National Cookie Day

This was a fun, impromptu celebration! We had lunch with Laura and Cooper today, and she brought us a fun surprise: all the supplies to decorate cookies! :)

So after nap, we got Eli and Maddie all set up to decorate their cookies. I didn't tell them they could eat anything, but instead just let them figure it out. They loved "painting" their cookies, and they thought the sprinkles were fun.

Maddie was the first to figure out that all this fun stuff was edible haha. Then Eli soon followed by trying the M&Ms. After that, there was a whole lot more eating than there was decorating :)

I think it's safe to say that they are BIG fans of cookie decorating! I'm sure the icing and M&M's and sprinkles didn't hurt :)

Thank you, Mrs. Laura for sharing your fun Christmas activity {and for giving our Mama the encouragement to attempt it with twins!}  :)

High Five for Friday!

{one} Eli and Maddie are mobile now, so they are ALL over the place. And it happened FAST. Seriously, one day they were crawling from me to Mike a few feet away, and the next they were crawling all over the house. They love exploring, and for the most part, I just let them go. It's super cute when they get going together, because they just giggle as they're chasing each other around the house. Eli is also pulling up on everything, trying to stand on his own. So while it's a super exciting time around our house, it's also a new wave of exhaustion for this twin mama :)

{two} I mentioned back in March that I was wanting to practice a bit more of my hand lettering. Well...I have twins, so I haven't done much haha. It's so hard to find time! And my perfectionist nature has made me hate everything I have worked on. I want to be good on day 1 haha! I know that's not realistic, but it has kept me from really practicing or making any progress. Kind of like analysis paralysis. So I decided it would be good for me to go back to the very basic of basics. So I started the 90 Days of Drills challenge from Two Easels, and I'm LOVING it! It has been the perfect place for me to start, and I am actually excited about diving deeper and building my skills. It will be slow, well, #becausetwins. But here's to my lettering journey!

{three} I am also really excited about starting a new Bible study with Laura! I have desperately been needing to be back in the Word, and it has just been so hard with the twins. We listen to the audio Bible every morning during breakfast, and I listen to sermon podcasts throughout the day while I'm feeding the babies. But it's just not the same as sitting down and digging into the Word. I thought about going back to BSF, but now that babies are mobile, I can't keep them with me {and can you imagine that craziness, anyway??}, and they are just not ready to be left yet. So my sweet friend suggested that we do a study together. And I am so thankful. We have done studies together in the past, and I can't wait to dive deeper into Ephesians this time. 

{four} So this is completely random, but I thought it was funny. Another twin mom posted a Lost Sleep Calculator for Parents. When I plugged in our stats, I started laugh crying. 6 months. We have lost 6 months of sleep. Our babies are only 9 months old! Haha. But this is not an exaggeration. THIS is life with twins. We wouldn't change it, but hopefully this explains why we have disappeared from so many things, and why we may seem like weirdos these days.  :)

{five} We have a new niece! Charley Claire was born on August 7th, and she is beautiful! We are finally able to go meet her tomorrow, and we can't wait to snuggle with her. In particular, big sister Presley Kate is SUPER excited to introduce her baby sister to "E-why" and "Maggie"  :)

Solar Powered

Ya'll. I am convinced that I am solar powered. 

The weather has been warming up and we have started to have more sunny days, and I just feel like a new person! My mood had definitely shifted, and I am SO excited that Spring is here. Which means we're that much closer to summer...my most favorite season :)

Everyone who knows me, knows that I get cold easily. I would MUCH rather it be 100 degrees outside than below 50 {don't laugh...I'm a Texas girl born and raised}. Most people hate the high temperatures, but I soak up every. single. second. Those dog days of August and record-breaking temps? Bring them on! 

Even when it's cold, I can handle it a little better if the sun is out. The sun makes ALL the difference to me. It's probably all in my head, but if the sun is out, my brain thinks it's warmer than it is. And the sunshine just makes me feel happy and content. There's nothing better than the feeling of the sun's warmth on my skin. 

I don't necessarily get depressed during the winter months, but I also don't realize how much the cold and cloudy months affect me until they're gone. It's almost like a thin veil or a weight is lifted. I just feel so much more alive and energetic when the sun comes out! And I'm sure my husband can attest that I am a less crabby person in the warmer months. Maybe it is a mild case of Seasonal Affective Disorder {SAD}. Whatever it is, I just feel better when the sun is shining :)

Even now I am counting down the minutes until I can be outside in the sun...

{iPhone Rewind} :: December

Vacation was nice, but then reality struck. I was back to work and spent a couple of weeks digging out from under the stacks...

And some mornings you just need a snowman cookie for breakfast :)

I feel as though I have a new watch. I don't...I have had this watch for several years...but I am pretty sure I haven't worn it in over 2 years. The battery died, and I kept meaning to get it replaced...but now it finally works again, and I'm kind of excited to be a watch-wearer again!

Mike texted me this photo of Sasha saying he found her parked in front of the heater hoping that it would magically turn on. Silly puppy thinks that is how it works :)

I had bought tickets to Andrew Peterson's Behold the Lamb of God tour for Mike's birthday, and we headed to the concert in December. Andrew Peterson is one of Mike's favorite singer/songwriters, and it was such an amazing concert!

This wonderful box reminds me of Christmas in San Antonio. We often would get a sampler of different meats and cheeses from New Braunfels Smokehouse to snack on during the holidays. It was just a fun tradition...that we introduced to Mike, who LOVED it! And so we made sure to get a box delivered to our house :)

These were the fun Christmas gifts I gave to co-workers this year. Don't you just love Pinterest inspiration?? Super simple and a crowd-pleaser! {yogurt-covered pretzels, tag is my own design}

This year, we received a CRAZY amount of treats as gifts. I snapped this photo too early, because this is definitely only half of what we got, and the snack counter quickly transferred to a snack table. It was nice to have around with my parents in town, but we had SO much!

I loved this gift idea we gave to our niece Elizabeth. I picked out nail colors that matched different Disney princesses, and added a coordinating tag. Super simple, and she loved it!

Christmas with the McCulloughs is always fun :)  My sweet FIL bought these warm hats/masks for his girls. We were not quite sure what he was trying to tell us...

The boys got matching gifts too: electric salt and pepper grinders and an induction oven. It was fun to watch them open and compare their gifts together :)

My amazing hubby BUILT me a craft table for Christmas!! For several weeks, he kept sneaking away to work on his secret project. He did such a great job, and I absolutely LOVE it! He MADE me a craft table!!

My parents came into town, and we had a great time! We headed to Main Event one day to play Shuffleboard and Bowling. Mom got serious about her Shuffleboard ;)

We spent most of our time just hanging out and watching movies. Gotta love family snuggle time on the couch!

This quiz was floating around Facebook, and my little organizer brain was intrigued, so I took it. Not surprised at the results :)

High Five for Friday!

Friday...how I enjoy thee.  :)

{one} I am so thankful for the women that the Lord has brought into my life via Bible study. When we started meeting together to dig deeper into the Word, I was reminded of the excitement of learning God's Word for the first time {many of the women had not done such an in-depth study like this one before}. There have certainly been some challenges along the way, and I would be lying if I said I hadn't faced moments of discouragement {when no one comes prepared, when no one shows up...} But the Lord reminded me this week of the importance of being faithful and to encourage these women as we seek to be committed disciples of Jesus together. 

{two} The last couple of weeks at work have been C.R.A.Z.Y. Our company has been in the process of going public, so it was nice to finally reach IPO day! While things will certainly be different moving forward, I'm hoping things will settle just a little and go back to semi-normal :) It's exciting to be a part of a company that is growing and yet still committed to being a vital part of the communities in which it serves.

{three} Health-wise, I have been doing fairly well. I will have bouts of intestinal issues here and there but nothing like things were before. The Humira seems to be working well for me! I haven't had caffeine in over 4 months...so while that has forced me to drink more water {which is better for me anyway}, I am also learning to enjoy decaf coffee and root beer :) I went back to my GI doctor last week and my B-12 levels came back normal, so I can reduce my injections to once a month {woohoo!}. I will be honest and say that I don't feel a significant difference in my energy level yet, but hopefully I will soon. Unless I have any complications, I don't have to see my GI again for 3 months. Praise Jesus for all of the answered prayer!

{four} And speaking of health...I just have to say praise Jesus for my sweet friend Julie being placed on the kidney transplant list. We have been praying for her for months, and she could potentially have a new kidney by the end of April. If you think of it, please continue to lift her up, as she will continue to do dialysis at home, and there are still numerous tests to be done before her transplant.

{five} I am SO ready for warmer weather. We have also had a lot of much-needed rain, but I am also ready for clear skies and sunny days. Hopefully this week will be the last of the cold weather and we can look forward to warmer temps from here on out! :)



High Five for Friday!

It's Friday!

{one} My "Friday" was actually on Wednesday of this week. So does that make today 2nd Saturday?? That seems like a pretty good Friday to me :)

{two} We drove in to San Antonio Wednesday night, so we got to sleep in and relax before Lauren and Miguel's rehearsal/rehearsal dinner (post/pictures to come later). Since the wedding is not until tomorrow, we have the entire day today to hang out with my parents!

{three} People often ask, "What is Crohn's Disease?" and I am still learning how to succinctly describe it for them without going into all the gory details. I found this picture that I think perfectly describes it. It's kinda funny, but so true...

Source

{four} I am in the midst of re-designing my blog. Just kind of feel like a change. And I have crazily decided to make it a DIY project. I want something fairly simple, so it shouldn't be too hard. Surely I can remember some of that coding unit in my business MIS class. Plus, there are enough tutorials online where I can figure it out....right? Ha. I will let you know how this endeavor turns out ;)

{five} Today is actually my 1 year anniversary at the bank. It's always humbling to think back over the past year and how the Lord provided in so many ways through this job. While there are times that I miss my old co-workers, I certainly do not miss the stress of my old job. I think about how the Lord has provided new co-workers, and how grateful I am for those new relationships here in McKinney. I think about the blessing of being close to home, and I never want to take my short commute for granted.

High Five for Friday!

It's Friday!

{one} Today is Day 60 in our Pray nine3eight campaign. We have been so blessed by the countless people lifting us up in prayer. We have seen God's faithfulness, and we are excited to see what He does in the next 40 days!

{two} This morning I woke up early with a lot on my mind. Nothing terrible, just thinking through some current struggles. The Lord was gracious to prod me to spend time with Him instead of lay in bed worrying. This morning's study was from Genesis, when God called Abram to leave his home {comforts/family/friends} to settle in the land that God would show him {unknown/no specifics/total leap of faith}. I was struck by Abram's faith to obey God's calling without question. I was also struck by God's faithfulness to fulfill what He had promised, despite all obstacles (including Abram's unrighteousness). I struggle a lot with worry and having enough faith to obey without question. But I am so thankful for a God who is faithful to fulfill His promises in spite of me.

 

{three} Ya'll. I have a confession to make. Mike and I are addicted to Duck Dynasty. The show is SO funny and silly! Uncle Si is my favorite :)

source: aetv.com

I bought season 1 for Mike for Valentine's Day and we have been making our way through all of the episodes. I also pre-ordered season 2 for him, and that should ship soon since season 3 just started. It definitely makes me happy, happy, happy! :)

{four} Tomorrow I am going to get my haircut. Normally that would not be newsworthy, except that I have not had a haircut since July. JULY. That's beyond ridiculous. But in my defense, I had to cancel my appointment in November (which I realize is still a long time between haircuts...life gets busy, what can I say?) because of a Crohn's flare up (though I didn't know that's what it was at the time). Then my symptoms just got worse, I ended up in the hospital, Christmas rolled around, I forgot about it, etc. etc. To say that a haircut is long overdue is an understatement. But I am definitely looking forward to finally getting one tomorrow!

{five} I miss Dr Pepper. That is all.

Have a great weekend! :)

High Five for Friday!

I am SO happy it's the weekend. It's funny how 4 day weeks seem to be so much harder to get through sometimes.

{one} Last night, Mike and I enjoyed a fun date night. We made dinner together, then headed over to our favorite coffee shop for some drinks and a few rounds of Bananagrams. Even though he always beats me, I enjoy spending fun, quality time with my love  :)

{two} Today we had a Chili Cook Off at work to raise money for Relay for Life and the American Cancer Society. Our lovely receptionist Kirston (who just so happens to be a cancer survivor) planned the event, and it was a fun way to raise money and enjoy lunch with co-workers. Mike came up to the office and was a taste-tester for me, since I couldn't enjoy all the yummy chilis. But I still got to enjoy some, because Kirston made me my very own Crohn's-friendly portion...so sweet!

{three} And as if Chili lunch wasn't enough, we also had Birthday Celebration in the conference room. We celebrate with cake for all of the month's birthdays, and it is always a good time to see co-workers I normally don't get to. And, of course, it's always a good time to eat some good cake! It was certainly a day for food haha.

{four} Today also happens to be National Margarita Day. A whole day devoted to my favorite adult beverage! I texted Laura yesterday and told her how sad I was that a) I couldn't have a margarita (silly Crohn's and all your limitations), and b) I didn't get to see her today to enjoy a margarita with her. I told her to drink one for me...so hopefully she enjoys one today! :)

{five} I get to see my parents this weekend! I am so excited about heading to San Antonio after work today. Sadly, Mike won't be going, but I am secretly looking forward to a whole weekend by myself with them. I could use some good parental time!

Happy Friday friends! :)

{iPhone Rewind} :: August

So...I haven't done such a hot job with the whole {Photo-A-Day} thing. I completely skipped July and tried to start again in August only to completely give up...oops. Oh well.

So I have decided to just stick to {iPhone Rewind} instead; it seems to take up less effort and time = perfect for me :) So here is a look back at August via iPhone photos...

Starbucks even recognizes that we are one ;)

I tried my hand at making homemade pretzels - they tasted better than they looked!

Since it's getting lighter later in the mornings, I decided to start carrying pepper spray on my runs. I was slightly annoyed that a) the "runner" version only came in pink, and b) pink was less expensive than black. But I guess I'm glad to have it with me nonetheless.

Speaking of exercise...this workout has been kicking. my. butt. No joke. But it's good for me, right?

I have been growing out my bangs and it has been interesting to say the least. I accidently damaged them with my flat iron + had a haircut fiasco that left them way too short, so I literally have been growing them out for over a year. I feel like I am back in middle school with my bobby pins and goofy alfalfa strands...blah.

Mmmm...yay for yogurt and Bible study :) I have been so blessed by the sweet girls I have had the opportunity to study the Word with. Such a sweet answer to prayer.

Some of the girls in our Bible study decided to have a Pinterest Party! We have talked about it for awhile, but finally picked a night to get together.

It was a fun evening filled with crafts, conversation, and girliness :)

My Pinterest project...homemade gift bags.

It may be hard to see in the picture, but the tree in the lot next door got struck by lightening. It happened in the middle of the night and woke us both up; we thought lightening had struck our house. The street, our roof, and our yard were filled with the debris.

Sasha on her way to Granny's house...she stayed with Mike's mom while we headed to Colorado for vacation (post coming soon!)

Summertime

It seems like every month this summer I have joked with my co-worker about where the last month has gone, how it went by so quickly, how we both can't believe it's {the new month}. That held true for the start of August too. Where in the world is the summer going??  :)

Preacher Boy
Mike had an opportunity to teach again at the Woodcreek College group. In a lot of ways it has been a reunion with former high school students, who have obviously graduated and are moving on to college. It has been a bit nostalgic for him, bringing back memories of teaching during youth days.

Excuse the poor quality...I didn't want to be a distraction during his teaching ;)

I always enjoy hearing my husband teach/preach. It's fun for me to see him doing a) something he loves, and b) something in which he is clearly gifted. Every time I hear him teach, I feel the Spirit moving. Not because Mike has some inside-track to holiness; but because he is humbly operating within his God-given gift. I always walk away in awe of how the Lord has crafted him to teach. I know I have only just begun this journey with him, and I have countless sermons/teachings to look forward to in our future. But I am excited about what that will look like in our church plant in the years to come.

It's HOT
I'm one of those weird people that actually enjoys the heat. Give me a 90 degree day over 50 any day. But even I have to admit that this summer has been HOT.

No that's not a joke. It really did hit 108 more than once this week.

And P.S. It never got down to 79. Just saying.

The heat has just been draining. So it hasn't really felt like a true summer to me, simply because I haven't spent very much time outside. I usually live outside in the summer. But it has just been too suffocatingly hot to be outdoors. Thank you Lord for air conditioning and cold beverages! :)

Counting Down
I am SO looking forward to being here at the end of the month:

I need some vacation time, and we have been incredibly blessed by an opportunity to spend a week in Colorado. Can't. Wait.

Administrative Professionals Day

So today was Administrative Professionals Day. I didn't know it until my bosses gave me and the other executive assistant a sweet gift! I got a gift card to North Park (a mall in Dallas) and a sweet note. Kind of a fun surprise :)

So, Happy Administrative Professionals Day! :)