My Kind of Reality

So, I am addicted to The Bachelor and The Bachelorette. I know they're silly for the most part.  I know half the people who go on the shows are just looking for attention and some TV time in hopes of becoming famous.  But I can't help it. I am so addicted.

At the end of each season, when it ends badly and the guy/girl picks the one that the faithful watchers are no doubt sitting behind their screens yelling for them "Get a clue and see them for who they are!" and "OMGosh, how can you pick THAT one??"...I vow to never watch it again.  Then a few months later, I get reality TV amnesia and the roller coaster ride begins again.

I often wonder if I would watch it so faithfully if I weren't happily married.  But then again, I could very well be even more obsessed with it if I were single and looking.  But either way, I get sucked back into it when the first commercials begin and then find myself magically entranced as I make sure the DVR is set to record the train wreck. 

The other morning, we were at Chick-fil-A to eat breakfast.  We go to sit in a booth and I sit across from Jackson.  He looks around and he's kind of quiet....then moves his hand towards the ever present vase of fresh carnations.  I'm about to tell him to put it down and I notice his sweet yet mischievous smile so I automatically wonder what's up.  He takes the vase and looks down at it for a minute, then looks at me and says oh-so-seriously...."Mommy....will you accept this rose?"  He tells me how much he loves me and that I will always be his love. Between trying to keep a serious face and tell him that of course I accept it, and laughing to myself in between sighs, I realize.....this is the best reality of all....TV or no TV.

Have a great week!

Lazy Blogger

Apparently, life keeps happening faster than anticipated and you go almost a year to the day before you blog again. Not sure why it happens like this when it's something I know I love doing.

Recently, a friend on Facebook started her own blog and I've been reading her posts the last few days. They are hilarious and insightful and truly reminded me how much I love to blog when I actually remember to do it...so here goes...yet again.

To play catch up, Gracie is now 11 and going into the 6th grade (yikes). Jackson is now 5 and will be going into Kindergarten this coming August (double yikes). Not sure which breaks my heart more...seeing how grown up she is or the thought of him walking out the door daily and someone else being in charge of him. I may or may not need a prescription to deal with this.

And to top all this off, we are halfway to seeing our third little blessing!  We found out last month that we are expecting a baby girl.  It's been a pretty easy pregnancy minus the surprise of having gestational diabetes this time around.  I'm guessing it has a lot to do with my body being all upside down and first time being pregnant after having gastric bypass two years ago.  But...it's not too terribly bad.  I have to poke myself three times a day to check my blood sugar and give myself insulin once a day right before bed. And my levels are good, weight gain is decent....all in all, not bad.

The weird thing this time around is being told by the doctor that I'm not eating enough. Compare that to the first two pregnancies where I ate anything that wasn't tied down (and probably a few things that were), and it's a very very different perspective.  Hopefully that just means that the baby weight won't take *ahem* five years or more to disappear this time!

So, we're getting into baby mode slowly by buying little things here and there and preparing the house room by room.  Little updating here, fresh coat of paint there, and some rearranging all over.  I'm glad we still have four months to go so we can get it all done!

We had a baby cake reveal last month at church. That was exciting! We had gone to the doctor on that Monday and had the ultrasound but we didn't want to be told what we were having.  So I had our sweet technician step out of the room and she called my cake lady (Cakes by AmyBeth!) and told her.  I did everything I could for the next two days to keep myself busy until dinner at church Wednesday night!  Finally, when it was time, Lawrence set up a live camera feed, and our family in Texas was able to share our moment with us when we cut the cake.  I would have been absolutely blessed and happy, boy or girl....but to see the inside of that PINK cake just put me over the moon!  So...we should be saying hello to our sweet Sarah Kate @ October 10 or so!

Lawrence still works hard.  Gracie is still my brainiac. And Jackson is still obsessed with super heroes and super villians. Some things never change and I'm glad for that.  I'll deal with enough changes in four more months!

I'll end this blog with some recent Jacksonisms to maybe cause a smile or two.

God bless!

Jackson crawls up in my lap and starts hugging on me and says...."Mommy, I love you with all my heart....because you take care of me, you protect me, you do such nice things for me, and you don't hit me and you never try to kill me." Gotta love that complete honesty and appreciation, huh?

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When Jackson is home and Gracie is at school, the superheroes are tough. They fight. They push around the bad guys. They save the day.

When Gracie is home and Jackson has talked her into playing, suddenly Thor takes lunch breaks, Wolverine is a dad, and Hulk and Abomination go out to eat at Chili's after work.

Oh the changes a woman can bring!

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Random out of nowhere Friday thoughts and questions from a four year old.... "Do kangaroos get pregnant? We should feed sushi to eagles because it's fancy and they would like it. You know they call them dolphins because they have fins but I'm not sure what a dolph is. I know all this because I'm already a marine biologist."

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After asking Lawrence to do something for me, he replies, "That's going to require more kisses." Jackson's reply was, "That's going to require more throwing up." Ah, romance as a Mom and Dad!  

*Knock* *Knock*

So, it's been....um, well over a year since I've written. Nothing like completely dropping the ball, eh? But, it's been an eventful year if that counts for anything!

I haven't written since last March so let's see what's gone on. Since then, Gracie is now 10. She finished third grade, started fourth grade, flew through and now is ready for fifth grade this coming August! She had a great school year with Mrs. Frankl. She competed and won her classroom spelling bee, her school spelling bee and then won her district spelling bee! And even though we went on to the county spelling bee but lost, we are so incredibly proud of her! She studied like crazy, even on holidays/vacations and her hard work truly showed. She made all A's throughout the year and ended by being asked to be a safety patrol the next school year. So, so proud!

Jackson is now 4 years old and every bit as funny as he's always been. We are FINALLY 100% potty trained (woot woot!) and life is good! His latest obsessions are super heroes/ super villians. He can name every one of them and tell you what they do and what they look like. Amazes me....though he does get in a little trouble when he says, "Mommy, don't make me angry...you won't like it when I'm angry!"

We also have a new addition to our sweet family. My niece, Addison Faith McBrayer was born May 13, 2010. She is precious and has the sweetest little laugh. And when she smiles that little squenched up face and shows you her little teeth....sigh. Just turns me to goo.

As of last weekend, my sister, Kelly, her husband, Anthony and my niece and nephew, Erin and Braden....are officially Texans! Anthony accepted a job in Houston and headed out there right after Memorial Day. Mom and Dad headed out last weekend with Kelly and the kids and have been unloading and unpacking all week. I always felt one of us would end up in Texas. I just thought it would be me! But I know that God has a plan and that this isn't for good. It's just a small detour in the bigger journey!

After a lot of prayer and asking God for direction, I finally listened to Him and began to work with our Pastor's wife, Mrs. Margaret, in forming a women's ministry. It's our Proverbs 31 ministry and we meet once a month to come together with food, fun and fellowship. It's a time to get together and take off our "Wife" and "Mom" name tags and just be women talking and sharing together. We have games and prizes and fun things to get to know each other better. We have tons of great food and always have a devotional time to dig into the Word. It has been such a blessing to participate and be with these ladies and I know that God is truly guiding it every step of the way.

I'm now a sorta-kinda working woman too! In February of this year, I joined 31 Gifts as a consultant, and I love it! It's a Bible based company started by a woman in her own home and has grown by leaps and bounds over just a few short years. The company is based on the Proverbs 31 woman and they encourage us as women to live that Proverbs 31 life, be the woman we know God has made us to be and to enjoy life and all of God's blessings. Not to mention that the products are sooo adorable! I promised God that if He would help me be the woman I need to be in leading a woman's group at church, then I would put my consultant job into His hands and let Him guide it in whatever direction He sees fit. And He has done that far and beyond my wildest imagination. I am truly so blessed! Here's my link! https://www.mythirtyone.com/MelissaHillis

This past weekend, we were so blessed first to celebrate another Father's Day and honor my wonderful father and the most amazing father to my two children. We had a great day in the Lord and were finally able to meet our sweet missionaries, the Andrzejewski family! Bro. Michael, Sis. Nina, and their beautiful FIVE children were such a blessing! It was so nice to be able to finally hug them and see them in person. And the message that Bro. Michael brought was God inspired and touched so many hearts.

Yes, our life is busy and some days we don't really know if we're coming or going...but what a wonderful ride it is! God is blessing us left and right both in our home and at church. I love with my Jesus shows off! It's a crazy life as a wife and mom but I wouldn't have it any other way!

I'm still alive..I promise!

So I guess I took a 5 month hiatus from blogging. It wasn't intentional but neither is half the things that happen in our daily lives these days. Let's see what's going on.....

Well, back in February, after 2 years of praying and researching and doctor visits and poking and prodding...I finally had gastric bypass surgery! I know...a major major step and change in my life, but I think it will be so worth it in the long run. A lot of people don't understand my decision and think I either made the wrong choice. And I've actually had a few people feel sorry for me because of it. But in all honesty, it's one of the best decisions I've ever made. I know I'll be healthier because of it and I'll prolong my life with my family. Not to mention it will go a long way in easing up my back pain. I can eat pretty much anything now...just not a lot at a time and certain foods just don't settle well with me. But through it all, 5 weeks later, I'm down 22 lbs so I think I'm well on my way!

We just had another amazing photo session with Julie. It was a mini-session at the Botanical Gardens and such a beautiful day to go with it too! Gracie looks so grown up these days and Jackson is stuck in this face of making a "scrunchy" face in all his pictures. At first, I kept trying to get him to stop doing it but then I thought...you know...that's just him. And when we look back at the pictures and see that little button nose all wrinkled up, we'll know..yep, he was 2 there and we'll remember it like it was yesterday.

The kids were so excited to see Miss Julie, too! They love hanging out with her and just being natural in pictures instead of being closed up in a studio. I loveeeee me some Julie pictures! Can't wait to see them all!

Potty training is coming along, slowly but surely. At first, we were having problems getting him to poop in the potty but the peeing was fine. And now it's just the opposite. Boys sure are different!! He has a funny routine though. He will go potty and come back and tell me, "Hey Mommy, I pooped! Come and see it and bring your phone!" I then have to take a picture with my phone and send it to Daddy so he can see it too. We then sit there and wait for Daddy to write back, the whole time Jackson saying, "Did he send you a message yet? Is he so proud? Did he see my poop?" But nothing compares to that grin when I tell him that Daddy said "Way to go!" Hey, if it works, it works!

Gracie is amazing. She gets all A's left and right. She's enjoying her RLC class at school where her teacher loves for them to "think outside the box". She's reading about a book a week now and racking up her Accelerated Reading points. She's just a little mini-Lawrence. On top of all that, she's growing up so fast. I see changes in her every day and it just warms my heart and breaks it all at the same time. It won't be long before hormones hit (they're already knocking on the door), boys start calling and we're picking out the right shade of lipstick. Sigh...where is my slow motion button when I need it??

We were just blessed with the birth of a new little niece. From the pictures we've seen, she's absolutely beautiful! We can't wait to see her hopefully on our next trip out to Texas. Chloe Marie Hillis, we love you!

We're also getting ready for the arrival of yet another new little niece, sometime in May. Counting down the weeks now until Addison Faith makes her grand entrance into the world, melts her Momma's heart and wraps her Daddy around that little bitty finger. Can't wait!

Birthdays are around the corner too. I can't believe Gracie will soon be 9 and Jackson will be 3. They're going to have another joined birthday party at the Splash Pad again like last year. They loved it. We just can't agree on the theme so it very well may be a two-themed party. We shall see!

Gracie started up softball again and her first game is this Saturday, April 3rd. Her team is called the Hot Shots and Lawrence is an assistant coach. I'm glad that they are getting to share this together. She also plays her cousin, Erin, twice this season so that should be interesting!

Everything else seems to be going good. I'm excited about all the changes God is making at church. There are lots of visitors and new members and we've baptized so many these last few weeks. It's truly a blessing. I love leading the women's Esther class each Sunday night. I will truly miss that when it's finished. God has been dealing with my heart lately and I know I am supposed to lead/direct some kind of women's ministry. I just don't know what kind or when yet. But I know God knows and He'll clue me in when it's time. Until then, I'll keep praying about it. I'm really excited about what God is going to do!

I guess that's it for now. I'll try to stay on top of things and blog more regularly. Hope everyone is doing well!

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!