Jumping Right In

It has been a busy, busy summer around here! I've got so many things I want to share but for now, I really want to tell you some exciting news! 

Derek and I have decided that I'm going to be staying at home in August! My last day of work is July 29. 

This is huge for me! You may remember when I decided that I was happy staying at home. I had struggled with trying to go back to work or figuring out how to enjoy staying at home. Once I finally felt like I had a good routine and was really enjoying my time at home, we started feeling a lot more financial strain. 

I was so blessed with the job I found. I've been happy there, but I have missed every thing about staying at home. I felt like I spent a year trying to hone in on my inner domestic diva and I had just begun to find it and then I had to start working. Juggling the household duties and the children and work has been a huge challenge. I am going to miss the wonderful ladies that I work with. When you work in close quarters, you really get to know a person. I've made some strong bonds and I know that God put those women in my life for a reason.

I feel like I have a renewed sense of appreciation for the gift of staying at home. I am so excited to grow and take on new responsibilities. I love the possibilites of where the next year is going to take us. Most importantly I am looking forward to being the one who is with my children and having an active role in what they are learning and doing everyday. 

Thomas is going to be with me, but Anna-Kate will be back at school the second week of August. I am so excited about being more available to her this year. I am so grateful that I will be the one who drops her off and picks her up! I am looking forward to hearing all about her day. 

In September I am going to start teaching at a Mother's- Day- Out- type of school. It is only on Tuesday and Thursday mornings and Thomas gets to come with me! I will have two year olds. Thomas does not quite meet the age requirements (by two months) but he still gets to come with me. I am so excited about that! He spent several months at day care and he was the oldest in his "class". He will be the youngest in my class, so I think he is going to learn a lot! I'm really happy that he gets to be with me and still gets to have good social interaction. 

I have learned so much the past year about what I want out of life. I never thought that I'd want to stay at home and I never thought I'd be so excited about cleaning and cooking! ha! I truly feel like God has guided me to this point. I am excited to take on a new role... again! :) 

Please, hang with me and my lack of blogging over the next three or so weeks. I promise that I will be back in full force very soon! 

Show Us Your Life- Your Church

I'm linking up with Kelly's Korner today to share our church! 

A month before our first anniversary and two months before Anna-Kate was due, Derek started preaching at his father's hometown church in Lepanto.

It was an hour and a half drive, every weekend but we agreed it was the right thing for our family. 

There were so many difficult things about being away every single weekend but it was a HUGE blessing! 

Derek and I grew so close to the families there. I know that Derek enjoyed getting to share such a special place with his own family. 

Just a few years before Derek started preaching, his grandfather passed away. His grandfather was an amazing leader in that church. For many reasons, being in that church every week was healing. I know that it was a challenge but I think Derek felt his grandfather with him when he was there. 

The Sunday after Christmas, Derek and I said our goodbyes. It was extremely difficult but the church needed a minister who could live in town and we were ready to stay put on the weekends. 

When we came back from Franklin, we stopped and I made some pictures of the church and the town. 

Our little Lepanto church

The parsonage. We spent a lot of weekends in this house. The first night that Anna-Kate slept all the way through was in this house.

This is one of the streets downtown. I love this town! :)

Another downtown shot... 

This is the last one. I just love it here.

(ps. Sorry to all you photogs- I like to play around with color in my pictures...)

In January we became "full-time" members of the church that Derek and I had been attending on Wednesday nights. It is conveniently located right across the street!

Derek and I visited several different churches before we started at Lepanto but we never found a "home." Lepanto taught me more about a loving church family and helped me to realize that our Searcy home was at Westside.

I'm so glad we made that choice. The friends that we have made there are wonderful. They have a pretty close-knit group of young marrieds, many of them have children near Anna-Kate and Thomas' age. We have enjoyed the lessons from the minister and it's been so nice to have Derek in the pew with me!

The classes for the little ones have been wonderful too. Anna-Kate is learning so much! She loves her teachers too. On Sunday nights, they have a special class for little ones called "Christian Soldiers." Anna-Kate loves going. She always asks during the week if it's time for Christian soldiers! haha.

The nursery is wonderful too. I try really hard to keep Thomas in church for as long as possible, but he gets really stir crazy. It seems like he just wants to get down and play and talk. If the girls make a noise, he has to compete with them! Usually, we have to take him out because he is so restless.

Sunday mornings with little ones are tough! I'm always looking for quiet "pew activities" and ideas. (So if you have anything... please share!!) I usually pack a couple of books and a coloring book or notepad and crayons. I try to pack a few quiet toys for Thomas but most of them get thrown right in the floor... or he finds a way to make them noisy. Anna-Kate enjoys taking her baby doll to church too. I have a little magnetic dress up doll that she likes to take sometimes too. I try to let her pack a bag (with supervision) so that things kind of rotate in and out according to what she is interested in.

Wednesday nights Derek and I host a home Bible study. We decided to start doing that this fall so we could branch out and make some new friends. It has been so wonderful doing this! It's really easy for people with young children, since we are right across the street.

I'm standing in our yard. We have no trouble with finding a parking spot! :)

Sorry for the terrible picture!

I've enjoyed getting to link up with Kelly's Korner and share our churches with you! God has richly blessed us with two wonderful congregations and lots of loving family!

Link up and play along too! 

Thankful Thursdays

So I'm making this post a few days late, sorry but we are just busy busy during the week!

I'm so thankful we are! :) I've been really busy with work now that the holidays are approaching we are getting ready for our open house and for Thanksgiving orders! I've been working a lot but I am just so glad to have a job!! Even more than that I'm thankful to have a job that I really enjoy!

I'm also thankful that our children have a place to be while we are working. I know that both of them are well taken care of and happy during the days. Anna-Kate loves school more than anything these days! It's so neat to hear all that she is learning too! She has gotten so good with her colors and can usually say her memory verse! She's always singing songs from school too! So sweet!! I feel blessed to have a friend that does such a great job with Thomas too. I  know that he is happy too! I am also thankful to have the help we always seem to need when a child is sick or something else comes up!

Have I mentioned how much Derek has been helping around the house?? When I am busy with work (coming home around 7 or so) he works so hard to get things done around the house so that I can relax when I get home! Most nights dinner is even ready! I am spoiled! I am just so grateful for him! He always surprises me.

I am constantly reminded of the blessings around! 

Just What The Doctor Ordered

A day off! 

Well the doctor didn't order it and I don't just have one day, but you know what I mean! :)

Today was SO fun! I think I appreciated my day at home a whole more than I used to and I know Derek certainly enjoyed having his dinner on the table when he walked in. ha! 

Derek "let" me sleep in this morning, so I was barely awake when he and Anna-Kate left. (Before you say anything about me being a lazy bum, keep reading!) I tried to go back to sleep but couldn't and then I thought about what I needed to get done so I woke up and took a nice long shower. Those are great, aren't they??! Then, I wasted an hour on the computer. (Now you can call me a lazy bum!) 

Thomas woke up right as I was finished getting ready so I fed him and we played and took our time getting ready. 

Then we went to the dollar store in search of a styrofoam or straw wreath for my craft day. I looked at Walmart but didn't find one and then the dollar store didn't have one. Hey- in a small town those are the places you go for these things! We don't have a fancy Hobby Lobby! ;) Ooohhh I wish we did though!! 

When we got home we had just enough time for a snack and to start some fruit tea and chicken and dumplin's before Amanda and Jackson came over for our crafts! 

I found the wreath ideas from Lauren over at Little Big Nest! We were in the same social club at Harding and I've been following her blog for a while now. She has the cutest house and is always inspiring with her creative decorating and crafts! Since we couldn't make our wreaths today we decided to try the toilet paper pumpkins that Lauren also made this fall! 

They were pretty easy to make and also pretty inexpensive! Each pumpkin takes a roll of toilet paper, a small piece of newspaper and some fabric! (you can click on the link above for the step-by-step instructions)

Amanda's are the red and the tan ones. I think they turned out so cute! She had really great fabric to work with! 

While I worked this is what Thomas did... 

hahaha! 

Amanda and I took a little time to take pictures of our boys let our boys play outside... they're just so cute! 

And that's where the pictures stop! I hate it when I forget to take pictures!! 

After Amanda and Jackson left, Thomas and I went to pick up Anna-Kate from school. She got out early today and I was so excited to spend some extra time with her!

When she got home Thomas laid down for a nap and then she helped me finish the chicken and dumplings! She really loves to put things in and stir them. Anna-Kate loves to help in the kitchen and I really try to let her most of the time. 

Anna-Kate laid down for a nap after that. I really thought that Thomas would be up soon, so I just relaxed for a couple of hours. I finished up the chicken and dumplings and got the table all set for dinner and then Thomas woke up, just in time for Derek to get home! Anna-Kate wound up sleeping until 5:30! 

After dinner we got cleaned up and ready for bible study. We host a home bible study, so we usually try to have some sort of a snack each week. While we were waiting on it to be time for church, Anna-Kate recited her memory verse for us! It totally took us off guard! I knew that they were learning memory verses each week but that was the first time we've ever been able to get her to say it! It was so cute! I wish I had gotten it on video! Maybe tomorrow I can! 

It was "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding" Proverbs 3:5 

I mean, that's a pretty tough memory verse and she said it all... including the book, chapter and verse! I was impressed! 

Thomas went to bed pretty soon after church and then Anna-Kate and I stayed up and read books together. She told me that she had to read 5 books so she could get her name written at school. ha! I'm not exactly sure what that means, but we read the 5 books just to be on the safe side. :) She has really started to love reading! I'm so glad because I used to read all the time. 

When they went to bed I finished my fruit tea and made hash brown breakfast casserole for MOPs tomorrow. I love fruit tea but I've had the hardest time getting it right! I think I need to just read the recipe closer. ha! 

So, I had a busy day but I loved every minute of it! Tomorrow is another busy day with MOPs and then packing for our trip. We are leaving tomorrow night for Franklin! I'm hoping to squeeze a little time to bake some pumpkin bread in there too. 

If you can't tell, I love being busy and I love cooking! I think that's just what I needed to snap out of my funky mood I've been in lately! 

Grandparent's Day

Last week was a busy week! I feel like I'm settling into a new routine and trying to find the balance between doing the things I would have gotten to do if I was at home and doing the things I can do now that I'm working. It's hard work! 

 I had two days that were just crazy with the juggling! Wednesday, we dropped Anna-Kate off at school, then dropped Derek off at work and then I took Thomas to Amanda. Then I headed back across town to help with a party at Anna-Kate's school. Friday was her student teacher's last day at school, so they threw her a surprise party on Wednesday. I brought made-from-scratch-brownies and then helped set up and stayed for the party. THEN I headed to work! 

I know that it was a little crazy, but I honestly LOVE being able to help out as much as I can at school. I love making fun little treats or just getting to set up the parties. I've always wanted to be really involved in my children's school activities. But I think that I'm just surprised how hard it really is! 

Friday was Grandparent's Day at the Academy and Anna-Kate's class was performing after chapel! I COULDN'T miss that! Despite it being a bit of a crazy morning, I was worn out from the week and slept a tad late! Thankfully, Derek's parents loaned us their truck and so Derek was able to drive Anna-Kate to school while I got ready! So after the morning scramble to get Anna-Kate out the door, I fed Thomas and got us ready. Then we headed to Harding and got to see Anna-Kate perform! I even was early enough to visit with Derek's parent's and his grandmother and then sneak over and say hi to the girls! 

They always make me laugh! 

I got to sneak up to towards the front and see them perform! I have a couple of funny videos but I can't upload them!! 

I had to bolt out of there after her performance to catch the baby sitter, but I left my camera with Derek's parents and they took pictures for me! 

So after Anna-Kate and Kristen sang, Ryne was VERY excited to perform! 

Can't you tell?? ;) ha! 

This is Anna-Kate's new thing, she does this and then says "I'm going to eat you up!" ha! She's really so goofy! 

So I dashed out of Anna-Kate's performance, met the babysitter and then rushed to work! I'm telling you, this scrambling thing is tough work! I know I'm going to get the balance eventually. Until then, I'll have to deal with the craziness!  The fall seems extra busy anyway, with the holidays and parties and all, so I'm sure that's not making things any easier! It really makes me even more grateful for my Grandma- I can't imagine how she managed me and my sisters! ha! 

On a positive note, Derek and I have gotten good Insurance news! Our car was totaled (who would have thought that'd be good news) and since it was, we don't have to pay on our loan anymore. Plus, the value of our car exceeded the loan and we are getting that back! So we are relieved that things have worked out well. Hopefully we'll be able to save up for another car soon. I'm thinking of getting a super cool mini-van! Seriously, all that room seems SO nice after driving my corolla around!

I've been looking forward to this week! I love my job, but I'm excited because I have Wednesday, Thursday and Friday off! I'm planning on doing a little craft project with my friend Amanda and doing some extra holiday baking! I can smell the pumpkin bread already! ;)

Anna-Kate has a half-day on Wednesday too, so I'll get some extra time in with her! Thursday is MOPs and then we are leaving for a trip to Franklin to spend some time with my family!

I know that God is taking care of us! It's so nice to have a good week and another great week to look forward to! 

I Hope I Don't Make A Habit Of This...

weekly posting! :( Sorry guys!

So, I've survived a week and a half of work! And guess who else did...

Thomas...

and so did Anna-Kate!

Derek just barely did... ha!

Wednesday of last week my position was turned into a full time thing! So I'm now working from around 9-6 everyday.

That was a little more than I expected but I feel really blessed to have a job! I am really enjoying cooking and actually feel inspired to cook when I get home, which is opposite of how I thought I'd feel. Last week I sold a buttermilk pie that I made. Tuesday I made a chocolate sheet cake and sold all of it! Then I made two for today! ha! They sold really well and someone ordered a whole one for Friday!

I'm sort of funny about cooking. See I really love food and I love cooking but I also really love to make people happy! So, more than anything I cook for other people! I guess that's why I'm enjoying the job so much! That and I really think we make the BEST poppyseed chicken and mexican chicken I've ever had! Seriously- it's SO good! Just about everything I've tried there has been my "favorite." (I have LOTS of favorites! ha!)

Thomas has handled being away from me pretty well. He's obviously cut back on nursing, which makes me sad, but I'm glad that he's doing well. Saturday and Sunday he was super clingy but hopefully he will get used to things soon.

Anna-Kate has done good too, my working doesn't really affect her too much. She has gotten sent home with a few "sad" notes this week!! Monday, she bit a little boy. I think it was because he had a toy she wanted! Tuesday, they were standing in line and the teachers had just told them to be quiet. Well she was struggling with her hair and a little boy tried to help move it out of her face and she bit him! I don't think she bit very hard but still! She has NEVER bit a child before that! Then today, she got another note because she wouldn't stop fiddling with her jacket! She is my strong-willed baby! Sometimes it's really hard to get her to listen! Don't even get me started when it comes to her clothes!!

I'm not sure if she's acting out or just beng herself! ha! Hopefully we will get adjusted to a new routine soon!

Monday, Derek woke up late for work, so I had to get Anna-Kate up and ready for school. Then I had to get Thomas up and nursed and ready for the babysitter. Then I had to take the dogs out and feed them. I ended up being way late for work. Of course Anna-Kate was late too. I pulled up to the school and Anna-Kate was so excited! haha! She said, "okay mom, you can just let me off here." We weren't even close to the entrance! She's so funny!

Derek ended up getting sick Monday poor thing! It seems like there's a stomach bug or something going around! Hopefully the rest of us won't get it! He was pretty miserable. He stayed home yesterday. Today he is finally feeling better!!

Maybe once I get into a better routine I will be back here more and I will have the usual picture updates and all to share! I love the fall and I have so much fun reading what other people are cooking and how they're decorating! I hope to be able to share a few things myself! :) 

New Role

It wasn't too long ago that I was blogging about my decision to stay at home. If you read closely I did mention that if our financial situation got to where I needed to work, then I would. 

Of course, just as I was enjoying life at home... I made the decision that I needed to get a job. It's a decision that I've been struggling with for the last month now. 

I know, I know... bad blogger for not sharing! I was honestly just so filled with anger that I couldn't bring myself to be such a negative blogger! 

Derek and I both have been looking for a job, with the hope that Derek would be able to find something that was good enough for me to continue on at home. I had two job interviews but none of them wanted me! Ha! 

From the beginning of my job search I thought about working at this really cool place just up the street. She makes casseroles ahead of time and people can just drop in and pick up one for lunch or dinner! I think it's a really cool concept and I really enjoy cooking. Plus, I live just 2 minutes away! 

Well, the woman who owns it decided to take a chance on me! I started yesterday afternoon! I will be working from about 11- 6 M-F. I'm really excited because I still have the mornings to get everything in order and to go to my Ladies Bible Class and the MOPs meetings!! I am super excited about this because missing those things has been tearing me up the most! (Next to missing out on being at home with Thomas and picking Anna-Kate up from school, of course!) 

Sorry for the shameless self- promotion, but I wanted to show you where I work! I was standing at the end of our sidewalk! See how close it is?! :) Oh and if you live in our ward- you better vote for Derek! haha just kidding!

I had so much fun yesterday! I was pretty busy so I didn't have much down time to think about missing Thomas or Anna-Kate! Plus, I needed to run an errand, so I was able to stop by and nurse Thomas! 

Derek and I are looking for a babysitter/ nanny to keep Thomas and then pick up Anna-Kate from school and keep her. So for now, we're just taking it one stressful day at a time! :)

Thomas did SO good while I was away yesterday! 

When I got home, Anna-Kate was playing outside, Derek was sweeping off the driveway, Thomas was taking a nap...

dinner was on the table, the table was set AND

Derek had cleaned up his mess in the kitchen already! 

I just have one question... why on earth is 3:30-5 the witching hour for me?? When Derek gets home, Anna-Kate is usually laying on the floor with her blankie, whining and Thomas is usually wandering around fussing or on my hip... dinner is rarely done on time and there's no way I've even thought about sweeping off the driveway! Why was it so easy for him?? You know I'm just kidding, but it does make me think... ha!

Oh I have to share this story from yesterday morning!! Yesterday we all woke up a bit late, so Derek and I decided that we would just go to chapel with Anna-Kate. We tried to tell her, so she knew what to expect but when we walked in she bawled because she couldn't sit with her class! Derek tried to calm her and was telling her she had to sit with us. At the same time they were right in the middle of the devotional talk! The speaker said, "Do you believe that Jesus is the Son of God?" Right then Anna-Kate yelled (in response to Derek) "NO!!" haha! It completely sounded like she was replying to the speaker! I had hoped that since we were sitting in the back no one would really hear, but she really yelled it out!

Here's Anna-Kate in chapel, obviously upset!

Thomas doesn't look excited here, but he enjoyed chapel!

Today my schedule was bit crazier. I just worked from 12:30-4, but it still worked out for me. I'm really hoping to find someone who is flexible and can work with the craziness of it all! I had a good day... even if I did mess up a batch of cornbread! Boo to me! Luckily, I was given a little bit of grace, but I just really hated messing up! I'm hoping for a little bit more cooking success tomorrow!

When I got home, dinner was already done. Thanks to me! I was able to throw some things in the crock pot for pot roast! :) I love when I can use my crock pot!! We ate an early dinner and then I picked up while Derek gave baths. After that, Thomas went to bed and Derek went campaigning. Anna-Kate and I decided to go on and make chocolate no-bake cookies for Bible study tomorrow! Haha... you know just on a whim!

We both wore our aprons, which I loved!

It is SO hard to keep miss thing out of everything!! Everytime I turned my back she'd have her little fingers in the peanut butter, or in the sugar mixture! lol! She kept saying "I like sugar! I like the butter!"

I'm not sure when the last time I made these cookies was, so Anna-Kate did not know what to expect! When I told her to scoop some out and drop it down, she just kept piling it on! haha! 

Can you tell where she dropped hers? haha!

Derek informed me mine were too large, but I like big cookies! :)

I'm so glad that I was able to squeeze in a little one-on-one time with Anna-Kate! I want to get in as much time with her as I can!

Now I'm off to go make some buttermilk pies! Yummy! 

Decisions, Decisions

Just over a year ago I lost my job. Or quit. However you want to put it. I intended on getting another job right away but then life had other plans.

Then I thought I would get a job after Thomas was born. But that was complicated.

I decided to wait until January to even start looking. I did find a job that I wanted. I talked my way into an interview. Got Thomas on the list for daycare and Anna-Kate in "school" full time. I thought the interview went really well.

I got a message a week or two later saying they had decided to go with someone else.

I just started feeling really down. All this time I had planned on working but I just couldn't seem to find a job. The longer I searched for a job, the more I just wanted to be at home for Anna-Kate and Thomas.

The problem was that I don't enjoy being at home all day. I am really social and I like to get out and visit with people and be busy. I struggled to find out exactly what women do when they stay at home. I knew there were women running errands but what kind of errands do they run? I love caring for Anna-Kate and Thomas but how do I get all of my needs met?

In my mind I knew that I wanted to stay-at-home. I just fought it so bad.

A year after leaving my "dream" job I decided I wasn't going to plan on working anymore. I wanted to be a full time stay-at-home mommy! It was an exciting and scary decision to make, even though it was made for me a year ago.

I still don't have it all figured out. I have to really work hard to find fulfillment in day-to-day tasks. I have to work hard to stay motivated and to stay on top of things. I'm really not the best housekeeper!

I have realized so much about myself. I am so different than the person I thought I would be. I am amazed when I think about what my goals and desires were for myself. I wanted so many things but I have realized that those things would not make me happy.

I know this is silly but a year ago I did not realize just how much I loved cooking. And baking- man I love to bake! I didn't realize that I would have the slightest desire to learn to sew! (I still am trying to get that one going!)

I really believe that I am finding myself.

Man it feels good! I am not the person I was a year ago and I couldn't be happier.

I am working full time- running my household.

I am in love with my husband who is a wonderful father.

I am in love with this little girl

and this little boy

and their needs are my priority!

Global Warming??? Not Here!!

I grew up in Searcy. I have a fairly good grasp on the climate trends of this region and I must say I am stumped. A little background: Growing up, we had a good snow every couple years. Most years we had flurries but no accumulation. We had a couple good events where school would get cancelled or delayed but for the most part, snow was an every other year or so thing.

The last year has been without a doubt the most active in terms of winter weather that I have seen in my life. We had a major ice storm in the winter of 08-09. I was present for the 9-inch dumping in Lepanto last year. And in 2010, Searcy has had 3 major snow events.

I love snow. I love to watch it fall. I love big flakes. I love hard driving snow. I love soft light floating snow. I love dry powder. I love wet packed snow. I love snow.

Now that you understand my love for snow you can put yourself in my shoes. We had a nice lingering snow just after New Year's that lasted a couple of days and delayed work for me. It was dry with big flakes and some hard winds...fun.

Last week we had a 4 inch snow that was also dry and covered the roads. Missed work again!!

Late last week, weathermen were saying another round was coming, but I wasn't buying. They said wintry mix and that's code for cold rain. But nonetheless, this morning the ground was white. as the day progressed, I kept waiting for the temperature (which was hovering around freezing) to go back up and melt it all away. Yet the temp kept dropping. Still the snow fell and by lunch the roads, which were covered in slush, were beginning to turn white. Looking outside now I am greeted by the biggest snow flakes I have ever laid eyes on. They are falling fast and hard. They are wet too which makes them stick to everything.

We closed early at work so I am preparing to venture out and brave the roads to get home to my loving family who has spent the day taking pictures of this glorious and unexpected event. Be sure to check back for those later.

A Busy Summer...A New Role

Sometimes things get so busy. Nicki is smack in the middle of her internship in Little Rock so I am Mr. Mom this summer. Since I only work Friday-Sunday, I am at home throughout the week and it has created a strange role reversal. Meanwhile, I am enrolled in summer classes at Harding and I am busy myself with studying. Things have died down a bit as of late but it is still kind of hectic.

I wouldn't have it any other way though...

Nicki and I agreed a long time ago that, while we acknowledge the traditional roles of husband and wife, we have to be willing to pick up the slack for each other when it comes to the family running smoothly. So for now I am the homemaker, and she is the breadwinner (in part at least).

I don't really feel feminized though. I feel more masculine because I am, in some ways, providing for my family by staying home this summer. I feel a man's role in his family is leadership. Earning income, paying the bills, setting the example, etc. are all ways this has traditionally been done. I still do almost all of that anyway, but doing laundry, washing dishes and changing diapers is a way to keep this family on track toward meeting our goals. I define that as leadership. I love that Nicki and I have that understanding without fear of resentment.

It has been tough feeling out this new world we've been a part of for the last year. But as busy as we are, as stressed as we get, it is all worth it in the end.