Long Weekend Recap

We enjoyed our long weekend lots. The weather was nice, the extra rest was needed, and the time we spent together as a family was fun. It was just an all around good weekend. 

Friday night we went out to eat with Terrell's parents before coming home and changing into pjs and watching an episode of Lion Guard together before bedtime. We had a pretty great Friday night.

Saturday morning our big boys woke up around 6:30 (noooooooo) but we all stayed in bed until after 7 before making muffins and having a lazy morning together just hanging out. 

Eventually the boys got ready and spent some time outside while I headed out for errands and a little shopping.

The big boys tested out their new nerf bows and arrows they got for Christmas and I think it's safe to say they are smitten. They are loving these things! And they look like little hunters. Ha.

Saturday afternoon everyone came in from outside and got showers and baths while I did a little cleaning and then we had a Falcons party! My parents, Terrell's parents, and Anna, Frankie, and Piper all came over to watch the Falcons play-off game against the Seahawks. 

Go Falcons!! We had so much fun and loved seeing our Falcons win an impressive game. We ate wings and watched every play full of nervous energy. Or maybe that was just me. It was a lot of fun and now we're anxious to take on the Packers this Sunday! More nervous energy coming soon!!

Sunday morning we enjoyed church... and I especially enjoyed the help from my 3 little men before everyone arrived for SS. =)

Sunday afternoon was super low key. The boys played outside and we did some laundry and took some short naps. And the best part? It wasn't a school night!! 

We made breakfast for supper like we do almost every Sunday and then we cleaned up the kitchen and were done for the night! We let the boys have a little "electronic time" before bed while we watched the Green Bay and Dallas game to see who and where the Falcons would be playing next. Green Bay has to come to the Georgia Dome!! I'm thankful and nervous at the same time!

Monday we slept until 7 and had a laid back start to the morning before me and Garrison Cade had to head out for a couple of appointments. We started with a dentist appointment and then we were off to visit the ENT. Looks like a tonsillectomy is coming soon for our biggest. I think we're both nervous but ready to get it over with!

We ate pizza for lunch and then spent the rest of the afternoon outside. Crazy, crazy weather. Our favorite part was our family walk around the neighborhood. So much fun.

On our way home I just loved the view of our house. I have been reminded often lately of how God worked things out for us to find this house and then eventually buy this house. This house was made for us and we are truly beyond grateful. It is still such a blessing and I'm still amazed by God's hand in every single detail. 

And I love my brand new door hanger. I think it's perfect for Winter and after Christmas. 

Terrell grilled for us last night and then our school night routine began. We wrapped up the evening with Hungry, Hungry Hippo. 

#actionshot

We had a great long weekend together. It wasn't perfect every second, but it doesn't have to be perfect to be perfect. =) Long weekends are one of our favorite things. Here's hoping this short week is pretty great too! Happy Tuesday! 

Friday Favorites: Happy Long Weekend!

This week has been a little on the long side. The first full week back goes that way I think. It's been a little busier and more tiring, but still very much a week in January for us. Lots of downtime in the midst of party planning. =) We are super thankful we have the long weekend to look forward to!

Here's a quick look at my favorite happenings from the week..

*At the beginning of the week Layton and I had tons of quality time together. It was the best. Pop the Pig and practicing number recognition and counting were my favorite. 

*And later we all played as a family! Game Nights are so fun and the epitome of quality time together for us.

*Layton and I went party shopping this week! We *think* we have almost every single thing we need to pull off 2 special parties coming up. (And I learned a new secret of easy, peaceful shopping with him.... let him walk instead of making him ride in the buggy! He did amazing walking around with me. There were times he slowed us down some, but it was worth it!)

*Our morning of shopping wore him out! My baby is moving to a big boy bed soon and it's going to hurt my heart a little. He still likes to be rocked every night! Oh the emotions!!

*A little after school gear building while I called out spelling words to my biggest was my favorite. 

*These 2 peas in a pod sure do have a good time together at Granna's. 

*SO precious!!!

*Family Game Night selfie! Hungry, Hungry Hippo was so fun.... and Layton practiced counting and Austin practiced some math and we laughed together a ton. Love our off season perks so much!

*Favorite Not-Pictured Moments.... Singing hymns with my big boys at bedtime one night this week. Be still my heart! Also my First 5 App and Jesus Always devotions have been soo good this week. God is speaking to me, quieting my heart, and fighting my battles with each one. And last but not least, I continue to see amazing progress with my student I'm tutoring. AMAZING progress. My teacher heart is overflowing!!

I'm off to work today with some sweet 1st graders and this afternoon we are kicking off our weekend immediately. =) We are looking forward to family time, the Falcons play-off game, outside time, and extra sleep and rest. Happy Friday and Happy Long Weekend!!

January Randoms

*Back to school and the routine is taking some adjusting... for mama. I feel like things are going so smoothly with our start to January and all of our little resolutions and goals, but I'm struggling a little. Sigh. Back to the routine (and work) is tough after a long break. I'm so glad it's just me though. The boys have picked up right where they left off. Yay.

*January for us is all about party planning.... for like every single day of the whole month. We almost have Garrison's party completely planned and we're getting close to having Layton's planned. Then we'll have to think about Valentine's Day. Phew. It's a chore but definitely worth it. I think both boys are going to love their parties.

*I'm back to doing a plank a day, every single day. And this time I'm hoping to keep it up! It makes it on my daily calendar and everything. Ha. Because sometimes you just need the reminder in writing to help you remember and hold you accountable! A correct plank is so good for your core and back and literally only takes about a minute. Unless you're a super star and can hold it for several minutes. What I'm saying is, it's definitely doable no matter how busy you are. I'm hoping to hold it for longer and longer and eventually make it to 2 whole minutes.  #goals 

*I mentioned that our new resolutions and goals are going really well and I'm so thankful. Other than party planning January is a quiet month for us because it's Winter and the off season so we're home every evening, it's dark early, we're able to have lots of downtime, and we're able to get everyone in bed at a decent time. So the real test hasn't arrived yet. But I'm still pretty excited about how things are going. The big boys are helping load their own plates and silverware in the dishwasher after supper, Garrison picks out his snack for the next day and lays it on the counter for me and then both big boys get out the items needed for me to make the main thing for their lunch (ham, string cheese, peanut butter and jelly, etc.). I still make their lunches and add the "sides"...some sort of combo of things like fruit, yogurt, raisins, chips, crackers, almonds, dry cereal, a small dessert, etc, but just having them do a few things for me is really helpful! The boys sweeping up their own crumbs is a huge help!! And so is breaking things down day by day. I'm excited about forming these new, good habits that will hopefully become second nature one day.

*I'm so glad Clemson won the National Championship!! We don't like orange (or Tigers) at our house, but this time I was pulling for Clemson over Alabama big time. I didn't stay up for the whole game but watched a replay of the highlights with my boys and the finish was awesome. Let the light that shines within you shine brighter than the light that shines on you. Love Dabo Swinney and his testimony and influence. He's fun to watch coach.... He reminds me of Terrell. =)

*I started using the First 5 app last week and LOVE it. I'm also reading Jesus Always and really loving it! After I finish the Jesus Always devotion for the day I grab my phone and read the devotion from my First 5 app. I typically only read the devotional and prayer but the past few nights I've read the chapter in Joshua that's coming up the next morning before I go to bed. I am enjoying it so much! It's like a mini Bible Study because it takes you deeper into Scripture and there is an ending question and comments, but it's not lengthy or time consuming and you don't have homework. It's perfect for me so I'm excited about it.

*The weather here is crazy. We had below freezing temperatures last weekend with snow and ice in the forecast and this weekend it's going to be 70! I hate to complain because the boys have been cooped up quite a bit and they need their outside time, but I like experiencing every season to the fullest. I don't mind the warm temps for my kiddos' birthday parties and every blue moon, ha, but any other time during the Winter snow is welcome. =)

*Last but not least... focusing on one day at a time and enjoying every day. This is a tough resolution/theme for me so far! This week I've been especially guilty of looking ahead and stressing out and wanting to plan (or know the plan!) and feeling some dread.... ughhhh. So frustrating! Fighting the urge to worry and fear isn't easy, and when worry and fear aren't dealt with and nipped in the bud they breed anxiety. Not fun. My biggest weapons have been prayer, Scripture, Christian radio/music, and trying my hardest to be intentional about TODAY. I've had some successful moments and days and I've had some failures. The First 5 study on Joshua has been really helpful and almost every single day of Jesus Always was written specifically for me. =) God's grace is sufficient and I'm so thankful I can rest assured in Him and His plan. My job is to be obedient to God, God's job is everything else.

Have a great Thursday!

Our (No) Snowed-In Weekend

Well, we didn't get any snow over the weekend like we were so looking forward to all week. Snow Bust 2017. Boo!! We were all bummed and super disappointed. But we aren't giving up hope! We still have the whole Winter to go!!

Even though it didn't snow, it was still FREEZING cold and we'd prepared to stay in all weekend anyway... at first due to the 2-4 inches of snow that was originally predicted, and later due to temperatures and ice. So that's pretty much what we did. 

On Friday, Layton and I stayed home all day doing a little laundry, cleaning a little, and playing a ton of games. We played a record number of Don't Break the Ice and Hungry, Hungry Hippo. And as you can see, little man was ready for cold. He has been loving his gloves since the moment he heard it might snow. =)

Terrell brought home take-out for us for supper and then we all settled in for movie night. The boys got The Mighty Ducks for Christmas and it's one of mine and Terrell's favorites from our childhoods. It's a classic! I didn't remember to get a picture but we had a really fun movie night. Layton got a little tired of it during the second half but we made it through the whole movie with him. Popcorn and sitting in laps always helps. 

We slept in Saturday morning past 7. Woohoo! (The boys had already been warned we probably weren't getting any snow so thankfully they were too disappointed.) We made cinnamon rolls and had breakfast together before the boys started playing "hockey". Hahaha!! They went to the basement in socks and "skated" around with whatever they could find to use as hockey sticks and pucks. They had a ball! 

The rest of the day consisted of building with legos... LOTS. =)

Playing games...

Playing indoor basketball...

And of course watching our fair share of TV and spending some time on the iPad and kindle couldn't be avoided on a day spent at home without ever stepping outside. I was pretty lazy myself... I finally vacuumed and helped Terrell with some laundry but that was about it. I even took a nap! =)

We had chili and hot dogs for supper and then wrapped up the day with the boys watching football and with a game of rock, paper, scissors.

Even Layton participated. 

It was pretty fun for everybody. =)

Once the boys were in bed, Terrell and I headed to the basement to watch our first grown-up movie in ages!  Terrell got a DVD player for the basement for Christmas and he also got the movie Jason Bourne. It was really good! Super intense with some pretty serious fight scenes and car chases, but it's rated PG-13 so it's fairly clean. Nothing super graphic. Yay. We both enjoyed it! And a grown-up movie night/date night at home might become a more regular thing. =) 

Sunday morning we woke up to even colder temps. Brrrrrrr. AND, multiple power outages. Thankfully the longest we went without power was about an hour. So we were able to manage getting ready for church on time. My boys were SO handsome in their new attire they got for Christmas. BE STILL MY HEART. I could've melted into a puddle right there in the driveway if I wasn't freezing into a block of ice. 

These boys of mine. #allthehearteyes

Then we got in a quick family selfie before hurrying to the warmth of the car. 

After a timely and much needed morning at church and SS, we were home again for the whole day. We had a pretty peaceful rest time for the whole fam while Layton napped and then the boys used some of their energy to race around the basement pushing their dump trucks under "tunnels". They were a total blur whizzing around. Haha. They had a ball and played soo good together. I can't even remember one fight or argument from yesterday. #allthepraisehands

Yesterday afternoon I went ahead and cooked our supper for tonight. And it makes so much that we'll be eating it twice this week! (It's Sour Cream Noodle Bake.... recipe by Pioneer Woman)

Last night we watched football and got the boys in bed a little early. We are all still adjusting to our new back to school schedule so we're trying to get everybody in bed a little earlier. Finally last night I think everybody was asleep well before 9. YAY. Terrell and I watched Hawaii Five-O and then Duck Dynasty together. I am going to miss the Robertson's so much! I just love them. 

Even though we missed the snow we were supposed to get big time, we still had a pretty great snowed-in weekend. I only felt cabin fever once that I can remember and we didn't go crazy from being stuck in the house together all weekend. 

This is our first full week back to school and I'll have my first days back to work of the new year this week. Praying we all handle it well and focus on and enjoy each day! Happy Monday!

Friday Favorites: Ringing in the New Year Edition

We've had a pretty good several days of ringing in the new year. Other than the weather being super rainy, wet, and messy over the long weekend and several days of the break- including one middle of the night storm and power outage that wasn't fun or sleep inviting- things have been pretty low key and good. And a short week back to school has been helpful too! I know we're all going to crash tonight. =)

Here's my favorite happenings before, during, and after ringing in 2017...

*The days after Christmas for us are usually super laid back and fun. The boys are playing with all of their new stuff, sleeping a little late, and we're mostly home just hanging out and slowly packing up Christmas. This moment was so sweet to me after they'd been playing hard and having the best time together. They needed a break and it sure was a sweet one. #theyarestillandquieteveryonceinawhile

*All 3 boys are absolutely LOVING their new bikes and asking to ride every single day. (Yay for us becoming a bike riding family! Now I need one! =)) But I have to say we're really proud of our oldest. On Christmas Day he was surprised and excited about his new bike but also pretty intimidated. He struggled at first with getting the hang of a bigger bike given that he hasn't been riding a bike without training wheels for very long. But after a lot of determination with some bouts of discouragement thrown in for good measure, he has totally mastered his new bike and is riding like a pro! We are so excited and proud of him!

*Last Thursday afternoon we added another boy to the mix with Garrison's friend from school and church. We've experienced some learning curves when it comes to play dates and younger brothers but I think all in all things have gone really well when we've hosted friends. Pokemon, the trampoline, and remote control cars were the big hits of this play date. =)

*We played a ton of games over the break. The boys got 5 new games for Christmas and we've played all but one. So fun! 

*They love their new marble run and have played with it lots too!

*On New Year's Eve we went shopping together in the cold and rain and actually had a pretty great time! Normally shopping with the boys isn't easy or fun but we had a movie playing in the car so Terrell and I took turns staying with them while one of us ran in a store, and the times they got out we let them ride all the riding toys. (Garrison only rode this one but Layton had a BALL and Austin was pretty impressed too.) Our game plan worked out great!

*On NYE night we always like going out to eat and this year my parents and Anna, Frankie, and Piper were all able to come too. We had a super fun night and topped it off with fro-yo before heading home and going to bed well before midnight. Ha. PS... Why are my boys so big and old?! They're practically teenagers! Waaaaahhhhh!!

*Happy New Year from the Selph boys! (This picture is more like it. Still my babies. =))

*Terrell had the day off Monday for New Year's but since it was rainy and messy we tackled things like laundry, changing sheets, and cleaning up rooms. It was a family affair and a pretty productive way to spend part of our morning. And our firstborn remains creative with his space. The craziness hanging from the window makes me smile every single time I go in their room.

*Monday afternoon there was a small break in the rain so Terrell took the boys out to ride their bikes. Being stuck indoors had them itching to get out! Then of course after 30 or so minutes the rain returned and they had to make a mad dash home. (They ride down the street near AnAn's house in their cul de sac. It's the perfect spot.) Terrell got a pretty good action shot of them. =)

*One last movie night on Monday, our last non-school night of the break! (Everything was perfect until bedtime when the big boys realized the very next night would be a school night. Break my heart. They love their teachers and friends and really do enjoy school, but together is our favorite place to be and going back to school can be tough sometimes. Thankfully they've had a great start back.) 

*When it's raining and you really want to wear a helmet and play football, this is what you get. Hahaha.

*More Game Night fun!

*The Sneaky Snacky Squirrel Game might be my new favorite.  

*Back to school for the big boys means back to some instructional time with mama for Layton. =) This week we worked on some counting and one-to-one correspondence. He's slowly getting the hang of counting objects and this little activity was just an introduction but I'm thankful to have to opportunity to teach him so I'm going to keep it up while I can!

*After putting away all of our Christmas books on New Year's, I decided to round up all the Winter/snow/penguin books we have and made a Winter themed book bin. They've been a huge favorite for the boys this week! And of course reading to them and their love of books is my favorite. =)  

*Speaking of Winter, I got this Winter flag for Christmas and love it! We're praying for snow this weekend.... and any other time this Winter! =)

Favorite Not-Pictured Moments: On New Year's my parents grilled steaks for us and hosted mine and Anna's families with a delicious and fun night! We had a great time celebrating and I didn't think to get one single picture.

Also, earlier this week I got a text from my SS teacher about 2 different "moments/encounters" she had with my big boys that she wanted to share. It was the sweetest, most encouraging thing and absolutely made my week and start to the New Year!! And I couldn't thank her enough for sharing it with me. Thank you God for your goodness and grace.

This weekend we have absolutely nothing planned! We're hoping for white stuff, sledding, down time, family time, and to keep warm with our power on! Happy Friday!! 

In 2017

In 2017 we want to enjoy the present, focus on the now, and take one day at a time. It might be a lofty goal for this planner of a mama, but we're going to try. =)

I have been very guilty over the years of waiting for things to change or get better and therefore missing out on some of the present. Waiting to move (this one lasted YEARS), waiting for Terrell to get a better job, waiting for me to get a better (perfect, part-time job...still hasn't happened by the way), waiting for a better financial situation, waiting for our forever house, waiting to get past the stage of meltdowns, or craziness, or toddlers who are into everything, waiting to get past the current school year, waiting for the next break from school, waiting to wrap up our sports season. Waiting, waiting, and waiting. And sometimes, or even most times, during the waiting we're missing a little, or even a lot, of what's right in front of us and happening NOW.

And that's something I want to work on this year. Less waiting, or less focus on the waiting, and more enjoying the current, present, daily, right now. I want to be present with my children, present with my husband, present in each day because that's what I'm focused on and being intentional about enjoying.

Don't get me wrong, some seasons and stages being temporary are what gets me through them. It's encouraging to know and remember this too shall pass. I'm thankful for looking ahead and looking forward to better days or things. New things, good things. I love being hopeful about what God has in store and watching His plans unfold. Counting down, looking ahead, and planning aren't bad things. It's fun to look forward to school breaks, it's wonderful and I would even say needed to plan for fun things or new things for your family, marriage, career, or even your weekend. =) I like being prepared and having a plan. In fact I really love it. But when planning, looking ahead, and pining away for the new, better, next thing steals our joy in the present and our living in the present, we're missing out on what God has for us right now. The blessings, goodness, and divine appointments for today.

This year I want to do better enjoying and being content in and with the present. I know it's going to be way easier said than done. If I'm being honest I've already found myself counting down for something to be over that hasn't even (or may not even) happened yet! Ahhhh!! I think part of my struggle comes in being easily overwhelmed and waiting for things/seasons/stages to pass that are stressful or overwhelming for me.

But each day is a gift. Each day is filled with His grace and another opportunity to live and enjoy. After all, this is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it!

 I love savoring the sweet times and have had many days and seasons I've been really intentional about soaking in and enjoying. But I'm pretty guilty of wishing away the challenging ones. Seasons that are stressful or crazy busy or just aren't my favorite are hard to enjoy. And hard to remain present in due to the stressing or always looking ahead part.

This year I'm going to try to do better taking one day at a time and really enjoying and focusing on the present.

And we've set a few goals for the year too. =)

*2017 Goals*

*Break things down. Terrell and I both want to do a better job with breaking things down and focusing on one day at a time. We're great about meal planning and I'm pretty good about keeping up with things on my calendar/planner, but sometimes that means looking way ahead and getting overwhelmed. This year the plan is to take a look at what we have coming up for the week (on Sunday afternoons or evenings more than likely) and then breaking everything down into one day at a time. Whatever needs to be done (errands, chores, etc) will be broken into days and we'll tackle it as a team. I'm not sure if this will effect meal planning or not because meal planning works amazing for us because it's predictable, planned, and means only 1 trip to the grocery store per week, BUT, during our sports seasons meal planning can be stressful and overwhelming because you don't know how, what, or when to feed everybody! Soo, we'll see how that goes. I think breaking things down will be really helpful for me so I'm hopeful it makes a big difference!

*More efficient evenings. School nights can be busy and exhausting for us (especially the nights before I have to work because there's more to prepare/get ready for, or the nights after I've worked because I'm worn out and moving in slow motion) so this year we're going to try a new approach. First of all, mama needs to be home in the evenings whenever possible. As much as I would love to attend and watch every practice my boys have and watch my husband coach and spend time with other moms/good friends, it just isn't best for us right now. We can't live at the recreation department. Ha. So me being home will be important. We also need to delegate a little more to the boys. The big boys especially need a little more responsibility in the evenings, whether it's sweeping crumbs, loading their plates and silverware in the dishwasher, bringing down their dirty clothes, etc. little things will hopefully be a big help. And last but not least, LUNCHES. Lunches (and snack prep on the nights before I work) keep me in the kitchen way too long every single school night. So a new and improved system is needed. Terrell and I are going to start to tag team and I will probably try to work on them immediately after supper when possible instead of after the boys are in bed (with Terrell's help whenever possible and we may even let the boys take on some lunch making responsibilities too) It will probably be trial and error for a while but I'm determined. 

*Eat More Energy Giving Foods. I'm tired of feeling tired and I'm tired a LOT. I'm also hungry a lot. So realistically for me this means eating a better breakfast (eggs some days, more whole grain cereal, bananas), and eating better snacks (apples, yogurt, almonds, peanut butter, fresh produce). I'll probably try to add more of these to my lunches too. I also want to drink more water during the day. I've been drinking water with lunch and supper for years and years but I want to start drinking it more when I'm feeling tired and sluggish. Also, exercise supposedly is an energy boost, so throwing in some exercise or just active living would be a good thing too. =)

*Continue Blogging. As I get busier and work more, it's harder to find the time and energy to blog. Blogging is one of my favorite things ever because I love to write and "journal" and keeping a family scrapbook is so special to me. Blogging for me is a hobby, it's something I enjoy, and it's some me time for me too. But, it's a commitment. And it's time consuming. However, for now, it's something that's important and priceless and more than worth it so I want to keep it up. I'm not sure what that will look like this year as I possibly start to work more and more, but I'm going to try to maintain it. The stories, memories, and pictures captured here are so special. They are priceless and something Terrell and I are especially thankful to have. So hopefully I can continue filling the scrapbook regularly this year.

Speaking of continuing... we want to continue game nights, movie nights, family meals, and any other kinds of quality family time this year. It's something we'll have to be intentional about during the busy seasons but something that's super important to us. We also want to continue our open door policy and move forward with pool plans. =)

We're covering this year in prayer and hopeful about what God has in store.

 Happy New Year!! Today we're back to school, tutoring, choir, and our regular routine. We sure did enjoy our break but we're hoping for a smooth transition back to the grind. Happy Hump Day!!