Where We Are Today

This little blog has turned into such a great scrapbook for my life. When I started "blogging" years ago I really had no idea what I was doing. Let's be honest, I still don't. I've never blogged for "readers" or "followers" ... like to know it and linking to make money has never been my jam. Quality photos are a luxury around here, not a necessity. Formatting, spelling, grammar errors - yep they're all still here. And honestly, I'm a-ok with that. Because the more I blog, and the more I link back to passed memories, the more I am so thankful I'm doing it. For myself, and my family ... I love having both the photo to look at and my interpreation of what and why it took place.

I've been quiet around here the last month or so, because there has been SO much happening so fast. Life is legit a whirlwind and I'm just trying to keep up - one day at a time. I've got posts from Halloween I have yet to hit publish on (and hope to do so before Christmas rolls around), I've got some big updates on the house I'd love to share, I'm hoping to bring everyone up to speed on all things medical soon, and sprinkle in a lot of the in between life stuff too. And I'm so thankful I have this little space to remind me of all the things I have to be thankful for. All of the memories I've shared with everyone I love so dearly. And all of the blessings The Good Lord has bestowed upon my life.

So, while I work to put together some blogs about the past month or so, today I thought I'd check in and do a quick - Where We Are Today - at this time in our life. Beyond the pictures, and beyond the silly stories or the what we did this weekend - but really - where are we, as a family, in our lives. Because if it's a scrapbook, an update of what's happening behind the scenes deserves to be noted too.

Lainey // The littlest of the clan, and arguably the happiest, is all about family, friends and Mickey Mouse. You can find her waking up with the best bed head in the morning - throwing all of her blankets out of the crib with the toddler rail - excitedly squealing for someone to come and get her (or often being way to big of a little girl and walking all the way downstairs herself and crawling into our bed to wake us up), so she can put her paci back in the bowl and start her day. She heads downstairs for snuggles and always requests Mickey be turned on the TV. Within 15 minutes, she's made her way to the kitchen and is demanding breakfast or a snack. And then she plays, or joins along in the routine (preschool on Tuesdays and Thursdays) and everything in between until her 1.5 hour midday nap after lunch. Post nap she's ready for another snack and is back to playing with her babies ... putting them to bed and "changing" their diapers. If a door is open she's running outside, and if there is a pile of dirt she dives right in (literally). You have to watch her around anything that COULD be edible (read the fine print - just because it isn't edible, doesn't mean it CAN'T be) because if it can fit in your mouth Lainey will certainly attempt to eat it. She follows her brother around for a good remainder of the day and keeps the whole family laughing until it's time for bed. Food, fashion (ha!), all the fake makeup sessions and Mickey Mouse keep her going and as long as she's got her family and friends she's pretty content.

Bennett // Ahhh the smart one in the family. This little man is a 40 year old trapped inside a 4 year old's body and he's a force to be reckoned with. This mister starts his day with a mix of needing to be coaxed out of bed with promise of something sweet for breakfast, and/or on his own ready to take on the world if he went to bed early enough the night before. Pending which side of the bed he wakes up on, he's either ready to chat and watch some morning cartoons or you better stay out of his way - there typically is no in between for him. He's off to school Tuesday through Friday - although getting him to share many details about his day can be a bit of a challenge. But, his reports from his teachers/friends/and other mama's let us know he's totally killing it. When his little sister naps he can't wait to get his hands on an iPad for his quiet time and would play it all day if we would let him. He loves to recite movie quotes and has a memory sharp as a tack. On the weekends you can catch him playing midfield on some sports team, and looking for his buddies to wrestle with. He has the best stories, loves to incorporate some form of potty talk (preferably poop) into any conversation and you can always count on him to keep his sister out of harms way. He also told the entire family last week he intended to marry his mommy - so his heartthrob status is currently through the roof. He prefers a smaller circle than his sister, but if you're in it - you are IN IT and that's exactly where we all want to be!

Katie // I'm currently the one multi-tasking my way through life. I'm at that phase where my foot is halfway in one door, while halfway walking out of another. Three days out of the week I'm momming so hard -- the taxi cab to and from school, the meal maker, the boo-boo kisser, the story listerner, and the referree. The other two days I'm juggling between finding much needed "me" time and putting on my working girl hat. Please note however, my mornings ALWAYS begin with my husband making me coffee - and no matter how many years I plan to check-in like this, that will always remain the same - I am still NOT a morning person.  I frequent meetings for various family business things and I'm taking the photography hobby a little more seriously. I drink coffee atleast once a day (most days twice and occasionally three) and enjoy a glass of Pinot Noir on some evenings. I go through weird phases of being completely normal and fine and then sheer panic about my health. My Aunt constantly reassures me, I'm building a lot of character through this journey - so maybe one day I'll figure out what the purpose of that "character" is - but for now I'll continue to take it moment by moment.  My extroverted-self wanting all the friends all the time heart (ahem, my Lainey-ism) is slowly converting to more of a Bennett circle as I'm coming to the point in my life were friendships mean so much more than surface level - and I am so thankful for the friendships and relationships I have that continue to lift me up and bring me true fulfillment.  I'm working hard on my relationship with the Big Man Upstairs and learning that all of those other things I "need", I really don't. Life is slowly falling more into place, the kiddos are getting a little more self-reliant and I'm starting to see glimpses of my pre-mom self shining through :)

Shane // Ahh so much I could say about him from my eyes (all the heart eyes), but this is about him, so I'll move on. Shane is working his tail off in the beer biz. He's all things beer, all the time and he's feeling really fulfilled in his professional life. He's up early and home for dinner (most of the time) and his kiddos absolutely cannot wait to give him the world's biggest hug the moment he walks in the door. He's healthy and fulfilled, but life has been hard on him the last couple of  years. All of those closest to him have walked some pretty serious trials and tribulations, and he's had to remain super strong for everyone else. He's a walking Jana Kramer song lyric of being a boy and becoming a man - and while that sounds super cliche it's also super true. He's gone from a hot-headed boy to a cool and steady handed man, and it suits him really well. He's got most of it all together ... but if you ask him to pack the kiddos a lunch you might have a melt down on your hands. When he's not hustling beer, he's being super dad and giving the best advice about "being tough" while coaching Mr. B in flag football, or getting even further wrapped around Lainey's finger. You can find him playing the tripping game most nights with the kiddos in the basement and he's the fearless nightly leader of bath and bedtime. If there's one thing he knows better than beer, it's the written text from cover to cover of "Goodnight Moon, Where the Wild Things Are, and The Kissing Hand". He's the world's biggest optimist with lofty business dreams and a fierce love for his people. And we simply couldn't love him more.

As we head into a week of Thanksgiving - I'm so thankful. Thankful for our family and the three people I get to call mine <3 What an honor and a blessing.

What's Up Wednesday: October 2017 Edition

So apparently, this blog is basically now only for checking in on the last Wednesday of every month to recap you on everything we've done for the past 30 days. Geesh! I've got so much going on these days and this poor little blog just hasn't made it in my top 10 list even though I so desperately want it to. My goal is to work a little from bed each night, but by the time I crawl into the covers I'm either so ready to turn my brain off and watch mindless TV or I'm asleep before I begin typing - there seems to be no in between.

We are full force immersed into "the blur" phase of life (side note, if you're emotional today, I warn you do not click that link and read about that dear momma's sweet spot. But if you're up for it - read on, because it is a healthy dose of reality for us momma's that are 100% IN THE BLUR) and there are many of days I'm just out here on my island looking inland yelling S.O.S., but the waves seem to loud for anyone to hear. However, in that blur is a big heaping messy pile of life and we continue to dive in head first. Constantly curating new memories, adding things to an overly crowded schedule, all the while balancing a good home life balance and working side by side with my hubby to enjoy our children. It's a tall order, but I'm used to snagging the Venti at Starbucks ... so I'm getting along just fine.

Anywhoodles, without veering too far off course, let's get right down to it shall we? Here's What's Up Wednesday where I write about these topics:

What We're Eating This Week: Soup! Fall is in the air full force, brisk breezes, a cool chill - all the things. So we've busted out the big ole' soup pot and are adding all the yummy things to it! We also were munching on the leftover Caramel Apple Dip recipe I shared earlier this week too :) YUM!

What I'm reminiscing about: Last year's Halloween :) I've said it before, but I LOVE making my kiddos Halloween costumes. Last year was so special because Bennett was simply HUMPTY DUMPTY obsessed, and this year that phase is WAYYY long gone and it makes my heart ache a little. He was so big and so small at the same time. It was a great Halloween memory and I can't wait to have another one in the archives this year. Time to get to burning my fingertips with hot glue! HA!

What I'm loving: Family photo season! I love love love fall family photo sessions. Yes, the outfit search is daunting. Yes, the "smile like you love me" threats are real. Yes, you're full on sweating by the end of it. Yes, most of the time they are a hot mess and close to zero of the images turn out ... HOWEVER - I still love it. I love having the photos to look back on year after year. I love watching our styles change. I love seeing the kiddos change. I love the time together and the laughs we have at breakfast or dinner afterward. I opted to take photos of my littles myself this year and booked a simple mini session to get the "one" shot for the Christmas card :) and if all else fails - I took a selfie of us all before the shoot!

And bonus - I'm getting to photograph a bunch of other families this year too -- and sharing their photos is also something I love. <3

What we've been up to: More like what have we NOT been up to. Gosh, EVERYTHING! Pumpkin patches, birthday parties, family gatherings, sports games, play dates, school open houses, all of the above! ... To name a few ...
The kiddos had their 6th month check up at the dentist and both passed with flying colors!

I took them to Target to let them pick out a treat for being so awesome and they landed on robes and slippers and it made me laugh hysterically that this was their choice.

When Papaw has extra time at lunch he pops in for a quick treat drop off and Mario Kart race and the kids are LOVING having them so close.

 We seem to find ourselves in the car a lot lately.

 And we've been celebrating our boys in Purple! They clinched the Eastern Conference Title and we're now in the quarter finals of the playoffs. We had a huge celebration on the field after last week's game and it was such a fun time.

The birthday brigade rolls on and this little fella makes his rounds to all of the parties.

And Shane's cousin Mary came in from Seattle and stayed with us this past weekend and it was so good to catch up!

What I'm dreading: Still November. November is going to be a HUGE visit (PET scan, CT scan, MRI of the abdomen, MRI of the brain, blood work, derm visit) THE WORKS. And there are a couple of really subtle spots they've been watching for a long time and we think this visit will kind of determine a decision one way or another (if they've changed). Sooo ... while it's still a while away - I'm dreading it. It's been heavy on my heart. We actually had to visit Nash just this week because they found a couple of other things we had to deal with before the scans (WOMP) - but all is looking to be a-ok at the moment. Plus, while we're away and receive pictures like this is makes it seem a little better :) I promise I know everyone an update on this topic - and plan to do a full write up post the November visit.

What I'm working on: Halloween costumes and Lainey's birthday party! The kiddos helped me mail the invites last week and Lainey was so excited to see a party piece all her own!

What I'm excited about: More fireside chats! We built our inaugural fire last week and everyone LOVED it! Hubs and I sat outside and chatted with a cool breeze in the air while the kiddos played. It was the best family night and I look forward to many many more before the first snowfall lands.

What I'm watching/reading: I actually just wrapped up GirlBoss on Netflix. It's the loose retelling of the gal behind the web retailer: NastyGal and I really enjoyed it. It was super light hearted and really easy to watch, plus I think the actress is super cute. I'm a little stuck on Game of Thrones right now and need to push through - but see above intro for my TV thoughts ... so there's that.

What I'm listening to: I'm still trying to finish my audible book, China Rich Girlfriend. I think I'm really close to being done, but I just can't seem to finish it. I really really like it - but devoting time to finally check it off the list has been a challenge this month.

What I'm wearing: FALL CLOTHES! Hoodies, booties, and fall galore. YAYYY! My uniform is back in action. Lainey also busted out a new wardrobe and has officially hit the "I need all new clothes" phase because she is growing like a weed!

What I'm doing this weekend: We've got a fun weekend planned! Our niece and nephew are staying with us Friday night while their parents jet set to California. Saturday we're toying with a quick trip to Lexington and making a Keeneland stop and if we feel crazy even going to the UK/UT game. Or, we may find something to do during the day at home on Saturday and go to the LCFC tourney game here in Louisville - so many options :)

What I'm looking forward to next month: Lainey's 2nd birthday party, all the Thanksgiving feasts and a quick trip to Chi-town, some plans to get underway at the studio (more to come at 11), and the kickoff to the holidays! I love this time of year!

What else is new: The kiddos really seem to be settling in. School is in full swing and they are right in the middle of the action. Our besties brought a new baby into the world, LEO, and we had some fun times with our man Charlie while his momma and daddy were at the hospital.

 Bennett showed us around his school at their fall open house and we meet with his teachers for conferences in a few weeks. Most notably, he's one of the smallest in the class :) hah!

 And speaking of his school - we had a super fun play date with his buddies at the park this passed weekend and while the dirt and chocolate wouldn't come out of our clothes - the kids had a blast.

And that's what's up around here this Wednesday - see ya next month!

Resurrecting the Swing Set

If we were meeting for lunch, or chatting over a cup of coffee today and we were to discuss the topic of marital disputes ... I would be OVERJOYED to tell you a six month battle in our home has finally be put to rest. That's right ... a SIX MONTH BATTLE ... all about a stinking' swing set!

Now, before I start pointing fingers and tell you how it's all (ahem, obviously) Shane's fault ... I should mention a few things. We purchased this swing set for Bennett about two year's ago for his birthday. All of the family members chipped in, and it was the perfect addition to our new yard in Nashville, TN.

However, when purchasing said swingset - I had no idea we'd be moving to Louisville so quickly - nor did I know the company I purchased it from was super southern based and the northern most city they service was Nashville, TN. So, fast forward to our big move back to to Louisville, KY and couple that with unpacking and realizing we cannot find any of the screws to put the swingset together and we've got ourselves a real mess.

Long story short - Shane moved hell and high water to hunt down all of the random screws (who knew there were special stores for that kind of thing?) and the process of gathering all of the pieces - along with finding someone who would put the swings back together (because other companies wouldn't service someone else's product) and do it with safety in mind so our kids won't hurt themselves proved to be a real challenge.

So, we were faced with two options - and annoying amount of time in between - and one perfectly divided martial dispute. Side A) this is taking way too much time, money and everything else and I simply can't talk about it anymore - let's just get rid of it and buy a new one (Katie)... and Side B) ABSOLUTELY not, that thing is basically brand new, and we can make this work (Shane).
The conversation went round and round and lasted entirely too long -- so last week I put my foot down. Either the swing set is up and ready to play by this weekend ... or I'm purchasing a new one. And would you look at that ... Hubs found a way to make it happen!!

We picked up Bennett from school and told the kiddos to head to the backyard ...
You may notice Lainey's sandals (ahem, Bennett's sandals) because she is refusing to wear anything else but his shoes. And I'm picking my battles.  And believe it or not ... that face right there tell me the sixth month battle was worth every minute.

 They were so surprised and so excited!

 "The bumpy slide! I've missed you old friend!"

 And this little bit can't get enough of the swings.

 We're so glad to have a swing set grace our back yard again. Thanks daddy for all of your hard work!

Toddler Talk - Chapter V

Well, I did a really great job at keeping you all up to date with our Toddler Talk around here. I haven't shared a new chapter to this story in nearly a year and a half ... and Lainey hasn't even been included yet! Sheesh! So I'm gonna do my best to bring that up to speed today.

• first chapter here
• second chapter here
• third chapter here
• fourth chapter here

Ya'll we've been blessed (a term used loosely pending how long we've been in the car) with some kiddos that TALK. And the talk and sing and talk and sing just about ALL. OF. THE. TIME.  However, occasionally mixed in with these crazy stories are funny words or wrong ways to say things and those are the highlights of our day. And they're items from childhood that I'd prefer not to forget - and these days, unless I write it down - I forget it.  So, here are some of our current favorites:

Bennett - 4 year old Toddler Talk

Lainey - 2 year old Toddler Talk

1. Maflage [adj. Ma-flaw-jsha]
• kiddo that says it: Bennett
• meaning: camouflage
• Example
• It took us nearly 2 weeks to figure out what this word meant. And he would get so mad at us everytime. He often uses it when he's playing hide and go seek - and God love him - just can't seem to get it right
2. Grill [n.]
• kiddo that says it: Bennett
• meaning: Girl
• Example
• Sadly this is one is on its way out the door. He still uses it every once in a while, but our little mister has finally almost mastered Girl. 
3. Peas [n.]
• kiddo that says it: Lainey
• meaning: Prayers
• Example
• we let the kiddos take turns saying prayers at dinner. Bennett always recites "God our father, God our Father, once again, once again, we bow our heads and thank you , we bow our heads and thank you, Ah-men." Lainey on the other hand recites "Thank you for the food we eat, thank you for the friends we meet, thank you for the birds that sing, thank you God for everything!"
4. No You Not
• kiddos that says it: Lainey
• meaning: No you won't
• Example
• often screamed as she runs away from you when you tell her anything you're about to do: catch her, brush her hair, change her diaper, etc.
5. Elmo [n.]
• kiddos that says it: Lainey
• meaning: Elbow
• Example
• Lainey and Bennett love to play Simon Says and Red Light, Green Light ... while playing Simon Says - when it is Lainey's turn to lead, or if she falls and scrapes it, you have Elmo's not Elbows - and it's adorable and I don't plan to correct her at anytime. 
6. Stummy Ache
• kiddo that says it: Bennett
• meaning: Tummy Ache
• Example
• this one is basically through too --- but I need to account for it - because it was SO CUTE
7. Holeju [v. Hol-jew]
• kiddo that says it: Lainey
• meaning: Hold Me
• Example
• we always used to ask lainey "Do you want me to hold you" when we would go up and down stairs, etc ... so when she wants to be carried she looks at you and says "Hold YOU!"
8. Cokeynuts [n. Coke-ee-nuts]
1. kiddo that says it: Lainey
2. meaning: Coconuts / Moana
3. Example
1. there is song in Moana where they say "we eat from the coconuts, so I believe, the island give us what we need" - Lainey knows and loves that song - and when she wants to hear it or watch the movie she screams COKEYNUTS

They're getting bigger every day and the mishap words are more and more fleeting. Watching them change, seemingly overnight makes my heart ache a little ... but man is it FUN!

Have a great week gang!!

A Day In My Life

We went to our basement one night last week to have a movie night. Complete with popcorn, extra blankets, beverages for everyone and let the kiddos pic the feature film. Scrolling through their options they both easily agreed on Smurfs. And when the kids land on a "decent" family film that we haven't seen 400 times Hubs and I click "select" way too fast. We're in the "watch every movie we like on repeat" ALWAYS phase right now and while I love to listen to Branch (aka Justin Timberlake) sing his little Troll heart out - I'm about O.V.E.R. it :) 

So, Smurfs it was and we all snuggled up for movie night. If you've seen the movie you would probably agree with me, it's a solid mix between Trolls and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. All of the Smurfs have themed names based on what their talents are. I.e. Hefty is the strong one, Brainy is the smart one, etc. but the one that made us all laugh hysterically for some reason was Nosey - aka - the nosey/in everyone's business one. One scene in particular was in the beginning when everyone is being introduced and Nosey walks by a window, peers his little head in and in this silly voice said "Hey what's going on in here?!" - to which the Smurfs reply "MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS" and he walks off and said "Oh, alright."

Not funny at all right? Right. Except his voice is spot on, and Bennett and I love to resight it to one another all the time and it makes us laugh - so I thought I would share :) Also, wanted to let you in on a little secret that Nosey Smurf is the inspiration behind today's post. I always love reading when other blogger's share their day. Nothing special, nothing fancy, just "A Day in The Life." It let's me be a little nosey and I also love spying on THOSE moms that seem to do EVERYTHING ... and I'm always "HOW DO THEY DO IT?! I WISH I COULD JUST SEE INTO THEIR LIFE FOR ONE DAY!" ... I am certainly NOT one of THOSE moms ... we barely keep things a float around here. But, nevertheless - if you're interested - here's "A Day In The Life." A Thursday to be exact. A Thursday in September 2017.

6:20 am ~ Shane heads to a Men's bible study early on Thursday mornings, so I got up soon after he left to start my day. About 6:20 I was pouring hot coffee in a quiet house in the morning. I should also note - this is a great perk about my husband - he makes the coffee everyday :) Usually we drink it out of Tervis Tumblers and it's almost always on my nightstand waiting for me before my feet ever hit the floor. But, on occasional mornings I prefer the warmth of holding a mug and cozying up.

 After a few sips of coffee and a little background morning news, I packed up Bennett's lunch box.

6:52 am ~ Then headed to my office to finish up some work before I needed to get the kiddos up for school. Bennett goes to school Tuesday - Friday and stays late on both Wednesday and Thursday. Lainey heads to school on Tuesdays and Thursdays and has extended day on Thursday - so it's usually my full day to get A LOT done for the week. I had a session from the week before I was sending out, and needed to organize a few meetings and get some emails out in the inter webs.

 7:49 am ~And before I knew it - little miss was hollering "MOMMY, DADDY" Ya'll this girl is the happiest little on the planet. What person wakes up EVERYDAY with a smile from ear to ear and hugs galore?! Okay actually, both my mother and my husband do too ... but I certainly do not - NOT a morning person over here (and my sweet B isn't either), but little miss and her daddy are always so happy :) and she always looks so well rested.

 Then we got ready for school ... I always struggle with whether or not I should get her dressed before or after breakfast (because she's ridiculously messy) but this morning, Shane was gone I knew I didn't have an extra hand and we had time which meant we could give Bennett the extra time to sleep (which is always a good choice) ... so we got ready first.

 8:00 am ~ time to wake up Bubby! Complete with the "good morning to you - monkey song" our kiddos favorite and lots of kisses and snuggles while he was "still waking up" - his favorite thing to say in the mornings.

 I coaxed him into FINALLY getting out of bed with bribery and letting him know I had cinnamon rolls in the oven for breakfast :) Making my kiddos cinnamon rolls in the morning before school takes me straight back to my childhood. We were a cereal house for the most part during the week ... I have two brothers and it always seemed like we were rushing to head out the door to school ... BUT on the mornings my mom woke up early and had it all together she ALWAYS ALWAYS made cinnamon rolls and walking downstairs to that smell was THE BEST. The other times we didn't have cereal were the mornings dad took us to school (which was always WAYYY too early) and we'd have to wait in the cafeteria for school to start - BUT - it usually also included a McD's breakfast stop before school too -- which was also a great addition to the morning. But here's my little mini me - still tired and swollen and only awake because someone promised him something delicious :)

 8:15 am ~ we make our way to the kitchen, land on some morning cartoons we all agree are suitable for our breakfast and dig in.

 While the kiddos scarf some food - I tend to the rest of the morning chores before we have to scurry out the door - feed the dog, get the rest of the school bags packed and in the car, make sure I have all of my items I'll need for the day, etc.

 Then get mister Bennett dressed and head to the garage (it was purple day at school for B and we were hard pressed to find purple in his wardrobe - luckily our boys in purple - Louisville City - came through for us!)

  **** OKAY -- so here's a little something I'm sharing that was certainly the biggest LOW of my entire day -- and these photos were actually taken way later in the afternoon --- but need to be placed here to chronologically make sense. Y'all --- just thinking back and typing this is making me sweat. Alright, so I opened the garage door, turned the car ON to get some air flowing and opened the Bennett's back car do to let the kid "climb up" in their seats ... then I realized I'd forgotten to take Maggie out so I told them to hop in their seats while I walked Maggie to the patch of grass two feet away.

I turned my back to literally say "Maggie go potty" turned back around and THE GARAGE DOOR WAS CLOSED! The car was on, my keys were in the ignition, my phone was in my purse IN THE CAR, and SO WERE MY CHILDREN!!!!! Inside the garage, with a car running, near all kind of garage tools and stuff that still hasn't been properly put away since the move and I had NO WAY TO GET TO THEM!! Our garage does not have a keypad installed yet and my keys were in the car. I started FRANTICALLY screaming Bennett's name thinking I could coach him through how to help me, but he started screaming back that he had already buckled himself into his car seat (a great trick he knows how to do at literally EVERY moment but this one) and a straight PANICKED!

Everything went through my head - should I run to the neighbors? Do I kick in the brand new garage door, all the things that could go wrong, EVERYTHING! I started kicking the side door repeatedly, when I realized we have a side door with a glass top ... and a cute lawn owl (that also is a story for another time) that would be able to break the glass and I could unlock the door from the outside. So out come my mama bear claws and VOILA - I'm back inside. What felt like 3 hours was probably more like 5 minutes but HOLY SMOKES. Garage keypad will be installed next week :)

9:15 am - 20 minutes late for school and I need a shower - but both kids are dropped off and I'm a free woman for a few hours.

 9:30 am - I'm waiting at a body shop to get an estimate on my latest brilliant move of backing into my neighbors mailbox - such a great way to say welcome to the neighborhood - DUNCE CAP. Luckily Fixer Upper was on in the waiting room :) PERK!

 10:15 am - I realize in the midst of the breaking the window craziness I forgot to grab my breakfast - so after my car appointment I was STARVING, and certainly needed more coffee.

 10:45 am ~ I had a bunch of errands to run - so that took up most of my time until it was time to pick up little Lou Bug.

 12:00 pm ~ Lainey usually has extended day on Thursdays, but she couldn't this week - so I had to  snag little Miss from school at normal time and we headed home to have some lunch.

 12:30 pm~ lunch time for me and little bit. We chatted about her day while I sorted through the mail.

 1:15 pm ~ I laid little miss down for her afternoon nap and headed back to my office to finish the work I'd started that morning. Emails never end folks. Neither does laundry. While I tackled some afternoon work, I also streamed Game of Thrones on HBO Go because it's currently on my much watch list. I've just started season 4 and cannot believe the way season 3 ended! AHHH!

This is also usually where Hubs and I check in with one another about our days - he was in Evansville helping with the canning line for the new Falls City Beer can launch, so he was sending me all the photos like a kid in a candy store. 

 3:39 pm ~ I woke little miss up from her nap around 2:40 and we loaded up the car once again to snag her brother from his extended day. After we picked him up we headed to the mall. My mom needed me to check something out for her so we stopped in real quick and then took a few minutes to have a cookie break and throw some monies into the fountain.

 4:45 pm ~ we're finished with our errands and business for the day and head home to play, hang and be home! Everything from stickers, to Trolls bowling, sidewalk chalk, and hide and seek. We also set up our Himylayan salt lamp that I've been wanting to try and the kids loved the fancy orange glow!

 6:20 pm ~ their sassy attitudes remind me it's time to start thinking about dinner. Shane was headed to Cinci for the Thursday night Bengals game which meant I was home alone with the littles and also meant I was splurging on dinner :) Postmates sushi for me. YAY!

 And leftover pizza and fruit for the kiddos!

 While the kids ate dinner, we worked on our monthly Highlights magazine that had arrived (B really loves the hidden picture puzzles)

7:00 pm ~ After the kiddos were done eating I sent them to the basement to bounce off the last bit of energy before bedtime, while I called our alarm company to handle some doorbell issues we've been having, and wait for my dinner to arrive (postmates was way behind). Dinner arrived. The doorbell was working, the kids were playing nicely and I sat down to listen to my book and eat my dinner in peace ...

But, that's hilarious because after two pieces of Sushi the kids were screaming at each other. Lainey was crying "Bubby hit me" and Bennett was arguing his case that it didn't happen the way she was saying it went down. So, my yummy sushi sat on the counter while I played bounce house and basement toys to avoid anymore nighttime meltdowns. BTW - this bounce house is from Amazon, we bought it for Bennett's 3rd birthday party on their Cyber Monday sale and it was the best money we EVER spent!

 Daddy sent us "look how much fun I'm having" pictures and I secretly roll my eyes while I break up yet another fight :) hah!

8:15 pm ~ mama calls the bath and bedtime alarm .. and while I'm scrubbing off my makeup, I hear Bennett yelling LAINEY DON'T DO THAT! and come back in the bathroom to find her "helping" her stuffed animals go potty -- which translates as completely summering them into the toilet. Which reminds me, they are currently still int he guest bathtub and I should probably throw those things in the washer.  RASCALS!!

8:40 pm ~ We put on our pjs, brush our teeth, take our allergy medicines, and pick a couple of books to read together. Bennett was EXHAUSTED - so I tucked him in first, kissed him goodnight and little Lou and I headed to her room for a few more books that are better suited for her age before tucking her in.

 9:00 pm ~ the house is silent, dinner is FINALLY served and Game of Thrones is streaming once again. I head to bed around 10:45 and wake up to do {most} of it all again the very next day! :)

And there you have it folks! A day in the life. Nothing glamorous, nothing fancy - just a normal day for us. And we're glad to have them. Cheers to many more normal days ~ and the freakin' weekend!