mid-week thoughts. and randomness.

today is wednesday and i haven't blogged since friday of last week and before that, it is hard for me to remember when i actually sat down to write something.  and today i don't have anything really important to say but feel like i needed to just get out some things that are on my mind lately.  things that i'm thinking about, motivations, inspirations, etc.  so prepare yourself for all things random. and i am totally not kidding when i say random.

let the games begin.

• i posted this photo on instagram yesterday. (i'm not the type of person to post things in order to seek out attention or praise, etc.  i promise it wasn't for that purpose.)  i came across the old photo within the last week and was amazed by how much i've changed since then. 

considering the first photo was 3 years before having a baby and the second photo is 2 1/2 years after having a baby... i never would have imagined it.  it honestly amazes me how much you can change when you really set your mind to something. my lifestyle has changed so much and i am more athletic (athletic, for me...) than i have ever been in my whole life.  i never imagined my lifestyle would change so much and i really love it.  i love that i am running around with jackson and not just sitting all the time. i am much more motivated to get up and get out there. take him out to play. i've never been an "outside" person and now we are always trying to find something to do out there, some place to go. it. feels. good.

•  speaking of athletic... i cannot help but think about the awesome weather that is to come this weekend and how i need to get outside. now i'm ready to get in some mileage.  i'm actually feeling a little antsy this second.  the sun is shining and i'd rather be out and about than sitting in an office. so. who wants to play hooky?

•  we played at the park last night and it was was chilly but so.much.fun. here are a couple of photos and a funny (hilarious, in my opinion!) video from our little adventure.  i will treasure these forever. so thankful for my husband actually taking some pictures and videos last night, i'm rarely in them!  i hope jackson will find this just as funny as i do...when he grows up ;)

 i haven't laughed that hard in a really, really long time!

• so our plan is to transition jackson to a toddler bed. next week. woah.  i have more thoughts on that coming up in another post. why is it that these things make moms so emotional?! why do they have to grow up so fast?!

• today i would love to eat a cheeseburger.  it has been a couple of weeks and now that the season is warming up, isn't it time to grill out? where is your favorite cheeseburger from?  mine just might be from five guys.  cannot get enough of that greasy burger. gross. and delicious. all at the same time!

•  i am ready to start having dinner on the patio, or going out to dinner and sitting outside while we eat. that is one of my most favorite things to do when the weather is warm. seriously i need this to happen. soon.

•  where did my little blonde baby go?

typical.

• when will this be happening again?

• my 6 year anniversary is coming up on saturday. wow. time is flying. i am so excited to spend some quality (outdoor) time with my boys to celebrate. how have i been married for almost 6 years?

so if you made it this far, i'm a little bit (okay... more than a little...) proud of you. my thoughts are a little bit all over the place. i'm craving a good outdoor run, some greasy food, cold wine and time outside with food and family. maybe all at the same time? if possible?

sounds like someone has spring/summer fever. who's with me?
 

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a case of the mondays. and tuesdays.

so here we are. tuesday morning. and i think i have a lingering case of the monday's.  i'm typically not a negative person but yesterday and today have not been my favorite.  do you ever just feel worn down? that's kind of how i'm feeling. not really ill, nothing really "wrong" just not feeling myself.  and so tired.

(...and because people will ask...no... i'm not pregnant ;) ...)

anyway, back to what i was saying...

many times i feel like monday's are the hardest day of the entire week and i'm sure that i'm not alone. i honestly live for the weekends. it is time to spend with my boys and actually get to have breakfast with them and enjoy their company from the beginning until the end of the day.  the weekends are typically not super relaxing though. not that i'm complaining at all. but. our weekends are full with grocery shopping, cleaning, playing, running (for me anyway) and trying to carve out some relaxation time.  and i think that is part of the reason why monday's tend to be so hard on me. i don't use my weekends to relax and "recharge my batteries".

i think it might be starting to catch up with me a little.  yesterday was tough. i came to work as usual and as the morning went on felt worse and worse. again, not ill. just not right. so after a few hours, turned around and went home.  slept for 3 hours without moving. i guess i was tired?! and still was in bed by 9:30pm and slept all.night.  still not quite feeling 100% today but feeling better.  and ready for another nap :)

i guess the reason while i'm writing all of this down is because it helps me deal with my feelings.  i am the type of person that rarely calls in sick at work, i rarely take days off (unless jackson's school is closed or we have planned vacations, time off, etc.) and i am a really hard worker and like to think that i'm reliable.  and when i'm home, i feel this need to get everything done. laundry done, dishes done, floor cleaned, dinners prepped...and so on.

i feel like it is my job as a working mom to be the best at work and at home.  and some days, like yesterday and a little bit today, all of that hard work catches up with you. i'm happy for my health and on days when you aren't feeling your best, it can really help you to appreciate how blessed you are to have so many, very healthy days.

so with all that said, i need to do a better job of letting myself rest. and recharge. its hard to keep going if you don't recharge the batteries, right?  this week, i'm going to do a better job of getting myself to bed at a decent time and really get some rest. and by the time the weekend rolls around... i may need a reminder that i don't have to get everything done right this second. just relax.

i cannot imagine that i'm the only one out there that feels this way. so please, let's all remember to take some time for ourselves and relax. recharge those batteries.  because at the end of the day, we're all working so hard to be our best at everything we do.  we need to cut ourselves some slack and enjoy the moment. and sleep a little too :)

thank you for listening to my story, i feel better already.

and because every post is better with a picture, i'll leave you with a couple from yesterday.  these boys can make me feel better no matter what.  they are my sunshine.

p.s. apparently yesterday was also st. patrick's day. and no one in my house even dressed with a spot of green. no celebration at all. #fail #maybenextyear

happy tuesday friends.

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three years ago.

It was a chilly Sunday morning...January 30, 2011.  Never in my life had I imagined that seeing this... 

would mean that not too far in the future, I would have this...  

My life is forever changed for the BEST. I am the luckiest to be called his Momma.  

I love you to the moon and back my Jackson Quincy.

Honestly, that's all I really have to say about that.  As corny as it sounds, I don't have the words to explain the love and joy in my heart and soul for this boy.  I'm thankful for him and his Daddy every single day. I'm the luckiest girl on the planet.

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grateful.

source

 Thanksgiving has already come and gone.  Sometimes I just wonder how the time passes so quickly.  I don't know about any of you...but I tend to get so worked up in the planning and the anticipation of the holidays and the celebrations and then it seems like in the blink of an eye they are over.  I cannot believe that my family has already made the trip back and are snuggled back in their own house in Tennessee.  We were lucky to have them around for 3 nights and 2 full and fabulous days.  It is just hard to believe that it is over already.  Luckily for us, I had my camera out every step of the way!  I am so glad to have these memories captured in time.  Especially since the last week has been so busy.  We celebrated our first Thanksgiving on the Sunday before with Todd's Dad.  Next up was Thanksgiving lunch with Jackson at his school.  Followed by our own family's Thanksgiving at our house and then Thanksgiving with Todd's Mom.  Needless to say, our hearts (and bellies!!) have been filled day after day.  We are lucky to have so many places to be and people to spend our holidays with.  As quickly as the time goes and as crazy as things can seem, I wouldn't have it any other way.  We are so loved. Especially this little boy.  

Anyway... I could do several posts because we have many, many, many photos.  But I may just throw them all here in a big, happy, jumbled mess.  Maybe let the photos do the talking.  We have had such fun over these last few days.  Now I am in need of a nap.

Thanksgiving #1 - Todd's Dad's house - The Sunday before Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving #2 - Our family and my parents and sister.  (We missed you Granny!)  I love our little family and I'm so glad that they were able to be here to celebrate the holiday with us.  And even spend several days at our house.  I imagine that Jackson loved it the most!  

Our Thanksgiving tradition - Brisket.

We used this recipe for the slow-cooker mashed potatoes.  They turned out so buttery and delicious! 

Cheese-ball has become a family tradition.  I am not complaining.

Our outdoor refrigerator.  It was so cold we left most of the food outside until it was time to warm it up in the oven.  Brilliant. 

To say that I love this little family is an understatement.   

My parents are pretty cute.

The only way we could get a photo. If he could eat a banana at the same time. 

I made this mac and cheese  recipe that I found via Pinterest. I did not disappoint!! 

Having a husband that works retail... especially when he works in the online side of retail...this is what our Thanksgiving looks like. every. year.

Thank you Granny for the turkey butter :)

Thanksgiving #3 - On to Mother Brink's house! 

Jackson's first experience at a kid's table.  He ate about three bites before he was ready to get down and play.  That's pretty typical for family get-togethers!

 The best shot I could get of the cousins. Go figure.

After coming home from my mother-in-law's...my family was waiting to play some games. If you haven't played this one yet, you should check it out. If you are brave enough.  Let me just say that the word "vulgar" should be in the game description!! But it was so much fun.

I hope everyone enjoyed their Thanksgiving holiday and were able to spend time with the ones you love!!  

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