got a car transporter with monster trucks, a new scooter, a sandbox, and the Planes movie and toys. We also went to Chick-fil-a for lunch (per Webb's request) and then daddy took us out for Mexican and we ate goodies from the bakery for dessert. It was a fun day for sure. In a few weeks, we're having a big bash with our buddy Ruby who will also be turning three. Bring on the foam pit and climbing fun!

 

At three, Webb knows a lot. More than I ever imagined and sometimes more than I think he should know. He has an amazing vocabulary and says words like attractive, propeller, vacation, negociate, thermometer, and excavator. He can tell you about any type of truck and it's tires, pipes, or engine. He has a vivid imagination and soaks up everything he sees or hears. Recently, he has taken his play tweezers and pretends to cut my hair. He sits me in front of the closet mirrors and talks and talks about my hair and says "That looks better now, mommy." He loves to build forts, put on our shoes, pretend to be a construction worker, and play space ship in the laundry baskets.

He knows his colors, shapes, and can count to 20. He is a good helper around the house most days and is getting good at helping daddy cook or helping me load the dishwasher. He is 100% potty trained during the day but still wears a pull-up at night. He loves Caillou, Runaway Ralph, Mater, Planes, Curious George, and anything truck related. He loves preschool too and has learned so much since he started in September. I'm so proud of how well he adjusted to new people and the structure that preschool provides. He is becoming a better listener and often does things the first or second time we ask. He can also be a turkey and ask to sit in time out. Some days, he's a turkey and has melt downs and throws himself in the floor or yells at us. We nip that in the bud and move on. This house does not tolerate disrespect. We model how to treat others and how to play nicely without being too rough. I know he's 100% boy but I think as parents, it's our job to model good behavior. We really screen things that we feel might be inappropriate. I'll just say there are no Ninja turtle, Avenger, sword, fighting shenanigans here. We are trying to raise a young man, not some wild and crazy fighter. (Sorry, soap box.)

 

Overall, Webb is a complete and total joy. He has more life inside of him than I've ever seen. He is happy, fun, and loves to be silly and play. Even though he is three, he is still my baby boy who I love to kiss and snuggle and hold and love on. My favorite part of the day is in the morning when he wakes up. From the top of the stairs, I hear a little voice saying "mommy" and I look up and there's this rosy faced beaming little boy waiting for me to hold him and snuggle him. I tell you, that's unshakeable joy. The joy of being a mother to a sweet boy who can one minute melt your heart and the next make you crazy. He is truly a blessing from God and we just love him so so much.

 

Happy birthday, Goose. Mommy and Daddy are proud of you and the fellow you are becoming.

 

 

 

 

 

Playing Catch Up!

Hello blog world! I've been on a bit of a blogging break lately but I'm back! Life is crazy but oh so good. Here's a little recap of past, present, and future!

Past:

*Webb wouldn't wear his cool lion costume for Halloween so he went as Bob the Builder. It was last minute but worked. I was stressing about the costume because I spent a small fortune on it but he hated it and honestly, with it being 70 degrees that night, it wouldn't have worked anyway! We had a great time trick-or-treating and passing out candy! No pictures to show because I'm working off my old lap top!

*Last weekend, I finished my first half marathon. It was so awesome, I can't even stand it. The weather was perfect, the beer was delicious, the friends were fun, and the time spent with my other half was priceless. It was an amazing weekend for sure. I had originally planned on running another one at Christmas but I think I'm going to take a break and just run for fun and continue to cross/strength train. Half marathon 2014 will be coming soon!

 

 

And can I just brag on this guy for a minute?

 

 

*My sweet Chris drove me all the way to the Outer Banks and back, bought me dinner after dinner, and snack after snack. He got us delicious drinks, cooked breakfast for the other kids, and even cooked me a steak and sweet potato dinner the night before the race. The best sight I've ever seen is when he drove up at mile 10 with that sweet grin on his face. The best part of the weekend was sitting on the couch. Uninterrupted. For like two hours. Heaven. :) I love you, CF!

 

 

Present:

*Yesterday, I spent some time with my best friend. We got pedicures and had adult conversation for longer than 10 minutes. We caught up on life and our children and just enjoyed a quiet afternoon. The best part is that her little new baby will be my Godson! Oh, joy! Another baby to snuggle!

*We are in full-on birthday preparation mode around here! We're doing a family party Sunday evening and Webb is so excited about turning 'free.' We're having a kids party in a few weeks so he and Ruby and all the little ones can go crazy! More on birthday stuff later!

 

 

Future:

*Well, I'm ready to put up the Christmas tree, the lights, the wreathes, everything! Bring on the holiday season.

*Chris and I will be celebrating our 10 year anniversary this spring! This is where we've decided to hang out in celebration! We're going to spend a few nights 'roughing it' in a little cabin and then the last few nights, we're bunking at this beautiful hotel.

 

 

 

 

 

Well, that's about all for now! Good night!

 

 

 





Getting So Big

I decided to dig out my real camera this weekend to try and get a few good shots of Webb and our fun afternoon. It was a cold day Saturday but after he slept 3.5 hours, we decided to head out to the park. I was able to get a few good shots of him. I look at him and seriously wonder where three years have gone. He is so big and getting so tall. He is so smart and so talkative and inquisitive. He's precious and delightful and can wreck something in one second flat. He can whine and complain and want, want, want but overall, he's an absolute joy. I had a good time snapping pictures of him. In my eyes, he's the most beautiful child I've ever seen. :)

 

 

 

 

Webb,

"May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind always be at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
and rains fall soft upon your fields.

May God hold you in the palm of His hand."

 

 

We love you, Goose.

What I've Noticed

A few things have struck me lately that keep reminding me to stop being so selfISH and be more selfLESS. There are many families, some close to me, others not so much, who are hurting or struggling. I keep going back to them over and over and I can't shake how much our world would be a better place if people would give more of themselves and expect less from this life. Yesterday we attended a fall festival for a friend who is struggling with a horrible, rare form of cancer. As I stood and talked with his wife, I noticed Chad, her husband who is battling cancer, sitting behind her with some friends. She moved a little and when I saw him, it nearly took my breath away. He looked so good but looked so sick from the rounds and rounds of chemo. I wanted so badly to give him this huge hug but I couldn't get near enough to him. He was smiling and chatting with me and others around him and he looked so happy and so at peace. As I walked off, a thousand guilty feelings came over me. How in the world can I complain about my life? How can I say my day has been rough? My life is perfect in relation to this sweet family who has struggled for so long to beat cancer. It's like a slap in the face. One that I'm thankful for because it brought me back to reality. My life IS blessed, I AM lucky. I have a beautiful son, a dear, sweet, loving, and patient husband, a job I love, family that supports us, helps us, and encourages us, and good health. Why do so many times, I find myself thinking how rough things are? Because I've had a long day or I'm tired? Dude. Get over yourself. So, so many people STRUGGLE on a daily basis. To feed their children, clothe themselves, pay their bills, or they wrestle with abuse or neglect.

I don't really know where I'm going with this other than to say that I hope I can become a bit more grateful for this life. I should never take for granted the wonderful life I have or think that things could be better. Cause someone else out there would love to be in my boat. As Chris and I have been visiting this new church, things are making more sense to me. This life isn't about me. It's about caring and loving our neighbors and showing them they matter. I am not ashamed to say this, it finally feels right. I'm so over it all. Don't you think this crazy, screwed up world would be better if we started caring about others and stopped worrying about me, me, me? Dang.

Weekend Whereabouts

So this weekend I was solo while daddy went camping/mountain biking with the boys. I've enjoyed seeing his pictures via text message. I'm so ready to ride up the mountain this month and see the leaves change!

Friday night we ate dinner with Mimi and Pawpaw at a local hamburger joint. I sure did take a greasy cheeseburger and fries to the face. And enjoyed every bite! We spotted a little pumpkin patch on the way home but they were closed so Saturday morning, we went back and loaded up on pumpkins. Webb is very excited about carving it into a 'jack-o-wantern'. Saturday afternoon, my sister came to visit and we went for a Target run and took Webb to this awesome park in Winston! He had the best time running and sliding. It was so hot though! So ready for fall-like weather! Can I just interject here that my sister spoils my child. At Target, he ended up with the 5 million dollar Mater cars set that I never would have gotten for him, the Cars 2 movie, snacks, drinks, and fun buggy rides through the store. Then this morning, they had outrageous wrestling sessions and wrecked the den. THEN I came in the room and she's feeding him little pieces of chocolate! Let's just say that because she doesn't get to see him that often, I let it go. She is so good to him but definitely lets him get crazy! It was a fun weekend for sure!

Top Five on Friday

Here's what is making my Top Five Friday list!

1. A quiet house.
Webb is asleep, Chris is gone for the weekend (although I miss him, it's nice to have alone time), and I'm laying on my couch. Word.

2. Feeling better.
Last weekend I was stubborn and pushed myself too hard and ended up with a nasty sinus infection Tuesday when I finally went to the doctor. After two shots in my bum and a Z pack, I'm finally feeling back to normal! Which brings me to . . . .

3. Running.
Stoked about hitting the pavement in the morning followed by a yoga class. I'm so ready to get moving again!

4. Shopping trip tomorrow.
Cause fall is coming and I love new clothes!

5. The money that Chris left for us tonight before he left. And the sweet note telling us to go get dinner, buy Webb a new toy, and take him for Fro-Yo. So sweet!

Happy Weekend, all! And bring on that fall weather!

Webb

This joy and happiness that this child brings into my life simply can't be put into words. He is such a free spirit, a happy, energetic, and loving boy. I love you so, so much, Goose!

 

 

Currently

1. I'm looking for a behavior chart for Goose. Something with rewards and incentives for listening when asked to do things the first time. This is one hard-headed boy. :)

2. I'm still enjoying my Bible study with my girlfriends and recently while Chris and I have been visiting new churches, we've decided to join a life group that meets every Tuesday night. The book we are doing this time is called "Crazy Love." It's supposed to be awesome so I'm excited about having Chris by my side during this particular study.

3. Praying for a friend who lost her daddy last week. I know that pain all too well. So sad for my buddy.

4. Loving this fall weather! Here's to sweaters, boots, pumpkin coffee, and awesome weather for running!

5. I'm excited about trying out this new exercise called Pure Barre. It's supposed to be hard but give some serious results. Bring it!

Run



I wanted to do a running update for my own benefit. Chris constantly tells me I should journal my runs but my phone keeps my data so I just leave it at that. Sometimes it is good to sit down, uninterrupted and journal so I thought I'd do that tonight.

I've never wanted to be a competitive runner. I've never been worried about times or paces but thanks to the encouraging words of my Chris, I've started to take notice and do a bit more speed work to become some faster. I will never run sub 8 minute miles(right now, at least) but my goal is to finish the OBX half with all sub 10 minute miles. If I can do that, then I will have taken 20 minutes or more off my first 13.1 time that I ran back in May. That would be pretty awesome, I think. I think the competitive spark emerges when I start competing with myself and realizing what a long way I've come since this whole journey began last December. In looking back at my previous 10 mile runs, my average pace has stayed around 10:50. This past Sunday, I completed my 10 mile run with all sub 10's and a 9:08 pace on the last mile. I swear it felt like flying.

The emotions that come with running and getting better are completely overwhelming. Running has brought me to tears more than once- not because of pain but because of perseverance and pushing through the times I wanted to give up, walk, or turn back. Never in a million years did I think my body could endure what it has. I never thought I'd wage a war with myself to see how strong, how fast, or how far I could push. That battle is constantly stirring in me to go faster, be stronger, run longer.

Running rewards me in so many ways and tests me more than I ever imagined. As for the long run, 26.2 sounds mighty fine. Maybe that will be my next quest . . .

Life Lately

I guess the biggest thing to start with is that Webb started his first official day of preschool on Thursday. I took time off to take him cause everyone knows that being a mommy is number one. I ran that morning and did all my crying down Weaver Drive. We had a nice morning at home, eating a good breakfast and taking our time getting ready. I was able to snap a few pictures at home but Webb is seriously too busy for pictures.

 

Walking in . . .

 

Once we got inside, you could have just forgotten I existed. Webb gave Ms. Karen a hug and started playing. I thought maybe he'd be a little clingy and not want me to leave but he just said "Bye, mom!" and kept playing. I left with a happy heart knowing that he was fine, happy, and would have fun with new friends. I spent the rest of the morning planning at my favorite coffee shop and then headed to work to see my other sweet little people.

 

 

In other Webb news, he is totally becoming a three year old! He's very independent, wants to do everything by himself, and is wild and silly as ever. He notices when we miss a word in a book, reminds me to put my seat belt on and to close the garage door. He is a picky eater still, loves walnuts, strawberries, and graham crackers. He is using the potty well and helping around the house some. He loves his Lightning McQueen car, Mater, monster trucks, dump trucks, big tires, pipes, and all things truck related. He loves the Old Courthouse and drains- especially the ones at the Y. He loves putting laundry away- which usually means I end up with random clothes in my workout drawer. He can be a not-so-good listener and will then elect to sit in time out all by himself. He loves to spin in daddy's office chair, climb in the window upstairs, make tire tracks in his play dough, playing in his "cwub house" at Mimi and Pawpaw's house, and playing with kitchen utensils. He asks for mommy every morning as he comes downstairs, snuggles with me, kisses and hugs me, and lets me carry him around. He loves wrestling and climbing up daddy. He loves bike rides in his trailer, going to the park, getting ice cream, and playing on his tractor.

 

He is the love of our lives and we just enjoy him so. Until he's a not-so-good listener and then we want to pull our hair out. :) Patience is key here.

 

 

My girlfriends and I are doing a Bible Study. We changed the book and are now doing Beth Moore's study of James.

 

 

We had our first meeting last week and it was totally amazing. The leader is such an inspiring mom and friend and the rest of us just click so well. I really feel like I'm going to learn something from this and grow closer to God. Until we meet again, I have a lot of homework to do! And I'm actually looking forward to doing it!

 

 

Last weekend, we went to eat Thai to celebrate my friend Catherine's birthday. We had such a fun night out.

 

 

 

As you've heard me say a million times, my first half marathon is two months away! Now I'm going to run another half a month after that! It's the Mistletoe Half Marathon.

 

 

Then, I think I'll do one in either February or March. I told you I was addicted. :)

 

 

 

That's about it for now. Hope everyone is doing well!

 

 

 

 

.

 

 

 



Top Five Friday

Here's what's making my Top 5 Friday list!

1. First week of school- DONE! It's been crazy and will get more crazy once we mesh into a K/1 Combo but luckily I'll have a full time assistant, great volunteers, and a student teacher!

2. I'm loving my new running shoes! I've been having some blister problems and I attributed it to the hot weather but it just kept getting worse. My poor feet looked horrible after my long run last week so I decided it was time for new shoes. After trying on about 8 different pair, I walked away with good ole New Balance. I still love my Brooks but these are so light weight and fit a bit better in the toe box. With new socks, I'm hoping for happy feet. I also didn't want to train for the half marathon in November on old shoes.

Now that school has started, running has taken on new meaning in some ways. I view it less as competition with myself for new times and paces, but more as a release and quiet time for myself. I've thoroughly enjoyed the solitude of my early morning runs and have felt so relaxed for the day. I never, ever, ever dreamed that I'd be setting my clock for 4:30 a.m. but twice this week, I've headed out early to run- especially so I can get my weekly distance in.

 



 

 

3. Last night, we attended Open House at Webb's preschool. He walked right in and just started chatting it up and playing with his teacher. I am so thrilled that he's comfortable being around others and probably won't even know I'm not around when I drop him off Thursday. It's so hard to believe he's big enough to be a preschooler!

 

 

 

 

4. Tomorrow night, a several couples are heading to Winston to eat Thai food. I'm excited about a night out with my Chris and hanging with sweet friends!

 

 

5. I am excited that these beauties will be showing up on my doorstep soon! Aren't they gorgeous?!

 

 

Happy Long Weekend Friends!

 









Sunday Social

1. What do you miss most about being a kid?
I miss those carefree days of riding my bike around the neighborhood, playing "Ain't No Bears" with my friends, catching fireflies, going hiking in Dr. Briggs' driveway, playing Barbies in the attic, riding in the way back of my mom's station wagon, and basically not having a care in the world.

2. Did you have a nickname growing up?
So funny! It was and still is (per my mom) Poella Divine!

3. What was your favorite thing to do at recess?
I used to hold hands with my friend Kim and walk around talking. Imagine that! Me, talking, NEVER! :)

4. What did you want to be when you grew up?
I have always known I wanted to be a teacher!

5. Did you participate in any school activities?
I was on the swim team, soccer team, and Glee Club. (Don't crack, we were awesome.)

6. What was the funniest thing you did as a kid that your parents still remind you about?
Oh, my. It really wasn't funny then but now I guess it is. Mom says I said quite loudly in a parking lot as we walked by an old beat up car with the people sitting in it "Mommy, they don't take care of their car!"

I hope everyone has a great week!

Best of Summer 2013

Well, I'm sitting here at my dining room table, eating apple slices, and listening to the rain fall outside. It's my last day of summer vacation and I'm in awe of how fast it went by. I'm terribly excited about the new school year but I am sad about leaving my Goose. But I know he'll have fun at Mimi's and Donna's and will then enjoy his time at preschool in September. It is so true that the time just flies. That's why I've soaked up every minute of my summer. Here's a little recap for you!

 

Camping at Pisgah!

 

Hilarious. We were a watermelon.

 

Loving the cool mountain air!

 

We spent a lot of time at the pool. Webb learned to semi-swim with his puddle jumper on and now goes off the diving board with no help and no one in the water to catch him.

 

 

We had a ball at the beach with the Ingram's.

 

 

 

Webb's Mimi and Pawpaw got him a "Cwub house" for him to play on at their house. He loves it!

 

 

We visited SciWorks, The Children's Museum, got ice cream, went to a birthday party, went to the park a million times, snuggled, watched movies, played trucks, walked uptown, did puzzles, read books, played with Play Dough, went to VBS, took long naps, and played outside. We went to the Splash Park with friends and had Scott and Carrie visit from Kentucky.

 

Mommy ran approximately 148 miles since June 11th.

I'm still addicted and still going strong!

 

 

I celebrated my 34th birthday with the best friends and family ever.

 

I can't believe no children are photo bombing us!

I love these ladies to the moon and back!

 

The biggest news is that Webb is 99% potty trained! We still have an occasional accident and are still in diapers at night but during the day, he's going on his own! He's been to church and many other places in his "Mater pants" and has done well. We are proud!

 

 

 

It's amazing how much a Little can grow in just a few short months! We are heading into his last months as a two year old which is so bittersweet for us.

 

It was a wonderful summer. I feel so blessed in so many ways and just couldn't be more happy with the way things are.

 

 

 

 

Children's Museum and Bible Study

Today, I took Goose to the Greensboro Children's Museum! I've heard such great things about it and let me tell you, it didn't disappoint! We spent a few hours playing and then headed to Chick-fil-a for lunch. He fell asleep as soon as we hit the highway so I just drove on past Lexington and some how my car ended up at Old Navy in Salisbury! Now how did that happen?! I ended up picking up a few back-to-school goodies for myself and Webb just chilled in the buggy. He left with a balloon and a ball and he was a happy boy!

 

 

 

I'm really excited about a Bible study that I'm starting next month with some friends. It's called "Glorious Ruin." I'm looking forward to getting back in to the Bible and focusing more on my faith. And having girlfriends join on that journey will make it even better!

 

 

 

I hope everyone is having a great week!





Three Months

Exactly three months from today, I'll be running in my first half marathon. I'm beyond excited about the run but also excited about visiting the beautiful Outer Banks of N.C.!

 

 



"I Wove You!"

Webb and I play a game where I say "I love you!" and he says "No, no, no, I wove you." And I say "No, no, no, no, I love you!!" And he progressively gets louder and points his finger with "I wove you, Mommy."

No, Webb, I love you. More than the stars, the sun, the moon. More than chocolate, more than running, more than ice cream on a hot day. My love for you grows every single day. Your beautiful brown eyes that sparkle, your sweet footsteps that I hear by my bed each morning, your soft blonde hair, your sweet little toes, your soft cheeks that smell so good and yummy. Your big belly laugh when we tickle you, your little voice that asks me to sing to you at night. Your kisses and hugs, your snuggles, your silly sayings and endless questions. Your rambunctious truck noises and racing through the house. Your tantrums, your meltdowns, your moments. I love it all.

Laid Back

The last three or four weekends have been crazy with either company or beach trips so this weekend, it was nice to just hang out here and not have much on the agenda. Friday night, Nancy babysat the Goose so Chris and I could have a date night! We went to Outback and I got a yummy Raspberry Sangria that was simply delightful. We shopped (see new running skirt below) and then got frozen yogurt at Sweet Frog's. It was a fun night out!

Saturday morning, I got in a nice 10 mile run. It's probably the first run where after 10 miles, I felt like I could keep going! Crazy! I got up super early to beat the heat, my feet felt great, and the whole run just 'clicked.'

Go ahead and crack. Several friends have asked why I don't smile in my running pictures so Saturday I cheesed it up for the camera. Stale. (But my new running skirt is all that.)

 

Saturday afternoon brought a nap and then pool fun with the Brigg's and Ingram's. We are missing our buddy Wyatt in this picture but this sums up our night. Four sweet, happy, worn out children. It was a fun night of good eats, cold Corona Lights, and beautiful sunshine.

 

 



 



 

 

Today, we are doing more resting and relaxing. It's been a great, laid back weekend!