My little marching ants

1. My little man, David. Gosh, could I love him any more?! He is hysterical and is starting to say the sweetest things, he's gonna be a charmer like his daddy.

For David's 3rd birthday, Chef and Mo mo (what dave calls them), gave him and ant farm!!

You have to mail off for the ants so we just recently got them in the mail. I know, I know.... this probably isn't going to end well. I am sure they are all going to get out and be everywhere.....
but, David is happy. And right now, he is an angry, crazy, wild little 3 year old.... and the ants make him happy. I still am learning how to deal with the little boy behavior of being so physical, angry, and independent. I am trying to teach him how to use his activeness is good ways and express his anger correctly, it is very hard. So, in the midst of these trials..... the ants are my comic relief.
It's a constructive thing for him. So, we spend lots of time talking about the ants, watching the ants, and going over the rules about why we can't take them out or pet them.

He is becoming such a sweet kid though. He loves having fun and being crazy.
I am just praying not one little ant goes missing. I do head counts before bed just to be safe....

2. Mackenzie, 11 Months



Happy 11 months, baby girl!

Okay, mathematically I know this baby is 11 months.... but, I can't quite convince myself that she actually is. No way. No WAY. Well, the only thing that helps this, is that everyone tells me how TINY she is, and she is.... 30 % for her ranks. People ask if she is 6 months old.... I love that, I smile and say..... "ohh. you're close." And I love that. She is super babyish too. Still rolls up like a newborn, holds her feet, and just acts like, well.... a baby.
She is cruising a little though, but I am not sure if she is going to walk by 12 months, we shall see.
It has been so neat to see all the differences of a baby girl and baby boy. Man, are these 2 polar opposites.... but, they do both have feisty personalities, good common ground.

3. Me and my main squeeze

This has been a rough month for us..... As of today, I officially have bronchitis. No worries, if you've been around me. I was only contagious the first few days.... which was 4 weeks ago... no lie. I guess I am prideful and thought I could win this cold. I also don't love going to the doctor with 2 babies, not a fun time. I am good at taking care of everyone else and making sure they don't get sick, except myself!!!! Oh well, praise the Lord it was me and no one else in the fam though.... I'd rather be sick than them! Anyway, I was a couple days away from it being pneumonia, had to get chest xrays, steroid shot, breathing treatments, i had lost 8 lbs, and my body felt like I had been thrown off a motorcycle. It hurt to breathe, especially cough. I know, I'm stupid. I let it go too far. Tim literally put me in the car and took me there today. (Did I mention that I did go after Thanksgiving Day sale shopping all night though??! That didn't help it!)
However, my cold got out of control because when the time change happened.... Lord.
My kids went haywire. It took about 2 1/2 weeks to get everyone sleeping normal again. There seriously must have been some kind of gravitational pull, new moon, something creepy. Because, these kids acted like insomniacs. Thus, my cold hung around.
And then there is my better half. Poor Tim's job is having it's slowest time of the year... and that's awesome when it's sales... not. So, he has been pulling super hours at work trying to make up for it.... not going so well. Good news is busy time hits January. I couldn't ask for a more hard working husband... he works hard at work and and at home, and I'm thankful.

All that to say, November has come and gone in the blink of an eye. Sickness, no sleep, long hours with little ones at home = tough times.
Even that said, we've never been so thankful. For each other. For our children. For the Lord providing for us continually. For our family which is our support system. For our friends who are the greatest on Earth.

We are thankful for you and the Lord put you in our life. I still pray this blog will let the truth be seen about struggling to raise children and deepen marriage while we are young. I.t. i.s. h.a.r.d.
One of the hardest things I've ever done. But, the joy, love, and thankfulness from the Lord really does overflow. I have never been more blessed, and thankful.

And, thank you Pottery Barn for clearancing your stockings I have wanted for 2 years.... I love them.

I don't even have a title for this one...

Halloween was fun! It was a blast with both kids this year. Fall has been so fun! The weather was pretty awful, but David was so proud of himself and all the candy he collected!

He would go up to most doors by himself while we waited on the sidewalk, so cute!

David was a fireman and Mackenzie was a cow.....

Here is our pumpkin. I have nothing to do with this.... Tim is the creator, carver, and pumpkin carving master!



Now, before you think my kids have turned innocent, i have David's Top Seven list of the mischief he has been into recently. Thank God we didn't make it to 10 this week. I don't want anyone thinking we have it all together over here.... hopefully, this will put you at ease.
It goes from bad to worse.

7. I bought him gum at the store and let him hold it on the way home, only to realize he ate the entire 12 sticks. He was a sticky mess.

6. We use a spanking stick over here and when I was taking the trash out, low and behold, I found that darn thing in the trash. I asked David about it and he said, "I don't like it, I throw it away!!"

5. Went grocery shopping with them, we go every Monday morning so I thought I had it down. I turn around for one second to grab something off the shelf and turn around to find David had dug out my coupon scissors and chopped off a lock of Mackenzie's hair!! She's got a lot, so luckily it's not too noticeable.

4. He fed Holly half a stick of butter this morning. Gross, gross, and gross.

3. Went on a graffiti spree in my closet and garage. Thank the Lord I kept that paint so I can repaint it all.


2. Used the tape player in my new van as a coin dispenser. When I said, "DAVID! WHAT are you doing?!" He says, "Coins go in THERE mommy!" "NO, DAVID, NO!" Luckily, my handyman is handy enough to get all them out.


1. We had our first small house fire today that started in the toaster oven. This morning, he told me he was cooking his Halloween candy for breakfast. I made it to the kitchen before he turned it on and I took it all out (so I thought) When I turned it on for lunch..... it caught on fire. I must have missed a piece in the back....
Our house smells like burnt Snickers.


mental note: Always check ovens before you turn them on.

Anywho. I'm embracing the chaos over here. I will update more when I am not putting out fires, literally. Too bad he was a fire fighter for Halloween, he's like a pyro.

Happy Monday!