Christmas 2012

Can't believe Christmas has already came and gone!! Seems like the holiday season flew by this year.

We had a great time celebrating with our friends and family. Hudson's favorite thing to do was look at Christmas lights. Kinely's is the same as last year snuggled up with hot chocolate watching elf as many times as we will watch it with her. She got a nasty virus her first day out of school! But thankfully she kicked it before all of our get togethers. The kids enjoyed opening their gifts although Hudson still doesn't quite grasp it;) when he got up this morning and saw his train table and said "oh wow a train table still here!" Looking forward to next Christmas when we will have another sweet baby to celebrate with!!!

We have a name!

Our new addition will be named:
Analyn Kate. :)

I like weird different names and Brandon well not so much! So names are always so hard for us to agree on!!!

Brandon's grandma (whom I'm just adore!) is named Evelyn so it's kind of after her. Then Kinley asked if she could pick the middle name which stressed me out because I wanted her to feel involved and special BUT I am also a control freak and wanted to pick it out;) but when she said Kate I just loved it! It's not a name I would have ever picked but its just perfect!

Can't wait to meet our sweet baby girl!

To be more like her.

I got a surprise email yesterday from a teacher at Kinley's school. I had never heard of this teacher before so I had no clue what this would be about. She said that she just wanted to take a minute and praise my daughter!

Kinley is a library aide during her study hall hour. This teacher had brought her students in to check out books. One boy couldn't find the book he wanted. So he went to the desk and proceeded to cuss at Kinley and throw things. Just really made an ugly scene the teacher said. She said Kinley handled herself with such grace and in such an adult like manner. They then removed the boy from the library. The teacher said she was so surprised to get a knock on her classroom door only to find Kinley there with the book that boy had wanted. She said it almost brought tears to her eyes that she cared that much to make that boy happy that she had never met and had just cussed her out moments before.

This boy was autistic. The teacher said even most adults wouldn't have went thru the trouble to make him happy after the things he had done. Love it when my baby girl sets such a great example not only for her classmates but me as well!

Hudson and I decided sissy needed a special treat to let her know how thankful we are that her faith leads her actions at all times.

Party!!!

Last Saturday we had Hudson's birthday party. We had it at a local park with snacks, cupcakes and drinks. Very easy and low key for this momma:) we just had close family and friends and it was just perfect! The kids got to play and just run and the adults got to sit and chat. Kinley brought her friend Darbi with her to the party and I must say having two 13 year old girls at a two year olds party is the way to go! They just kept up with all the kids on the playground. Hudson's favorite gift was a train my aunt got him at war eagle. It's magnetic and each piece is a letter to his name, so cute!

He's TWO!!!

My baby man turned two yesterday!!!! I can get tears just saying that! He is growing up SO FAST! I can't even begin to think of all the new things he can say because its something new every time he opens his mouth it seems like. He now jumps with both feet and he thinks its hilarious!:)

He is just a joy to our family and I thank God EVERY DAY for this boy! He changed our lives in more ways than I ever thought he would. I tell him daily he's a baby blessing to momma. And I know he listens because a little girl at church said to him "you a boy" and he said "no I a blessing!" So cute:)

The saying "the best things in life are worth the wait" holds so true when it comes to this boy! Love him more than any words could ever begin to say.

Happy 2nd birthday my sweet Hudson James!!!

Pumpkin patch

Today we went to the pumpkin patch with our MOPS group. The kids had such a great time. Hudson would have taken home every pumpkin if he could!! He was so sad that he only got one!
He kept telling kids "you punnkin cool!" Or "ohh dats a good one!" So funny!

Pink or Blue?!?

Last night we had a reveal party to let everyone know what we were having. So fun to see everyone's excitement when they find out!

We all said we knew it was a girl from day one except poor Brandon he was holding out for another boy! Even Hudson would say he was getting a sissy:) I look at my life now and can't imagine girl stuff because my house is covered in trucks TRAINS tractors and dinosaurs!!! But I'm sure we will fill it with plenty of pink soon:)

"From the fullness of his grace we have received one blessing after another."
John 1:16

Conference run.

We were up and at 'em early this morning. Today was the big cross country run for Kinley. It was the conference meet for this season and lucky for us greenwood hosted it so we got to sleep in a little.

It rained. It poured. It thundered. It lightened. All while we sat in the car for an hour and a half waiting on it to let up!!! Hudson had a blast running all over the car. But it drove me crazy! He turned every knob and punched every button. I think at one point he was hanging from my rear view mirror!!

Even despite the weather Kinley did awesome!!!! She did the course in 17:14. It was 2.3 miles I think. It was 75% uphill in the mud and rain. She passed one girl right at the end and the girl yelled out a very ugly word!!! Ugh hated that but super glad my baby girl smoked her;)

The big 3-0!!!

Well Saturday was the first day in my thirties!!! I had a wonderful birthday week! (Yes we have a week in this family;) )

Brandon and I had a date night on Thursday since he had to work paint the park pink on my actual birthday. We went to chillis because I wanted their loaded cheese fries. Not even gonna lie we did not share this appetizer I ate them ALL. And I'm ok with that. Then he took me shopping. Which is a big deal for him because he hates the mall.

Then Saturday morning we went to Siloam for Kinely's XC meet. She did great averaged an 8 minute mile! Which is better than I expected since she has an injured ankle. Then we had lunch & dessert at abuelos. SO GOOD! Then did a little shopping at the promenade & masons. I got several new pairs of shoes. And a couple flowy tops. I was def not buying maternity clothes for my 30th birthday! Haha Hudson shopped like a champ, thank goodness! You just never know. The girls at masons got a kick out of him every shoe I tried on he said "oh dat cute!".

Then that night I met Hilary for a pedicure and we also took a quick stroll thru the new brick city emporium. Then met two other great friends for dinner at Olive Garden. Love those breadsticks. We had so much fun. I think we sat there and talked for over 3 hours. I haven't laughed that hard in forever. Pretty sure the tables around us got to hear some interesting stories.

I had a wonderful day and think my thirties are going to be the best years yet! Thankful and blessed!!!

23 months.

My baby boy will be 2 in less than a month!!!! Can't believe it. He just gets more fun by the day! He talks constantly unless he's got a drink in his hand and then you won't hear a peep from him until it's gone he chugs it!

Your still sissys boy! She can do no wrong in your eyes! Except maybe when she doesn't let you come upstairs with her:)

Your favorite food is pizza.

You are full blown obsessed with choo choo's! On TV. Real ones. Toy ones. You must wear choo choo pjs every single night!!!

You are very opinionated already. Wonder where you get that from?!;)


Your prayers at night at getting so detailed and sweet! Last night cracked me up because you prayed for the woods, the rabbits and your body! So random but so sweet! Of course your family too! You even pray for the new baby!:)

You will pat my stomach and say "baby sissy" Brandon says you say sissy because you have a sissy now so that's all you know. I say you may be right!

Poor Momma!

Well morning sickness (aka all day out of nowhere hit you like a ton of bricks sickness!) has been in full swing accompanied by a certain someone in their terrible twos!!! Life has been a bit wild at our house to say the least!

I can't tell you how many times Hudson has faked gagged with me or pretended to puke in a toilet! One day he pulled my ponytail while I was throwing up and said "mom I need a nack now!". But my favorite is now when you offer him something that's not his fave he will say "no dat make me sick!" ugh guess he's heard me say that a time or two lately!

It's not that he's been bad or whiny it's mainly that he is hyper wild into everything wanting to go go go and I am wanting to sleep sleep sleep!!!

Baby blessings!!!

Well the secret is out, baby #3 will be here in April!!! We are beyond excited:) but I must admit I'm still in shock even though we have known for over a month!

When I found out I was pregnant with Hudson I called every friend on my way home from the doctor! This time we decided to keep it a secret until our ultrasound and not telling every person I saw was ROUGH! I did tell a few here and there;)

Hudson says he's getting a sissy!
Kinley says she wants it to be a boy but thinks it's a girl! Can't wait to find out who's right!

Every good and perfect gift is from above. James 1:17

Fair fun!!!

Brandon had a fantasy football draft party and Kinley had a birthday party to go to so Hudson and I headed to the fair with Meme!

He had a blast!!! Loved all the animals.
He talked to them all:
Awww here pig piggy.
Hey cow moooooo
Chick chickens
Babbit bunny
Look dat camma (llama).

We didn't ride any rides but we did pick up several ducks and of course ate some fabulous fair food! Mommas fav:)!

22 months.

Oh my dear sweet boy you are growing up!!!

You say: that, these, those, this.
Cracks me up to hear you say these words because they just seem like big people words!!!

You melt my heart when you touch my face and say "ohh I wuv (love) you mommy"

You refer to us as mommy & daddy now. Sweetest words ever.

At bedtime you say praise for daddy praise for sissy maymen!

You are obsessed with choo choo's! You told me yesterday you smelled a choo choo!

You can name every part of your body right down to your stinky toes!:)

You just say more & more sentences every day. The baby jabber is slowly fading and it's becoming this little boy spouting this big boy talk.

You saw a picture of yourself as a baby and you said "aww dats baby Hudson!"

Heat makes him sleep!

My sweet huddy buddy has never been big on naps but this summer heat has definitely made it easier for me to get him to sleep:) I think playing outside or in the water just wears him out and he can't fight the sleepiness. He has fallen asleep in some out of the ordinary places for him but today topped them all when he fell asleep standing up!!!

Keeping them pure

As I walked around at Kinley's school orientation tonight I couldn't help but stare. 13 year old girls dressed in shorts so short you could see their panties had they not been wearing THONGS! Black eyeliner caked around their beautiful eyes. Padded bras in their barely there tank tops. I wondered do the moms just not care? Do they not think this is wrong?"

I am very tough on Kinley. I guard her from all I can. Shelter her mind. Cover her body. Protect her heart. I just feel all these things are important to maintain their pure spirits and keep their innocence. My heart aches for girls and women who lose this innocence to early it causes life long scars, I know this firsthand.

Part of me fears this school year. Kinley looks like a baby compared to these girls. I wonder will this hurt her self confidence that I worked so hard to help her build? Or will she stand tall and realize true beauty cannot be painted on that it comes from within? I worry her feelings will get hurt because she will not be that girl that all the boys like and chase after because she won't be doing or wearing things to catch his immature eye. Yet I have no doubt she will be that girl that a man will praise God for everyday for the rest of his life when they marry.

So as we start this school year I have worries, fears and concerns. I also have hope and happiness as I watch my baby girl start her first year of school as a teenager.

As a side note: I am not saying wearing make up or certain clothes etc are wrong but I just think with make up less is more and with clothes the longer the better;)

Day date with my best girl:)

With less than two weeks until school starts I knew I needed some Kinley time ASAP! So today my mom kept Hudson while we had a little date with the Hogan girls.

We went to lunch, did a little back to school shopping, then to a movie. I had so much fun just being with my big girl. It made me realize how much she has grown up this summer mentally, physically and spiritually. She makes me more proud every day. I hope I am still able to say that as we enter those dreaded teenage years!!;)

I know that Kinley really enjoyed her day with me as well because I got called the "best mommy ever" on instagram:)