goals

This post is mostly for me. I have some goals for myself and if I don't write them down, I won't hold myself accountable for them. It's a new (school) year and that's when I always had these grand goals for my classroom & kids...so this year, I will just be transferring that energy to my home/family. Here we go, folks:

• Have a better daily chore schedule for myself. I need a system in place so that I can get everything done that I need to get done & so that my house is always perfectly decently clean. Any tips on setting up a schedule?

• Set aside a time each and every day to read my bible/do my bible study. I need this. 

• Continue to coupon and hunt down grocery deals at Publix. I refuse to go to 4 different stores to save money each week...too much of a hassle when you are carting around another life. But, Publix has great deals each week and I just need to get a good system going. We are living without a 2nd income this year & I feel like it is my responsibility to save us money wherever I can. I actually did better this week! I spent $83 and saved $23...to you professional frugalistas, that doesn't sound good. However, to me, that was a BIG improvement! 

• Healthier living. When the temps go below 100, I will resume my daily walks with Grayson. I am going to hop back on track with my workouts during his morning nap. I actually want to join the Y in the fall & let him go to the childcare area while I work out. 

• Keep track of my calories. I downloaded the My Fitness Pal app on my iphone & love it so far! It is so easy to record all of your food, drinks, and workouts. It has really helped me not want to eat fast food because I can plug in a meal and see just how many calories I will consume & it grosses me out. 

• Find a playgroup/other mamas to hang out with. I have a blind potential friend date next week. I'm nervous. I feel like I'm on match.com

• Be more organized in our home. Easier said than done. 

• Complete all of these projects I have in my head (thank you, Pinterest) and complete them without breaking the bank! First up: drop cloth curtains...

What are some of your goals?

So What! Wednesday

This week I am saying SO WHAT if...

• I have become obsessed with G's 1st birthday party. You only turn 1 once, right??

• I am still a bad couponer. I can't find coupons I actually need & it is beginning to irritate me.

• I am really excited about a cookbook review I was asked to do. I am kind of giddy about the thought of trying a bunch of new recipes this week! I think that officially makes me old. 

• My child skinny dips in his baby pool in our backyard. Those swim diapers are expensive and I refuse to waste them on a baby pool! 

• My dining room table is covered in freshly washed towels & about a gazillion pieces of birthday scrapbook paper. Summer vacay makes me lazy. 

• I skipped my morning walk with G today. It's literally 99 degrees here today. Me in 99 degrees? HOT MESS.

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It's Wednesday so that means it's time for my weekly grocery trip/menu planning day. I won't even discuss my coupon issues anymore because I just get frustrated. I am doing pretty good at stocking the pantry with Publix sale items, though! If only I could match a coupon with a sale item...

Anyway, like I said above, I was asked to do a review on a new cookbook. I'm excited! I was in a cooking rut & I am ready to try a bunch of new recipes this week. Hopefully I will get to the review part next week & share with y'all this new cookbook! Here is the menu:

Wednesday: pretzel chicken tenders with greek roasted potatoes
Thursday: BBQ chicken tortilla pizzas
Friday: poppyseed chicken casserole...a staple in our house!
Saturday: Thai chicken saute over rice
Sunday: the Pioneer Woman's steak bites with masked potatoes
Monday: sloppy joes and macaroni & cheese
Tuesday: ground beef quesadillas

pinterest pretties - birthday edition

Source: etsy.com via Laura on Pinterest

I love these cute tags to go with a party favor! 

Source: swanky-chic-fete.blogspot.com via Laura on Pinterest

I want to make a banner using all these cute monthly pics I have...I hadn't thought of hanging it high between doorways. I love new ideas! 

Source: etsy.com via Laura on Pinterest

I used to think it was silly to strip down a baby when they ate their birthday cake; now, I realize that most of my boy's clothes are getting stained because he is the messiest eater ever. I think these baby birthday boxers are adorable!

Source: karaspartyideas.blogspot.com via Laura on Pinterest

Easy & cute way to display food...wrapped boxes! 

I have ordered Grayson's birthday outfit and his invitations. The fun has begun!

Beach not-so-much baby.

 I've been thinking about my first family beach trip for as long as I can remember. I was that kid that brought her dolls everywhere. During our beach trips growing up I would watch cute families with little kids on the beach playing in the sand and I couldn't wait to have my own baby to bring to the beach. Well, like I said in my post yesterday...when you think you have planned something perfectly, your baby will probably change your plans.

The whole week before we left, Grayson had a horrible stomach virus. He threw up for 8 days. It was awful & he was pitiful. He is also a teething maniac right now & is miserable. So, we left with an unhappy babe. I was hoping the beach would cheer him up.  G usually loves exploring new places & always crawls around in our neighborhood baby pool...I figured he would love crawling around in the sand close to the water. wrong. My typically happy boy hated the sand & the waves scared him. He had a beach meltdown. SO, we only spent about 2 hours at the beach during our vacation. I won't even talk about how I don't have a family picture on the beach in G's cute white linen outfit because I might cry. again.

I loved having Ben off of work all week.  I loved spending time with my little family. But, it was not at all what I had pictured it to be. I feel like God was teaching me to roll with the punches a little bit better...I can't always plan things perfectly and things won't always run smoothly.  Next year will be more fun! The good news is that G was a trooper in the car both ways AND is finally 100% back to himself (with 2 new teeth!) after 2 weeks of feeling yucky. Happy baby=happy mama.

This was right after arrived from our 9 hour car ride...not so bad the first time!

Ben & Grayson

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My observant little guy...always checking out something/someone!

Proof we actually sat on the beach!! We bought a baby pool for G to sit in. Crazy kid didn't even like water in it! Dry pool + goldfish + beach toys = happiness for 30 minutes.

I'm alive!

I apologize for the blogging hiatus. My little family of 3 was relaxing dealing with a sick & teething baby while at the beach. I promise to do a post about our first family vacation...it was definitely one I will remember. But for now, I will leave you with a few thoughts.

• I am now officially planning Grayson's 1st birthday party. That is so hard for me to believe. I ordered part of his outfit tonight and am super close on deciding on invitations. I love parties. However, I think it is more fun browsing through party pictures/ideas on Pinterest rather than actually planning a party.
• If there is one thing I have learned since becoming a parent it is this: when you try really hard to plan something perfectly, your baby will indeed change your plans.
• I am overwhelmed about making G's photobook on Shutterfly. I probably should have been doing it little by little each month instead of starting it now. Oy. This is why I was a terrible scrapbooker back in the day. 
• I'm back on my eBay kick...except now I am stocking up the baby closet with fall clothes...in size 18 months! Eek! That sounds huge. The outfits look huge.

• I am obsessed with these popsicles. It's like a pina colada on a stick. Yum. 
• My friends go back to school next week. I think it will finally hit me that I'm not going back to work. I will miss setting up my classroom...that was always fun. I will not miss recess in August when it is approximately 98 degrees and blazing hot every single day.

Reasons I love my kid #2

•  When he gets excited, he kicks his legs & flaps his arms. It's pretty cute.

•  He loves Hudson. (and Huddy is SO good with him) When Hud is napping on the couch in the playroom, Grayson will stand up next to him and gently play with his paws. He is so gentle with him.

•  He is proud of himself when he does something new. He gets the biggest grin on his face and claps his hands.

•  He loves giving kisses...even if they don't actually touch your face:)

•  The second he lays down in his crib, he grabs his froggy lovey and clutches it like someone is going to steal it. This is the only thing he snuggles with willingly. The boy loves his froggy!

•  When we are out and about & he gets sleepy, he nestles his little head on my shoulder. It may only last a second, but it makes my heart happy.

• He loves to flop onto his belly in the bath tub. Not only does he flop, but he dips his tongue into the tub and drinks the water. Ha! Can you tell he watches every move the dogs make?

*All of these pictures were taken by Laurel Pankratz of Eilas Photography* 

a small reunion of 94 people.

 Every 3 years, my mom's side of the family has a reunion. This isn't just any old reunion. You see, my Papa has four siblings. Those four siblings all married & had lots of kids.  Those kids got married and also had lots of babies. Those babies (my generation) are now getting married and having little ones! It's a big group. 94 people to be exact. 

Last weekend was the Cheney family reunion. Our last reunion was the weekend before our wedding. We've had a few changes since then! This was Ben and Grayson's first Cheney gathering & G had a great time playing with so many cousins!

 We rented a condo with my parents at the resort we "reunioned" at. Grayson was miserable because he never got any attention the whole weekend. HA! I kid. He loved having his Nana and Poppy around to play with and to give him early birthday presents like this awesome fire truck!

 We had our huge family dinner on Saturday night at a big ol' house in the north Georgia mountains. G was a little overwhelmed at first with the 93 people surrounding him...can you tell?

We always take these family pictures. I love looking back and seeing how they change every 3 years. This is my Papa's family. Good looking bunch! We added 3 babies and one new wifey to the mix in the last 3 years!

 My cousin Robyn, G, and myself. Robyn now lives in Albuquerque and this was her first time to meet Grayson!

 A wound up little man with Nana and Poppy. G stayed up way past his bedtime and loved every minute of it. He was all over the place!

 There were 9 (I think) new little ones this year & they all had so much fun together. Millie, Stuart, and Grayson loved climbing all over these windows and looking at the people on the back porch.  Stuart is 2 and loved hugging on Grayson like he was a little baby. Stuart has a 5 week old little brother, Wills, and I'm sure he is the best big brother!

 Grayson also went swimming with my mom (way too cold for me) but he still insists that snacks and sippy cups are the best part of swimming. Please note my cousin Brian's little girl, Brooke, in the background. Such a ham.

Ben headed back to Tennessee and I drove back to Atlanta with my mom. Grayson got to spend one extra day with his cousins Brady & Collin. I loved their breakfast setup. They look like little old men chatting about the weather.

I can't wait to see what the family reunion picture looks like in 3 years!