Monday, July 1, 2019

Instagram Dump January - June 2019

I first began posting to Instagram in October of 2013 (I can't believe it's been that long!) as a way to quickly and easily document every day life moments for my family. As a busy mom of four, Insta is a great way to tell little stories and record memories for the future that may otherwise be forgotten. I also love having those every day moments as part of my blog, so this post contains all the posts I made to Instagram from January through June, 2019.



01/01 - Today marks six years since we experienced our first miscarriage. We had a baby and a toddler at the time, and we couldn't have been happier to be expecting another precious baby. We had fought so hard for pregnancy - already spent almost a decade dealing with infertility - and I never expected that after two successful pregnancies we would lose our "happily ever after" we had been through so much to achieve. Every angelversary has a bit of its own flavor, and this year I've been thinking a lot about how six years ago was such a loss of not only a child, but of an innocence in many ways. It was a grieving and pain I had never known, and it changed me. It was the first time I really remember feeling a paralyzing anxiety and emptiness. That loss stripped me of a world where things always worked out and where my babies didn't die. I continue to pray that the pain of that loss - as well as our other losses - draws me closer to the Lord and softens me toward others. The perspective that I've gained through our losses is a true gift. God has been so faithful to our family, and experiencing His goodness has been incredible. I've seen amazing blessings from a journey I'd never choose, and how can I not be grateful for that?

01/08 - Lunch at Chicken Salad Chick with my little chickadees! #twinbies #lunchingwithlittles #chickensaladchick #SAHM

01/09 - So very true. #Wednesdaywordsofwisdom

01/10 - Daddy had a long day at work, but the minute he got home he had room on his lap for two little people who missed him 💓. #twinbies #superdad #bedtimestorybooks #bedtimesnuggles

01/11 - It's cold and wet outside, so we're staying warm and dry inside today. Play-doh for the win! #twinbies #yuckyweather #weatherblues #playdohparty

01/12 - Last night, the Hubby walked in the door from work and said, "Let's go to OKC tonight." I had dinner fixed, so we quickly ate, packed a few things, and headed to OKC. The kids love staying in a hotel, and today we spent the day at Science Museum Oklahoma. It was a quick trip, but we all had a great time! #sciencemuseumoklahoma #roadtripwithlittles #spontaneousgetaway #bigfamilyfun








01/13 - When the teachers at your kids' school are so rad, they dress just like your kid 😉. (Picture made complete by a photobombing librarian 😃.) #twinningiswinning #weloveourschool #matchymatchy #BriannaElisabethJo #thrivinginthird

01/16 - #Wednesdaywordsofwisdom

01/17 - Timber is Brooke's very favorite stuffie friend who goes with her everywhere. We were on the verge of a meltdown this morning because Timber was lost. Thankfully, when I went to make lunch I found her in the refrigerator cooling down a bit! 😂 #motherhood #crisisaverted #stuffielove #BrookeElianaMae

01/18 - We're in project mode over here! #gettinitdone #before #soexcited

01/19 - Painting of walls and ceiling in room #1 is complete. Painting of walls and ceiling in room #2 in progress 💪. #projectmode #gettinitdone #kidroomsredos

01/20 - Room #2 painting complete! #kidroomredos #projectmode #gettinitdone

01/21 - Always in love with the #sunriseonsummittrail ! 😍 #home #newday #newbeginnings #earlybird

01/23 - Just shine! #wednesdaywordsofwisdom #shine #makeityourtime

01/26 - The kids didn't have school this past Monday, so I took them on a little road trip to see our friends in Kansas. We had a great time laughing, playing, and eating, and Kendall and I were even able to catch up on life a bit amid the craziness that is our wild crew 😃. #roadtrip #crazyeight #sisterfriend #eighteightandunder




01/25 - It's a cold and snowy January day, so we had lunch with Daddy at work then "helped" him answer a few emails 😃. #twinbies #lunchingwithlittles #daddyshelpers #downtowntulsa #snowyday


01/25 - Weekend #2 in project mode (and hubby looking at me like, "Really babe, all you can find to do right now is take pictures?!?" heehee). #projectmode #kidroomredos #gettinitdone

01/26 - We're still at it over here . . . making stripes! #projectmode #kidroomredos #gettinitdone #stripes!

01/28 - 🙋

01/29 - I put a lot of care and thought into the gifts we buy our kids for Christmas. We want them to be useful, enjoyable, and lasting . . . not just a bunch of junk they life for a day and toss aside. This year was a "bigger" Christmas than normal for my kids, but they have already used and used their gifts. It's fun watching them use their imaginations, explore, think, and laugh with a few new things! #lovemylittles #imaginitivieplay #thinkersandexplorers #learningthroughplay








01/30 - 100th day of school vibes! #BrensonCharlesJacob #flourishinginfirst #100thdayofschool #littleoldman


01/30 - 💓 #wednesdaywordsofwisdom

01/31 - Today's beautiful #sunriseonsummittrail 😍! #goodmorning #newday #newbeginnings #godsbeautifulwork #home

02/01 - We have just a few days left of these little darlings being three years old. That hurts this momma's heart a little, but for today I'm just soaking them up in all their three year old wonder 💗💜. Oh, and y'all can tell who's who, right? Just today someone said, "Oh wow, they must be identical! How do you tell them apart?" Am I the only one that can see their {obvious to me} differences? 

 02/02 - This week, Bren reached a big goal he had set for himself . . . the 100 point AR club! That means he's read over 200 books so far this school year. I love seeing how driven and dedicated he can be when he's motivated! #BrensonCharlesJacob #flourishinginfirst #sixyearsold #littlereader

02/03 - Neither of them are feeling well today, but they're still our special birthday girls! My babies are now FOUR . . . it's the definition of bittersweet 💗💜. #twinbies #fouryearsold #BrecklynSarahFaith #BrookeElianaMae #birthdaygirls

02/04 - Yesterday was one of those days that didn't go at all according to plan. It was Brooke and Brecklyn's fourth birthday, and included two birthday girls who were not well, a trip to urgent care for Brecklyn who had a high fever, cough, and was struggling to breathe, and lots of sad eyes and snuggles. As I was tucking Brecklyn into bed last night, I said, "I'm sorry your birthday was kind of terrible." She looked me right in the eyes and in her sweet little voice said, "No, mom, it wasn't. It was still my wonderful four birthday!" And she's right. It wasn't "terrible". It wasn't what I had planned for the day, but there were still many good moments and grateful moments woven into the entire day. I love her perspective and the lesson she taught me yesterday! #BrecklynSarahFaith #perspective #birthday #fouryearsold

02/05 - Story time with Boogie 💜💙💗. #siblings #twinbies #bigbrother #littlereaders #theycallhimBoogie

02/06 - #wednesdaywordsofwisdom

02/06 - My little man has been very sick all week. He's growing up so quickly, but I'm thankful he still thinks Momma snuggles help him feel better! #BrensonCharlesJacob #sixyearsold #butalmostseven #mommasboy #snugglethesickiesaway

02/09 - In the words of Brecklyn, "Brooke Ellie, you are a hot, hot mess!" She speaks truth! #twinbies #sisters #BrookeElianaMae #hotmessexpress #BrecklynSarahFaith

02/10 - S E V E N 💙🎁🍨 #BrensonCharlesJacob #birthdayboy #sevenyearsold

02/13 - Focus on what you can control! #Wednesdaywordsofwisdom

02/14 - Happy Valentine's Day from my little loves! 💗💘💗💘 

02/14 - We're so thankful for this warm, sunny day to enjoy! It's a nice break before winter visits again tomorrow! #winterheatwave #tasteofspring #outsideplay #lovemylittles

02/15 - We went out for some Hibachi tonight to celebrate our February babies. I felt kinda bad for the couple who was seated with us, but when they left they said it was a pleasure eating with us and our children were "perfectly" behaved. Yep, I laughed, too! Really though, we were too busy enjoying our dining experience for any monkey business to get in the way, and they even sang Happy Birthday to the kids! #birthdaymonth #Februarybabies #lovemylittles #diningoutwithlittles #hibachigrill





02/16 - Tonight, we're watching Because of Winn-Dixie. I just finished reading the book to the children a few days ago, and they all loved it! It was one of those books that everyone was sad when it was over because they wanted to hear and know more about the characters. It's been a good 15 years since I'd read it, and I'd forgotten how good it is 💓. #littlereaders #readaloud #becauseofwinndixie #thebookisbetter

02/18 - And just like that . . . she's in her last year of single digits. My sweet, spunky girl is NINE 💜. #BriannaElisabethJo #mybiggirl #nine #birthdaymonth #Februarybabies

02/19 - My little artists are working so hard on their masterpieces. Their artwork is just one of the many ways their differences are showcased. #twinbies #littleartists #sodifferentbutsoalike

02/20 - #wednesdaywordsofwisdom

02/21 - This girl received her 100 mile running medal this morning! She has been working diligently toward this goal since the very beginning of the school year, and I loved seeing her crush it! ONE HUNDRED MILES!!!

02/26 - I was looking through pics on my phone and realized I never posted before and after pics of the kids' rooms after we redid them. The pics aren't the best (and all the changes were impossible to capture in just two photos), but you can see everything in more detail on my blog (link in profile). The top pics are before and the bottom pics are after. 



02/27 - #wednesdaywordsofwisdom

03/01 - This week is one of big changes for my family. My parents are moving from Missouri to Oklahoma and are going to live in the same town as we do. I haven't lived in the same state (let alone town) as my parents since I was 19 years old. In fact, there was a period of time when we didn't even live in the same country. It's going to be a big adjustment for everyone, but we are happy to have them closer. Brooke asked me why they are moving here, and I said, "So they can help me take care of you and you can help me take care of them!" 💓

03/03 - Hip hip hooray for a snow day ⛄!!!







03-06 - #wednesdaywordsofwisdom

03/07 - Last night after the kids were in bed, Chris had to run to the store for a few things. This is something he does a few times a month, and he sometimes returns with a treat of some sort in addition to whatever we needed. Last night, he bought this package of Oreos that you'll notice is "Party Size" (even larger than Family Size which is bigger than regular size). I don't know if it's a guy thing in general, but it's definitely a Chris thing to always buy the BIGGEST package he can get no matter what he's buying. It's a good thing I do the majority of the shopping! 

03/08 - It's movie night at the kids' school, and this place is nuts! The kids are loving it, though! #schoolmovienight #howtotrainyourdragon #bigcrowd #anxietytrigger

03/09 - Bren and I are doing some shopping today. This is NOT his favorite activity, but it's necessary because he's outgrown all his warm weather clothes. It's always fun having the kids one-on-one, and he's talking my ear off today! #BrensonCharlesJacob #sevenyearsold #shoppingday #mommasboy

03/11 - These two clowns had their well checks with our pediatrician this afternoon. I found it amusing that their height different is the exact same as the height difference of our twins! No wonder I sometimes get asked if Bri and Bren are twin, too. (For my record, Brianna is 54 inches tall, Bren is 52 inches, Brooke is 42 inches, and Brecks is 40 inches.) #wellchecks #stats #sillykids #twosetsoftwins #butnotreally

03/12 - Brecklyn loves helping me in the kitchen, and she makes a great sous chef! Props to the Hubs for grabbing my phone and taking these pics without me asking. #BrecklynSarahFaith #fouryearsold #littlehelper #souschef #hubbyknowsilovepics

03/13 - #wednesdaywordsofwisdom

03/13 - Look who's enrolled in Pre-K for next year! 😭👏😢😍😩 #twinbies #startingschool #mybabies #allthefeels




03/16 - Tonight I wore sweatpants and socks with sandals IN PUBLIC. I officially have no pride left 😳😂. #momlife #socksandsandals #comfy #butnotcute #motherhoodunplugged

03/17 - Just for fun, we've got our green on! #nopinchinghere #stpatricksday #justforfun

03/18 - It will be 20 years in the fall that Christie and I met, and it's so fun watching our kiddos play together. What a gorgeous day for a play date! #20yearfriendship #collegefriend #springbreak2019 #springinoklahoma




03/19 - This {newly} toothless grin make me smile! It took him a minute, he he's smiling now, too! #BrensonCharlesJacob #sevenyearsold #growingup #toothfairytime



03/20 - #wednesdaywordsofwisdom

03/21 - We're having fun at the zoo on this beautiful day with our friends and everyone else in the tri-state area 😜. We couldn't ask for better weather and the animals have been active. Win! #tulsazoo #springtimeinoklahoma #sunshinyday #firstzootripoftheyear

03/22 - We've been wanting to take the kids to visit Woolaroc for a while, and today we made that happen! They all loved seeing the animals, and Bri and Bren really enjoyed ax throwing and shooting arrows with a bow. Bren has now requested a dedicated spot in our backyard for those two things 😊. #woolaroc #oklahomahistory #familyfieldtrip #axthrowing #archery


03/24 - Errrryday!!!

03/25 - I'm riding with my niece who drives with her hands (accelerates, brakes, and steers)! #watchoutworld #drivingskills #nieceypie

03/26 - What a perfect spring evening for family time around the fire! So many stories, lots of laughter, and even a little singing . . . this night will be a cherished memory! #familytime #springinoklahoma #firesidestorytelling #blessings









03/27 - Stay humble and determined! #wednesdaywordsofwisdom

03/28 - Digging deep in our monthly ladies Bible study. Growth isn't always easy or comfortable, but the hard work is always worth it! #ladiesbiblestudy #growthmindset #diggingdeep

04/01 - Learning to play a duet! #littlemusicians #guitarplayer #pianoplayer #misterJ #theoneandonly

04/02 - Lego Club fun! #legoclub #weloveLego #locallibrary #lovemylittles

04/03 - Yes! #wednesdaywordsofwisdom

04/04 - Y'all - just in case you were wondering what it's like to live in a busy house with an intense husband and four spunky littles, it's LOUD. Pretty much all the time, kids are playing, talking, laughing, running, screaming and yes, even fighting! We waited a lot of years to have a house full of babies, so most of the time I really appreciate the noise. Sometimes, I'll just sit back and listen and smile and remember what that empty, quiet house and that empty, yearning heart, and those empty, heavy arms felt like. However, I'd be lying if I said that the noise never gets to me. Tonight was one of those nights, and my sweet hubby could see it all over me so he took the children and went on a walk so I could catch my breath and have a little break. It's been amazing to sit alone and soak up a quiet house, but I know in about five minutes I'll be ready for the crazy to walk back through the door! #lovemylittles #momthoughts #somuchnoise #butsoveryblessed #infertility #teamworkmakesthedreamwork

04/05 - Brooke and Brecklyn are at the age where they say cute and funny things every day. Lately, their little prayers have been making me smile. A few weeks ago, Brooke said, "Thank you God for everything you made. Even the people." 😂 Today before lunch, Brecklyn said, "Thank you God mostly for Timber (Brooke's favorite stuffed friend), unicorns, and Christmas!" Lol. The magical mind of a four year old is the best! #twinbies #fouryearsold #theykeepmelaughing #childhoodwonder #kidprayers

04/08 - This feels distinctly like a glimpse into my future! 😂 #watchoutworld #twinbies #fouryearsold #crazydriver


 04/09 - I mean, yeah . . . 

04/09 - Who else's kids are living outside right now?!? Mine don't want to come inside for anything. Bren even proposed he use the construction porta-potty across the street to avoid coming in 😂. They haven't asked for food (unheard of) because they think I might make them come inside to eat! (I wouldn't but shhhh, don't tell them that 😉.) #springinoklahoma #mykidslovebeingoutside #fabulousweather #lovemylittles

04/10 - How has it been a decade since this little nugget was born?!? Happy 10th birthday to my sweet niece, Chloe Jo!

04/10 - #wednesdaywordsofwisdom

04/12 - Bren had a fun little adventure with his buddy, Z, and their dads this afternoon. We always love exploring things in our town! #biketrails #outdoorfun #springinoklahoma #sevenyearsold #dadandsontime


04/13 - When you mountain bike four miles on Friday evening then run a 5K Saturday morning, a 10:30am nap in the car happens. #BrensonCharlesJacob #sleepyboy #butsocute #sevenyearsold

04/15 - Just another lovely evening stroll around the neighborhood with my favorite little people. 💜💙💜💗 #lovemylittles #springinoklahoma #momlife #lifeinthepseudocountry

04/17 - Go with kindness 💓. #wednesdaywordsofwisdom

04/17 - One year ago today, we learned that our baby's heart had stopped beating. It was our fourth loss in five years, but the words, "there is no heartbeat" are something that change your world from that moment on, no matter how many times you've heard them. I was 11 weeks along with our last hope of growing our family when all that hope was suddenly gone. And tonight, I grieve. 
#miscarriage #babyloss #grief #motherhood #lossmom #infertility #recurrentmiscarriage #angelbabies #firstangelversary

04/18 - An evening out with a bestie was just the thing this day needed 💓!

04/20 - Happy 18th birthday to my niecey-pie! Love ya 😘!





04/20 - Egg hunting with my lil' darlings! #easter2019 #egghunt #bigfamilyfun #lovemylittles #springinoklahoma

04/21 - Four years ago and today . . . #easterpics #comparisonphotos #growingup #dontblink #lovemylittles #twinmom 


04/24 - #wednesdaywordsofwisdom

05/01 - Show them you care, then LISTEN. #wednesdaywordsofwisdom

05/02 - Brianna has always been my fearless child, and rarely have we seen trepidation or apprehension from her. The other night, though, I was talking with her about performing a song on piano in front of her entire school, it was storming loudly, and Daddy was out of town for the night. The combination of those things had her feelings anxious, and she looked at me and said, "Mom, I know I sound brave and I look brave, but I don't always feel brave." This really struck a chord with me because haven't many of us felt this way before? I know I can often appear confident on the outside while feeling turmoil on the inside, and I reminded her that bravery is so much more than feeling not scared on the inside. I hope and pray I'm teaching her as much about life as she's teaching me 💜. PS - She rocked her little performance this morning! Love my girl!

05/04 - Brianna, Brenson, and Chris had so much fun at the Crayon Run this morning that we're going to make it a full family event next year! Proud of my runners! #littlerunners #5K #crayonrun





05/06 - Favorites. 💜💙💜💗 #lovemylittles #motherhood #gratefulthankfulblessed #infertilitysurvivor #infertilitywarrior

05/08 - Yeeeeees. #wednesdaywordsofwisdom

05/09 - We enjoyed Pastries With Parents with our favorite boy this morning. So grateful we get to be present for these moments 💙!

05/09 - Brianna's end-of-the-year field trip was to The Gathering Place this year. It's huge and crazy, but we had a great time exploring, playing, and getting to know Bri's classmate better! #thegatheringplace #fieldtripfun #lovemylittles #thrivinginthird
 





05/10 - I've been dating this guy for nearly 22 years. It's not old yet. 💓 #datingmyhusband #datenight #marriage #kidfreenight #togethersincewewere17

05/11 - This morning, our family complete the #MENDingmiles5K along with our dear friends. We ran and walked in memory of our sweet babies who are no longer with us - "Taking steps for those who never did" . . . #MEND #5K #miscarriage #stillbirth #lossmom #babyloss #inmemory




05/12 - Ten years ago motherhood felt like a distant dream, and Mother's Day was an incredibly difficult day. We had just finished {another} failed cycle of fertility treatments and were forging ahead with more meds, more injections, and more procedures despite poor numbers and discovering a cyst on my ovary (even though I had already been through surgery to have about 40 removed). My doctor had told me that at some point soon we would need to make decisions regarding how to move forward because I just wasn't responding well to treatments. The situation seemed hopeless to me. I couldn't see how my dream of motherhood would ever be a reality, and my heart was broken. 

Yet, here I am.

God is so faithful, and He truly blessed me with immeasurably more than I imagined back then. I am living my dream, and I try to NEVER take that for granted.

Behind so many photos of smiling, happy faces is so often a story - a journey. This day can be beautiful, but it can also be painful. I pray this day was good to all of you, especially those who may not feel like they have a reason to smile. 💓

#infertility #infertilityawareness #infertilitywarrior #infertilityjourney #infertilitysurvivor #motherhood #mothersday #conqueringinfertility #pcos #miscarriage #miscarriagesurvivor

05/15 - #wednesdaywordsofwisdom

05/17 - What a fun Friday this has been! Brianna received a trophy this morning at school for being an instrumental soloist, then I joined first grade on their field trip to go bowling and play at the park. We're wrapping up this school year on a high note! #BriannaElisabethJo #thrivinginthird #pianoplayer #BrensonCharlesJacob #flourishinginfirst #fieldtrip #Fridayfun #lovemylittles #thatsawrap








05/18 - And we're off! #roadtrip #arkansas #graduationweekend #tennesseeorbust

05/18 - Five hours in and running off some energy! #roadtrip #stillinarkansas #graduationweekend #takingastretch #tennesseeorbust

05/18 - We made it to Tennessee! It took us a bit longer because we had to back track a bit to retrieve one of the children's shoes that fell out of the van while we were getting gas. I've always wondered how people lose one shoe in a parking lot and now I know. Thankfully, it was right there next to the pump, and we were able to continue on down the road, lol. #roadtrip #graduationweekend #adventureswithlittles #missingshoe #tennesseeorbust #butwemadeit

05/19 - Happy and excited for this girl . . . she did it! #graduationweekend #hsgraduation #classof2019 #brightfuture

05/20 - In honor of Kaylee's graduation day, I'm posting this photo of Chris and me from TWENTY years ago! #graduationweekend #classof1999 #highschoolsweethearts #throwback #twentyyearsago

05/20 - One more with our graduate! #graduationweekend #classof2019 #hsgraduation #nieceypie

05/21 - We're having an amazing time in Nashville! Today included a tour of the Tennessee State Capitol, a visit to the Grand Ole Opry, a walk around the Gaylord Opry Hotel, dinner at The Rainforest Cafe, and an evening swim at our hotel. This is a beautiful city, and we're excited to explore it more! #nashville #statecapitol #opry #oprylandhotel #rainforestcafe #roadtrip #vacation2019 #experiencesoverthings







05/22 - #wednesdaywordsofwisdom

05/22 - That moment when you're 600 miles from home, turn on the TV, and the first thing you see on the national weather is your hometown . . . #springinoklahoma #tornadoweather #homesweetoklahoma #vacation2019

05/24 - We are still loving our time in Nashville! Over the past few days, we have visited President Andrew Jackson's Hermitage for a little history, the Nashville Zoo for a lot of fun (the kids got to pet a kangaroo . . . how great is that?!?), and had dinner with some long time friends we haven't seen in about six years! Of course, there's also been more swimming at the hotel and holding our breath as we watch coverage of storms, tornadoes, barges, and floods back home. #nashville #vacation2019 #andrewjacksonshermitage #nashvillezoo #experiencesoverthings










05/24 - Another day in Nashville . . . We spent the morning walking all around a very busy downtown. The kids were fascinated by the people, lights, and live music. It was for sure a different world to them! We stopped by the famous Ryman Auditorium, and enjoyed the beautiful architecture of the Customs House and Union Station Hotel. We then headed to The Parthenon, played at the park, and grabbed dinner at Prince's Hot Chicken (no smoking except for the chicken). And now, we're back at the pool. Because of course 😊.










05/25 - Our little navigator is busy reading the map! #vacation2019 #navigator #helovesmaps #roadtrip #tennessee

05/26 - We wrapped up our visit to Nashville with a trip to The Lego Store. Then, we headed north to Kentucky where we had a yummy lunch at El Potrero before driving back into Tennessee to spend the night at my brother's house. The final photo of all the kiddos passed out in the van can only mean one thing . . . we're headed HOME. #vacation2019 #nashville #thelegostore #kentucky #roadtrip #homesweetoklahoma






05/28 - Last week, Brianna and Brenson finished school for the academic year. Brianna completed third grade strong, and I think she'll always remember this as one of her very favorite years. Her teacher truly "got" her and said Brianna was a bright spot every day in the classroom. Academically, Brianna improved in every subject between the first and last quarters of school. She also enjoyed piano lessons all year and performed for her entire school toward the end of the year. Running continued to be a passion for Bri, she earned 31 foot charms (and total of 155 miles!), and participated in four 5K races. 

Brenson also had a great year in first grade! While every day wasn't perfectly smooth for our boy, he learned valuable life lessons along the way. Academically, he excelled. He aced every spelling test, crushed his math goals, and mastered being an independent reader. He continued guitar lessons all year, and earned 12 foot charms for running (60 miles!). He also participated in four 5K events. 

I can't say enough how grateful I am that school is a positive experience for my kiddos. We've had wonderful teachers, administrators, and school staff, and that's truly a blessing! Now it's time to soak up every minute I have with them this summer!

#BriannaElisabethJo #thrivinginthird #BrensonCharlesJacob #flourishinginfirst #schoolsout #timeforsummer #thatsawrap


05/29 - #wednesdaywordsofwisdom

06/03 - We're excited about the summer reading program at our local library! 


06/03 - Even in the rain, we were enjoying our afternoon swim. The the thunder and lightening came and cut the fun short. #rainraingoaway #summerswim #simtimeturnstomovietime #summertimefun #summerinOklahoma

06/04 - We had a lot going on today, but we still managed to squeeze in Lego Club. Bren was happy to see his friend, Z, there! #legoclub #locallibraryfun #welovelego #aglimpseatTuesday

06/05 - #wednesdaywordsofwisdom

06/09 - Our annual VBS is off to a great start, and I have the sweetest class of all girls! Teaching is truly a part of my heart, so I love getting to foster that piece of me. More than that, though, I love pouring in to these precious kiddos! #VBS2019 #faithforce #teacheratheart

06/12 - Early morning bike riding while watching the house across the street go vertical! #summerinoklahoma #outsideplayeveryday #constructionzone #lovemylittles

06/12 - Boundaries! #wednesdaywordsofwisdom

06/14 - I've been dragging my crew around with me running errands all morning. They've been great about it, so I thought an afternoon Cherry Berry treat was in order! #lovemylittles #summertime #yaytreats #cherryberry
 06/15 - Happy Father's Day to the man who raised me and to the man who's my partner in raising our own family. I love you and am grateful for you both! #fathersday #lovemydad #lovemyhubby #gratefulthankfulblessed


06/17 - Summertime means baking projects that make fun snacks! And for Bren, finally losing some teeth 😃. #summerfun #lovemylittles #toothlessgrin #thankfulmomma

06/18 - Parenting is hard. Some days feel like a string of failures, just hoping and praying I'm getting a few things right in between the messes. Some days are riddled with questions . . . am I loving them enough? Am I teaching them the right things? Am I pouring into them? Am I prioritizing the thing that truly matter? I definitely struggle with all the doubts, fears, questions, and mom guilts. Mixed up in all that, though, are days that I find little notes in my daughter's room, and I think, "Maybe - for today - we're going to be ok after all." 💓💓💓 #parentingthoughts #BriannaElisabethJo #notestoself

06/19 - #wednesdaywordsofwisdom

06/19 - Me: Hey Bren? What is this big stack of books sitting next to your bookshelf in your room?
Bren: Oh, those are my favorites.
Me: ALL of these are your favorite books? 
Bren: Yes, but I haven't gone through the bookshelves in the book nook or upstairs yet. 😂😲
#littlereader #BrensonCharlesJacob #sevenyearsold

06/20 - This brown-eyed, curly-headed, ready-to-take-on-the-world, head-strong, full-of-spunk, affectionate, snuggle-bug has my heart! I'm so grateful for Brooke Ellie and all her crazy in my life 💓. #BrookeElianaMae #twinbieA #curlygirl #leader #fouryearsold

06/21 - Pjs, big sister's boots, and cuteness for days . . . I love it when I see the silly come out in my serious girl who feels her emotions in a big way! #BrecklynSarahFaith #twinbieB #seriousanddramatic #cutie

06/22 - I took a little road trip today with two daughters and two nieces. I'm used to having four in my posse, but today was a different dynamic for sure! #roadtrip #niecesanddaughters #experiencesoverthings #lovemylittles

06/24 - Today project: Tie Dye! Can't wait to see how it turns out! #summertimefun #lovemylittles #tieanddye #colorfulmess

06/25 - Our fun for today included cookie baking, the tie dye project reveal, making play dough (I have a great recipe if you're interested), and some game playing (not pictured). This momma is ready for bed! #lovemylittles #summertimefun #bakingwithlittles #homemadeplaydough #tiedye






06/26 - #wednesdaywordsofwisdom

06/27 - Yay for Food Truck Thursday! #foodtruckthursday #downtownclaremore #smalltownlife #summertimefun #summerinoklahoma

06/28 - A little bedtime reading with my loves 💜💙💜💗. #lovemylittles #littlereaders #readaloudeveryday #everydaymoments #bedtimeroutine

06/29 - David Copperfield by Charles Dickens is one of my favorite books. Chris found an old copy of it at one of the antique/junk stores in town and surprised me with it today! There is something so comforting about the feel and smell of an old book! #junkstoretreasure #davidcopperfield #dickens #meaningfulgift #thehubsdidgood



And, that's a wrap on the first half of 2019. We hope and pray the second half of 2019 brings as many blessings to us as the first half did!



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