What's Up Wednesday Link-Up

 Hey there! So, I am totally stealing the "What's Up Wednesday" idea from the Mix & Match Family blog because I thought this would be a great opportunity to recap all that has been going on in our house this spring! :) So, let's go!

What We're Eating This Week...

Our menu this was not really share-worthy due to a lack of planning on my part, but my favorite recipe I'm making this week is Crockpot Chicken Tacos. Three ingredients (4 frozen chicken breasts, 1 small jar of salsa, and a taco seasoning packet), four hours on high, shred and pile on tortillas with your favorite taco toppings. DONE. Couldn't be easier. I serve it with tortilla chips and a fruit salad, and everyone is happy. :) 

What I'm Reminiscing About...

My firstborn is turning four on Sunday. FOUR. How can that be?! I blinked, and I have a little boy. I have to learn to stop blinking!!!

What I'm Loving...

My new car! A few months ago, we found out my 4Runner needed quite a bit of service that we didn't want to pay for, so we decided to scrap it and go ahead and trade it in. I got a white Chevy Traverse, and I am in love! :) 

What We've Been Up To...

Birthdays, birthdays, and more birthdays! Celebrating friends' and family members' birthdays and planning for Carter's this weekend! :)  

What I'm Dreading...

I may get blasted for this one...but I am sort of dreading summer. I am a girl who LOVES a schedule and routine, so the idea of three months where every day is different, there is no consistency, and no one goes to any kind of school FREAKS. ME. OUT. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely LOVE summer activities and traveling, but the days and weeks where we have very little going on schedule-wise stress me out. I know I should embrace it and adore the play time with the kids, and I am definitely trying to do so, but I'm just wired for routine. Anyone else like that?

 What I'm Working On...

I just wrapped up and submitted a guest post to the amazing Heather Creekmore's blog on body image called Compared to Who...I'll post it here as well, but if you don't know Heather and body image is a struggle of yours, check her out! She is currently in a series on how we can help our daughters with their body image, and I was asked to post about being intentional with the little ones. I was honored to share, and I just love her advice!

What I'm Excited About...

I have a new job! In August, I will start teaching part-time at my children's preschool, Lifepoint. I will be teaching the 3s on Tuesday/Thursday, and I am so excited to join their team!

What I'm Watching/Reading...

 My current binge-watch is Parenthood, but it is about to end because I'm almost done with Season 5 and Season 6 isn't on Netflix yet. AHHHH! I don't know what I'm going to do!! Any suggestions for me?? 

I am currently reading "Carry On, Warrior" by the wonderful Glennon Melton. I'm pretty sure we are soul mates. She is so encouraging, funny, and real. If you are a mom and looking for an uplifting read, I highly suggest it. 

What I'm Listening To...

Pandora, Pandora, and more Pandora. :) I love the variety!

What I'm Wearing...

(Am I the only one who finds this particular question kind of creepy?!! I know it's supposed to be a fashion-related question, but I can't shake the creepiness of it...I know, I'm a juvenile. Why do you think I fit in so well with eighth graders?!!) 

No comment here. Fashion has never been my strength. 

What I'm Doing This Weekend...

Celebrating my in-laws 40th anniversary on Saturday and my big 4-year old on Sunday!!! :) 

What I'm Looking Forward to Next Month...

Two words - LAKE. HOUSE. Although I'm dreading the travel, I cannot wait for a laid back weekend of swimming, boating, picnics, and eating my body weight in chips and dip. YES, PLEASE.

What Else is New...

Not one more thing. This list was fun, but I'm exhausted! (And if you're still reading, I'm impressed!) 

Happy Hump Day, friends!!!

Friday Favorites: My Favorite Time of Year Edition

Happy Friday all! :) Life lately has been IN.SANE. as I have been planning Carter's upcoming birthday shenanigans, accepting my new part-time job as a preschool teacher (say WHAT?!), going in to debt (ok, not really) to attend multiple showers/birthday parties each weekend, walking around in a fog because of nightmares and teething, and just generally being behind at home and in life. BUT, I had a few quiet moments tonight, so I thought I'd go ahead and put together a short and sweet little list of three of my favorite things right now because we should celebrate the fact that we have all survived another winter, spring is here, summer is around the corner, and that all makes this snow-loathing Texas girl SO. DANG. HAPPY.  :) 

So, here we go...

1) BLUEBONNETS!!

I have two major weaknesses when it comes to pictures - Christmas cards and bluebonnets. I just can't say no! So, my sweet and talented friend, Kristin, took these precious pictures of my kiddos a few weekends ago, and although Kate was in a mood that day, I was so proud of Carter. He is normally TERRIBLE at photo sessions (and slammed his fingers in the car door when we first arrived), but he was not at ALL shy and he ROCKED it! I was so proud! 

 Although the stinker didn't want to smile for us, she loved playing Peekaboo!

 His desire to spike his hair could easily show up on a future Friday Favorites list...such a stud!

 "Come on, Katy!" (Carter's new thing...he calls her Katy. I die.)

 I cannot believe she's almost two!

My nuggets!

Carter was so proud of his "4" shirt, so we did a quick outfit change for the last 5 minutes, and he loved it!

2) Flip-Flops are BA-AAACK!

Although I do love me some boots, I really can't stand much else about winter attire. But give me some bright shorts, an eyelet tank, and flip flops, and I am one happy girl. Every year, I go buy a new pair of Old Navy's basic leather flip flops in a new color, and by the end of September, they are just done. This year, I went with a camel color, but in the past I've loved tortoise, gold, and white. You can't beat the price (around $15) and comfort of these babies!

3) Afternoon walks...Or should I say strolls...

Carter got a Power Wheels Jeep for Christmas this year, and every afternoon after Kate's nap, he insists on going for a drive around the neighborhood while Kate and I stroll behind him. I call this a walk very loosely because walking behind a 3-year-old who drives a toy car 1.8 miles per hour and stops at every third house to admire the dandelions is pretty much negative exercise...I actually think I would burn more calories sitting in a lawn chair...but he loves the freedom, it gets us out and about, and Kate has a little time to regroup from her nap in the stroller. (Girlfriend wakes up HANGRY from her nap most days...it is super fun.)

 

Yep, I'll keep him. :) 

I hope you all are as excited to celebrate spring as we all are! :) Happy weekend everyone!

Show & Tell Tuesday: Favorite Vacay

Well, I'm linking up again today with Momfessionals and sharing my favorite vacation for Show & Tell Tuesday! This one was super easy for me...my favorite vacay ever was most definitely my honeymoon! 

Blake and I spent 6 glorious...GLORIOUS...nights at the JW Marriott in Guanacaste, Costa Rica after our wedding. It was literally perfection. 

 Best strawberry mojito EVER...that's real sugar cane!

 How cute is my hubby?!! :)

 The sand legitimately looks like this...it's beautiful.

 Lots of lounging...

 Gorgeous sunsets...

 Two of the nights we were there, we took the shuttle from our hotel into the nearby town of Tamarindo and ate at local restaurants. This one was our favorite by FAR - a super cute little place called Nibbana. We actually went here twice. :)

 We did a lot of this...

 ...but we did venture out one day for ziplining!

 Lunch at a cute little spot down the beach we walked to called Lola's.

Take me back!!!!! :)

Easter Weekend Recap!

Happy Monday, friends! I hope everyone had a wonderful and joyful Easter celebration this weekend! Our weekend was PACKED...I feel like I could use a weekend to recover from the weekend! ;)

Friday morning, my playgroup and I took a trip down to the Dallas Zoo. When I scheduled the play date for that day, I totally blanked on it being a holiday, so the place was PACKED, but we made the most of it and had a blast with our friends...and some very aggressive giraffes!

 They ran out of food for the giraffes...and they were SO HUNGRY they were licking people's hands!

Cute little monkeys!

Friday afternoon, Blake came home early from work since it was a holiday, so we got to spend some good family time dyeing eggs and then went out to dinner. 

Saturday morning, we headed down to the Dallas Arboretum to see my brother, his wife, and my two nephews who had come in town for the weekend. It was, yet again, PACKED, but we still had a great time and got some amazing pictures of the four cousins. 

Gotta love a good meltdown. ;)

Love her!

It never ceases to amaze me how Carter and Pearson (who is 3 months older) never seem to miss a beat. We don't see them nearly enough, but these two pick up right where they left off each time...you'd never know it had been months since their last visit. I just adore their precious friendship!

Saturday afternoon after naps, we headed up to church where Blake and I were teaching the 2s class in the nursery for the 3:30 service. (Yeah...our church had SEVEN services over the weekend. CRAZY!) We had so much fun with our five little rascals in there! (Apparently that time of day is nap time for most 2 year olds because our group was so tiny!)

Sunday morning, we opened Easter baskets and then actually got to attend church in the sanctuary for the first time in 3 weeks because we've been teaching so much! Then, we all headed down for brunch with my parents. They had multiple Easter bunnies at this brunch, so Carter didn't say much (he's terrified...bless him!), and Kate spent the entire lunch screaming, "Hello, bunny! Hi, bunny wabbit!" It was pretty sweet. :) 

 They had a man making balloon animals...total HIT!

 Somebody takes her chicken VERY seriously...

The afternoon was spent blowing bubbles at the grandparents' house, not napping (dumb sugar high!), and playing with our new toys. We enjoyed having Blake's family over to our house for a very casual pizza dinner Sunday night where the older kids put on a "show" and Kate went to bed early. :)

I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter and celebrated the fact that HE IS RISEN!

Coming up tomorrow, I'm back at it with another Show & Tell Tuesday where I'll be sharing my favorite vacation...I cannot wait to read everyone else's! Traveling is SO much fun!