Long Time, No Blog...

So it's been almost two months since I've blogged. It's not that there wasn't anything to blog about. It's just that there's SO much going on and no time to blog.

What is it about the change of weather that brings on every germ and virus known to man? Top that off with it being still early in school, fresh germs to share and Voila! You have the crud every other week that your two children feel is the ONLY thing they're willing to share. Yay!

I feel like I'm in a fog lately for so many reasons. I've tried to go over them and reason them out but blah is just all I come up with. It's officially fall and twice in my life, I was pregnant during the fall. I think that makes me a little sad and happy at the same time. I'm not even sure if that makes sense. Just so many memories of those two times during this time of year that made fall/winter bearable. I hate that it gets darker sooner now and we haven't even hit the time change yet. And all this rain lately just tops it all off. But once we get these immune systems built up, this weather straightened out and my biological clock under control...maybe, just maybe things will not feel so topsy turvy.

What else has gone on.....Gracie loves third grade and her teacher, Mrs. Christmas, is wonderful. I am now officially a room mother...no big deal to some, I guess, but I never saw myself doing that. But I jumped in with both feet and I'm glad I did. I'm really enjoying it. We just got through our first big thing, the Fall Festival for the Elementary School and our booth, The Haunted Forest Apple Toss, won 2nd place out of every class in the school! Our head room mother and her family did an amazing job with the booth and decorations, setting it up to look like a scene from the Wizard of Oz. I ended up spending most of the night there working the booth and it was constantly busy with a line waiting, so that was a great turnout. And most importantly, the kids really enjoyed themselves and that's what it's all about.

Jackson is still potty training and that gets more interesting every single day. He can, completely on his own, come up with some things that just floor me.

For example....

Mommy: Let's go try to poop, ok?

Jackson: Otay. I try. It's coming! It's coming! Do you want big ones or little ones?

Mommy: How about a big one and some little ones. We'll try both.

Jackson: Otay, it's coming! And the little ones go plop, plop, plop.

Mommy: Wow...yes they do. How about we just do that and not discuss it so much in detail?

Another example of my child's very honest outlook in the world of potty training....

Daddy: Do you need to go try and poop?

Jackson: I already pooped.

Daddy: Yeah, that's what I was afraid of. Let's go clean you up.

Jackson: I made a hamburger! ( I will refrain from details here but you get the picture)

...my child makes a poop in his diaper and then decides that it does infact resemble a hamburger...and when I think it can't possibly get any more detailed by a two year old, he tells us the other night that he pooped a hamburger steak. I'm telling you....you just can't make this stuff up....the kid is a creative genius and for some reason obsesses about food and pottying at the same time..but that's another therapy session altogether. So.......enough of that subject!

We just had another amazing photo session with Julie Cottrell (check my followers to see her blog and go to her website! You won't be disappointed!) We started out at the Peanut Depot in downtown Birmingham and walked the cobblestone streets and just let Julie's gears turn and click that camera. She has absolutely spoiled me and I'll never go to another photographer again. I've said it before, but she is an absolute dream to work with and I LOVE that she loves onsite photography and doesn't cram you in a small room with cheesy backdrops. She truly photographs people's lives as they're living them and captures their true personalities. I am sooooo excited to see how the pictures turned out! I've only seen just one proof and already I was crying because she is that good! It's amazing the people God puts into your life and how much richer your life is because of it....and any photographer that will actually lay down on the ground....in downtown Birmingham.... just to get the right angle .....I'm telling you...no one else will ever compare or have my attention for photos!

The kids are excited about Halloween coming up. This is the first year that Jack sorta kinda understands the concept of the whole thing. We are also going to pass out flyers in the neighborhood behind our church before Halloween, and then go back that night and "Trick or Treat so others may eat". This is where people can leave out can food for us to pick up on Halloween night as they Trick or Treat, and we collect them for our church to put together Thanksgiving baskets to families who might not be able to have a Thanksgiving dinner. I'm glad we're doing this because it shows the kids that there is more to life than going out and just getting from people....there's also giving back to others. I'm sure they'll come home with tons of candy on top of it all too, so it's a win/win situation. Now I just have to get their costumes all together....

Jack is a Nick Jr (formerly Noggin) fanatic and is hooked on the cartoon, Max and Ruby (a big sister/little brother rabbit sibling show)....so...through Grace's creativity, they have decided to work together this Halloween and become Max and Ruby. I still have a few pieces to come together, but I'm sure it'll be fun for them and of course, I'll post pictures after Halloween!

I've been going consignment shop crazy lately. Every fall and spring, you always have a list of them going on and I've hit just about every one the last few weeks. It tires you out, especially spending weeks getting things together as a seller and tagging, pinning, hanging, etc...but the payoff is you get to make money to turn and spend it at another consignment, rack up closets full of seasonal clothes needed at that time, skip the Galleria/mall traffic and save a ton of money. What's not to love about all that?

Other than all that, we're just taking life day by day and watching our babies grow more and more. It's times like this you just want to slow things down and enjoy them more, because you know they aren't going to be little like this forever. But life is amazing and going well and we're so blessed and amazed by everything God does for us.

Happy Fall to Everyone!