Valentine’s 2018…

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Loving you is the easiest thing I’ve ever done. Be mine forever?

My fella really does get me. He got me two of my favorite types of flowers, and said the tulips are because he knows how excited I am to go to Holland, MI during our upcoming getaway. A little town that has a huge tulip festival every spring (we will be there a month early and likely won’t get to see tulips so he got me some). To know me is to know my love for llamas, alpacas, pigs, mini goats, and chickens. He promises to someday buy us land and fill it with my favorite animals. Even if that dream never comes true, I now own my very own quirky little alpaca made with real alpaca fur! It’s simply the cutest and so incredibly soft! Then as if the flowers, alpaca, & sweet card wasn’t enough he got me Willie! Okay, so he didn’t actually buy me Willie Nelson, but he got me tickets to finally get to see this man live! A concert we’ve wanted to see for years now. Last and certainly not least, I’m thankful to have a husband that doesn’t only show me genuine love on February 14th, but each and every single day both in little and big ways and THAT is what makes me feel like the luckiest lady ever! But seriously, tulips, hydrangeas, a baby alpaca, AND Willie Nelson!!!

Now for a date night at home with a movie in bed, wine, beer, popcorn & my favorite guy in the world after our little ladies are all tucked in bed.

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Mardi Gras 2018

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Skipped Mardi Gras in New Orleans this year because there were just too many exciting events in Texas for our babies over the next few days. Today happened to be their 100th day of school & silly hair day! So we had all the kids and grandbabies here for a Mardi Gras dinner of jambalaya and a king cake from Gambino’s.

Besides we have some plans in the works for parading in the future!

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Bitty’s 6th care bears themed birthday party!

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Once again she managed to pick a theme that we couldn’t just run to Party City or Target to buy all of the decorations for, but it didn’t deter us one bit! Bitty wanted a care bear party (someone go ahead and pinch me, because to date I’ve been allowed to live vicariously through my little cupcake because all of her themes aside from her 1st owl party has been some of my favorite childhood things!) and that’s what she got! I found some adorable invitations on Etsy to invite everyone!

We made all of the care bears hung around the house and streamers hung from the ceilings.

For the food, snacks, & drinks we did things like pizza, heart shaped cookies, gummy bears, m&M’s, cheese puffs, chips, brownie bites, pickles, olives, a few different types of Teddy Grahams, fruit punch, pink lemonade, etc .

I may have made a game out of having our kiddos find every care bear in our home by making a scavenger hunt out of it and offering ten cents for every bear they found. I also may have not realized how many care bears that were in this house, ha ha! Still worth it! Mama’s sanity was saved & we had tons of care bears to scatter around for added care bear fun!

For her cake I ordered an edible care bear cake topper to put on it from Etsy also.

Then threw some care bear pictures in frames, decorated a wooden number six from hobby lobby with a glittery card stock. Put some more care bears on the table including the vintage birthday bear I ordered her from 1983 (ugh, how is 1983 vintage when I was already five years old?). I had to add the little birthday bird and the block letters with her name that has been on her cake table for all six of her birthdays now. We hung a happy birthday bitty banner behind her and surrounded the entire room with a ton of balloons, a variety of bright colored plates, napkins, forks and spoons, and table clothes to brighten up the room.

For the party favors we ordered some care bear gummies on Amazon and for the party game prizes we found some care bear party packages that have coloring pages, colors, stickers, etc.

For entertainment we had care bear coloring books out. And played pass the care bear “hot potato style” and pin the cupcake badge on Birthday care bear.

What is a party with without a lot of colorful balloons? We also found a gold #6 and gold “Happy birthday” balloons to hang up.

We surrounded the spot for her to open her presents with balloons on either side of her chair with balloon weights and hung some care bears and hearts behind her chair.

Of course we never forget to measure the birthday kiddo up on the door frame in our laundry room. While we are considering moving from this house, that door frame is coming with us!

Last and certainly not least we didn’t forget to thank our guest for taking the time to come celebrate our little Bitty with the fun printable we also ordered on Etsy.

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Bitty is SIX!

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Happy 6th birthday to our spunky, vibrant, and oh so loving sassafras, Bitty!

Today our little doll woke up for school surrounded by balloons!

I picked this day for my day to volunteer to teach an art class for her teacher so I got to spend a little extra time with her today! And was able to be in her class when they sang Happy birthday and she got to share a king cake with her classmates. My mom and dad even met us at the school to have lunch with her.

This evening she decided she wanted chicken nuggets, french fries, and strawberry drink for her birthday dinner. Afterwards we sang Happy birthday to her with yet another Gambino’s king cake, what a lucky little lady! She was especially excited that she got to open a present this morning (her birthday outfit and headband to wear today) and a few presents tonight! She has had a big smile all day and tomorrow we get to celebrate her some more care bear style!

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So this is 40…

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I’m 40 now. For some reason 30 terrified me. So much so that I jokingly pretended to be 29 for so long that I often had to ask Matt how old I really was. Even my lil monsters knew Mama turned 29 year after year. Somehow, I’m good with 40. Like really good. I AM 40! I am happy. I have an unwaivering faith in God. I’ve been married for over a decade to the most loving and supportive man I’ve ever known and somehow get to call mine. I am a mama to four truly incredible humans that I will forever be in awe of. I am the proud Maw-Maw to two precious little souls. I have a priceless bond with my parents. I’m a daughter in law and a mother in law to two special women. I have a closeness with some of my family that I wouldn’t trade for the world, even some cousins that have forever been more like a sister or brother to me. Friends I’ve had since we were kids and now get to watch our own children grow together. I’ve got friendships that I’ve built since relocating to Texas from New Orleans many many years ago. I have two sweet little senior pups that follow me around day in and day out (I admit this is because I’m the one that always slips them people food, but hey they love me and I’ll take it!).

I am short, loud, sometimes spontaneous, wear my heart on my sleeve, am known to cuss like a sailor, have a raging temper when it comes to anyone messing with someone I love, tend to be a bit of an over thinker, mildly OCD, generally have trouble hiding my emotions be it happiness or anger, yet I’m one of the most sincere people to have in your corner. I am a family, friend, iced latte, Moscato, book, yoga, red lipstick, post it note, and children/animal loving lady.

In the last decade we have made so many of our dreams come true. Our family has grown and reshaped in various ways. We moved into a home that we now get to watch children and grandchildren grow in due to my husband’s hard work for our family while encouraging me to be the stay at home mama I cherish being. We have traveled to interesting places both with our children as well as little getaways alone with my love. Some travels have been far away and sometimes only as far as our backyard. I am healthier than I’ve ever been. I can now keep up with my children and grandchildren on a trampoline, at theme parks, and on playgrounds. I have wrinkles that show the life I’ve lived. Some from worry, God knows I worry like no other, and some from lots of happiness and laughter. I have many grays that pop out before my next hair appointment and oddly enough even that doesn’t bother me, fingers crossed I get the streak in my hair that my Maw-Maw had. I’ve got stretch marks from carrying four children I was once told I wouldn’t have. I’ve got scars from more surgeries than I care to count. I’ve been hurt tremendously in my life time and I’ve also been loved beyond measure. So how could I possibly be distraught over turning forty? This feels like quite the privilege! So bring on the next decade of my life that I’m so blessed to be living. I look forward to celebrating more birthdays with the ones that love me most. To watching my husband bake me another beautiful cake while I sit across the counter from him sipping on a glass of wine and smiling so much it hurts. Listening to the most precious voices singing Happy birthday to me year after year. Dancing and (horribly) singing in our kitchen with our children and grandchildren while cooking dinner. I am so thankful to get to experience FORTY!

I look forward to learning and growing in new ways. If I’ve learned nothing else in this life time it’s to forever know I will never stop learning from others. I will not always be right. It’s okay to admit fault or wrong doing and apologize sincerely. I am not and will never be perfect. My biggest teachers have always been my children and I’m certain I learn more from them alone daily than I could ever teach them. THIS is 40!

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Adios 2017

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While some are our partying this year away, we opted for our usual way of celebrating New Year’s Eve, at home! We made finger foods which seems to have become a tradition, took silly pictures, Aub had a friend sleep over, & hung out with my parents. Only somehow this year by 10 pm this is where we landed. In bed, with a glass of wine, under a warm blanket, and snuggling with my husband. Honestly, I can’t think of a better way to ring in the New Year. Of course at midnight we will go out in the freezing cold air and see a few fireworks with any of the kiddos that managed to stay awake long enough to see them. Looking forward to a New year of memory building with my family and friends. So many great plans already being made.

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Christmas 2017

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Woke up early with our three little ladies, my husband, and my parents to see what Santa tucked under the tree for them! Quite possibly my favorite thing about Christmas morning is the genuine excitement children hold opening their gifts. A little later my mother in law came to spend some time with us. And then our son, daughter in law, and grandbabies came over for a fun filled evening. It turned out to be a rather perfect day.

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Christmas Eve 2017

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This morning while I did a little baking our girls decorated gingerbread houses with my parents. After taking some pictures of our kiddos in front of the Christmas tree with our pups we went to B-Boo & Mac’s for some Christmas fun with family. So many laughs were had. Then we got our littles home and tucked in bed so Santa could bring some goodies for them. I can hardly wait until tomorrow morning!

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