Consigning, Brainstorm, and Update! Oh, my!

Consignment sale season for spring and summer clothing is right around the corner, so Chloe and I have been going through our bins trying to get clothes from last summer organized and tagged. We also went through the kids toy bins and decided what needed to be consigned (because the littles had outgrown it) and what needed to be thrown out. It's so nice to have all their toys organized...for now. I was feeling a little overwhelmed after Christmas with all the new toys that the littles received.

I can't wait until Chris finishes the playroom floor, which has only been a "work-in-progress" for a year and a half now! The house will seem less claustrophobic once the toy bins and toys that have taken over Chloe's room and the guest bedroom have a home.

I have been brainstorming and looking up ideas for the ultimate playroom!

I found the cutest idea for a stage and dress-up rack, found {here}

And an awesome tutorial on how to make a dress-up rack, found{here}

Not to mention, some great storage ideas, found {here} and {here}

What about some cute and affordable playroom furniture from IKEA?!

I can't wait to get started! Most of it will require some construction skills so I've already given hubby the heads up;)

Also, we haven't been complete recluses this month. We did manage to make it to Gabe's 8th birthday party! I was at his birth and it seems like it was just yesterday. Where does the time go?

We helped Maevelyn celebrate her 5th birthday! She's Chloe's "favoritest" best friend!

Little man also got his ears lowered. We were dead set on long hair during the winter months, but ultimately decided that we liked Evan's hair shorter. Isn't he handsome?!

That's what we've been up to. I hope that you enjoyed our quick update!

Balance

I've really put a lot of things on the back burner this month, including blogging. I needed some time to recharge and get well. Just as soon as started to get over my bout with bronchitis, I came down with a cold. It was a miserable three weeks. Wah, wah, wah...I know. I get tired of hearing people complain all the time too, but I promise that it's leading to a point...

These illnesses did get me realize that there is one thing that I am lacking in my life, and it is balance. This "fly by the seat of my pants" attitude and "I can sleep when I'm dead" mentality, really has taken its toll on me physically (mentally, I still want to do it all:/).

Chris made the a comment that I seemed to be doing a lot more since starting the blog. He may be right, however, I think that it's a lot more than that. Since starting the blog, our family has undergone some major changes. We have Chris back on nights and weekends, so we've been making up for a lot of lost time. And because we have Chris back on weekends, we've started attending church, which has brought with it, more activities with the church and church friends. Also, I've always enjoyed doing a little something special, like a breakfast or an outing to celebrate an event or holiday. Evan enjoys our special time, while Chloe thrives on it. And I'll admit it, some of it is Mommy guilt, guilt in the fact that I work an eight to five and that I want the time that we do spend together to be special, even if it means running errands on my lunch "break?" and staying up late/waking up early to do my normal household activities/chores.

Although I do thoroughly enjoy being on-the-go and ignoring any of my body's signals that I need to slow down, something has got to give if I want to be healthy. I need to start balancing family time with me time. After all, I want to be around to keep enjoying my family.

So here it is...I'm waiting until I'm back at 100%, but I've decided that I'm going to make an effort to work exercise back into my weekly schedule! I'm going to start counting points again (you Weight Watchers people know what I'm talking about)! I'm going to eat healthier! I'm going to say "no" more often! And most of all, I'm going to take a day of REST every week! These can be classified as resolutions, but for me, it's a reassessment of  my priorities (only a year ago, the things that I listed were actual priorities for me).

It's funny because in the midst of all these thoughts about what I needed to do to lead a more balanced lifestyle, our Pastor gave a sermon that really spoke to me about what God wanted in my life. I need to rest and enjoy the Sabbath! After all, it is a Commandment, and holds just as much importance as any of the other nine in His eyes.

I've noticed that on other blogs that people have come up with mottos or a word for 2013. My word for 2013 is BALANCE!

A Bit of This and That

Sickness has been going through our household over the past couple of weeks, and I'll admit it, I've been super lazy. I just haven't had the energy lately. My bout with bronchitis really has taken a lot out of me and I'm still not back to 100%. I would say that I'm at about 90%:), but getting there.

However, I did want to share just a couple of sweet occurrences in our lives recently.

Chloe was so excited to get a Hello Kitty wallet for Christmas and we allowed her to carry $5 of her Christmas money in it. She went on a milk run with her Daddy last week and made her first official purchase. I  wasn't there to witness it, but Chris told me that she was so cute when she counted out two dollars and handed them to the cashier.

Here she is with her first real purchase and receipt.

Also, Chloe and I went on a Starbucks date! We each received a Starbucks gift card from one of my coworkers that we used to make our purchases. This was taken with my phone camera so it isn't the best. You can see Chloe's beloved wallet on the table:)
 

 

Other than that, there hasn't been much to report on the home front. To be honest, there won't be much going on outside of our normal everyday activities this month. I have two road trips with work, which usually take a lot of preparation, and consignment sale season is right around the corner...

Top 12 of 2012

It's a new year, so I thought that I'd recap this past year with some highlights of 2012 (in chronological order)!

1. Celebrating Easter

We had a such a good time celebrating Easter in 2012, from Easter egg hunts to a big family lunch/hunt with my husband's extended family!

2. Great Strides Walk

We had a fun time raising money for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and to find the cure for our sweet friend, Chloe! Thank you to all that donated and I'm looking forward to your continued support in this upcoming year;)

 

3. Rainbows Mother's Day Tea

In honor of Mother's Day, the Rainbows had a Mother's Day Tea. Thank you, Ms. Jerusha, for creating such a precious memory for Chloe and I! It certainly was an entertaining night, with finger foods, a sweet song sung by our little Rainbows, crafts, and even a photo booth!

4. Dad & Sandra Visiting

Dad and his girlfriend, Sandra, came to visit us in the Spring. It was so good to see them and have the family together!

5. Evan's 2nd Birthday

Evan turned 2 at the Zoo! We celebrated with a small group of family and  friends! We even rode the zoo train.

 

6. Our First Braves Game
 
To celebrate Father's Day, we took Chris to watch a Braves game, Braves vs. Yankees! It was the first Braves game for the littles, and although our team lost, we enjoyed it!
 

 
7. Starting the blog!
 
This is actually something that I've wanted to do for a long time, not only to keep our family and friends updated on our lives, but to have a "journal"/documentation for Chris, the littles, and I. So much can be lost when relying solely on the memory. My hope is to print my blog as a yearly family journal for posterity. I love all the positive feedback that I've gotten from the blog! Thank you!!!
 

 
8. Attending Church
 
This has to be my proudest accomplishment of the year! Chris and I have always been religious people, but we desperately needed God in our lives, especially for the sake of the littles. They're so impressionable at this age! It's nice to have God back where he belongs, at the forefront of our marriage, our family, and our lives. Through Him and because of Him, all things are possible!
 
9. Chris Starting College
 
This has been the biggest change in our lives! However, it has been a change for the better. Chris finally has an opportunity to pursue a career, rather than settling. Also, having my husband back on nights and weekends is an added bonus. It has definitely brought the family closer. And for all you inquiring minds, Chris ended his first semester of college with a 4.0 GPA!!! The littles and I couldn't be prouder of him!
 
10. Our First Auburn Game
 
To celebrate Chris's birthday, we attended an Auburn game, Auburn vs. Louisiana-Monroe. It was a first for Chris and the littles! Although the season was a flop, Auburn won this game. It will hopefully be the first of many Auburn games that we attend (and win!) in the future.

11. Chloe's 4th Birthday

Chloe turned the big 4! She celebrated with a sweet Strawberry Shortcake celebration with her little girlfriends and family at Barb's.

 12. Trip to Texas
 
During Thanksgiving week, we made a trip to Texas to visit my family! This was the first trip to Texas that I've taken in my married life, and, it was made all the more special by the fact that the littles were there and got to meet so many family members.

2012 definitely was a year of change and there was so much that we enjoyed and appreciated! We're looking forward to all that 2013 has in store for us!

Happy 2013!!!