Taking it All In.

So we've started this new thing at our house. Actually, it's only been two weeks, so I'm not sure I can technically call it a thing, but I want it to be one. Maybe you've heard of it?

Sunday Night Dinner.

Yup, I just capitalized it all... as if it is it's own restaurant or something. Because it is... at my house on Sunday night. Mondays tend to hit us all hard and after much discussion between Jeff and I, we decided we needed a better transition. Maybe it's me who needs a transition, but either way, it's good for everyone when momma is relaxed, am I right?

So Sunday Night Dinner it is.

Last night was our second night. We had flank steak tacos, bacon wrapped dates and a cucumber + tomato salad along with chips and our favorite salsa. We set the table outside to enjoy the fruits of our labor from our weekend work. I love to cook, so it is important to me that the smells, sounds and warmth of the kitchen be a part of the whole thing.

Cooking dinner with three kids running down isn't the easiest. It's not the easiest with ONE running around. I have little eyes and noses trying to check out what I'm making to make sure it's to their liking. There are constant questions happening as to when it will be ready, what's in the salad and what can they have to drink. Is dessert going to be available if they eat well? Can they have a snack? I mean, come on y'all... let me cook dinner!

So last night, I put on my cooking playlist and made a plate of snacks for those who were waiting patiently. I had hummus, carrots, salami and almonds out.... so I didn't think they'd eat much to be honest... they were more for Jeff and I.

I noticed something by doing this, y'all... everyone ended up in the kitchen. No t.v. was on, just the music and all of our voices breaking through the chopping and sizzling that was happening. Jeff sat down and chatted with me as he snacked on the food and the kids came in and out grabbing stuff off of the plate.

I was standing at the stove checking my steak and almost tripped over a plastic tupperware that Landry had gotten out. I hastily kicked it to the side - most likely annoyed that I have to pick it up yet again. And then God whispered to me, "Soak it in, Becky. The noises, the toys, the hustle, the laughter... just take it all in, My daughter. It's not like this for long." This was not one of the almost-audible voices, but a very gentle nudging in my soul that came from nowhere... from God.

Soak it all in. 

It's a birthday week in our house so I'm a little more sentimental than normal. I have F I V E more years until I have a smelly teenage boy running through this house. That means I have exactly TWO seconds until he starts to hate us and be embarrassed of us, right? That is not long.

It's so cliche, and I hate it when grandmothers at the grocery store tell me this, but it really does go by fast. I tend to not be super sentimental, because I want to be deeply present in today. The hustle and bustle of the week - and even the weekend - tries to take me away from being attentive to today. The busy tries to steal my moments one by one and throw them into eternity, never to be seen again. But this week I will be intentional about being present in my moments.

That means setting my phone down often. That means turning the news off when I'm done watching it... it doesn't need to be my background noise. That means looking at my kids in the eyes and telling them how much I love them and letting that soak down into their little souls. That means kissing my husband - for real - before He goes to work.

It means letting the little mess ups and petty arguments do nothing to me, but moving on and taking it in stride. It means letting my kids be little, make a mess and teach them to clean it up. (I'm not crazy, y'all). It means noticing the little things in my moments... the sights, the smells, the sounds. The things that will stick in my mind years to come.

And that's why Sunday Night Dinner.

It's a marker that we are a family and God has placed us all together today. I hope that it serves as a reminder that this is where our loyalty lies... this is where our home is set. Together. Not in our house, not in our friends, not even in our dear community. But in each other, deeply rooted in our faith. I picture heavy discussions happening here. I picture family arguments happening here, tears being shed and burdens being carried. I picture laughter, hand holding and prayer happening here. I picture our family being strengthened, lessons being learned and people feeling known here.

My hope for Sunday Night Dinner is that it's something we look forward to more than not. That it's something done with intention and helps to solidify our family of five. A time in the week that grounds us and roots us together in Him.

No matter what happens during the week, or what is going to happen during the next week, my hope is to make a place for us all to take a deep breath, settle our souls and gear up for battle together.

The days are long, but the years are short. We only have this life once... and we only have our kids at home for such a little while. No matter how hard today is... and I know it can be H A R D... let's soak it all in for what it is...

Today.

three weeks in.

three weeks in and we are beginning to adjust to life with a precious newborn. 

it's been almost four years since i had one. 

it wasn't necessarily our plan to wait that long - but it wasn't necessarily our plan to have another one either, i guess. life just threw us curve balls that prohibited us from feeling like "it was the right time". {which, isn't that the biggest joke ever? there is NO right time to have a baby. it's just time.}

our little love bug is doing well. i think he has a little clogged tear duct on one eye, but it isn't anything we can't handle. he has his days and nights mixed up a bit - which is new for us - but i think we are gradually getting better at that. i try so hard to keep him up a bit - just a few minutes - after each feeding during the day... but if i jiggle him too much he just spits up all over us! {nice trick, sweet pea.}

we're doing a lot of coffee drinking and eating from the delish frozen meals that my sweet friend rebecca helped me prepare before love bug's arrival. our favorite so far has been martha stewart's tamale pies. everyone loved them, the recipe made a TON and they froze {and reheated} beautifully. 

{sidenote: i LOVE steel magnolia's and that just makes me remember the whole "they're from the freezes beautifully section of my cookbook" part! anyone??}

i have loads of written + unaddressed thank you notes {and unwritten ones}, unreturned voicemails + text messages and unmade little branches ideas. i'm learning {and relearning} that it's okay to take some downtime and rest time. 

the problem is :: the less i do, the less i want to do. does anyone else feel that way? 

 

the big kids are adjusting. i've noticed some behavior changes {which i know is so normal} that i attribute to our littlest one - but it also could be school settling in and whatnot. oh - or just getting older... i guess it could be that too, right?

 sweet little love bug :: just stay small and precious so you never make mommy want to pull her hair out and eat chocolate chip cookies and ice cream all day, mmmkay? except that you kinda do that already with your non sleeping habits. oh, why do you children think that it's so fun to play these little mind games?? give your parents a break!

mommy's littlest helper.

i've been in major nesting mode - even when my energy supply dwindles at lunchtime. so i have gotten my sewing machine out and attempted {started} sewing some new pillows for our sofa. i'm following the nester and she has made me want to just get started and make decisions. it used to be that i would spend days {and months even!} debating on something. fabric, statement pieces, etc. wondering if i'd find something better - so i just wouldn't make a decision. but not anymore! i'm going to love it NOW and i bought some new fabric that i think will look FAB in our living room! can't wait to share - when they're done, of course! 

but here's the thing.... i have this little helper. who, even though she's 'pretending', seems to require more supervision than i do when sewing! 

"what's this for? where's my needle? where's my bubbin?{bobbin} where's my thread?" 

 

she's awfuly cute though. and i know these days are long, but the years are short.... so today, i'll let her 'help'.... and hopefully get some work done in the process. 

party animals.

 several weeks ago my first baby turned S I X !!!! can you believe it. i feel like the days go by SO slow, but the months go by SO fast. do you hear me??

 

 

i used to be one of those over the top party people. i still kind of want to be again. but we've found it to be waaay less stressful to keep it simple. and honestly, our kids don't really notice all of those cutesy details. at least b doesn't. i had to get real honest with myself a year or so ago and ask why i was putting so much pressure on myself. yes, i enjoy doing crafty things, but when it comes to doing it + getting food together and invitations etc. etc. it only stresses me out. it makes me a bad mom. i wish it didn't - and maybe someday again it won't - but right now it does. 

so i keep it simple. 

we went to our neighborhood park and had snacks and cupcakes in the pavillion. that's it. we sang happy birthday and the kids ran around and played. it was supposed to be on sunday and there was supposed to be pizza involved, but the weather had other plans. so we moved it a few days and had it after school. and guess what.... the kids did NOT care. all they want is to play and sing and run and climb. and maybe eat a few cupcakes. 

 

are you a pinterest party thrower???

 i LOVE all the ideas i see on there. i do. i love all the decorations and costumes and invitations and themed food. i really thought i'd be like that. and surprisingly i could probably throw it together on a normal day, but on a party day? nope. it's just not in the cards for me right now. the hubbs and i would like to stay married and i'd like to have a party for the kids that didn't involve yelling the preparation. 

so, today, i'm telling you it's okay!! be the kind of party thrower that you LIKE to be... not the kind you think you're supposed to be!!!! the kids just want a happy mommy + a happy party with their friends and family. i promise! you can do it! you're AWESOME.

spring swimming.

ack!!! i cannot believe that it is already hot warm enough to swim!! the littles have been begging to get into our little pool, i tell you - BEGGING. and this week i decided to use it as a reward! what an ingenious idea, becky!?! let me tell you, they didn't get to do it monday, but on tuesday they were ready to try again - and this time had super happy hearts and were excited to "jump" in when it was their turn!

one of the reasons we loved this house so much was because of the mini-pool. the hubbs really wanted a pool and i really didn't {i mainly wanted a yard more than i didn't want a pool.} but this is such a great compromise for us! the kids {and me!} get to "dip" during the hot texas summers and we get to have a nice hot tub in the cold frigid ridciulous winters that we never have here in texas but DID have this year! {can i get a hooray for the hot tub?}

little miss is a big swimmer. she kicks so fast and keeps her arms right in front of her. she desperately does NOT want to have to take swimming lessons with miss ginger again this year so she tries to prove to me that she can swim hard all. the. time.  when should i tell her that miss ginger is retired??

oh - and be sure to check out the shop today!! we're opening around nine!! see you there.