When You're A Teacher's Kid...

and you have to attend after school meetings with your Mommy, you find ways to entertain yourself.  This is how Gracie Claire does it~

That's not even close to all of them!  Love my big girl!!

Sleepy Saturday

We drove up to visit Paul's mom and Carl last night and I've spent most of the day stretched out on the couch. It's nice to have one of those days to do nothing. Here are the pics to prove what a lazy bum I was today...

The little princesses have had a glorious time being treated as such by Mimi. Notice their lovely make-up. :) This photo was taken while I was sitting on the couch.

I made Paul take a self-portrait with me on the couch. He loves when I do that.

I ordered a new case for my phone...from the couch.

I've spent my afternoon re-reading this little gem. I'm the girl who is a teensy bit emotional about the movie coming out. Nerd/psycho alert. :) By the way...I was reading on the couch.

I drank coffee in the middle of the day...on the couch.

And I watched my 4 favorite people snuggle outside by the fire. :) I got up to take this picture.

This restful weekend has been much needed. I'm so looking forward to church tomorrow too! Happy Saturday!

A Hiking We Will Go!

Before I start the real purpose of this post, I just had to share this picture of my beauties.  Seriously.  I can't get enough of them!

Now back to the subject at hand.  We went on a hike today!  We had the best time at a park that is literally a 20 minute drive from our house that we had never even been to.  It's definitely going to become something that we do more often.  When we got there and started our walk through the trails, Gracie Claire said, "This is going to be so awesome!"  These girls love them some outdoors.  We went almost 3 miles and the girls were like pros.  The weather was perfect and we couldn't have asked for a better time together!

 The start of our hike...

 We'll definitely be coming back here for some portraits.  There were so many great places to stop and take pictures!

 

 Love him.

 My four favorite people. L-O-V-E

 The girls loved all of the cactus, er uh, cacti...whatever, along the trail.

 Being a mommy is just the best!

 Our attempt at a self-portrait family photo. ;)

 He's the BEST Daddy!

 She insisted this was Swiper the Fox.  :)

Silly Girl.  :)

We had the best day just being together.  I am so stinkin' blessed and so stinkin' thankful!  Love, love, love my fam.

P.S. Check out my update below. :)

My Goals This Week -- UPDATE!

I'm trying to keep myself accountable, so I figured I could try by posting my goals for this week on here, then I'll come back at the end of the week and update on how I did.  This is mostly for myself, but if you feel the urge, encouraging words are always nice.  :)

***Workout at least 4 times this week.  I worked out 3 times last week.  A good start to creating a habit, but to burn and tone the amount I'd like to, I need to up the ante.
I DID IT!  I WORKED OUT 4 TIMES!  (THAT WAS THE WEEK BEFORE LAST...I ONLY MADE IT 3 TIMES THIS WEEK, BUT AT LEAST I'M KEEPING AT IT!)



***Log my food everyday.  I do this pretty regularly, but have room to improve.
CHECK!

***Cook the meals that I've planned my grocery list for.  I always have good intentions when I make a specific list for specific recipes, but a lot of times, I don't follow through.
CHECK!  EXCEPT FOR THE POTATO RECIPE THAT IS PICTURED BELOW.  BUT, EVERYTHING ELSE I MADE! 



***Read my devotional and have my prayer time everyday.  So far so good since I started my new plan.  My day is always better when I spend time in His word.  Always.
CHECK!!!  I'M LOVING THIS!


***Finish the book I'm reading and start a new one.  I have a big list of books to be read. 
YEAH...NOT DOING SO WELL ON THIS ONE.

***I got a fun little gadget called a Fitbit.  It tracks your steps, calories burned, sleep, etc.  It set a goal for me of 10,000 steps per day.  Ummm...sadly, I have not hit that mark yet since I got it.  So, 10,000 steps must be taken each day.  :)
I MADE MY 10,000 STEPS PER DAY GOAL THE WEEK BEFORE LAST.  NOT SO MUCH THIS WEEK. 



***Go to bed at a regular time each night.  I prefer to stay up late, but my body does not like it when my alarm goes off at 5:30.
STILL GOING TO WORK ON GOING TO BED A LITTLE EARLIER.

***Leave work by 3:45 each day.  My family is more important.  Period.
I'M DOING PRETTY WELL AT LEAVING BY 3:45.  UNLESS THERE'S A MEETING OR SOMETHING SCHEDULED, I'VE DONE IT!

***Spend intentional quality time with my girls one-on-one at some point in the week.
SINCE I'M GETTING HOME EARLIER, MY TIME WITH THE GIRLS HAS BEEN GREAT.  I STILL WANT TO WORK ON GETTING IN THAT ONE-ON-ONE TIME THOUGH.

***Have patience.
I WILL ALWAYS BE WORKING ON THIS!



***Spend intentional quality time with my hubs once the girls are in bed.  Less technology, more talking.
DOING BETTER, BUT DEFINITELY COULD WORK ON SITTING THAT STINKIN' PHONE DOWN.

Ummm...that's a lot.  We'll see how I do.  I love me some lists, so I'm hoping this new strategy helps me stay accountable.  Peace.
I'M GOING TO CONTINUE WITH THIS LIST OF GOALS FOR A WHILE.  I'LL EDIT WHEN NECESSARY, BUT I'M LIKING THIS LIST RIGHT NOW!

Sunday Thoughts

*I don't have to go to work tomorrow.  Hallelujah.
*My daughters are awesome.  They're smart, beautiful, and funny.  I love them. 
*My hubs rocks.  For so many reasons.  He cooks.  He cleans.  He is an amazing Daddy.  He's hot.  Just to name a few.
*I'm so glad that God is in control and not me.  It makes the unknown of the future so much easier to handle. 
*I'm excited about something we're going to do this week. 
*I can't believe that I will have a 7 year old and 5 year old in a month.  How is that even possible?
*We are taking the girls to see Beauty and the Beast in 3D today.  I think I'm more excited than they are.
*I've been thinking about my "resolutions" for the year.  Some of them include, but are not limited to...daily time in the Bible, daily prayer time, being less concerned about getting everything done and more concerned about spending quality time with my fam, reading lots of books, a regular fitness regimen, constantly working on being a better Christian, wife, mommy, teacher, daughter, sister, and friend.  There are more.  They aren't necessarily specific, but things I can work on becoming better at. 
*I really want to do some redecorating in our bedroom and bathroom.  Maybe decorating is a better word, since there was no decor to begin with.
*I can't wait until "The Hunger Games" comes out.  So excited about it.
*I am so content with my 3 little ladies.  I constantly  have people ask me if we are going to "try" for a boy.  The answer is no.  We don't feel we need a boy to be content.  God gave us three perfect little girls.  We are beyond humbled to be their parents and so thankful that they are ours.  Girls rock.  And Paul is an amazing "girl daddy".  Not just any guy can be an amazing Dad to all girls.  Not only that...he isn't one of those guys who feels like he has to have a boy to carry on his name/masculinity/testosterone.  He's perfectly content with daughters.  I'm so thankful for that. 
*Pinterest is awesome.  I want to become more crafty. 
*I love Sundays...especially when they're followed by a Monday that I don't have to go to work.

Go STARS!

My dad and mom invited us to come along with them to a Dallas Stars game on Tuesday night.  I have to admit, I'm not a hockey fan, at all.  But I am a people watcher and I love to eat such things as cheese fries (covered in nacho cheese, sour cream, bacon, and chives) and jumbo hot dogs (covered in relish, onions, and mustard) and I love spending time with my parents.  So, the answer was easy.  We had such a fun time!  We rode over to the AAC on the train (way better than driving in that psycho traffic) and got to sit on the platinum level.  Hollah!  I'll never want to go back to being a regular person after experiencing platinum!  :) 

Funny side story--Paul decided he wanted something sweet to eat after we'd indulged in our dinner, so he asked the people next to us where they had gotten a giant slice of carrot cake.  They told him where and he left to get us something and my Dad something.  He returned with a giant slice of carrot cake, a huge slice of red velvet cake, a big slice of chocolate cake, and a big slice of cheesecake.  I have to say, I was slightly embarrassed that he had bought the whole bakery.  The people around us must have thought we were nuts.  He said he couldn't decide on just one, so he let the sugar factory take over his decision making skillz.  What can I say?  My husband is addicted to sugar.  :) 

The Stars, sadly, lost.  Although I don't think I noticed until after we left when someone mentioned it.  All in all though, it was a fun night of laughs, eating tasty, high calorie food, and watching grown men plow into each other, fighting over a little black disk!  We had a great time!  Thanks Daddio and Momina for letting us come along!

Happy New Year!