Never Give Up!!

Guess what?  I'm back!!  I have good reason for being absent, believe me.  I have so many pictures and stories to share from the past 2 weeks!!  Hopefully, there will be many a blog in the next few days.  As for now, an attempt to share a picture a day.

May 7: SOMEONE THAT INSPIRES YOU

Oh this girl!!  I could not even begin to describe the number of ways this girl inspires me.  I am so blessed!

May 8: A SMELL YOU ADORE

Y'all.  This stuff is divine.  I never thought I would enjoy Ed Hardy perfume as much as I do.  Every year for Christmas my parents give us perfume.  I have always been specific as to what kind I would like to have.  Well, to be honest as long as I don't smell like puke or poop, I'm doing good these days.  I told them to surprise me.  They did not fail, let me tell ya!

May 9: SOMETHING YOU DO EVERYDAY

Duh, huh?  I can say this is one of the few things I get accomplished everyday.

May 10: A FAVORITE WORD

I find it so funny that when people come to my house for the very first time, they always leave saying my house is covered in this word.  Whoa, pretty sure that was a run on!!  I never realized I had it that many places!  I love this word for so many reasons.  I am not quite sure how anyone functions without this word in their life.

May 11: KITCHEN

This little corner of my kitchen has received quite the love as of lately.

 May 12: SOMETHING THAT MAKES YOU HAPPY

I am go grateful to have such wonderful neighbors!!  

 May 13: MUM

Really, she's my mom.  I know, it is hard to believe.  This woman is wonderful, like no words can describe wonderful!!

May 14: GRASS

We have spent many an hour in this grass.  The softball complex that both Mr. Wonderful and AK play at is beautiful!!  The ballas' in Abilene would be drooling!!

May 15: LOVE

What a perfect day for this picture!!  My mama came to visit!  This was taken when we picked her up from the airport.  Come back mom and bring dad with you!!

May 16: WHAT YOU'RE READING

The most precious book of all times!  What makes it even better is that it is a recordable book and my mother is reading.  Priceless!! 

May 17: SNACK

Dear Pinterest, Thank you for being so smart, when we should have thought about this years ago!

May 18: SOMETHING YOU MADE

We had an ice cream social.  Did I tell you about it yet?  Well, anyway I made the girls these shirts.  This was before I stitched them.

May 19: A FAVORITE PLACE

Is this wrong?  I love my sleep!

May 20: SOMETHING YOU CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT

Aren't they beautiful?  I am so lucky!!

May 21: WHERE YOU STAND

Enough said.  

May 22: PINK

  As if I don't have enough pink in my life.  Flowers this spring have been beautiful!

 May 23: TECHNOLOGY

Our family is not big on technology.  I like it that way!  We do have a leappad that the girls loving taking pictures and videos with.  This girl has no shame.  She laid down on the sidewalk at the sb fields  to watch.

May 24: SOMETHING NEW

Sweet precious had her first scrambled eggs.

May 25: UNUSUAL 

Do you see these sun spots?  I have had quite a few start popping up on my hands.  I'm blaming it on Shellac!  So sad, but I won't being doing that again.

May 26: 12 O'CLOCK

We went to a play date at Jen and Jake's.  These girls had a blast!!  It made for great naps!

May 27: SOMETHING SWEET

Not literally, but yeah!!  How SWEET is it that I covered all the food groups for Saturday lunch.  Maybe you do this at every meal, but, well, I don't.  I was feeling like super mom, not gonna lie!!

May 28: THE WEATHER TODAY

Tropical Storm Beyrl is headed our way!!  This is definitely something new for this girl!!  Hopefully, we get only what the say, lots of rain.

Where it's at Wednesday

I have struggled with joining the rage on posting some favorite "things" on Wednesday with a lot of the blog world.  Really it is called WILW (what I love Wednesday).  A great preacher, shout out to Chris McCurley, had a lesson once on things we love.  Every time I have started this post that lesson has popped right into my mind.  Don't get me wrong, I absolutely will tell you I love most of these things.  That's how I talk, you know how I talk things up!  I "love" lots of things, like the big smile, chill bumps kind of love.  I can't help it, sometimes I am passionate about the most ridiculous things.  Over the past couple of months, I have been searching for an alternate name for this post.  Where it's at is what I came up, still not great, but it will work.  Most of you know when I find something I like I tell everyone about it!!  So without further adieu, this is where it's at this week!!

Can you say genius?  Target is brilliant!!  I can only imagine how many blogs this towel made.  You better believe this towel is already packed in my pool bag anxiously awaiting the end of May.  You can get your very own here.

 This, I don't own, but ummm, seriously?!?!  It is a magnet sold on etsy.  The shop owner lives in VA!  Not gonna lie, if this was a wall plaque, it would be adorning my kitchen walls!

This is the chicken taco chili I made for dinner on Monday.  It was unbelievable!!  I am pretty sure every time I try a new recipe, the girls don't like it.  That is very unusual because they are not picky at all!  This will definitely will be a regular at our house!

If you have spoken to me in the last couple you know this is my favorite!  This show is ridiculously hilarious!!  I LOL everytime I watch, like, for real!  I love that they are a christian family and it is so entertaining.  Watch it, you won't be disappointed!!

This hair, oh this hair!!

 And finally, this is where it's at!

Menu Monday

I am linking up with my blog friend, Meredith to show you what's cookin' at our house this week.  Let's see if I can keep this up!  Ha!!  I love the planning aspect.  It's nice having a plan, instead of fretting about what I am gonna throw on the table.  Be proud, I AM DOING 6 of these meals, myself.  I am growing up, WHOOHOO!!!

Everything else

This is going to be a throw up blog.  Life has been completely crazy, and I have not taken enough pictures.  Here's what I've got.

Our squadron hosted a play date last week on the AFB.  Any opportunity I have to go to the base and stalk housing, I absolutely take advantage.  The girls love this park, and it was great to be with sweet friends we don't see as often.

Tuesday night before daddy's softball game.  I love these girls!

I had to show this to you.  I know you are thinking, "How sweet of Madelynn to paint your nails!".  You're wrong, I paid for this!  I bought a groupon for a Shellac manicure and pedicure some time ago.  I wanted to save it for a special occasion, and since we were going to a wedding last weekend, I thought it was perfect!  My first clue it was going to be horrible should have been the fact that the salon was located in a retirement home.  Long story short, worst nail experience ever!!  Since it is Shellac, I can't just take it off.  It has to be soaked off in acetone.  Needless to say, my nails still look horrible.  Lesson learned!

Sweet precious got an ice cream cone at daddy's game :)

Before I tell you, I know it is ridiculous.  This is "Frank Sherwood's" food he left at our table for a bit.  We were such little girls about it, I have to tell you!  One of the girls actually took his water with her!  HA!!

Honestly, I can't believe I am showing you this.  This is what happens when you fall asleep on a Sunday afternoon and your 8 year old is awake.  I had no idea she did this until I uploaded pictures today.  Sneaky girl!

and this is what happens when laundry is the chore of an 8 year old.

Hope you enjoyed the throw up.  Maybe when our life gets a little more structure, so will the blog.  Until then...........

Photo Challenge attempt 1,873,435,348

Here I go again.  Telling you just how hard it is to take 1 picture a day.  Maybe one day I will get it done.  Here goes nothin'.

May 1: PEACE

Have you seen anything this precious?  We went to a play date last week and HG loved swinging with her big sister.  She was trying so hard to go to sleep.  Sweet girls!  

May 2: SKYLINE

Remember how I complained about there being no sunset?  Well, this was a great surprise!  Definitely not west Texas, but beautiful in its own. 

May 3:  SOMETHING YOU WORE

What do you think about this?  I am so proud!  I designed this shirt as a fundraiser for our spouses group.  FYI, A port "dawg" is what a person in Mike's career field is called.

May 4: FUN

Doesn't this look fun?  I think I have started every description with a question.  I have to stop that!  This schedule is everything planned so far this month, and it is only the 6th.  I am tired thinking about it!  That saying, happy wife, happy life.  Well, for me it has to be busy life, happy wife.  Why is that?  Why do I function better with 1 million things to do?

 May 6: YOU

Yep, that is def. who you think it is!!  The joys of being in Chucktown!  He was certainly amazing!

What we've been up to

Last week, was such a great week!  We had a break from softball.  It was nice to not have something to do EVERY night of the week.  Not only that, but I only used a 1/4 a tank of gas in 9 days!!  Yippee!!  

Thursday afternoon, wait, let me back up.  AK had been telling me for around a week that her was hurting.  Well, with the hand, foot and mouth disease along with allergies all around I assumed the pain was from drainage.  On Thursday afternoon, she told me she really thought she needed to go to the dr.  Coming from her, I knew something was really wrong.  I finally looked in her ear and my heart was in my throat.  It was a little dark, so at first I thought she might have some kind of blister in her ear.  I took her next door to let Jen look and she confirmed my other fear, a tic.  Really?  I felt horrible!!  She had been dealing with this for at least a week!!  I immediately called Mike and asked him what I should do. I knew I would never get into the dr. on base on such short notice.  I took his advice and called the nurse on call.  She suggested I take her immediately to the ER!!  What?!  That made me even more scared!  I decided that it was probably not that serious and we could wait 1 hr. for our favorite pediatric clinic to open.  Long story short, they got it out and told us to watch her a couple of weeks.  Relief, you have no idea!! Oh, and AK took that thing to school the next day!

The tic

She was such a trooper!  So proud of this girl!

Taking pictures is definitely a great way to pass the time at the dr.

Sweet precious

On Saturday morning, it was beautiful so we planned on heading to the beach for a couple of hours.  I was checking facebook and stumbled upon this picture a friend had just posted.  JELLYFISH, everywhere!!  She said there were hundreds lining the shore.  Strike that plan!!

Plan 2

Noah and Corley gave HG the most precious little water play area/ pool for her birthday.  We decided to put it together and just let the kids play in the backyard.  It is the most perfect little "pool" because it only holds about 2 inches of water.

This girl loves it!!

 Some neighbor kids came over and they all had the greatest time!  It has been used the majority of the days since!  Thanks Jen!

On Saturday evening, I got to do the most incredible thing!  When we got the news we were moving to Charleston, I of course started researching.  I had to know what I was getting into!  During my research, I discovered that Wicked would be coming in the spring!  You have NO IDEA just how EXCITED I was!  Well, maybe you do after that sentence.  Mike got me a ticket as a Vday present.  Meggan and I had dinner and then went to the show.  It was absolutely incredible!!  No where near as amazing as seeing it on Broadway, but just wonderful!!  I am still singing the songs in my dreams!

Me and Mr. Wonderful

Dad, I am wearing my bday shirt!!  Can you see it?  I got a bizillion compliments!

The set.  Brings a smile to my face :)

Some things I forgot

I totally forgot to add a couple of things from the birthday I wanted you to see.  Nothing big, but some things I am proud of.

The invitation.  It was perfect, I loved everything about it!!  Ok never mind, I didn't include the picture. I realized my address was on the invite and I cannot figure out how to upload it to erase that part.  Sorry, just trying to be safe, you know.

 The perfect front door banner.  When planning this party I decided not everything had to be "themey", not a word, I know.  I wanted to get decor that I could use every birthday.  I think this was a perfect addition.  When I received this package there was the sweetest note inside.  The seller said it was extra special to make this sign because she also has a Hadlee Grace.  Crazy, huh?

 The tablecloth.  I wish I had taken a better picture of this because I must say how proud I am.  My inspiration can be seen here.  Mine doesn't have quite as much confetti.  Reason being, I would still be making it.  I loved the tablecloth, but thought I needed a little bit more "girly" colors.  I cut out 50 fabric dots, and then my precious AK volunteered to cut out 50 more.  She is amazing!!  Sorry for the small picture.  You will see the whole thing in August, when it is Madelynn's birthday.  By then, maybe I can add some more confetti.

 Her present.  I have wanted to get her one of these balls for sooo long.  When I thought to order one for Christmas, they were not taking any more orders.  You better believe I was on the ball this time.  As many of you know, I do not buy toys for the girls.  I leave that to birthdays and Christmas.  SN:  American Girl doesn't count!!  While this is somewhat of a toy, it is also a keepsake.  It is something I will keep forever.

 Believe it or not, it was by far her favorite gift.

Precious handprints.  After smashing her cake, I decided she absolutely had to have a bath before touching her presents.  While I was undressing her, she put her hands all over the wall.  Perfect photo op!!

Sweet precious worn out after a perfect day!