The Morgan's Movements {Late December 2016}

I'll be recapping Christmas and New Year's in separate posts but this is just a little bit of random from the end of December. Starting this week, I hope to begin documenting weekly so that I can keep up a little easier. Here's hoping! :) 

This little guy is at such a fun age! He loves to see himself in the camera so I just kept on snapping! 

  

  

Mason and I built this funny train track one afternoon. He loved it!

Matt and I have been saving for nearly 2 years to purchase a new computer. I bought one 7 years ago and it was on it's last leg. We prefer Apple products and they are expensive so it was a lot of saving but we finally did it! Thanks to Christmas money and wrapping change.

  

I was feeding Maddox one afternoon and Mason came over, pushed up his pants' leg, and rubbed his leg. Pure sweetness.

Snuggle days are the best! Mason preferred a bit of distance of this day. :) 

Brothers

  

Playing so nicely. I love that. 

Mason has almost always smiled with his mouth wide open. Maddox has this little thin line smile and I love it so. It's so fun to see their unique personalities!

  

Snow angels on the carpet! 

  

Hair gel! er, spit up!

Crawling!!! It all started on 12/19 but by Christmas Day, he was moving full blast!

  

  

Mason's artwork. It was completely abstract but when he finished, I saw Rudolph! 

Silliness! 

  

  

Me and my boys.

BAHAHA!!!

  

The boys and I got out early one morning for a couple of errands because JCP was giving away good coupons. Mason was READY! 

We used our coupon to get a good deal on a super soft blanket! We got home and Mason got right to work snuggling up underneath it!

Big brother has been all about baths. This particular one lasted for over an hour! Maddox and I just sat in the hallway and watched. :)

Excuse the sideways picture but it's a good story. I was pulling up at work when I got a FaceTime call from my guys. When. I left, Maddox had been talking and carrying on and it was loud. Mason asked to call me once Matt got them up and he said "Ma! Ma-mix YOUD!" It was so cute! 

  

Maddox wasn't copping to it! 

Y'all, this is the good stuff...

Mason made a road for monster trucks. So creative!

On that same day, he asked to eat at the counter. He fixed the majority of his lunch and then stood at the counter to eat it.

Shenanigans!

Seriously, little mister? 

  

Christmas is over and that means it's time for Valentine's and Mardi Gras! Bring out the beads!! 

  

Two boys apparently means ALLLLL of the toys!

And Maddox thinks that's FUNNY!

Matt and I have been enjoying some at home dates this week while he's off. One night was a puzzle, dessert and Person of Interest. Good stuff.

Also, my mouth was numb because I got fillings earlier in the day. ha!

I snuck out of the house the other day and got donuts from our favorite place. We were happy folks! 

  

On the 30th, Matt let me have the morning to myself. I stayed in bed, watched shows, slept in, read and just enjoyed the quiet. (I repaid the favor on NYE. :)) Right toward the end, I was sending the guys pictures and they were sending me some back. :)

  

  

I saw the picture on the left of Mason pop up today and I found the same hat and put it on Maddox. Same date, three years apart. So funny!

I love this smiley boy so much! 

  

And that's a wrap! 

2016 {Year In Review}

January 2016:

We celebrated our 5th wedding anniversary!
We had a snow weekend which caused us to lose power...blah to that last part!
We got to see our sweet MMM2 on ultrasound for the 20 week anatomy scan.
We ended the month with lots of relaxation and it was just right for us!!

February 2016:

We got to watch Baby Tatu just hours after he was born at the Greenville Zoo.
We enjoyed lots of playdates with our friends and fun with people at church, too.
Matt got free bagels for the whole month from Panera and he and Mason enjoyed a bagel date or two.
We ate KING CAKE!!!
We had a freak morning of snow which just cracked us up!
We got to participate in a FUN MOPS evening with Pastor Hank and his wife, Mrs. MaryAnn.

March 2016:

We participated in several Easter Egg hunts and Mason loved them.
I moved into the third trimester of pregnancy and we set a date for my c-section.
We had an overnight date to celebrate a belated Valentine's Day and Matt's birthday.
Matt turned 30 and we celebrated with some fun times all together.
We celebrated Easter by attending church, making resurrection rolls and giving Mason an Easter basket.
We also dyed eggs together for the first time. Mason loved it!

April 2016:

We visited the zoo with PopPoP and Mammy.
We picked strawberries at Green Acres Farm.
We attended two prenatal appointments for baby MMM2.
We enjoyed TONS of time outside because the weather was so beautiful!
It was my turn to get FREE bagels for a month from Panera! YUM!

May 2016:

We celebrated Mason's 1/2 birthday! 2 1/2...wow!
We spent the morning at the Riverbanks Zoo with Kris and Anna!
I pulled a muscle in my back while 34.5 weeks pregnant. Very un-fun!
Celebrated Mother's Day and an Early Father's Day for Matt
Some excitement with baby including high blood pressure, a trip to L&D for labs, an in-office non-stress test and so on. Never a dull moment. 

June 2016:

GiGi arrived on June 1st to be here to visit and help with the baby and with Mason.
We welcomed our sweet baby boy, Maddox, on June 6th!!
GiGi stayed with us for 3 weeks and we were so grateful! She was a HUGE help as we adjusted to life with two littles.
We survived our first month with 2 boys!! 

July 2016:

July started with Matt taking two whole weeks off of work!! We are so grateful we got to have that time all together. We lived it up! Lots of relaxing, family time and just plain goodness.
I started getting out more with both boys and we got into a good routine both in and out of the house. Things are going well!
Maddox and Mason both had colds so we spent many days inside for that.
Matt and myself have both been able to have "dates" with Mason so that's been good.
Matt and I started back up with our at home date nights and are planning some dates for the coming months!
We initiated family nights once a week. Our first few included movies and snacks. We hope to do some more fun things once it cools down a bit. 

August 2016:

It was so darn hot. Heavens! We did our best to stay cool.
We had a weekend visit from Matt's parents. It was quick but nice. :)
We started out getting out more during the week just the boys and Mom.
We continued family nights once a week including movies at home, snacks, library events and so on. 
I celebrated my 32nd birthday!
We watched the Olympics in Rio.
I went back to work on the weekends which meant Matt was able to spend lots of one-on-one time with the boys. 

September 2016:

Maddox turned 3 months old!
We also started back up with our cloth diapers. We have hit some bumps with them but overall, it's gone well. (we pulled the plug on these shortly after we got going. It's just not working for our family right now.)
We explored Milliken Arboretum twice and Cottonwood trail.
We spent a day in York, SC and Rock Hill, SC for a fun family day!
We celebrated Granddad's 80th birthday!
Maddox rolled over from back to belly and began to sleep on his stomach!
Mason is potty-trained!! 

October 2016:

Attended the International Fest at Barnet Park.
Maddox turned 4 months old!
Maddox and Mason moved into the same room together.
We took a Sunday afternoon and skipped nap and went for an adventure. We may or may not have regretted skipping nap later on in the day. ha! 
We went to Nashville to celebrate the wedding of Matt's brother, Ben, and his new wife, Anne.
Maddox met lots of family and enjoyed seeing lots of other people, too, for the wedding weekend.

November 2016:

We celebrated Mason's THIRD birthday with a little park party, dinner out and a glow stick dance party!
Maddox turned 5 months old!
Leslie, Mason and Maddox took a trip to Louisiana. We dropped GiGi off at home and spent a week with PawPaw. Maddox got to meet lots of family for the first time and Mason got to see everyone again. It was a great trip.
We celebrated Thanksgiving together and had a wonderful time. 
Both boys ended the month with sickness. Mason had strep and Maddox had double ear infections.
Mason began his speech therapy. 

December 2016:

Maddox celebrated his HALF birthday!!
We did some advent activities, not daily but a few times a week.
Mason and I went to see lights at the Arboretum in North Carolina.
We dealt with sickness and kept working to get through it.
We celebrated our first Christmas as a family of four.
We enjoyed a week home all together between Christmas and New Year's Day.

Maddox {Week 29}

Day 197: 

Day 198:

Day 199:

Day 200:

Day 201:

Day 202:

Day 203: Maddox's First Christmas!!

Books I Read {2016}

Books I Read to Review:

1. Safe House by Joshua Straub

2. Strong and Kind by Korie Robertson

3. The Secret to Hummingbird Cake by Celeste Fletcher McHale

4. In A Different Key: The Story of Autism by John Donvan & Caren Zucker

5. I Said Yes by Emily Maynard Johnson

6. Pocket Prayers by Max Lucado

7. Simple Pleasures by Marianne Jantzi

8. Fast Food Maniac by Jon Hein

9. Forgiving my Daughter's Killer by Kate Grosmaire

10. The Goodbye Bride by Denise Hunter

11. The Illustrated Compendium of Amazing Animal Facts by Maja Safstrom

12. Mother, can you NOT? by Kate Siegel

13.  Like Never Before by Melissa Tagg

14. Black and White Bible, Black and Blue Wife by Ruth A. Tucker

15. Together at the Table by Hillary Manton Lodge

16. Counting Blessings by Eileen Spinelli

17. Giddy Up, Eunice by Sophie Hudson (Reviewed on Amazon)

18. Jilted by Varna Denman

19. Bat Dad: A Parody by Blake Wilson

20. Wild and Free by Haley Morgan and Jess Connolly

21. Bossy Flossy  by Paulette Bogan

22. Wreck My Life by Mo Isom

23. The Things We Knew by Catherine West

24. When Mountains Move by Julie Cantrell

25. Starry-Eyed by Mandy Arioto

26. A Sister's wish by Shelley Shepard Gray

27. Everything is Possible by Jen Bricker

28. An Amish Family Christmas by Shelley Shepard Gray

29. Discipline that Connects with Your Child's Heart by Jim and Lynne Jackson

30. She Reads Truth (reviewed on Amazon)

31. 40 Days to a Joyful Motherhood by Sarah Humphrey

32. Shaken by Tim Tebow

33. The Most Wonderful Time of the Year by Ace Collins

34. The Berenstain Bears and The Christmas Angel by Mike Berenstain

35. God Bless My Friends by Hannah C. Hall

36. The Temple and the Tabernacle by J. Daniel Hays

37. You're Saying it Wrong by Ross Petras and Kathryn Petras

38. Rad Women Worldwide  

39. Scripture Doodle by April Knight

40.  Miscarried Joy by Tanika Fitzgerald

41. A Royal Christmas Wedding by Rachel Hauck

Other books I read:

1. Three Little Words by Melissa Tagg

2. Giddy Up, Eunice by Sophie Hudson

3. From The Start by Melissa Tagg

4. Here to Stay by Melissa Tagg

5. Made to Last by Melissa Tagg

6. Jaded by Varna Denman

7. Justified by Varna Denman

8. Raising Grateful Kids in an Entitled Word by Kristin Welch

9. The Five Love Languages of Children

10. A Baxter Family Christmas by Karen Kingsbury

Children's books:

Approximately 3,000. :)

A Royal Christmas Wedding by Rachel Hauck {A Book Review}

Within the last two years, I have read nearly all of Rachel Hauck's books. Those books included The Royal Wedding Series. A Royal Christmas Wedding is the final book in that series and I was anxious to get my hands on it. 

This final book in the Royal Wedding Series focused on the story of Prince Colin and Avery Truitt. I don't wan to give away much of the story, as usual, but especially in case you haven't read the other books in the series. But I do want to share a few thought about this particular book in the series. 

First, if you haven't read the series, add it to your list. These books are mostly light-hearted Christian fiction and just fun reads. Rachel's writing style is consistent throughout her books and as far as I can recall, I liked all of her books. :)

This book was good, too, however, I did feel like it was a little too predictable. Yes, I know that adds to the easy to read aspect of it but I needed a little bit of intrigue. That being said, I did like the ending of the book. 

The epilogue of the book was one of my favorite parts of the whole series. The two pages wrap up the entire series by including nearly 60 years worth of information in just a short space. I thought that was super fun and unexpected.

If you are looking for an easy, fun read, this is it! 

Advent 2016

This year, we tried to be more intentional about the season of Advent. I purchased a wooden tree advent calendar last year and this year we pulled it out. I put a piece of candy in each drawer for Mason to have each day and I tried to do activities each day with him. 

Day 1: We made some Christmas paintings. 

Day 2: We sent a card to someone we love. Mason picked Anna. :)

Day 3: We sang Christmas Carols at Breakfast.

Day 4: We baked gingerbread cookies.

Day 5-7: Nada...oops!

Day 8: Making muffins, Christmas Movie and Christmas Lights

Day 9: nothing

Day 10: purchased a few gifts for Mason's speech therapist and his speech buddy

Day 11, 12, 13: nothing

Day 14: We had more plans but Maddox' well visit turned into a sick visit so we came home and watched Christmas movies.

Day 15: delivered cookies to Grandmom and Granddad and visited with them for a while.

Day 16: We drove around town looking at Christmas lights as a family. 

Day 17: We bought a ginormous $5 bucket of popcorn and spent much of the day together. 

Day 18: We were at home all day. Maddox was still a little snotty so we were able to attend church online and we watched Christmas movies and played.

Day 19: Mason and I baked cookies to give to our neighbors, Mr. Dean and Mrs. Phoebe, and also to Matt's co-worker, Mr. Larry.

 

Day 20, 21 and 22: VERY laid back at home because Matt came down with a stomach bug and I wanted to make sure that I was home to take are of him as well as make sure we didn't over-exert ourselves in case we were getting it.

Day 23: We got hot chocolate and snacks and headed to Pacolet to look at Christmas lights and the boys met Santa Claus for the first time. 

Day 24: We celebrated Christmas Even all together included lunch at a local dive that we hope becomes tradition. 

Day 25: CHRISTMAS!!!

Next year, I hope we are able to incorporate even more into the Advent season than we did this year but it was a start. :) 

A Woman At the Well by Rachel Tucker {A Bible Study Spotlight}

 

I was asked by iRead book Tours to spotlight The Woman At The Well by Rachel Tucker. The Woman At The Well is a rigorous spiritual bootcamp, a 4-week intensive Bible Study about a journey of self discovery. It will incite and ignite something amazing and wonderful in you. This is the story of how one person's transformation can create a massive wave of change for Jesus Christ in the world. 

While I haven't completed this study, it sounds incredible and I'm adding it to my wish list! 

Here's a bit about Rachel Tucker: 

Rachel was born in Dayton Ohio to a already large family of 5. She was the baby of the family, and literally about killed her Mother on her entrance into the world. Rachel was the 5th child to a school teacher and truck driver and soon found herself as a child of a single Mom of 5 who was forced to work 3 jobs to support her children. So Rachel is no stranger to seeing and living what it means to be a virtuous woman, as she watched her Mother do it, and continue to do it. Rachel is a devoted wife, Mother of 4 and Founder of Women at the Well Ministries. She is an author and currently writing her first in-depth Bible Study. She has been the keynote speaker at Mother’s of Israel conference, and several of her local church’s women’s events.

Her passion is studying scripture and then teaching those lessons to others, with the goal that they will then turn around and pay it forward. Her #each one #teach one philosophy is her mission. She is passionate about helping women by giving them tools to help them break strong holds so they can pursue whatever the Lord has for them. So, training them up for the call! That is what spurred her ministry.

She knows that God didn’t create women to just sit around and get pedicures and swap recipes and tackle the dust bunnies everyday, but to be side by side with the men in fighting the war against evil and taking as many people to heaven with them as possible.

She now does life with her best friend, her husband Curt and will tell you, her children are the best kids on the earth. They love to do Bible studies together and love traveling with their family.

If she isn’t at home with her family, you will find her checking something off her bucket list! Her biggest so far would be competing in figure competitions, competing at the Arnold class in fitness, being in a beauty pageant representing her county as Mrs. Miami County in the Mrs. Ohio America pageant, and authoring a 30 day bible study devotional. And, she is only getting started.

She loves to weave her own personal stories in with her message, because she believes she is living her calling day by day, and sometimes it gets pretty funny!

Connect with the author:  Website  ~  Twitter  ~  Facebook  ~  Instagram

You can purchase the book on Amazon HERE!