according to instagram: july favorites

It's time for another Instagram round-up!  I've been a bit of a slacker lately with the picture taking.  Hopefully I can do a little better next month!

watching cooking shows with daddy | first haircut | sibling rivalry

my little cooker | a picture for the bathroom door | movies in the park with cousins

fireworks with their uncle | my childhood favorites | selling lemonade

he's not so little anymore | eleven years | morning snuggles

To see more of our daily happenings, you can find us on Instagram here.

I'm linking up with Erika, Andrea, and Narci for Friday Favorites!

Bring on August!!!

#tbt stories - haircuts

The kids have appointments for haircuts today, so I thought I'd throw it back to a picture of one of Caleb's very first haircuts.  This one was not his first - that one came at the ripe old age of four weeks.  Yes, weeks.  Our sweet boy was born with a head full of hair, and by four weeks old it was already covering up his ears!  This time around he was a whole four months old, and it was a much more pleasant experience since, you know, he could hold up his own head and all.  

And y'all - don't even get me started on those chubby cheeks and legs!

what's up wednesday

I thought I'd try something new today and join Shay for a super fun link-up!   I'm answering all kinds of questions for What's Up Wednesday!

What we're eating this week.....

Tonight I'm making a copycat version of the Chopped Antipasto Salad from Bucca di Beppo, and I'll serve it with cheesy garlic bread and marinara sauce.  Join me for "Meal Plan Tuesday" next week when I'll recap all of our other dinners!

What I'm reminiscing about.....

Since our wedding anniversary was last week, I've been thinking a lot about that special day!

What I'm loving.....

The kids have been making a lot of art over the last couple of weeks, and it so fun to watch their imaginations at work and see what they create!

What we've been up to.....

A whole lot of slow, lazy mornings in our pajamas!  It's one of my favorite things about summer and we have really been enjoying them!

What I'm dreading.....

The busy and fast-paced mornings that come along with the school year!

What I'm working on.....

I am going through all of the kids' clothes and trying to decide what to keep and what needs to go.  We have kept all of their clothes since they were born and our attic is running out of space!  It's time for me to let go of some of it, and better organize what I do want to save.

What I'm excited about.....

Even though I'm not ready for school to start, I know that fall is just around the corner, and I do so love me some fall!

What I'm watching/reading.....

Since my favorite shows are all reruns right now, I went back and started re-watching Gilmore Girls, and I tell you what, I still love it just as much as I ever did!  On the nights when Bobby is home for work, we have been watching House of Cards together.

I'm also reading Kisses From Katie and An Echo in the Bone right now.

What I'm listening to.....

We love Seeds Family Worship music around here and have been listening to a lot of it over the summer.  There's nothing better than listening to your kids sing scripture!

What I'm wearing.....

It's a lazy pajama kind of morning!

What I'm doing this weekend.....

This is our last weekend before school starts, so I will be making sure that Caleb has everything he needs for second grade!  The kids have haircut appointments, and we need to go shoe shopping for our big second grader!  We are also hoping to squeeze in a trip to the lake.

What I'm looking forward to next month.....

As much as I'm dreading the start of the school year, there is something to be said for the routine and structure that comes along with it.  The Type A side of me can't help but be a bit excited for new schedules and fresh starts!

What else is new.....

I can't think of a thing!

What will I miss most about summer.....

All of the extra time with my sweet kiddos at home!

That's it for What's Up Wednesday!  Have a happy Hump Day, friends!

last week: cooking and swimming

We have been pretty low-key around here, which is totally fine by me!  We all know that school days are just around the corner and that our schedules are about to pick up again, so we have been savoring our last few lazy days of summer.

Makayla has been asking to watch cooking shows with us, and she really does sit still and pay attention to every detail.  The girl is a definite foodie, and it is so fun to watch this interest of hers grow!  

She also started swimming lessons last week, and she has been doing great!  Up until now, she has still been very nervous about going under water, but she has been very brave about it and is already gaining so much confidence.  We are so proud of our girl!  Caleb has been such a good big brother - he's encouraged her and given all kinds of tips and pointers, since he thinks he's quite the expert!

And y'all - what could be better in the middle of a hot summer day than playing Candyland in our pajamas?!!  I wonder how many more pajama days we can squeeze in before our summer break is over?

friday favorites: eleven years

 

 

   

 

 

 

  

   

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

Today we are celebrating our wedding anniversary, so I am sharing a boatload of favorite pictures from some of my favorite moments with my very favorite guy!

Eleven years ago today, we said "I do."  It's been beautiful and messy and lovely and difficult, because marriage is hard.  Marriage is hard because life is hard - there's just no getting around it.  But through all of the trials and heartaches, the joys and the triumphs, this man is by my side.  We choose to love each other day after day.  I am walking though life with my best friend, and I am so very thankful.

I love you, Robert Lee, and I will choose to love you for all of my days.

 

Linking up with Erika, Andrea, and Narci today for Friday Favorites.

#tbt stories - i do

Eleven years ago tomorrow, we said "I do."

Best decision ever.

meal plan tuesday 7/21/15

I have to start out by saying that I never did get around to making a meal plan for this first week.  It has been a long time since I have let that happen, and it was a really good reminder to me of why I started meal planning in the first place!  Yes, the world kept on spinning and yes, my family still ate dinner every night, but it made an already busy week that much more hectic, and we ended up eating meals that were not as good for us.  So I made sure I had a plan in place for week two!

Week One

Monday - BBQ Salmon Salad

Bobby grilled some salmon that he had brushed with barbecue sauce.  Then we served it on top of a standard green salad - lettuce, tomatoes, cheddar cheese, cucumbers, and ranch dressing.  What really made this dish though were the cornbread croutons!  We baked a batch of cornbread, cut it into squares, and pan-fried it.  Makayla said that we needed to make them more often!

Tuesday - Family Dinner

We went to my parent's house and attempted to go camping in their backyard, so we made a yummy camp-out dinner of hot dogs and the Pioneer Woman's Baked Beans, and they were delicious!  I omitted the bacon and added beef smoked sausage instead.

Wednesday - Pizza

Since we were out that afternoon and I didn't have a plan, I resorted to a frozen pizza!

Thursday - Picnic Dinner

We went to the park for the very last Movie in the Park of the season, so we had a picnic dinner there.

Friday - Leftovers

Saturday - Chicken Sandwiches and French Fries

Simple grilled chicken sandwiches with fries.  I usually make french fries in the oven - I just cut up a potato and drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper and bake at 400 degrees for about 40 minutes, depending on how big the pieces are.  Fast and easy-peasy!

Sunday - Chicken Nachos

We hung out at my parent's house all day and had a big brunch after church, so that night when we were still there, we threw together a quick nacho dinner with some shredded Mexican-style chicken.

Week Two

Monday - French Dip Sandwiches and Onion Rings

Bobby made the best French Dip Sandwich that I have ever tasted, and we made Cook's Onion Rings again because, well, why not?!!

Tuesday - Date Night

A VERY long overdue date night out with my favorite guy!

Wednesday - Chicken Burrito Bowls

My dad had given me the leftover chicken from Sunday, so this was a great way to use it up!  This is one of my go-to recipes because it is incredibly easy, super versatile, and so yummy!  It's a great dish to make when you have any kind of leftover meat, and you can just top it off with whatever you have on hand.

Thursday - Coffee Rubbed Rib-eyes

Bobby's made these before and man, are they good!  I normally make some polenta or cheesy grits to go with it, but this time we had loaded baked potatoes and grilled corn-on-the-cob.

Friday - Leftovers

Saturday - Girl's Night Out

They had a free parent's night out where the kids take gymnastics, and since Bobby had to work, I met up with my best girlfriend who I had not seen in forever.  We rarely go out to eat, so getting to eat out twice this week was a huge treat for this mama!

Sunday - Grilled Sandwiches and Chips

I grilled some sourdough bread, and made a sandwich with goat cheese, salami, and sauteed red onions and red bell pepper.  Makayla and I love these! 

last week: camping and vbs

We kicked off this last week with a little camping trip.  We had attempted this the week before, but after getting all set up, we realized that Bobby had to be at work at 5:00 in the morning, and it started to rain.  So we threw in the towel and decided we would try again later!  This time around was much more successful, and we had so much fun!  We camped in the backyard, we were inside a tent with a fan, we slept on air mattresses, and we went inside for dinner and bathroom breaks.  Yep, we like to rough it hardcore around here!  We played games and read some books, and then it was lights out!  

The kiddos also went to VBS last week, and man do they love going there!  They have talked about it ever since they went last summer, so they were more than ready to go back!  They had such a great time, and we are so thankful for this incredible program. 

Only two weeks left of summer break!