#PopinCurrituck

#PopinCurrituck was the trending hashtag from my house this past weekend. My sweet dad drove all the way up from SC to visit with us for the weekend. It really means a lot when people are willing to travel 7 hours to see us! We are used to the drive now, but we do know what a sacrifice it is for our friends & family.

I will let the pictures do most of the talking. Saturday it was just dad, Madi, and myself. Paul had prior obligations to be at the hunt club. He's the Clubhouse Manager so he can't really miss hunts. He shared some fried turkey that he cooked so we forgave him. :)

We hit up Mel's Diner for breakfast. A local fav. Our waitress took a liking to dad right away so breakfast was interesting to say the least! :)

After breakfast we went to the Wright Brothers Memorial in Kill Devil Hills. It was all of our first time seeing it so that was special. I never really had an interest in going but it was actually really interesting and a great history lesson. I definitely recommend going if you come to OBX. They have  the memorial but also a replica of the plane and replicas of the brothers' living quarters. There is also a great view of KDH from the memorial.

That afternoon we did some shopping at the outlets (yes, my dad is awesome and does not mind following us girls around while we shop!) and then went to The Spot for ice cream. Madi got the last of their chocolate ice cream so I was rather sad. Oh the things we do for our kids!

For dinner we went to Chili's... go ahead, fuss at me. I wanted to take dad to a local place for lunch/dinner but we ate such a late breakfast that we weren't hungry at lunch time and we didn't feel like staying in OBX until dinnertime. Shame on me but dad really enjoyed the steak he got from Chili's. Ha! Next time Paul & I will take him somewhere local and fantastic, probably Kill Devil Grill.

Sunday morning we exchanged Christmas gifts and went back to Mel's Diner. Mel's was dad's request. I wonder why... ;)

We all had a wonderful time with dad and can't wait for him to visit again soon.

Forgot to mention that Madi pulled out her 5th tooth on Sunday!

Brownie sundae for BREAKFAST. (Pop said yes.)

Madi & Me

Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star and Rock-A-By Baby along with back scratches have been part of my nightly routine for 6 years and 11 months. Tonight, Madi scratched MY back and sang ME those songs. That 2 minutes touched my heart in a way I can't really describe.

I post a lot about how difficult it is to raise my strong-willed child. I post a lot about our morning battles and our food drama. What I don't really parade enough is how blessed I am to be Madi's mommy. The truth is - Madi is exactly like I am. I would be surprised if she wasn't. She and I have been together pretty much constantly since she was born. We do everything together. We understand each other. And because of that we do butt heads from time to time. Sometimes more often than I would like and sometimes on days I just don't feel up to handling it; but, at the end of the day I always thank God (or intend to) for blessing me with such an amazing little girl.

And despite many articles read and opinions heard, I'm glad I still sing my little girl to sleep because those are moments I will cherish forever.

Tonight at dinner

And then she was a 1st grader...

I can't believe today has come and gone. I feel like this day has been in the back (middle?) of my mind since Madi was born. I remember saying I didn't want her to start school because there is so much involved - early mornings of actually having to get dressed, lunches to pack, homework, and early bedtimes. But as I saw her grow and challenge herself in kindergarten, I started getting excited for 1st grade. I have never been one of those sappy moms when it comes to a kid growing up. To me, and I don't mean this offensively - we all have our own opinions/mindsets, it is a happy time when a kid turns a year older or goes to the next grade in school. This is something I'm getting to experience alongside my daughter so it is definitely exciting but shockingly, it was nerve-wracking, as well. I REALLY didn't anticipate being so anxious about her first day of "real" school. Last night I was so on edge about it. I was asking Paul if he thought I'd packed enough in her lunch box and asking him if I thought she would be okay after I dropped her off. I double and triple checked two alarm clocks. I prayed that she would wake up on her own this morning. (I really did. She's SO much more pleasant when she wakes up on her own versus when I have to nudge her awake.) I made sure her name was written on everything in her book bag. I made her an adorable binder cover. (She made me take it out when she saw it this morning.)

Well, all that anxiety and all those nerves were just silly. In the words of Madi: "Shouldn't I be the one all stressed out? I'm the one going to school!" Yes, she is right.

Were there zero hiccups this morning? Did I breeze through the first day of school routine without a hitch? No, of course not because life isn't perfect. Did we both make it without a huge disaster? Yes, absolutely. We got to school right before the tardy bell (had some shoe issues...) and I even managed to get a smile.

I snuck this one as we were walking to her class. 

Turns out - she loved first grade. LOVED it. She couldn't stop telling me things. She wanted to keep her cool...that's just how Madi is. But she kept calling me into the room she was in and telling me more things about her day. "Ms. B is 22. And her favorite food is mac & cheese!" "We had 11 minutes to eat lunch. ELEVEN." and "I saw Courtney!" and "Carmen and I were SO close to getting the Hershey kisses." Also, "Math was soooo easy."

These are the moments that make me smile. And the moments that help me remember what God promises - that we don't need to worry or be anxious. It is a wasted emotion.

I'm so happy I was given this lesson in this way -- my girl is happy and that makes me happy.

after school...

bribed with chocolate milk...

and later I realized we were out of chocolate syrup. #momfail

Challenge #2: She's riding the bus tomorrow morning. First time ever. I have no idea how she talked me into this... #cueanxiety #ididntlearnathing

Peaks & a Pit

I realize today is Saturday, not Friday, but I'm still going to link up for this funness. Yes, I know that's not a real word.

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P I T S:

 

-My sleeping ability this week has sucked. Majorly. I cannot sleep at night but come morning, I could sleep through an earthquake.

 

 

P E A K S:

 

+ (yes, I'm copying someone who did the plus and minus signs on her post. Too clever.) Thinking about our future! That is all I can reveal for now!

 

+ Madi did *not* beat up the dental assistant and the dentist.

 

 

+ Finding out that Oreo has created a Cookie Dough Oreo!!!! Oh my gah. I'm going to stop eating now, so that I can eat all that I want when they come out.

 

 

 

 

That is all for this week.

 

What were your pits and peaks??

 





 

 



My hope for you is that you've never been hurt.

I'm linking up with Sarah & Holly for Flash Forward Fun. The idea is to write a letter to our child(ren) for them to read in the future. Fair warning - this post is l-o-n-g. If you make it through, go buy yourself a cookie. 

Sarah & Holly provided some fun prompts so I'm going to do those too, but first the letter.

Dear M (pronounced "em"),
Writing this, I am picturing you - now a young lady, with your long brown hair curled at the ends. I see you with glasses, perhaps just a fashion statement, as you wore when you were 4 years old. You're dolled up in jewelry and wearing a dress, of course. Not pink though. You've moved on from pink. I think your favorite color is now green. 

My hope for you is that you've never been hurt. Unrealistic, yes, but still my hope. I hope you've found something to be passionate about - whether it's school, art, dentistry, or something completely different - I hope you love it. You are strong willed and a fighter so if it's something you want, I have no doubt you'll go after it. 

I want you to have a strong, intense relationship with God and I believe in my heart that you will. At age 4 you were telling me which of your friends you didn't think were Christians. You wanted to invite them to church - and you did. You care for others and I am sure that hasn't changed. I just pray that the events in your life up to this point have not strayed you from your affirmation that God is good. God is always good. The world may not be a nice place sometimes. But God is your refuge. 

I pray about your future husband. I have been since you were 4 years old. I pray that he is a Godly man. I pray he is someone who will love you in the best way. I pray that he is your best friend. You may be with him now. You may be dating, or you may be married. (I'm picturing you reading this when you're 18, so hopefully you are not married yet!!) With that being said, my advice in that area, is to take your time. Take your time getting married. There is no need to rush. Enjoy your twenties. Don't rush to have babies. Spend time alone - getting to truly know who you are: what you like, what you don't like, what you want, what you need. These things are much harder to figure out once you're with someone. I know my Madi girl though - you know this and chances are, you already know exactly who you are. That is something I didn't figure out until I was, well, 29 which is how old I am now. I may not even still have it all figured out. 

So to sum this all up, I hope you have found something you absolutely love, and I hope you do not make the same mistakes I made. I know you still have your determination and your hilarious spirit. You can make anyone laugh at any moment. I hope you are driving your pink & purple VW Beetle and I hope you're working at Aflac with me until you finish Dentistry school. I still have your blankie so come by and smell it anytime. And I'll gladly paint your nails and read you a Berenstain Bears book. 

I love you more than french fries sweet girl. So, so, so much more.

Love always,
Mommy
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Madi is currently 4 years, 10 months old. 

Personality: Madi already acts like she's grown-up so I really don't think her personality will change much at all. She has the best sense of humor. She is witty and sarcastic and laughs all the time! She gets frustrated quickly when she doesn't understand how to do something. 

I think the biggest change in her personality will be that she will open up. She is very shy right now, but I can already see improvement after four days of school!

Food Choices: She will most likely continue to be a picky eater. Hopefully she will branch out more; otherwise, she will be very bored with her food in a year or two. Chicken nuggets, mac & cheese, applesauce and crackers will only get you so far. Gotta at least add cheeseburgers to that list!

Near or Far: I would be very surprised if she moves far away from home once she's on her own. She is very much a family girl. She's surrounded by grandparents, cousins, aunts, uncles, and of course her parents. She is very close with all of us. I think she will go to a local school, perhaps Clemson, if I keep her going in the right direction. ;) She wants to be a dentist and I truly believe that if she has a passion for it, she will become one. She has motivation even at the age of 4. I see big things for her in the future! 

Kids: We have talked a bit about the number of kids she wants. She has said one because any more than that would be too much work. Wow is she right! Guestimating - I predict she'll have three kids. Not sure the reason I think that - just seems right. 

Spirituality: I also must say that I see her love for Jesus only escalating with time. She already has such a solid understanding of who Jesus is and why we worship him. It's truly amazing. I give thanks for that to KidSpring, the children's ministry at my church - NewSpring, and I had a small part in it too. :) I definitely see her plugged in to a church and sharing the message with others. She already does that now! 

Tats, Piercings, & Risk-Taking: I'm saying she'll have no tattoos, no more piercings (she has her ears pierced already), and will be very much a rule follower. She's a dare devil already, but in the amusement park aspect, not the getting into trouble scene. 

Man this was fun but emotional! Link up to join in on the tears predictions of where your kids will be in the future.

SOBs and other things...

I haven't done a Toddler Talk Tuesday post in forever! I guess I need to rename it soon too, since my 4 year old is hardly a toddler anymore. 

Oh do I have some funny ones today. 

Let me say first, that some of my absolute best memories with Madi are right before bed. For some reason she's hilarious before she goes to sleep. Last night we laughed so much for at least 30 minutes. And it wasn't even about anything that made any kind of sense. Those are the best laughs! 

So here you go... Enjoy! 

"Everyone only has one Heaven father. Well, two kinda since Jesus and God are the same. They must be twins. Really good twins." 

"I like SOBs." (She meant SUVs, of course.) 

I asked her if I could play her new game on the iPad and she said "you can play after I play. I gotta check it out and make sure it's appropriate for you." 

Her dentist office will be named "Princess Sailboat Madi's Job." Because there will be a princess room for girls and a sailboat room for boys. Makes sense to me! 

And just because I find this humorous - 

"What's the Holy Spirit?" 

Me - "That's an excellent question. Go ask GiGi." :) 

Road Warriors

Whewwww. Aren't weekends supposed to refresh you, not wear you out? I'm beat. 

Friday, I unexpectedly got off work early, so Madi and I decided to head to VA for the weekend. {if you haven't learned anything about me yet, you must know I'm the most spontaneous person. Ever.} 

Something I hadn't considered was that a 6.5 hour trip can easily become a 8+ hour trip with a kid. We ended up getting a hotel in NC Friday night so we didn't get to VA until 11am Saturday. 

Saturday Madi, Paul, & I grabbed some lunch at Tropical Smoothie and then played at the playground for a bit. 

That afternoon we got ready for Paul's staff cookout. Well, Paul prepped the food, while M & I played with the dogs and played on the iPad, and took goofy pictures. :) 

Paul made beer in the butt chicken. Ha! Sounds weird but it was soooo good. Everyone brought appetizers and snacks. We played corn hole in the backyard and watched the NASCAR race, redneck style. That is - we put a tv in the window, like an AC unit - only it was a tv. I can't believe I didn't take a picture of it! 

Sunday, Pam took Madi and me to Hunt Club Farm. It's a petting zoo complete with goats, chickens, bunnies, ducks, geese, turkeys, ponies, donkeys, llamas, alpacas, pigs, etc! Pretty much every farm animal you can think of is there! Pam "forgot" ;) about my intense fear of birds, but I handled myself well. I even fed goats and I don't do animals. I was proud of myself! Had to be a good example for Madi. Madi really enjoyed it. She said the pony ride was her favorite! 

I highly recommend this family friendly event if you're ever in the VA Beach area! Go early though! We went right when they opened and had the place pretty much to ourselves. Later that afternoon the line was about 25 people long, not to mention it was hot!!

Lastly - the brunch Paul made for us on Sunday was amazing!!! He is a wonderful cook and has a real passion for it. He made Eggs Benedict for the first time. So so good! 

Madi & I had a wonderful weekend. I'm exhausted from the drive but so glad we went. My motto has always been that I can sleep when I'm dead! 

Link up and tell me about your weekend shenanigans! 

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<a href="http://www.samisshenanigans.com/search/label/weekend%20shenanigans" title="Sami's Shenanigans"><img src="http://i.imgur.com/bN3GboQ.png" alt="Sami's Shenanigans" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

I am not usually a moron...

It's not often that I get in organization mode, but when I do, I go all out. 

I've been meaning to pick up some laminating sheets for a while now. I saw a coupon for them on Cartwheel today and just had to buy them already! I'm so glad I did. (They were only $8.50 after the discount!!)

I am not usually a moron, but these had me feeling like a complete idiot. Each pouch has detailed instructions, complete with pictures; yet, I still could not figure it out.

Enter exhibit 1, my first attempt:

Oy vey. That's embarrassing. Now, in my defense (sort of) I was trying to do this sitting on my bed. That's not the smartest idea. You definitely need a hard surface and a ruler for this. So anyway, I'm not going to give you a step-by-step because chances are, the instructions will make perfect sense to you.

After watching a "how-to" video that I googled, still not getting it, staring at the instructions a few more times...I finally figured it out. I didn't do it the way that was outlined, but it worked. 

So the whole point of these lovely laminating pouches is that I wanted to have a reusable chore chart and clothing calendar for Madi. 

The chore chart for obvious reasons - she generally has the same things she is responsible for each day and if she does them she gets an allowance on Fridays. I printed out two - one for my house and one for her dad's house. 

Please disregard the horrible drawings. I do not claim to be even half an artist.

The free printable can be found here.

The clothes calendar is as much for me as it is for Madi. The plan is to write out what she will wear each week, at the beginning of the week. This should help mornings run smoothly. The other perk is that it will help me keep track of what she's worn. I tend to pick out the same things over and over again. She has a ton of clothes so I want to make sure she's wearing all of them!

Of course I absolutely love that it's chevron. 

The free printable can be found here.

Can y'all see the laminated pouch? All ends are completely sealed. It really looks like a heated lamination! It took all of 2 minutes, once I figured out what I was doing, and now we have reusable print-outs. I love them!! I can't wait to pick up some dry erase markers so I can get started!

**This is not a sponsored post. I just really liked the laminated pouches. 3M, if you're reading this - I'll gladly accept accolades. 

Also - my friend Carrie just started a blog, Huggies and Heels. Stop by and welcome her to the blogging community! :) 

Tomorrow is the day

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The day my "toddler" becomes a little girl. Madi starts 4 year preschool tomorrow morning. I am sooooo excited, yet sooooo sad! She's growing up - really, really fast. I don't like it. I texted my friend the other day and said can't they just stay toddlers forever? But of course I don't truly wish that. 

Her face lit up when she saw her classroom on Wednesday. She was able to meet her teachers and a few classmates. She was so intrigued by everything going on around her. She was given a coloring page but barely touched it. I love that she's so observant. She did color the blank "cookie" though! 

The theme for her class is the "smart cookies." I think that's just adorable! I'm very pleased with her new school. The curriculum is wonderful. It includes a daily devotion, yoga!, and bible stories and then of course learning numbers, abcs, shapes, colors - all of which will be review for her. The biggest reason I wanted her to attend preschool is for the social skills. She is extremely shy. I know this will be a great challenge for her but one she needs! 

So back to my point of this post - tomorrow is her first day!!!! She goes for 2 hours tomorrow. Normally she will go for 3 hours. She's crazy excited and that just makes it so much better. She has requested eggs with cheese in the morning so that is what she will get!

We did some prepping for school tonight that I want to share with y'all. It was so much fun! 

Were you this excited when your kids started school? 

I found this free printable on pinterest. I didn't like the cookies shown in the pinterest picture though. I thought they looked too cheap so I chose these new yummy looking cookies! 

Painted her fingernails and toenails. She loved the accent nail!

First day outfit all picked out, complete with jewelry and headband.

Wondering what this new time in our lives will hold! I'm ready!