What I Learned {December 2017}

1. Even at 33 years old, getting the mail is still one of the best parts of my day! 

As a child and single adult, I loved getting the mail. It slowed down a bit after I got married and had our boys but now, it's back full steam. The boys love going to the mailbox with me to check the mail, too. If it's junk, they are happy because they get to tear into it. If it's good mail, they are still happy and so am I! 

2. Christmas with kids just gets better and better!

I have always loved Christmas and so has Matt. It was fun as a married couple but with kids, it is magnified x 1,000. They love the lights, the sounds, the stories, the presents and it just opens our eyes even more to the beauty of the season and helps us remember who it is all about to begin with. 

What I Learned {November 2017}

Man, what a month it has been. I am so thrilled for December to come and am looking forward to much fun. 

That being said, I didn't want to just skip this post all together but honestly, everything that I learned and focused on this month I mentioned in yesterday's post. So, I think I will just leave it at that! 

What I Learned {October 2017}

1. Having your Mom come for an unexpected trip is AWESOME!!

When we went to Louisiana, we talked GiGi into coming back to South Caroline with us. It was not expected but it was awesome! As she has said, she couldn't resist Mason and Maddox and now she's considering herself spontaneous! 

2. Spaghetti squash is one of my favorite things. 

While I have eaten it a few times before, I have only made it a few times. I made it this month and served a couple of ways. It's so hearty and filling and delicious!! Yay, fall!

3. My boys know how to sleep until 7:30!
A couple of days this month, the boys slept in to 7:30! We usually get them up by 7:00 but with so much sickness, we have been a little lax and we all benefited from that extra sleep!

4. Skipping kid's naps every now and then is fine!
We have always been HUGE on schedule but this past Saturday, we let Maddox take a long morning nap and then spent the whole afternoon out. It was mostly errands but we had such a good time together!

What I Learned {September 2017}

Let's see what we learned in good ole September...I did not do a good job of keeping up with this as I try to do so I'm going to do my best with recall. :) 

1. 36 hours alone is enough!

Earlier this month, Matt took the boys for a weekend at his parents. I had some work to do, some house chores and organizing to do and I just enjoyed some quiet time. I told Matt about 36 hours in that I was good. :) It was fun, it was enjoyable but I'll take my guys anyway of the week and the occasional 24 hours alone. :) 

2. Crockpot chicken is a NO GO!

I made a recipe for chicken pot pie in the crockpot and it. was. terrible. Yeah, not much else to say! 

3. Too much time in the house can make us ALL cranky! 

Over the past two weeks, all four of us have been sick at one time or another and we were incredibly stir crazy and then we got cranky. It was unpleasant at times! 

4. Migraines are very hard for me to tolerate. VERY HARD! 

When I was sick, I had what I'm assuming was a migraine. It was worse than c-section pain. For real! I get headaches maybe once a year and I have never had one like this. I didn't want to be touched. I wanted a dark quiet room and that was it. Thankfully, it lasted less than 24 hours but man, that was a tough day! 

5. New seasons of shows make me extra happy! 

All of our shows are back!! YAHOO!!! I love fresh seasons for our favorite shows and new shows in general. Matt is excited, too! 

What I Learned {August 2017}

1. Farm Chores are hard work!

I shared last month that we spent a week on our friend's farm. We had a great time but we all learned just how hard farm chores can be. Feeding, watering, etc for horses and chickens requires time and energy. We learned a lot in the process. 

2. Birthdays are still just as fun 33 years in as they were when I was younger. 

I have always loved my birthday and celebrating other people's birthdays as well. This year I celebrated my 33rd and I was just reminded that it's as fun now as it was years ago. My kids know how to celebrate big. My husband celebrates me well. And, I can certainly celebrate myself. 😉

3. Blue Bloods is my current favorite show. 

I have watched Blue Bloods for several years but I recently went back and watched all of the seasons over again and I've been reminded of just how good it is. I love the family aspect and the morals. It truly is my favorite show. 

4. Changing the way you eat can really change how you feel. 

In the last few months, I've changed a lot about what I eat and also changed a great deal about what our family eats as a whole. I have been feeling better and better as the days go by. I am grateful!

5. My husband continues to be the most thoughtful people alive. 

I mentioned to he and Mason that I would love a purple fiesta ware bowl one day (our everyday dishware.) Well, one day this month was awful with the boys and I was hormonal and exhausted. Matt took the boys to the mall to play and when they came home, Matt was holding a bag. Mason had the biggest smile on his face and he said, "Happy Dirfday, Momma. I love you." I opened the bag to find a fiestware bowl. And I cried and cried and cried. 

What I Learned {July 2017}

1. Heat makes us all cranky.

This July was brutal for us. I think it felt more so that way because June was pretty delightful. One evening, we were all on each other's nerves and we realized, we were so cranky from being HOT! #TEAMACFORLIFE 

2. The Farmer's Market is one of our favorite places.

During the months of June and July, we made it to the Farmer's Market almost weekly. The boys LOVED it and we enjoyed the fresh produce so much. There are so many people to see, booths to support and just plain fun. 

3. Traveling within our state is so much fun!

This month, we made a trip to a city about 1 hour away and we LOVED it! We explored the downtown and ate yummy food. It was just a blast. We also planned two other trips to new places in our state. 

4. Hand, Foot and Mouth is nooooot fun!

Maddox ended up getting Hand, Foot, and Mouth at one point this month and it was awful. He had bumps everywhere as well as a diaper rash. It was just the "gift" that just kept on giving. 

5. A lazy day at home can do a family good.

One recent Sunday, we decided to stay home from church and it was the best choice. We had been so busy with miscellaneous things and we just needed a day at home. That was truly what we did, we took a day at home, rested, recuperated and just enjoyed each other. **It was also a good thing we stayed home because about 8 hours into the day, Maddox got a HIGH fever.**

6. Planning family trips whether day trips or weekend trips, is very very fun!

Like I mentioned above, we are planning a few short trips coming up, one for my birthday and one for Mason's birthday. We are so excited about them! Looking for the places to stay and planning things to do gets us so pumped up for the actual trip. 

What I Learned {June 2017}

Let's see what this ole girl learned in June! 

1. When I eat more fruits and vegetables, I feel so much better!!!

I have been eat more fruits and vegetables this past month. Hopefully, I'll share more about that eventually. But for now, I just wanted to share that I feel so much better. Eating those foods has me avoiding other foods which in turn has boosted my energy!

2. When our "shows" aren't on TV, we find other fun things to do! 

Matt and I have our "shows" that we watch in the fall and spring. Well, when those aren't on, we don't default to them and we have been doing some fun things. Playing games, watching a few movies, cooking, etc. And even giving longer foot rubs than usual!  It's been fun! Guess that little break in TV time is good! 

3. The library is literally the best thing for our family!

We have been frequenting the library for several years now but as of late, it's become such a life saver. I've been reading tons of books and we've probably read 75+ books this summer to the kids that are new to us and all from the library. Aside from that, when it's super hot outside, it's the perfect place to go and play for a while without sweating to death. Win-win! 

4. A trip to visit friends is hard when it rains non-stop! 

I took the boys to visit friends in Louisiana and it was a blast! However, we had so many fun plans and the rain squashed most of them. We still had such a good time but my boys were stir crazy and by the end, I was worn slap out! We decided next time, we might reschedule if rain was in the forecast! :) 

I think that's all for now. It was a fun month. Here's to a HOT July! 

What I Learned {May 2017}

Let's recap things I learned in May...

1. I really like my bed! 

We travelled for a long trip and stayed in 6 different places in 10 days and some of those beds were incredible. I mean, incredible. However, I really learned that I love my bed. 

2. I miss our shows when they end. 

Matt and I watch several shows together during the week and we often get behind on them. However, we are now all caught up and all of our shows have ended for the season, too. Sad face. I miss them for sure! 

3. Traveling makes me want to travel more! 

All of the fun we had on our trip along with the relaxation and just good time being together makes me want to travel more. We discussed often what we'd like our next trip to be and we can't wait to plan it! 

I think that's all for this month. I usually try to keep up with them during the month but between the trip and just general busyness that May seems to bring, it didn't happen. :) 

What I Learned {April 2017}

Well, I'm a bit behind on this post for April but wanted to jot down a few things I learned this month...

1-- My life is so much better when I delete the Facebook app from my phone. 

A friend shared that she was reducing Facebook time and I was inspired and deleted Facebook from my phone. I've done this from time to time in the past but this has been the most consistent I've been thus far. I still check in daily but it's not consuming me and I don't find myself just mindlessly scrolling!

2--Saving for something continues to be worth the wait. 

We are savers. We've always been savers and I pray we always will be. That being said, we saved for a car for many years and in April we bought a car. It was such a fun experience and we are super grateful that we waited. 

3--Reading is just my happy place. 

For the last four years, I've been a pretty consistent reader but at times, I find myself not reading as much. When that happens, I notice a difference in myself. Reading is such a great break from reality for me and I just need it. As of April 30th, I have finished 24 books for this year. 

4--Friendships are worth the effort. 

In the last year, many of my friendships have changed. I had a baby and life got busier. I don't get out as much because of said baby. I am working a little bit different schedule. Etc. Etc Etc. That being said, when I make time to foster friendships, I know I'm making the right choice. I'm grateful that friends have stuck close to me during this season and I'm looking forward to getting out with more ease in the coming months! 

And I had one more in my head but it's gone...haha! 

What I Learned {March 2017}

1. I never need to drive a vehicle without cruise control on the interstate.

Matt's truck does not have cruise control and I drove it earlier this month to pick my mom up at the Atlanta airport. The whole trip I was going between 60 and 80. I need cruise control. Always and forever.

2. I love when my Momma visits. 

Yeah, I didn't learn that this month but my mom's 10 day visit earlier this month was the best one we've ever had, in my opinion, and I'm so grateful she gets to come as often as she does and stay as long as she does. 

3. Kids who travel well are awesome!

Both of our boys travel incredibly well and I'm so grateful. Our closest family is 5 hours away and the furthest is 12 so having kids who travel well is the best. 

4. Planning a family vacation is time consuming but so fun!

Until now, most of our travel has been to visit family and while that is so awesome and we are grateful that we get to do that, we recognize that we need family trips just the four of us. This summer, we are taking a trip to several places and it's been so fun to plan!

5. Celebrating Matt's birthday gets more and more fun! 

As the boys get older and understand birthdays more and more, it's so much fun to celebrate one with them. They LOVED celebrating GiGi's birthday while she visited but I think they took Dad's birthday to a whole other level. Mason sang to him for about a week. So much fun! And according to Mason, Matt turned "8 Months Old". 

6. Waffle House is good and I'm not sure why we don't visit more often. 

We've probably been to Waffle House a handful of times and been pleased but we just don't visit often. We went twice in one week this month (once while traveling and once for Matt's birthday) and a love has been rekindled. :) 

February {What I Learned}

1. As much as I want to enjoy NFL football, I just don't care. 

I literally "watched" the Super Bowl for the snacks, halftime show and time with my guys. I LOVE college football but NFL football is just not my thing.

2. I really enjoy rearranging things in our house.

Like, all of the time. I move little things around weekly. I told Matt (and he agreed) that it helps keeps me content with our small space. Don't get me wrong, we have enough space for us but sometimes it can feel boring. Moving little things around just make me happy. This month, I moved a bookshelf in our room and I made plans to move our desk into our room once Mason is in a twin bed and Maddox no longer needs the pack and play for naps.

3. I really couldn't care less about social media debates etc etc etc. 

Well, I didn't learn this during February but I was very much reminded of it. I am friends with liberals, conservatives, and everything in between and beyond and while I certainly have things I'm passionate about, I just don't want to argue about it or see people argue about it on Facebook. So, the "unfollow" button/hiding specific posts has been well utilized lately.

4. Lice suck. 

Seriously, I wrote a whole post about this on 2/12/17 but y'all, I hate those little suckers.

5. Ingles' manager specials are AWESOME!!

A friend told me that one of our grocery stores has a hot Chinese food bar as well as gelato and she recommended it to me for a possible at-home date night option for Matt and me. I went to check it out and I found browsed the store and found manager specials. I've been several times already and gotten super great deals on fresh vegetables, meats, and many other things. I've saved a ton of money and I'm HOOKED!!

January {What I Learned}

I wanted to join with Bekah and start sharing what I have learned each month. I hope I can stick with it all throughout the year but we will see. For now, January.

1. Part-time care of chickens is kind of fun. 

Our friends went out of town for a week and had their neighbor to care for their chickens for part of the time but we got to do it for a few days and it was fun. My job was obviously only a part of what goes into caring for chickens but I liked the little creatures. :) Plus, we got to keep the eggs and farm fresh eggs are the best!

2. No matter how hard you try to prevent it, kids still get sick. 

We have worked hard this winter to keep our kids well. Boosting immune systems, probiotics, hand washing etc. You know what? Our kids still got sick. We have had the stomach bug and we have had colds and congestion. Sometimes, it just happens.

3. Routine is good. Heck, routine is GREAT!

We started incorporating a nighttime routine for Mason and then eventually a weekday routine and it's been awesome. We've always had a great schedule at our house but our days at home all look different. Recently, I wrote out a daily routine for Mason and it's done wonders. It's not super stringent but more of a guideline for our days and home. He's responding so well to it and it's only been about a week and a half. Just today he told me, "First read, then show and School." Yep, that's right!

Our night time routine was pretty good until Maddox was born and then it just looked different for many reasons. Now that Maddox is older, our nighttime needed a routine. That has helped all of us in that 6-7 o'clock hour. Yay for routines!

4. Time as a family can't be beat. 

We had two full weeks of Matt off within a month and it was incredible. Some of those days involved sickness but it was still so great to be together. We have also changed my working schedule so I'm working during the week and then we are home as a family Saturday and Sunday. It's been great!

5. Boys will do things that girls will never understand. 

Y'all, I just don't get it and I don't think I ever will. Mason will do things when playing that kind of blow my mind but Matt totally gets it It is amazing and also incredibly funny to me. I love that males and females are so different!

6. Dates are incredible! 

Our goals for 2017 was a date out each month. Well, we didn't make it happen in January. We tried hard. In fact, we had two dates lined up and had to cancel both times because of a sick kiddo. BOOO!! After the second cancellation, we settled for an at home date night. We got a yummy take home meal from Fresh Market and just enjoyed good conversation, yummy food, a Where's Waldo book and a show. It was a fun date and we are REALLY looking forward to our dates out this year!!