slow down

I laid in bed last night not being able to sleep full of thoughts of our girls.  I was overcome by how lucky we are to have such amazing kids, God knew exactly what he was doing when he put these girls in our lives.  But I couldn’t help but pray for it all to slow down, or pause just the way it is for a brief second.  Not to completely stop because I can’t wait to see what the future holds for us, but just to hold on a bit, it’s moving a little too fast.  I wanted so bad to rewind and squeeze Callie’s little baby self one more time.  To rock Chloe in her glider as a new born again, I loved the way she felt in my arms and even how she smelled.  How are my babies almost 3 and 1?!  I also know it won’t be the last time I ever think or yearn for those moments again, doesn’t every mom?  While I thought about that, I thought of my own mother.  Does she now ever wish to take a peak back to when my brother and I were little and squeeze us?  I feel sure she does, even if she hasn’t said so.  I pray that the girls will understand this sentimental side of me as they get older and let me hug and kiss them often.  Callie already knows how I feel about this, I ask her often to slow down growing up, her response “Nope, I gotta grow up momma!”  I then tell her she can as long as she still gives me hugs and kisses, she says “Okay! Muah!”  Love it.  I know life isn’t always fair, and I guess this is one of those things. It’s just not fair that we get these amazing kids and it flys by while they are with us.  So even though time will keep moving whether I want it to or not, I know I’m blessed with these two girls and any moment I have with them is precious and ones I’m thankful for.

Vegas Baby!

Were in Vegas! Were here for the MRKET mens clothing show but finding ways to mix business with pleasure. Enjoying some adult time but missing our girls, have already picked out stuff to bring them home-ha!


Travis is here with Vaughn and I and I'm so thankful. It's me and V's first time here Travis' third so he's been showing us around.


It's a wild place, nothing like I've seen before, especially loving the people watching :)

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Minted

One of the blogs that I love & follow, Blue Eyed Bride, posted today about free* “mommy” cards!  I jumped at the opportunity to get some, who could pass that up?!  All you need to do is click on the Minted link below and you’ll see what you need to do on the front page.  The one I chose to do is below, but there are over 100 different designs you can choose from.  So what are you waiting for, go get your “mommy” cards!!

*just pay shipping

Callie’s 1st Day of School

We couldn’t believe that the day had finally come, Callie’s 1st Day of School!  We had talked about this day for a while now with Callie and she seemed excited about it too.  Mac even told me at one point “Don’t cry momma, it’ll be okay.”  Yeah, okay, I’ll try.  She’s in the Two’s group at Eastminster; she’s one of the oldest in the class because of where her birthday falls only going two days a week.  Well, you know when you envision a day, how it would go, what you’d wear, etc and get all exited about that “envision” then it turns out NOTHING like you wanted it too?!  That was this particular morning.  I saw it with us waking us, having pancakes, smiles all around while we got ready in our pretty dress, a cute picture on the front steps and we’d head off to school with our book bag ready to go!  Yeah, right… here’s how it really went down…

Callie woke up in a whinny mood, this happens on occasion and we try to just go with it, not giving it attention cause that usually fuels it.  Just one look at this face and you can see what I’m talking about…She only perked up when Vaughn came down, this girl LOVES her daddyWe sat down to have our pancakes, only to realize that there was no more syrup in the pantry, so we went with honey instead, I don’t think she minded, but still…  I tried to get a picture of her eating, had to get the hair just rightAfter both girls got dressed, which included screaming because I wasn’t doing this or that right, we headed downstairs to get a quick picture on the front steps.  Before I could even get to my camera, we had meltdowns… she pulled out her bow and ponytail because it wasn’t “like daddy likes it.”  This was my view, both the girls crying on my leg…

I wasn’t going to be defeated by the tears!  I fixed her hair the way “daddy likes it.”  This is just a simple ponytail, but the only way I can get her hair out of her face.  To the front steps where she refused to take a picture, these are what I got…

Chloe wanted to see what was going on, she LOVES standing here, and I LOVE those legs! :)

I have learned with Mac that if you run around she eeks out a little smile, so that’s what I did and we got these two cute ones.  Not what I had in mind of a first day of school picture, but hey, I’ll Take it!

We loaded up in the car with everyone in a little bit of a funk, but we couldn’t be late to our first day of school! We got to school where Daddy showed up to go with us and that perked her up BIG time.  By now, the early morning whining and crying is gone and our happy silly Mac is back!  Thank. Goodness.  She was now so excited to go to her classroom she ran down the hall to get there.

We waited outside the classroom to go inside.  Found our name on the board..

silly with DaddyQuick family pic!

Right after this, we took her in where she acted like she’d done it many times before.  We left, I didn’t cry (surprise),  and didn’t get a phone call to pick her up.  When I cam back to pick her up, they were all sitting at their table reading a book, something she loves to do!  She was so happy, not to necessarily to see me, but to tell me what she did that day.  She told me all about her playing basketball, painting a picture, reading books, and going potty on the tiny potty!  I was so happy that she perked up when we got there, and that her first day of school went great!  Not the morning that I had imagined, but what it was meant to be.  Callie is already excited to go back on Thursday, she goes Tuesdays and Thursday, and loves the fact they have little potties- who knew?!  Hoping that Thursday morning will go a little smoother than Tuesdays, I think once our routine gets going, it’ll all get easier. 

So here’s to a great 1st Year of School Callie Mac, we love you!

Banana Sundae

Not your typical ice cream sundae, but still very yummy! This breakfast is also so easy its not funny. Both girls loved it and has quickly become a favorite breakfast in our house.


Ingredients:
1 Banana
2-3 Strawberries
6-7 Blueberries
Several spoonfuls of yogurt, we've done strawberry and vanilla
The original recipe calls for granola, wasn't sure if Mac would go for that so I skipped that part


Cut the banana in half long ways, and lay it flat. Top with yogurt and fruit, then serve! See how easy!?!


Not only do the girls love it, but it's healthy, yay! We're loving our new go to's now, makes our meals fun again!

Enjoy!

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Weekend Fun

Do you ever have those weekends where going into it you don’t have much planned, if anything, and just say to yourself, well this is just going to be one of those uneventful weekends.  That’s how this weekend started for us, except something went right with the heaven above and it ended up being a blast! 

We started out Friday with meeting our teacher at school.  Mac was super excited that there was a kitchen she could play with.  We also got to meet some of the other kids that will be in her class, it’s safe to say that Callie is taller than all of them.

Saturday we woke up and headed to Blythewood.  Mom and Dad joined us for an estate sale I saw on Twitter. I had never been to one before and I was totally interested in seeing what that’s all about.  I’ve never seen anything like it,everything in the house was for sale- lights, fixtures, windows, plates, frames, beds, even the brick the house was made out of was being sold!  It wasn’t really might taste in things, but I did find a neat iron piece that I’m going to hang on our fence.  I’ll defiantly try another one to see what “treasure” I can find!

Then on Sunday we headed up to Charlotte, NC with Vaughn for some work and play!  Vaughn was headed up there for a selling/buying trip for the store and we decided we’d tag along.  Vaughn had to be there before much in Charlotte was open on a Sunday so we stuck around to see him purchase some ties and shirts.  Callie was super excited to help him out, and even got to pick out a swatch!

Sitting with Daddy picking out swatches

After a little while we headed out to Discovery Place.  I had only been there once when I was around 10 so it was neat to see it again (it looks nothing like I remember it, I guess they’ve done some updating, good for them).  Half of Discover Place was a little old for the girls, but the other was right up our alley.  She liked this iguana, she wasn’t afraid to touch- crazy!

sensing a theme here… By the way, I love the reflection of her face in this picture, love that face

Mac is very into “RAARRR”ing latley, so we came to these guys, that’s exactly what she did

Yes, Chloe came too!  We finally found an activity that she could participate in, a water table!  Thought this was awesome, she could sit right in the table.  She thought it was awesome as well, but you wouldn’t know by her face :)

After this we headed back to pick Vaughn up and head on home.  The girls were exhausted and thankfully napped the whole way home and even a little when we got there.  It was a great escape from our day to day here in Columbia and I think we’ll even make it a tradition!  I loved that the weekend turned out so fun for us without being planned.  Hope we have many more like them!

Couponing

I am now an avid couponer, yes the wife of the” ultimate consumer” cuts coupons!  A little over a year ago I took a class about couponing with Southern Savers, that’s right there are classes on such a thing.  I learned A LOT in that class, but only started using a few of her tricks when shopping,  Lately though I’ve decided to really use the techniques and see what happens.  I’m now obsessed and I can’t believe it took me this long to do it!  I don’t do exactly what Southern Savers teaches you to do, I’ve come up with my own system that works great for me, but the savings are the same.  Only giving it 30 minutes a week, I have saved $250 over the last two months.  Not sure about you, but that’s a lot with only one income coming in!  Don’t worry, I’m not going to turn into those crazy Extreme Couponer, well at least not anytime soon.  I will, however, continue to cut and use coupons whenever I can!

Chloe Cooking

Chloe was “cooking” in the kitchen with me when I realized something… I’ve seen this happen before.  We’ve been so lucky that Chloe fits into all of Callie’s clothes and this particular day I realized that not only was she wearing the same outfit, but doing the same thing, around the same age.

It’s Cooler in the Cooler

When it’s as hot as it is outside, and your kid is begging to go outside, and you don’t have a pool, you resort to playing with the water hose and a cooler.  Maybe the smallest pool ever, but it’s a lot cheaper than the real thing, and she had just as much fun as we do at the pool.  Of course playing in the water had to be sans clothing…Chloe is a huge fan of the water as well, and had a great time playing with her big sister

Doc stopped by for a visit but didn’t stay long.  He, unlike his sisters, does not like the water hose since it usually means a bath for himSilly girls!

They had so much fun playing together and it’s great to be able to be outside without being SO hot.  Enjoying the last few days of “summer” before Callie starts school!

Giggle Jiggle Parfaits

So we've been in a rut around here in the terms of food. We've been eating the same breakfast, lunch, snacks for WAY to long and I, and and the girls, needed a change. A while ago my mom gave me a kids themed cookbook- Fix It Quick, Cooking For Kids. I pulled it out the other day and we've been trying a few new recipes everyday!

So today we tried a new snack- Giggle Jiggle Parfaits. They were SO yummy!


We didn't have a parfait glass, but a wine glass (don't judge) worked just as well.


My taste tested approved!



Giggle Jiggle Parfait- I revised the original recipe, made it a little simpler
1 envelope worth of Jello, tropical flavor, cooked by the directions
1 container worth or Orange Cream flavored Yoplait yogurt
Two Strawberries cut up and several blueberries

After Jello has set, start assembling your parfait! Start with a layer of yogurt, then jello, some fruit. Repeat. Serve. Enjoy!

I've got some more recipes we've tried that I'll share soon. Here's to new good eats!

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Trouble

Can't you just see these two in a couple years causing all kinds of mischief...


Cause I can


Thank goodness, for their sake, they're cute!


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Callie Try's Makeup

Callie has always been interested in my makeup, and always asking if I can put some on her face. I usually dust some beige color over her eyes to make her happy. However, this particular day she didn't care for the way I put it "on" her and decided she would give it a go...


Apparently eye shadow goes on the eyebrows. Maybe trying to get mommy's thick, dark, needs to be plucked eyebrows?


And this is apparently smiling at the camera


She was very proud of her makeover, I was happy it wiped off. Thankfully she's not old enough to wear it out of the house just yet, I pray that day is still a ways away. Until then I'll let her continue practicing... once in a while...


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