Why I Blog

I started this blog almost three years ago as a way to keep up with/document all the things happening in my family's life... especially Cooper's.  Three years later we've added another blond baby boy to the mix, and I like to chronicle every single move he makes as well.  That's why I started this blog, to keep track of every milestone, funny thing, not so funny thing, and stage of my children's life.  They both have baby books, but I'm not good at keeping them up to date all the time, so this is my version of their online baby book... pictures and videos included!

Yes, my blog has grown to more than just chronicling the boys' lives.  It's become a place where I share pictures I've taken, mostly of my children but for other families as well, a place to document travels, share products or things I like, seek out advice from other mommies, ask for prayer requests, or just a place to vent after a frustrating day.  I don't have a great following of readers, but outside readers have always been welcomed, optional, and not the goal of this blog.  I feel that if people get tired of seeing it, they don't have to read it (even though I LOVE when people do).  It's a special place for me to write about my babies and my family, and a place where they can look back at their childhood. 

In my opinion, every mommy out there should keep a blog, even if nobody other than you ever reads it.  Childhoods are too short to not write things down, take pictures, and praise your kids for what they do.  Most people spend time on computers, iPads, or phones, so why not make that time useful by writing about your family?  I know a lot of people that have started blogs and then just stopped.  Life gets in the way, and I completely understand that.  I've slowed down on my blog since I've been teaching, but I still try to make time to write a few posts a week, especially about the boys.  I've always been a one to chronicle my life though.  I kept a journal faithfully as a child and teenager, kept a crazy date book full of all of my activities in college, and started this blog shortly after Cooper was born.  I LOVE having all of those things to go back and look at.  It takes me right back to those times in my life, and brings back the best memories.  The date book I have from when Andy and I started dating is one of my favorite things to look through.  I've been looking back through the blog recently too, and it's crazy to see how much the boys have grown in just a year's time. 

So, if not another soul every reads this blog again, I'll keep doing it for my children.  I mean, come on, look at how much they've grown in a year... how could I ever stop now?

 

We Survived the First Round of Storms...

As most anyone who lives in the South (or turns on their TV) knows, we were hit with some pretty bad storms last night.  Thankfully there were no tornadoes in our area or major damage.  Ever since the horrible tornado outbreak 3 years ago, I get pretty nervous with the threat of severe weather.  We knew it was coming late, so we put the boys to bed and prayed we wouldn't have to wake them up to seek shelter elsewhere.  Our house doesn't have a basement, the one thing I don't like about it, so we had made arrangements with neighbors and my parents in case we needed to get somewhere safer. 

After the bad storm around 9:00 rolled through we got in bed.  We got a weather radio right after the tornadoes in 2011, so I had it set up and ready to go in case a tornado was headed our way in the night.  Well, between the radio going off 6 times in the dead of the night (and let me tell ya, it'll scare you to death), an emergency alert on my phone going off, Cooper getting up to go to the bathroom, and Clark waking up every few hours with a fever through the roof, we didn't get much sleep at all.  School was on a 2 hour delay and I desperately needed that little bit of extra sleep.

Like I said, Clark has been sick since this weekend, and now Cooper has joined him, but with completely different symptoms... go figure.  I'm taking them both to the doctor at 4pm today, and then coming home to endure another round of bad storms.  Hopefully it won't be as bad as last night, but they're already putting out storm and flood warnings.  Maybe the boys will have some medicine to help them sleep tonight... they're both pretty pitiful!

A Life Update

Most of my posts recently have been all pictures, so here is a bit of an update on our life.  It's a bit all over the place and random, so I'm doing it in a bullet format... I always find those easier to read.

• TCAP testing is this week for my 8th graders (all TN middle schoolers) and I've reviewed with them until  I'm even sick of science.  I know they can do well as long as they don't get lazy on me, but that seems to be the cool thing to do at the end of 8th grade.
• Andy booked our hotel today for our anniversary trip (Needtobreathe concert) and I'm so excited!
• I took the boys to watch Sawyer and Silas play soccer yesterday and Cooper fell in love!  I went and bought him a little soccer ball right after the game and we've been "playing" ever since!  He's actually really good at it for never playing before... maybe he'll take after me with that sport!
• Clark is talking up a storm.  He repeats everything we say and he's hilarious!  He's also got a huge sweet tooth that's creating a chocolate monster!
• We finished season 4 of Dexter over spring break and the ending was so devastating that we haven't recovered enough yet to start season 5... I think we're about there though.
• I only have 4 weeks of school left and I'm not really counting the last week because of "graduation" and a field trip to Dollywood!
• Andy's family just booked a trip for everyone to Wilderness of the Smokies for Memorial Day and I'm so excited!  We've never been and I think the boys will love it!
• All I've been listening to lately is the new NeedtoBreathe cd, Rivers in the Wasteland, and it's wonderful!  I highly suggest it if you're looking for something new.
• I've been on the hunt for the perfect t-shirt for the summer... it's proven more difficult than I thought.  I'm very picky when it comes to t-shirts.  I want them to fit loose, even after they've been washed and dried, 100% cotton, long, thin, sleeves that aren't capped, and vintage-ish.  So far Old Navy has had the best, but I got some good ones at Forever 21 and Target too.
• I've found a new blog that I love... I've been reading all the archives and everything.  It's called Camp Patton and it's hilarious!  
• I'm still loving my Civic!  The gas is incredible!  I get close to 40mpg and the most I've ever paid to fill it up, when it was bone dry, was $40, and gas was over $3.60 a gallon when it was that much.  Cooper calls it the "little car."
• We've been going on long family walks in our neighborhood the last few weeks and I love them!  I love the time it gives us together, and it's great for my exercise routine.  We usually walk around 30-45 minutes and then let the boys play in the yard when we get back.  It makes for a great, technology free night together.

Easter Festivities

Easter was fun this year as always, but a bit exhausting.  The constant nonstop going, going, going wore me down pretty quickly.  It really got to the boys, but they were actually extremely well behaved for such a long day with short naps in the car.  It reminded me of how I feel on Christmas... trying to see both sides of our families, but not enough time (or napping) in the day to do it very successfully.  Oh well, it was great anyways!  Cooper understands a lot more this year about Jesus, so it was great getting to talk about it all with him... that's the real reason for the celebrating!  Here are some photos from our busy weekend... enjoy!

 

 

 

 

Our Train Ride Adventure

A month or so ago my sister found a deal on Groupon for a train ride up in Kentucky that took you to an restored coal town.  Andy and I had never been on a train, and the boys love them, so we jumped on the deal.  We went up this past weekend with my parents and my sister's family, and we had a really good time.  The boys loved it (besides the 3 hour drive up and back), and it turns out that the coal town we went to was where my Grandpa (my dad's dad) grew up... we even saw a "replica" of his house... pretty neat!  The weather was perfect and the scenery was beautiful.  Here are some pictures from our day... enjoy!