Let's Talk: Entertainment

 I'm linking up today with Andrea for her "Let's Talk" series! Today, we're sharing Entertainment, which is perfect since all of my favorite shows have started up again! 

Here's what we'll be watching this fall:

Did y'all see the season premier of Grey's last week? It was so good! I have been watching Grey's Anatomy for what seems like forever, but I am still in love with it like I was in season 1. 

The Big Bang is just lighthearted and funny.  I can watch this one while folding laundry or when we're wanting to relax. The girls even enjoy it, and it's not totally inappropriate for them. 

I'm still binge watching Orange is the New Black. I'm finally on Netflix season 4. I'm trying to slowly work my way through it because I know i'll go through withdrawals when it's over. 

So, I hadn't even heard of This is Us, until the day after it premiered last week. But, everyone was raving about it! Thankfully, it was recorded on our DVR, so I ended up watching it, and everyone was right. It is so, so good. There was a surprising little twist at the end which made it that much better. If you haven't seen this one, then do yourself a favor and tune in!

Saturday night, I found myself with the girls in the bed, DJ away, and nothing to do. That never happens! So, I cuddled up on the couch and rented Miracles from Heaven. 

I was crying just minutes in to this movie, and found myself facing a mother's worse fear. This movie was so good, and definitely an inspiration. I just don't know how anyone could watch it and not believe in miracles and God. I even googled the story and read about it after the movie. Apparently, it's based on a novel, and is a true story. 

I read Me Before You last spring, and the movie is out on Redbox now! If you haven't had a chance to read the book or see the movie, then now is your chance! Make sure you have some tissues ready! 

And, I'm still working my way through Jen Hatmaker's book "For the Love." I almost finished with it, and I think if I could just sit down one evening, then I'd get it finished! I have found myself laughing and nodding in agreement throughout this entire book. Her "thank you" notes are my favorite! 

Okay, so what are you watching this fall? What are you reading? I'm going to need some new books sitting on my night stand soon! 

Let's Talk: Fall Favorites

Monday is here again, despite me trying to make it stay away. Sorry friends that it did not work! I'm linking up with Andrea and Erika, for "let's talk".... and today we're talking about our Fall Favorites! 

First up on my list of Favorites.........

Fall colors, pumpkins, and decorating!!! I almost broke out our fall decor this weekend (and then I remembered that I try to hold off and I decorated for football instead!) But, I love being able to decorate for fall, and all of the warm colors. It's just so cozy. 

Football is another favorite!!! Our first kick off is Saturday night, and I cannot wait to watch our team play! I love taking the girls to the games, and seeing their excitement over the band and cheerleaders, and of course, the football players. They love seeing the coaches on the field, and looking for their daddy and trying to figure out if he's in the press box or on the field during the games. 

We also have our annual wives trip, and I love getting some time away with the ladies and getting to know them better. 

Fall means layering! I love being able to put on a pair of jeans, some cute booties, and layer with my favorite tee's, and kimono's or wraps. 

Fall scents in my diffuser, are another favorite. Thieves and Orange is one of the best combo's, plus it helps support our immune system! 

Trips to the pumpkin patch with my girls. 

And of course pumpkin carving is one of our favorite fall activities too! 

DJ's mom always makes it to Tulsa for a game, and we're so excited to see her in October! 

And of course we look forward to Trick-or-Treating! This year, I'm thinking that Addy will be a flamingo, and Gretchen wants to be Cinderella. Megan is leaning toward a Hula girl! 

So Fall, can you please hurry up and arrive! We are totally ready for you!

Let's Talk: School Days

I cannot believe that back to school is 3 weeks away for me! I am not ready for summer to be over at all! Summer is my jam. It's my favorite season, and I count down the days for summer to begin. The sleeping late, days at the pool, time at the lake, trips, and family.... nothing beat's summer. 

I'm linking up today with Andrea and Erika for "Let's Talk"..... a little link up where we blog about a given topic! I haven't participated in a while, so I thought it would be fun today to link up and share! 

So, today we're talking about School Days, and y'all can already tell that I'm not a huge fan of heading back to school! 

But, here we are, so I'll give it a go! 

We've been doing this back to school thing for a while now! I remember getting Gretchen ready for kindergarten and I was not ready to send her! I was excited for her, but I just felt like my baby was getting so big. It probably didn't help that I was two months postpartum, from having Adalyn, but I just had lots of mixed emotions. As a first time mom, sending your big girl to kindergarten just makes reality set in, that she really is growing up. I remember buying her school supplies, taking her to her kindergarten "orientation" and everything in between. That first year was an adjustment. 

But, they were so excited!!!! I think we were heading somewhere kindergarten related before school started, and Meggie had to have her backpack too. 

On the first day of school, my mom drove up from Arkansas, to be with us to see Gretchen off. It also helped, that she stayed behind with the little girls, so DJ and I could take Gretchen and focus on the moment. She had a special first day of school outfit, and I bought her a little school bus necklace so she could remember us all day long, and I made her a matching hair bow. I bought the chalkboard sign just a few days before and our tradition of taking pictures with this little chalkboard was born. I remember every  moment of taking her to school that very first time and wiping tears away when she kept telling me to "go, just go." 

Since she had a special outfit for the first day of school, my mom and I made her a shirt for the 2nd day of school. It said "kindergarten princess." 

And a year later, I started documenting the first day of school for the little girls too. 

Megan started her pre-K three year old class at her preschool. 

And Adalyn moved up to Miss Ju-Ju's room. 

This pencil dress that I made her was one of my favorites! And, I wish you could see all of Megan's tank because the crayons with the ruffles was adorable! 

This was the year that Gretchen started 1st grade. I definitely wasn't as worried for her as I was the year before. In fact, this year was totally different because it was in 1st grade that we were able to move her to the elementary school that I worked in! We were so excited to be going to school together every single day! She wore a smocked crayon dress and again, I bought her a special necklace to wear. 

And, on the 2nd day, she wore a shirt that I made for her. 

Last year, started our 3rd year of heading back to school! Addy started school a few days before her sister and moved up to the 2 year old classroom at her preschool. She wore a shirt that I made for her..... see the tradition?

Gretchen started 2nd grade, and Megan started pre-k at a public preschool that was right down the road from my elementary school. 

And on the first day, they both wore shirts that I made. Megan's says "Backpacks, and Bling, it's a Pre-K thing!"

And Gretchen's says "Big Bow, Cute Shoes, 2nd Grade, Let's do this!"

Through the years, DJ has continued to take off the morning of the first day of school in order to drop the girls off with me. 

Megan will be starting kindergarten and she'll be at the same elementary school that I work in, and Gretchen will be starting 3rd grade there. I definitely don't have the same worries as I did when Gretchen started kindergarten. Most likely, because I know Megan's teacher, I know that I will see her every single day, and because I know that she absolutely thrived in school last year because of her amazing preschool teachers! Megan loves school! I am a little worried that she'll be very shy and timid on her first few days, as she normally is. She's very slow to warm up to new situations. However, once she's warmed up, she is a wild one and is the life of the party! She's so funny and fun to be around! I know that she and her teacher will get along very well! 

I'm super excited about Gretchen starting 3rd grade! I feel like she's settled in to school and she loves to read! She'll thrive this year! We are still working on her spelling skills, but i'm not worried that it won't eventually come along! 

Addy will be starting her pre-K 3 year old year and will have the same teacher that Megan had. Megan thrived that year, and I know that Adalyn will too! I can't wait to see how much she grows and learns! Although, I am super sad that this will be her last year at her preschool and that we won't be with this school after this year. Those teachers have loved my children every single day and we have grown to love each of them. They are an amazing group of Christian ladies who love their job! I'm sure the last day of school next year will be difficult for us as we leave them behind. 

Now, on to a few of our Back to School traditions! 

Last year, I bought Megan "The Night Before Preschool" and read it to her on the night before her first day. When Gretchen started kindergarten we read "The Night Before Kindergarten". Both books are super cute, and hopefully helped ease some school jitters! I found them at Target! They have an entire back to school book section! 

And last year, I decorated our little kitchen corner with a "back to school" theme and I'll carry it over this year too! I had the girls make school buses that I hung up, and we decorated with apples, books, alphabet letters, fun straws, chalkboard signs, and crayons.

It was fun for the girls as they got ready to head back to school! 

And this year, I'm already stocking up on our back to school supplies with Young Living! My August order includes Thieves (for immune system boosting), peppermint & lemon (to increase focus), en-r-gee (for myself to get going each morning!), and I've grabbed a package of the Thieves lozenges for throat irritations, and I'm making us roller bottles for seasonal sniffles that always seem to hit us in October! In the next few weeks, I'll try to have an entire post dedicated to heading back to school and using essential oils! 

So, how do you and your kids get ready to head back to school? Do you buy school supplies super early or wait until the last minute? Do you have fun traditions with your kids each year? Are you ready for the first day just to have a break?! Ha! 

Let's Talk: Gee

Happy Tuesday friends!!! I just could not pull my stuff together in time after the Easter weekend for the Let's Talk link up with Andrea and Erika, so today, I'm pulling my head out of the sand and sharing yesterday's topic!

Moms......

You see, I have a pretty fabulous mom, probably the best there is, and I just couldn't not share about her!

I'm not going to chat much today about my relationship with my mom when I was younger. Don't get me wrong, it was great! She was always there and was someone I could count on to give me advice or smart enough to know when I needed to figure it out on my own. 

It wasn't until I got married and moved away, and then later became a mom myself, when I really began to appreciate my mom's in ways that I've never appreciated her before. She became my very best friend. 

Even now, she's my best friend. I don't have to think twice about it. I need my mom more today than I ever did growing up. We talk at least once a day on the phone- I call her every day on my way to work- and sometimes we talk twice, or even 5 or 6 times. She's an ear when I need to vent, a shoulder that I need to lean on, and I can bounce my ideas off of her and she'll give me advice, suggestions, or just listen. We really do have the best relationship. 

I'm so thankful that she was there when all of my children were born. In fact, she was probably the first to hold each of the girls after DJ and myself.

My mom and I were able to celebrate my first Mother's Day together. I'll always remember that weekend in St. Louis and getting to share the day with her.

I'm sure that my mom was a little uneasy when I married DJ, knowing that we could (and have) live all over. Growing up, we always lived close to my grandparents and family, and I'm the one that has gotten married and moved away. When we moved to Indiana, it was so hard. We saw each other just a few times a year. But, I could also count on her to be at Gretchen's birthday parties, visit us in the spring, help me move and redecorate.... when I needed her, she was there. 

I've loved seeing her play with my kids. She's just the best Gee. 

When I was pregnant with Gretchen, my mom didn't want to be called "Grandma." She wanted something a bit more unique, and ended up coming up with "Gran". However, Gretchen couldn't say Gran very well, and it ended up sounding like, Gee (long e sound), and it's stuck. 

And when DJ moved to Tulsa and Gretchen and I were left in Indiana, she made sure that she'd be around for Megan's arrival too. (Thankfully DJ was also there!) But, DJ could only stay for a few days before he had to get back to high school football camps, so my mom stayed behind and helped me adjust to being a mom of two. I am so thankful that she was able to step in those few days. 

Her hands are full, but her heart is not. 

A few weeks after Megan was born, my mom headed home and we moved to Tulsa. I remember calling her, crying because the movers had just left boxes in our Tulsa home, and they were piled to the ceiling. I totally thought I could handle a 3 year old, a newborn, and unpacking while my husband was away at work. I called her over-reacting, and crying my eyes out because I just could not do it and I could not wait three more days for her to arrive to help me unpack. She managed to drop everything and arrived the next day to help. By the end of that day, everything was unpacked and put away.

And when I turned 30, she took me on a getaway cruise, because this mamma needed it! 

We toured New Orleans and packed a bunch of us in to a tiny elevator! 

And then we set sail on the perfect little getaway.

It's pretty rare that mothers and daughters are as close as we are.

But, it's also not surprising since my mom is just as close to her mom as I am to her.

My grandmother has been having some health issues as of late, and my mom has stepped in and is practically a super-hero. I know that she's stressed and overwhelmed, but I also know that she's making the best of a bad situation. She has always had a servant's heart, and its showing more now that she is taking care of my grandmother. My heart aches knowing that my mom is watching my grandmother get sicker and sicker, and there's nothing she can do to stop it. But she has a great sense of humor about it, because sometimes the best medicine is to just laugh about things, or vent about them, or cry about them. But I haven't heard my mom do any of those things. She's so strong and she's holding things together with grace and poise. 

I just have been really blessed to know how wonderful this lady is. 

One of my mom's favorite things to do is travel. Whether it's sitting on a cruise ship or getting away with friends, she loves to be with the people that she's closest with. For as long as I can remember, the girls in my family would pack up the day after Thanksgiving and head to Branson for shopping. I'm so thankful that we live close enough that the girls and I can join in on annual Branson trips! 

My parents were divorced when I was about 6 years old. I know I said I wasn't going to talk a lot about my childhood, because my relationship with my mom really grew in to what it is when I became an adult, but thinking back, I have to add that being a single mom she still totally held everything together. I know that I could never be a single mom. I don't have it in me and I'd be crazy stressed! But she worked, cooked dinner, and ran my brother and I to after school activities. I never remember her yelling at us. I remember her spanking us but never yelling! She was just patient and she managed to play the role of both parents remarkably well. 

My mom also loves Jesus. I am so thankful that she raised me in a Christian home and that she dragged me to church every time the doors were open! I'm thankful to know that she prays for me every single day. If it weren't for my mother, I know that I wouldn't have a relationship with Christ. It's her example that made me understand what being a Christian means. 

I mentioned before that my mom was there for each of my daughter's births. My mom works as a labor and delivery nurse, so I knew that she'd be in the room with DJ and I as the girls were born. There's no one else I trusted more with my care and that of the girls. She held me while I received each epidural (I made DJ wait in the hall each time!) and she talked me through every part of the process. Gretchen had meconium when she was born, and she let me know what the risks were and that I may not get to hold her right away, and she managed to not let me freak out about it. She helped me through my natural labor with Megan, because I was too stubborn to get the epidural sooner! And she was there when Addy was born and never left my side. 

Seriously seeing her with each of her granddaughters just minutes after they were born is just so special. 

When I got married, my mom planned this elaborate bridal weekend. As I was planning my speech to each of my bridesmaids and other family members I just couldn't think of the right words to say. How could I possibly thank her for every single thing she has done for me? Sometimes there are just no right words. And even now I have a hard time finding the right words for just how much she means to me. 

Thank you mom for being you. Thank you for being the best Gee. 

Thank you for making my girls pancakes every single morning when we visit. 

Thank you for loving me, for loving DJ, and for loving our girls. Thank you for being selfless and patient and caring and kind. Thank you for having a gentle spirit and for being real and honest. 

You have set the most amazing example of what it means to be a mom. I have a lot to look up to.

I love you!