Weekend Recap

How to describe this weekend? Wonderful, challenging, fun, hard, exciting, tough. Haha. It was all of the above and then some. But overall it was good and I decided before the weekend started that I wanted to recap everything... so here's my wordy play by play of our up and down weekend. =)

Friday afternoon was pretty wonderful. We picked up Garrison from school, came home and had a snack, then all 3 boys played together amazingly (Thank you Jesus) while I vacuumed and did a few things around the house and then we went out for Mexican take-out. 

Movie night was a hit! Even Layton watched the first few minutes of Fox and the Hound 2. =)

Night night hugs for the big brothers are always sweet. 

The big boys took a loonng time going to sleep but I think we just beat the 9:00 mark. Ummm, that's too close to my bedtime to be okay. Ha. 

Saturday morning the challenges began. Daddy wasn't home so it was really trying for mama but thankfully we survived. Phew. Layton started the day at 6:07. He was crying pretty bad so I went ahead and went up to his room and rocked him before putting him back to bed... unfortunately he never went back to sleep but at least I could go back to bed and "rest" for a little longer. The big boys were up at 7:00 so I got Layton up then too and we survived breakfast. Barely. We endured not 1 but 2 spills during breakfast. One small, one massive. Milk everywhere, mama about in tears, and 3 boys who were concerned but mainly just hungry. They went up to the playroom afterwards so I could mop the kitchen and then I was able to take a shower in peace. So that was a plus!

Ready for a fun outing to the library!

We enjoyed all the fun the library had to offer and started to wear out our welcome after about 30 minutes or so. We experienced some drama leaving the library that I'd like to forget about (parenting can be sooo hard!!!) but once we got home and ready for lunch all was well again.

After lunch I got everybody ready for nap time/ rest time and that's when my next challenge occurred. While I was up in Layton's room getting him ready for his nap an accident occurred that scared us all to death. The big boys were supposed to be watching basketball, not playing basketball... We have a pretty strict rule about no playing with balls in the living room... But alas, rules are broken sometimes and mistakes are made. And the result was my window pane mirror falling from the mantle, hitting the hearth, and shattering. They both ran upstairs and busted into Layton's room crying and sobbing and apologizing and traumatized. Garrison was almost hysterical. Of course I had no clue what was going on or what had happened so I may have mildly freaked out and sprinted down the stairs in a panic. 

We all took some deep breaths and gathered ourselves and tried to assess things and calm down. Garrison in particular was extremely guilt stricken even though he wasn't the one who had thrown the ball, he knew they were breaking a rule and he was so sad they had broken something. They both felt terrible and hopefully a lesson was learned. I'm just thankful no one was hurt! #andthatTargetstillhadthemirrorinstock

Before cleaning up the mess I turned on Lion Guard for the big boys and got Layton down for his nap. No way I could clean up broken glass with Layton nearby. Why do things like this happen when daddy isn't home?! On a happy note, Layton took his longest nap since we took the paci! Over 2 hours!! This is like a miracle after almost a whole month of him only napping for an hour or so. I was thrilled and super proud. =)

By the time we woke up Layton from his nap and had snack time, Terrell got home!! Yay!!!! The whole fam was so excited!! We spent the rest of the afternoon outside. =)

The boys were so thrilled to have daddy home!

And baby brother has started hitching a ride with big brothers every time they drive their cars. Maybe one day he'll figure out how to drive his own. Haha. 

Saturday night we made a last minute decision to go out to Waffle House. =) It was a fun way to wrap up our day and to celebrate daddy being home!

Sunday morning Garrison's choir sang in big church in 2 out of 3 of our services so we had to be there bright and early. They did a great job and I just loved the lyrics to their song. Children's choirs are one of my favorite things!

Since I was there for the early service I was able to stay and listen to the guest speaker before leaving out just a little early to head to my preschool hall. I loved enjoying a worship service after missing out for the past few weeks since taking over as Preschool Sunday School Director. Hopefully I can still make it to a few a year. 

I am enjoying my new role on Sunday mornings. Even though there are WAY more adventures on our hall than ever once occurred to me, it's been rewarding and fun and is going great so far. I'm so thankful for all of my teachers and love seeing all the families, babies, toddlers, and preschoolers every Sunday morning. It's a special and sometimes wild hour and a half. =)

Thankfully I'm still able to go to Sunday School every Sunday since our SS class meets at 11:00, and Sunday morning's lesson was just powerful. It was about fighting Satan and kicking him out of our homes, families, marriages, etc and possessing some righteous anger just like Jesus did from time to time. 

I'm so thankful I was there and that God used our teacher to speak such truth and power into us... because not even 1 hour later I was under attack. Ugh. Our teacher described Satan in all different ways but the main one that stuck with me is that he is the author of doubt and confusion. And come Sunday afternoon I was way deep in doubt. To make a long story short it comes down to raising this house full of boys. Boys who prefer daddy for the fun stuff (he's definitely the fun parent, haha), boys who don't always include me, big boys who want quality time with daddy and a baby boy who wants quality time with mama and daddy but who will grow up and possibly only want quality time with daddy. Lots of doubt, confusion, insecurities, and fear crept in. Ahhhhh! Not fun. 

The big boys spent the afternoon with daddy and friends at the baseball fields. They had a fun time while Layton and I stayed home and napped. =)

Once everybody got home Layton was introduced to his tee ball set! He's a fan and pretty much already has the hang of it!

Sunday night went pretty good and we wrapped up the day playing card games, making lunches, and getting ready for our new week. I still had some major doubt going on and just kept fretting over whether I'm doing enough for my boys. Am I involved enough in what they love? Am I fun enough? Am I enough as their mom? Or am I only meant to feed them? Haha. 

Thankfully I woke up with some clarity and peace. I loved reading this in my Jesus Calling devotional this morning. So perfect and just what I needed. 

I have been given 3 precious little boys ON PURPOSE. I am enough for them and I am equipped and capable of raising them and relating to them and loving them and doing things with them and for them. He is perfect in all of His ways (Deut 32:4) and He was perfect when he gave me boys. Perfect. Boys can be challenging and different and they will have more and more in common with Terrell as they grow because they're boys. But God has called me, (specifically me!), to be their mom and as their mom I will always be intentional and involved, supportive and encouraging, and pray for them like no one else. They may challenge me and make me crazy but they were made for me and me for them. =)

When Satan attacks return to His word and His promises.

So thankful for His goodness, faithfulness, peace, and sweet reminders this morning as we start a brand new day and week. Have a great Monday!

Friday Favorites: The Week Back Edition

This week we've gotten back into the swing of things. I don't think any of us are fully adjusted to the return of early mornings and homework just yet but we've had a pretty good week back. I am thankful that this week back meant party planning is behind me for a few months! January and February both just seem super crazy with all of our birthday fun and Valentine's. So it's nice to have a break... although we still have one more birthday outing planned for next weekend if the weather cooperates! Overall, our week back to school and work have been good. I'm definitely trying to enjoy the calm before the storm since baseball starts next week! Eeeek!!

Here's a look at my favorite happenings...

But first... a favorite that occurred on January 31st in the midst of our party prep and craziness and somehow never made it on the blog. #soashamed

The day our niece Piper Caroline was dedicated! We were so proud to watch Anna and Frankie commit to raise Piper in a Christian home and in the church. It was a sweet and special service. (That's our awesome youth choir behind them. =))

I love our pastor's prayers over babies and their parents. The prayers he prayed over our family and our boys at their dedications are some of the sweetest words ever. And I just love this picture. 

So thankful for Anna and Frankie's commitment and Piper's dedication to the Lord! And that I finally remembered to document this special occasion! 

 Now fast forward to this week... 

*Austin has started requesting a picture with me whenever we're both wearing our robes. =)

*This boy and that head full of hair plus one really crazy cow lick. Ha!

*Austin keeps right on going with his handwriting practice and I even pulled out a couple of writing books I've had since Garrison was 3 to help him practice. He needs the practice so I'm super thankful he enjoys it!

*Layton and I were totally on our own Wednesday morning since Baby A didn't come and Garrison and Austin both had school. It was nice to have some extra quality time with my littlest... even if he did start asking for his brothers. =) That's become a regular thing this week, him asking for Garrison and Austin. He got used to them being home all day every day last week too! Plus I think he's just growing up and always wants to be with them. 

*We previewed the Book Fair at Garrison's school together...

*And we put together lots of puzzles (which he just figured out how to do by himself, yay!), read lots of books, watched approximately 3 minutes of Mickey Mouse, and he assisted me with lots of laundry. We had a really good morning together minus one nasty tantrum. Haha. 

*I'm really proud of my biggest boy this week. Not only does he come from school and tackle his homework right away with little to no complaining, but he's also done great with his homework from his Now that I'm a Christian class. This week he had to memorize John 3:16 (which he has!) plus answer questions and fill in the blanks, etc each day in his workbook. Phew! Mama is barely keeping up so I'm especially proud of my 7 year old for doing so great handling his full plate. Hopefully baseball won't push us to our limits and make us crazy. #I'mstressingalittleaboutbaseball 

*My middle man's school pictures! Love him so much!

*I was able to sneak in a picture with Garrison before school and class picture day yesterday! He wasn't too happy about having to wear that shirt but we compromised with the promise of wearing the Under Armor suit today. =)

*Layton had his 2 year well check this week and did great! He weighs 28 pounds, 8 ounces and is 34 and 1/4 inches tall. He's in the 70th percentile for weight and the 40th for height. He's slightly bigger than Garrison was at 2 and considerably bigger than Austin at 2. The baby may turn out to be our biggest! Annnnnd, in breaking news, this big boy went to the potty for the first time ever yesterday!! Woooohoooo!! I was ecstatic!! He was pretty excited too. =)

*I must say that going to the doctor with just 1 child is amazing and was definitely a favorite this week. Typically I have at least 2 with me but mostly I have all 3, by myself, like some sort of family field trip. Minus the fun. It. Is. Always. Crazy. Just one though? Oh how I love and appreciate 1 child per visit. It was the best. I actually loved and enjoyed this check up. So thankful my wonderful and awesome hubby followed us there so he could hang out with Austin and Baby A in the car watching Curious George. =)

*Garrison made this shortly after Christmas and this week it made it's way onto the fridge for all of us to see and enjoy. (Of course this was after a very unfortunate turn of events in which Layton decided to color on it without permission thereby nearly ruining it... so sad, so much drama, so much devastation... so Garrison finally cut around Layton's dreadful marks and we decided to put it on the fridge for it's own protection.) I was filling my water bottle yesterday and loved the reminder staring me in the face. Every word is true. Garrison's written words sure are special.

*Art Night success!! Daddy and Garrison made a clay piggy bank from scratch! Phew. #stressful (The littles and I shopped the Book Fair while the artists worked.) Yay for a mostly fun night for the whole fam. =)

*Favorite Read of the Week: Give Me Gratitude or Give Me Debt. I've read this before a while back but came across it again this week. So true. So good. Such a great reminder. 

This weekend is sort of different for us... Terrell has to go out of town this morning for a convention and won't be home until tomorrow afternoon sometime. Boo. We're all a little bummed but still super thankful for the weekend!! Tonight we're grabbing take-out and enjoying movie night, tomorrow I'm hoping we all sleep late before a possible morning outing and lunch, then we'll have naptime and rest time and hopefully daddy will almost be home! We're going to enjoy our Saturday night and Sunday with him and having everybody under the same roof! Happy Friday!!

Celebrating 90

On Saturday afternoon following our fun celebration with our 2 year old, we got to celebrate again! This time for my Paw Paw's 90th birthday. On February 18, 1926 the sweet man we call Paw Paw made his debut. =) He was the firstborn and one and only son of Eddie and Minnie Piper. His four little sisters came after him.

Paw Paw joined the Navy when he was 17 years old before even graduating high school. He served during WWII and came back home and finished high school and graduated in 1945 or 46, and it was around this time that he and my Granny started dating and eventually got married. 

He and my Granny officially met or knew each other from school but apparently one of the first times Granny really noticed him and saw him was at a victory dance in town. Supposedly he was dancing with a redhead, but needless to say once Granny came along they fell in love and the rest is history. =) They were married on December 21, 1946 and had approximately $2 to their name. They will celebrate their 70th wedding anniversary this year. Paw Paw has always called Granny his Christmas bride. God has blessed them so, so much. And by default, us as well! What an amazing testimony and example of faithfulness and commitment!

My grandparents grew up during the Great Depression, Paw Paw served in the war, they got married and started a family. Paw Paw later went to college and earned his degree. They raised my Uncle Terry and my mom, have served in their church for years and years, have served their family for years and years, they've traveled, they experienced adventure, they've experienced ups and downs, trials and successes. And Paw Paw's birthday party reminded me of that. I've only ever known them as my grandparents, but they've been way more than just grandparents. Now that I'm older, their story amazes me. They truly are part of the greatest generation and what an honor to be their granddaughter!

My Uncle Terry shared some things about Paw Paw not only joining the Navy before finishing high school and coming home to go back and graduate and then later going on to college, but also what he's meant to him in his life, as a dad and as a friend and a hero. It was really sweet.  

Ed and Lou Piper or "Granny and Paw Paw"

Granny and Paw Paw with my mom and uncle.

And Garrison got in a picture too. =)

With their newest great grandbaby!

Baby Girl loves her thumb. =)

A few of the pictures that were on display...

His Navy picture and military card....

Granny and Paw Paw as a young couple

Paw Paw with my mom and uncle on Christmas. I'm guessing this was in 1954 or 55. Love the tree by the window dripping with tinsel!!

The whole fam. =)

One of my favorite pictures of my grandparents, not only because it was taken at my wedding but because this is how I've always known them and always think of them. They're just Granny and Paw Paw to me. =) 

Saturday afternoon was such a special celebration. I loved the reminder that Paw Paw was a teenager once. He was a sailor. He was a young man. He was a young husband and dad. Then years and years later he was a grandparent. And he's even had adventures and fun since becoming one and even since retirement! 

He is truly loved and respected by so many. We counted 83 people at his party!! What a privilege to celebrate his 90th birthday with him and to call him Paw Paw. He's always been the strong, silent type but whenever he has something to say you'd better listen because it's going to be a gem. =) So thankful for every one of his 90 years and all the gems I've been blessed to hear over just a portion of those years!! Happy Birthday again Paw Paw! We love you!!