6 Years for us!!!

Yesterday Justin and I celebrated our anniversary.  And we've done it with a childless weekend that has been just perfect.   It has been a fun 6 years!  I am thankful every day for Justin, he is an awesome husband and daddy.

6 fun things you may or may not know about us!

1. I have had a crush on Justin since I was in 1st grade.  I told one of my best guy friends in 9th grade that I wanted to marry Justin Hicks and he laughed at me....(Justin had a very serious girlfriend all through high school.)  This chick knows what she wants :)
2. Justin's mom told my mom at a high school football game...that we would make beautiful children!  My mom thought she was crazy because Justin was almost more like a brother to me at that point (or so my mom thought... ha ha ha)
3. We both love the lake...our favorite summer spots and times are when we are at the lake (Eufaula or Compass) and we both love nothing more than to veg out on the dock!  Although when at Eufaula that involves a fishing pole for him...not me!
4. If we chose to live anywhere else it would be Nashville
5. Neither of us are cleaners...which means that our house is sometimes a mess...BUT we produced a child who loves to clean and is slightly OCD - see God does have a sense of humor :) and a good plan!
6. We both watch Nascar.  Yes, I do to and I enjoy keeping up with it. 

It has been a fun weekend just the two of us.  We have been slightly lazy and somewhat productive (we have done some cleaning and nursery preparation) We have laughed about our past and talked about what is ahead for us in the next few weeks when we get to meet this little girl.  We have talked about what she will look like and what her name will be.  I love this man with all of my heart.  He is who I dreamed of loving and getting to love him with all my heart just makes me so happy! 

My parents were so kind to take Collier to the lake with them this weekend.  It was a last minute decision and I so appreciated and needed the weekend to get caught up on rest, cleaning, decorating, crafting and most of all time with just Justin.  It really has been so much fun.  Thank you mom and dad for doing this for us.  It was a perfect Anniversary and Birthday gift and honestly words can't quite express how appreciative I am.  And on that note: they also got me a pedicure which I enjoyed yesterday morning.  Needless to say I've had an awesome and fun Anniversary and Birthday weekend!

Collier Time - Jam Session

Here is my first attempt to capture and post video of Collier.  This is a very common thing that happens around our house.  If we have music playing he grabs his guitar to play along.  There are other times that he just wants to play us a 'concert' and will sit in a chair and play and then tell us when to clap.  The clapping is very important and certainly required.  On this particular day, I believe that Justin was out of town and it was just us listening to a little music.

Lent

Today begin's the season of Lent.  In the past few years I have struggled with the 'what am I going to give up for Lent '.  Is it something that is going to help me...something that I just need to stop or give up anyway and I use this season as an excuse to get me started?  That may be good or bad, either way the fact of the matter is that it is NOT what Lent is to truly represent.  Jesus came. Jesus showed us how to live.  Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice.  He rose.  And He did it all for each and every one of us!  He made a difference for us.   So, as I enter this Lenten season I want do a better job of reflecting Him.   I want to make a difference for Him, for His glory!  I want to draw closer to Him so that He will draw closer to me.  In CBS we are studying John and are right now studying His preparation for His crucifixion (God's perfect timing as we enter Lent).  In Chapter 13 He washes the disciples feet and explains how we are to be servants...He was our perfect example.  The commentary for this lesson went on to explain that it isn't always the actual act of serving but having a servants heart and we can only have that if He lives through us!  I want to be His light.  I desire to grow stronger and stronger in Him so that I can have a servants heart like His.  Sometimes that does mean giving up something so that I can spend better time with Him rather than the things of this world [for pinterest, or blogging, etc].  I hope to achieve that this Lenten season.  I am so thankful for a God who sent His son, for my own sake.  Humbling and unworthy are always my feelings when I think about that truth.  But He did this for me and for you and He wants us to come and sit at his feet and grow stronger and closer with Him....I can't wait to see what He has planned for that sweet time together!

Honestly, I am joining my husband in giving up pasta....that is mostly be default since I am the  maker of the menu around here and to make it a little easier on him.  So, I am giving up the less important things too...but also hope to devote MORE of my time to being in God's word and ask that He will continue to work on cleaning me up from the inside out!

Happy Ash Wednesday to you....

Psalm 51:11 'Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me'

Projects

Last weekend I worked on a few small projects for the babies room.  Only one got completely done.  I had fun being a little crafty and am all the more thankful for pinterest.  I know that because of pinterest we are all losing some degree of being unique.  But for someone who WANT so badly to be crafty yet it just doesn't come naturally pinterest is a huge help and resource, so for that I am thankful.  All of these ideas were stolen straight from pinterest.

 Pom Poms.  I love them.  I am planning to make a few of these to hang over the crib.  I had imagined doing a whole bunch...but they were more time consuming than I had planned.  So I am going to do a combination of fabric (pictured above) and tissue paper (which I hope to be a bit easier).  I'll share pictures when I am done.  I hope that it doesn't look funny with the different textures..again I AM NOT CRAFTY..I just copy!

Do you see that pink and white stripped thing behind the pom pom?  It is going to hold that plastic frame on it and I just love it.  I just need to attach the frame to the board and find a place to hang it.  The lighting makes the pink stripes look REALLY pink but they really are closer to the pink fabric on the pom pom.  Happy with how it turned out and very inexpensive!

I just used paper, paint and modge podge to cutsy-fy this wipes box. the only completed project of the weekend.  I like how it turned out and it was quick, easy and fun.  Just the type of project I need.  I wish the fabric pom poms were as easy as this was because they are so stink'n cute!

The nursery is slowly but surely coming together. I am sure it will be close to being done when this little girl arrives into our family ... although if it isn't that is ok too... I would just rather it be MOSTLY done :)

Balance

As we were all getting better from the head cold funk that made its way around our house and decided to linger longer than anyone really cared for it.  Collier decided to really see what boundaries he could push and pass and walk all over.  He has a new (very ugly and mean) face that goes along with a very bad attitude and often disrespectful tone.  This 33month old has decided to show his true TWO colors!  He has seemed to have a bit of aggressiveness that I have never seen before.   Because we have all been sick at one point or another I believe it elevated fast.  I have no idea if it was all of the medications that he was on or if it was just the beginning of a new phase.  But after several days of being consistent and persistent he seems to realize that he can not get away with this behavior.  We notified school teachers and bible study teachers and asked that they help us be on alert and correct this behavior.  It has thankfully gotten better but here is what we experienced.

The week before last when Mom went to pick Collier up from school...he was in time out.  To my knowledge he hasn't been in time out before.  He had thrown rocks at a little GIRL on the play ground.  Oh my goodness. 

When he doesn't get his way he would grit his teeth, wrinkle his nose, squint his eyes and pucker his lips all at the same time speaking in a mean tone.  When I dropped him off at school on Tuesday I was talking to his teacher about about his behavior to be sure that we are on the same page with them.  She assured me it is only a phase and suddenly that ugly face started.  I looked at him and told him we weren't going to have that face and to show me his sweet face...immediately he changed his expression and smiled a sweet smile.  His teacher was slightly surprised but I believe that she better understood that he does know the difference.  His entire last week was time-out free thank goodness.

He would tell us that he was going to kick or hit us and would sometimes actually attempt [succeeded from time to time].  He even told me that he was going to shoot me with his gun.  He also has tried to bite me a few times.  All of that to say is that any mention of him going to do anything negative toward us or anyone else....because he told me one morning that he was going to hit goofy and went to the TV and hit it next time goofy was on the screen.  So, we  started no toleration of any of this.  Even the ugly face would result in a time out.  We do both time out and spanking depending on the level of ugliness [this is my word for not being nice, disrespectful, mean, etc].  One morning, Justin was out of town, and Collier would not cooperate  and being ugly to me.  After three spankings, I lost it.  I put him in his room.  I cried.  I fell to my knees.  I prayed.  I went back into Collier's room and it really upset him that I was also crying.  I explained that I was very sad because of the way that he was acting.  He cried harder and we hugged and talked about the way that he had been acting.  It was just a rough few weeks.  

So, After a few weeks it [consistent discipline] has certainly helped.  He certainly pushed his limits from time to time but not like the one week where it was constantly.  He is such a sweet boy and I know that I often take that for granted.  I am doing a lot of praying for his heart and that God will lead Justin and I [and mom] in our parenting and raising of this sweet little boy!  We have a long way to go and I know that the next 'phase' will be tough too. But we will just take it one at a time!

Friday, I had several errands to run and took Collier along.  He told me he didn't want to ride in the cart.  So we talked about the rules of not riding in the cart....have to stay right next to Momma's leg, no running off, no touching or pulling items off of shelves... and if any of this was done then he would have to get into the cart.  I was SHOCKED.  He did amazing.  We went to Hobby Lobby,  Home Goods, TJMax and Joann's Fabric.  I was so proud of him and let him know that he was such a big boy and did so good.  Of course I had moments that I had to remind him of the rules but for the most part he did great!  I was so proud of him.

I worked on several projects for the nursery this weekend and I'll try and post about those this week.  Hope that your weekend was great! 

Quick Baby Update

Just to document:
I went to the doctor yesterday.  Just a regular and routine appointment [I am going every two weeks now].  Everything was fine.  Dr. Ross guesses this baby will be a little bigger than Collier was [CH was 6lb 9oz and 3 weeks early].  He also thinks that she will probably be a little early just like big brother, but no guess as to how early.  I've been having lots of heavy pressure under my huge belly and he seemed to think that is because she is a little bigger than CH.  My belly is certainly stretching.  It is big and it is hard to move, but I am thankful to have it!

We don't have a name...STILL

The nursery is still being worked on.  All of the furniture is in, and walls are painted.  No decorating or really putting it all together is quite done.  I have lots of ideas in my head but executing them is totally different.  Hope to accomplish some of them this weekend.

Last night I went through a huge box of clothes my SIL gave me, it is awesome to have three little girls to receive hand me downs from.  I hope to get all of the infant clothes washed this weekend.

Coming through the Fog

We have all had some form of this head cold that seems to be going around.  And we all still have some remains of it but seem to be coming out of it at last.

Collier woke up this morning early, I heard him talking at 6:15.  At 6:30 I heard him turn off his humidifier (that is by his bed) and then his door open, close and little running feet enter our room.  I had just snoozed the alarm and as he is crawling into our bed says
ch: I woked up from my nap, do we have nanas?
me in my groggy trying to wake up voice: yes we have plenty of bananas
ch: we go to store to get nana's?
me: no, we have plenty.  do you want to go and get one?
ch:yea.
so we head into the kitchen. I refilled my cup of water and then proceeded to drop it and it made a huge mess -  it was still dark.  As I was cleaning up the floor, Collier was sitting on the floor asking me if I made that mess or if daddy made the mess.....'yes it was me, baby'. and he put his head down (chin to chest) and shook his head saying 'oh no dat teable, just teable'.  Me: did you just say that is terrible?  CH: yes it is.  Way too funny.  I was just glad that he woke up in a good mood..  Even if it was way earlier than he normally gets up.  Normal wake up time is closer to 7am which is much better for Momma and Daddy!

Last weekend I attended a leadership conference through the bible study I attend.  It was something that I didn't want to go to but felt that I needed to.  God knew what He was doing [well, He always does] because it was well worth it once I was there and had the time to fellowship with friends and be impacted by some really awesome leaders within this organization.   I think that I may have seen this video before, but it really stuck with me and I love it.  I love the humor as well as the truth in it.  It is hard to imagine that I am a masterpiece created perfectly by God....because believe me there is a lot of non-perfection in this child of God, wife, momma, friend, sister, daughter, etc.  But God's truth of grace and love and molding us into His image is what is humbling.  He loves us enough to want us to be His reflection.  Believe me I am not worthy of being a reflection of even His big toe but it is an honor that I can even try to be....that He created me to be! Amazing. enjoy:

This is one of my favorite songs on the radio right now, it makes me turn the volume up and sing along. waoh, oh, oh, oh!!!