Cason's 2nd Birthday!

such a little man...

I am a little behind in posting this, but a couple of weeks ago we celebrated Cason's 2nd birthday! He is such a big boy now.  He copies and mimicks everything Lucas does! I love him so much. We had Cookie Monster cupcakes, chocolate chip cookies, pizza, and salad at the party. He got so many neat presents and had a ball being the center of attention! I snapped a few pics but my friend Carey got a lot more than me-and I have more to share later, too.

I can't believe our little boy is already 2. Cason is so smart and such a clown! He loves to entertain and make everyone laugh.  He is talking up a storm, too! I love watching him grow and learn.

here are a few of his favorite things to do/say:

Me, too!
NOW.
What are you doing Mommy, now?
Where going, now?
Lucas go now?
Lucas have one too.
i love you too
sugars, mommy? right here?
lights off please
thank you
i'm sorry
bite bite now please
drink, please
and my favorite...POO POO IN POTTY, NOW?

That's right- he's using the potty at home!

loves his tractor (jeep powerwheels)
dogs
horses
cookie monster
elmo
calliou
books
puzzles
cars
trucks
mud
bugs
and anything Lucas has!

time to eat!

love kate's face!

Update** - here are some of the pics I took

that morning, Cason opened his present from Lucas, but not before giving Daddy some "sugars".

 when papaw and nana arrived, they had a big Cookie Monster balloon - Cason LOVED it and obviously so did Lucas.  I love the look on Cason's face...

 Reading with Aunt Peg

 The Cookie Monster cupcakes the boys and I made were really cute and pretty tasty!

 Here's one of my favorite things in the world- my little boy in cuddly new pajamas!

 At the end of the evening, we settled in for some downtime:

Lent... and a few other things

First, I must say... Sorry for the lack of posts, and pictures.  There is a lot going on in life right now and I haven't been the most attentive to the "extras" in life, like my blog.  My blog, scrapbooks, reading list, and toenail polish tend to take a back burner to the more pressing and important things.  Hopefully soon, I can play catch-up and share some pictures with ya'll.  With that being said...speaking of having extra time...

I was rasied Southern Baptist.  We don't really do Lent.

Honestly, I only loosely get the idea of what lent is even all about. (So all of you reading this who are catholic or methodist - I'm warning you - I'm probably not getting it right).

I've never done Lent but I've been thinking about it for the last couple of weeks and I like the idea of it.  I don't feel like I need to give up a luxury as penitence. Jesus already paid the price for my sins and His grace has covered me.  BUT I thought it would neat to maybe give up something that would enable me to put more focus on God for the 40 days leading up to Easter.

I could give up Coke or sweets or coffee (seriously?) but honestly - I don't see how that would bring me any closer to Jesus.  It would just make me grumpy and it might make my husband MEET Jesus a lot sooner than he is supposed to. (just kiddin'). 

So I started thinking about it and decided I would give up something that I LOVE a LOT.

I'm giving up my personal Facebook for Lent.  And y'all - that hurts. I LURVE me some facebook.  I get all my local news from facebook.  I get to see pictures of new babies, and weddings and hear all about what everyone is eating for dinner and who pissed them off at work today.  I also get to hear alllllll about how wonderful so and so's husband is, even though I know he's a real jerk in "real" life.  And don't forget... Little Timmy went poo-poo in the potty, baby Kay-Kay is sick AGAIN, and that girl I couldn't stand in highschools cousins boyfriends sisters baby daddy went to jail!! ha...   But really,  facebook zaps so much of my time. So instead of constantly checking it......I'm going to check in with Jesus. I'm going to do a LOT more praying in that time. I'm also going to just be more present with my family. Not with my stupid phone in my hand.

 I do get a lot of my Scentsy business from my personal facebook which means I am going to have to actually pick up the phone and call my customers and downline... EEK!! HOWEVER, given certain circumstances, I will log in to my SCentsy facebook page to communicate with my upline and participate in the training program I am enrolled in.  This doesn't allow me to scroll through my news feed and look at pictures/status updates, etc.  I have decided I will allow myself to sign in to the Scentsy page once per day, probably on my lunch hour so it doesn't take away from my family time in the evenings.

I also love that in Lent some choose to add something - to do something good each day of Lent so I've decided I'm going to do that also. I know it starts today but I'm still mulling over what that will look like. I'm thinking I might send an encouraging card or note to 40 people during this time.
If you are my facebook friend - I'll see you after Easter! And I will miss you!!! I really will - I love having y'all to talk to all the time! And, while I am at it- as soon as Lent is over, I'll be doing a major spring cleaning and eliminating some of that hullaballo as mentioned above (the girl I couldn't stand, the baby daddy stuff, etc.)
Before I go though, I have to share what someone posted on FACEBOOK last night - "Why is it called Fat Tuesday? I'll still be Fat tomorrow and it's Wednesday!"

What are you doing for Lent?

I'm a woman with a plan (and a routine and a system...)

I've been trying to figure out how to write this without sounding ridiculous.  What I want to say is this: I finally did it you guys, I completely and totally organized my life!  It took a lot of hard work and a lot of late nights but I now have a plan, routine, or system for everything.
I've compiled and categorized enough healthy, inexpensive and easy recipes that I have a 90 day dinner menu (complete with theme nights like pasta Monday and slow-coooker Thursday) and I have the grocery lists to match.
There is nothing in my house that we don't use.  I've ferociously weeded out the clutter and sent it packing via Craig's List or Goodwill.
Everything I didn't get rid of is now beautifully organized into colorfully labeled containers.  If you're ever visiting and you need something, just ask me - I totally know where it all is.
I now have a weekly schedule with time carved out for blogging, housework, play dates, park time, library time, and other activities we've been wanting to try but never got around to.
For those days we stay home, we've got a dependable routine that the kids can rely on.  It includes stuff like art time, outside time, story time and bath time.
Remember when I told you C isn't really down with napping anymore and I was worried about ever getting anything done again?  I completely solved that problem by putting together some genius quiet time kits (one for each day of the week so he doesn't get bored).  They're crammed with busy bags, audio books, and learning activities he can do independently.
I finally got our budget down to a science using a combination of the cash envelope system and mint.com.  We're saving tons! (and while I was at it I updated our wills, life insurance, and retirement planning).
Thanks to evernote and some other handy apps, I will never again miss an appointment or birthday. (If something does somehow sneak by me, I have a birthday closet with pre-bought gifts and cards - thanks to the new budget and organization I now have the space and money for it.)
I also joined a gym and started exercising regularly (part of the new weekly schedule).  The kids love playing at the drop off center while I'm burning calories.
I went through all 2,000 of my digital photos, edited them, imported them to yearly photobooks and backed them all up online.  I've also caught up on my blog and am regularly contributing to it.
Last but not least, the hubs and I have a set-in-stone date night that we never miss and we've recently instituted family game night.
Seriously, it's been a long time coming but today I stood in the middle of my living room, looked around the house and admired what I've accomplished with a huge goofy grin on my face.


And then I woke up. DAMN. IT.

Sounds good though, doesn't it? I should probably get on that.

How She Does It...

I don't know if I've mentioned this before, but,well,  Hollywood made a picture about my life. I was lucky enough to have the lovely Sarah Jessica Parker (or as her besties like to call her, SJP) play me.

I think she did a pretty good job.
 

All joking aside, I did see this and enjoyed every minute of it. So much so that it inspired this blog post. And while the film didn't cause me to think or evaluate life as the Matrix, Inception or even for one adorable 6 year old I know, Star Wars might... it did make think about MY life and well, how I "do it". (Not like that... don't be dirty...this is a family blog)

SJP is a full-time working mom of 2 adorable kiddos. Doting husband. Semi-reliable nanny. Killer wardrobe, awesome body, and well she gets to work with Pierce Bronson so life can't be that bad.

But she also suffers from what I imagine most moms (working or not) do.... getting it "all" done. She refers to "the list" quite a lot. You all know what I'm talking about... the running list of things that you need to do, order, make, purchase, return, create, wrap, give, eat, wear or throw away.

All women have this list.

Men do not.

Things currently on my list:
1. Finish Cason’s Baby Book, start on his 2nd year book
2. Finish Lucas’ "Year as a big brother book"
3. Make sure I really finished Lucas’ baby book
4. Finish Lucas’ 4th and 5th year books
5. Decide how long I am going to make books
6. Work on my Scentsy business … a whole other list in itself
7. Work on Junior Service League projects (new member)
8. Finish decorating downstairs
9. Re-do bedroom
10. Re-do kids rooms
11. Haircut/color
12. Go through closets/attic
13. Valentines party for school
14. Prepare for baseball season starting
15. Frame pictures
16. Print pictures
17. Replace carpet
18. Clean out deep freeze

Oh my gosh my blood pressure just went up writing that because I just added things not previously on the list. You will also notice this is a "personal/home life" list... don't even get me started on work. There are also things not on the list… like everyday things – laundry, homework, lunches, meetings, practices, etc. etc. etc…

Heath's list:
1. Do whatever it takes to not make Monica freak out about something.

I never rarely frequently often sometimes have moments ... you know those "holy *&%@ how is it going to get done, what did I forget to do, where can I just buy it" moments. And I survive. Like once when I discovered our Monday schedule was all screwed up... it was 5:27pm... have to be at daycare by 5:30pm or we get "fined".

I had a moment. But I figured it out. And we survived.

I may have yelled at Heath a little. Sorry, babe.

The point of this blog is that we ALL do it. And we do it however it works for us. And I am so proud of what I accomplish every.single.day.

I have a job that I mostly always love. A boss that is flexible and understanding and values the work-life balance thing. Kick ass friends. Wonderful inlaws and family. And most of all, a loving husband that puts up with "my lists", crazy ideas/requests/rants, and just loves me.

So how do I do it?
1. Pray. A lot.
2. Have a wonderful husband that wants to be involved.
3. Make lists. A lot.
4. Create routine.
5. Family!!
6. Ask for help - even if I don't want to.
7. Give myself a break (not often...but sometimes).

And I think one of the best things about all of this chaos is that I WANT to do it.

It's understanding your limits. It's accepting what you just aren't able to do. It's realizing that not doing it all does not make you a failure. Baby books or no baby books, they will survive. And won't be disappointed the rest of their lives. I don't have a baby book and I'm fine. (Now, I do have access to every piece of homework, article of clothing, school project, dance costume, and video ever made of my brother and me... thanks granny!)

This week I am saluting my mom friends... I am going to tell them how wonderful they really are. I am so thrilled to be in this mom business with them...they inspire me always with how they get it all done!

playing outside