Friday Favorites

Happy Friday!!  Another Friday, another week sharing some favorites with my girls, Narci and Andrea. 

If you missed it, be sure to check out the guest post yesterday from Ashley @The Vanilla Tulip.  She is darling and has the most precious family.  She shared her crazy with us and I know you'll love it (and her).

Everyone involved in the sports ministries at our church was recognized last weekend during the service.  I was sitting front and center and had the best view of these two. :)

I love a good puffer.  Last week I snagged the navy/cream version of this one on sale at J.Crew.  My color is sold out, but this red/navy combo is still available and is a great price with the code SHOPNOW.

I read some posts this week and lots of you girls are pumped about Fuller House on Netflix next month.  I just watched this video on YouTube and CANNOT wait!

We hosted our first Let's Talk of the year.  I've been reading through the link-ups all week.  If you missed it, you can check it out here.

Broncos' Orange/Broncos' White/Panthers' Black/Panthers' Turquoise

Ladies, I have a confession.  I have an obsession with these beanies.  I don't know what it is, but all day on Sunday every time they'd show someone wearing one-I'd say, "Those are SO cute".  I mean I'm pretty sure I need the winning team's beanie to remember this Super Bowl, right?  :)

I have a fun little Super Bowl post planned for next week and I've gotta know who you girls are cheering for.  PLEASE cast your vote!  :)

Who do you want to win the Super Bowl?

Carolina Panthers

Denver Broncos

Hope you girls have the BEST weekend!!  XOXO

An InLinkz Link-up

Owning It

I'm so excited about today!  It's been a while since I've had a guest blogger sharing a little bit of their crazy.  :)

I have a blogger friend turned real-life friend (I LOVE when that happens) owning it today!

Meet Ashley!!  Ashley blogs over at The Vanilla Tulip where she shares family, food, and all kinds of fun.  Ashley and I had emailed a bit back-and-forth because we discovered we had very similar stories.  Small town Missouri girls turned city girls living in the Dallas area.  We finally got to meet in person at the Rodan + Fields' convention in Austin last fall.  She has such a sweet heart and you guys are going to love her!!

1. I have a paralyzing fear of tiny lizards/geckos.  The kind that sit on your windows at night looking for bugs.  Years ago we lived in the middle of the woods in a house that had them everywhere.  It was inevitable that one would sneak inside when you came in or out at night.  I did an okay job holding it together whenever I would find one inside. And by okay I mean lots of screaming followed by even more screaming.  I would throw a bowl over the lizard to trap it and wait for my husband to get home from work to release it.

One afternoon I had just laid the kids down for a nap and decided to lay on the couch myself (I was gigantically pregnant with our fourth).  I laid my head down and closed my eyes. Only to hear a rustling right by my head. I opened my eyes to see a little gecko staring right at me.  I think I aged about 10 years in that split second.  The lizard jumped off the couch.  I woke up the kids screaming.  I found the lizard and trapped it (and managed to cut off it's tail in the process which only added to my panic).  Then proceeded to call my husband hyperventilating which made him think that I was going into labor. Sheer panic haha!

Would y'all believe me if I told you I made my husband move us two weeks after that to get away from the geckos? ;)  We thankfully had just moved to the area and were renting.  So in a nutshell… I hate lizards/geckos and I have the best husband in the world :)

I LOVE this story!!!  I love it even more that you guys moved afterward.  hahaha!!

2. I love to sing in an opera voice around my house. I secretly (not so secretly any more) would love to take opera lessons some day.  My kids are obviously used to it and have started their own little opera voices as well :)

GIRL!!!!  I always wonder if other families do that??  We don't sing opera at our house, but for some reason Tab and I could bust out in song at any minute.  My go to is the National Anthem.  Does everyone do that??  Or are we the strange ones?  :)

3. I make my kids take a bath every single night.  Even if we get home from somewhere late. Something about them being stinky and dirty in their beds makes my skin crawl.

I FEEL YOU!!!  Me too!  EVERY.  Single.  Night.

4. Speaking of baths. I love them and take two a day.  One in the morning and one in the evening. Every single day.  The only time I ever shower is if I'm camping and there aren't any other options.  Which would mean the last time I showered was a few years ago :)

4.  I have always loved working and having my own businesses.  My first business I ever started was a handmade card company named "Scratch Enterprises" when I was 7.

5. I can't stand the texture/feel of cotton balls. You know the crafts where you make big fluffy clouds or sheep?  I'm OUT on those.

This reminds me of someone.  :)

6.  Clutter…. I can't stand it.  One of my favorite things to do is to go through my house with a giant black trash bag.  Donating and throwing away are two of my favorite pastimes ;)

7.  I'm a baby person through and through. Newborn babies are my jam.  Some day when my kids are grown I want to become a volunteer in the NICU to hold itty bitty babes.

Ashley, THANK YOU for coming over today and "Owning It"!!  I loved your crazy!  :)

Don't forget to check out Ashley over at The Vanilla Tulip.  You can find her on Instagram here and you can find me back here tomorrow for Friday Favorites. 

 Have a great day!! XOXO

What's Up Wednesday

It's Wednesday and time for another What's Up Wednesday!  WAHOO!  I'm linking up with Sheaffer, Shay, and Mel to join the party.  :)

What we're eating this week:

We have had some yummy (AND EASY-my favorite) meals this week.

Monday:  Mix and Match Mama's Beer Cheese Chili-super delish and so easy!

Tuesday: I had a girl's night out, but the family had Nacho Chicken that Kelsey recommended (WAHOO!).  Tab said that it was great!  A couple weeks ago I asked for your favorite slow cooker recommendations and you ladies came through!!  You can see that post here.

Wednesday: Pork Chops recommended by Shelly (thank you!!!)-Seriously...check out the comments on that blog post.

Thursday:  LEFTOVERS!!  We're to the point that I have to double something that calls for a pound of ground beef.  Just one pound isn't cutting it anymore, so we always have leftovers.  If I don't plan a time for us to eat them, they're wasted!

Friday:  OUT-Mama's Day Off!

What I'm Reminiscing About:

Our awesome SNOW DAY last year!  I really just want one good one.  But-last year when Tab and I went to Deer Valley, Utah, it was almost the end of the snow season so all the cute snow boots were majorly on sale.  I bought a pair for all the kids and I'm certain it won't snow in Texas until they've all outgrown them.  hahaha!

What I'm Loving:

Watching this kid play basketball!  (I forgot to take a picture at the game on Saturday).  Their little team is improving so much.  I almost had a crazy mom moment and teared up at the game on Saturday. They actually know what "REBOUND" means now.  #ithink #maybe  :)

What We've Been Up To:

Just life...basketball, dance, homework, school.  All the normal stuff but I kind of love my little bit of crazy.

What I'm Dreading:

That should say, "the messy state my closet is in".  I've been trying to organize every nook and cranny around here.  The next item on the list is our master closet and I'm NOT looking forward to it.  WAAAAHHHHH!!!!!  (Did I share that last month and put it off ALL MONTH LONG?  hahaha!)

What I'm Working On:

Ebby Lee has a 100th day of school project coming up.  I'm working on completely giving her the reigns.  I want to take over and I'm fighting myself by letting her do it HER WAY!  Do you mamas know what I'm saying??

What I'm Excited About:

Need I say more??

We're setting sail with the Shull five on a Disney Cruise over Spring Break and we can't wait!!

What I'm watching/reading:

I've been watching The Bachelor and am so ready for Ben to get down to some for-real girls!  Haven't we been watching a lot of crazy?  I'm also always watching The Real Housewives of Atlanta.  I just started two books...Every Little Thing and The Choice.  I'll share them with you soon!

What I'm Listening To:

Some chitter-chatter at the dance studio.  As I type, I'm sitting in the hallway of the dance studio while Ebby Lee and Kensington get their dance on.

What I'm Wearing:

Lots of vests.  Vests are my BFF.  Coats can be a bit bulky when you're inside, so I love that a vest is lighter.  I probably wear a vest three days a week.  Don't judge.  :)   I shared this outfit last week.

What I'm Doing This Weekend:

We have a FUN weekend planned.  We have a talent show, a basketball game, a birthday party, and friends coming to spend the night on their way through town.  It should be a great time!

What's Your Favorite Valentine's Day Treat:

Hmmm....I don't discriminate.  I like desserts and all kinds of them.  If you missed it, I shared a family favorite Strawberry Pretzel Dessert on Monday.  It's a good one!

Tomorrow, I have a super fun Owning It post ready!  Come back tomorrow to check it out!

Happy Wednesday, Girls!!

Let's Talk...New Year

EEK!!  It's our very first "Let's Talk" of the year.  Andrea and I are hoping you'll chit chat right along with us.  Today we're chatting about 2016!  What we're looking forward to, excited about, and what goals we've set.  Can't wait to read what 2016 has in store for all of you.

 Ebby Lee will turn 7 in just a couple months and I can't wait to watch her perform in her spring dance recital.  I CANNOT believe she'll be starting second grade later this year!!  She's a sweet, sweet girl and seeing her personality shine is so much fun!

This handsome dude will turn 6 soon.  WHEN did he get so big?  He'll be in first grade before I know it.  I love getting to watch Nixon play sports...basketball, baseball, and even flag football are on the list this year.  This kid keeps me in stitches laughing and on my toes.  He's a smart one.  ;)

 The baby turns 4!!  Bowen is a little mix of us all-he got Tab's charm, mixed with Nixon's funny shenanigans, and topped off with Ebby Lee's loyalty. I can't wait to see him come into his own more and more.

This guy and I will celebrate 11 years of marriage this summer.  We'll be the first to tell you marriage isn't easy, but I am one blessed girl to get to do life with this guy by my side.  

 Yeah, this is pretty much the same thing as what I'm looking forward to, but just go with it.  :)

We're setting out for a Disney Cruise with the Shull family over Spring Break.  I'm not sure who's more excited...the kiddos or Tab and I.  haha!

Another thing I'm excited about is my new gig!  Back in the summer, I signed on to help Shay with her Mix and Match Travel Agency and we have been BUSY!  I'm loving getting to work with you guys to help you plan some amazing Disney World and Disney Cruise vacations.  Just this week I got pictures via text from sweet clients at Disney World.  Let me tell you those are the best texts.  It's going to be a great year for the Mix and Match Travel Agency.  If you'd like help planning your upcoming Disney vacation, please e-mail us at mixandmatchtravelagency@yahoo.com.  We'd love to help your family plan a magical vacation.

I'm not exactly sure when but I think this guy and I will sneak away for a little vacation just the two of us.  :)

And we haven't 100% decided on a fun little summer vacation destination, but we're 99% sure we know where we'll be headed.  We're taking a break from our usual Florida beach spot and are excited about a little change.  I'll keep you posted.  :)

This was supposed to be something I was excited about last year.  haha!!  I'm excited about seeing this fireplace COMPLETE!!  There are so many things we want to update in the new house it's kind of like playing eeny-meeny-miney-mo.  (Sidenote:  How do you SPELL that little rhyme??  haha!)  We had big plans to change the stairs back in the fall.  We got an amazing bid and then the guy must have realized he way underbid the job.  We aren't really sure what happened, but he pretty much changed his mind.  Then when we got another bid that was WAY more than our first one.  So...we decided to put that on hold for just a bit.  We moved to the fireplace.  We've been told the stone will be delivered this week, but that means ABSOLUTELY nothing.  One thing we've learned about ourselves is Tab and I would make horrible contractors.  Horrible.  But...this year I'm excited about seeing this job finished and hopefully we get several more things knocked off our list!

I shared earlier that I didn't make any earth shattering resolutions this year.  Mine is simple.  My word this year is"Better".  I want to be a better...

-wife

-friend

-mom

-servant

-encourager

-daughter

-listener

-helper

-neighbor

-teacher

-student

No matter what the subject is....I just want to be better.  We're given one shot on this earth.  I want to do the very best I can.  That's it.  Pretty simple.

I have some big goals with my Rodan + Fields' business!!  I want to add two consultants to my team before March.  Ladies, if you've been just thinking about the business side-e-mail me!  I'd love to chat more about how the business works.  (alittlebitofeverything83@yahoo.com) I have some big cash bonuses for the next two team members who join!

I'm placing an order on Friday for our Multi-Function Eye Cream.  It's $60 and I'll cover your taxes and shipping.  If you'd like to be a part of my bulk order, please e-mail me and I'll get it to you asap!

I also have small goals-like no clean laundry piles in 2016!  Put it away, ASAP!   But I won't bore you with all of those.  :)

Thank you for joining us today!!  If you linked up, a BIG thank you to you!  I hope you have a great day!  XOXO

An InLinkz Link-up

Valentine's Day Hop and a Giveaway

I'm teaming up again with some of my very favorite bloggers to bring you some fabulous Valentine's Day ideas.  From gifts to what to wear to printables, we've got you covered!  

I'm sharing a family favorite dessert that just screams, "VALENTINE'S DAY!!!".

This what you'll need...(minus one of those bags of strawberries).  :)

 When we got married, my mom asked family and close friends to share favorite recipes.  So glad Aunt Rene' shared this goodie years ago!

 I had a sweet helper demonstrating so I could take pictures.  First we crushed up two cups of pretzels.

 We mixed up the butter, crushed pretzels, and sugar. Thumbs up for that goodness.

 Spread that into a 9X13 and bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.

 We mixed up the cream cheese (softened), cool whip, and sugar.  Then we spread the mixture on top of the pretzels.

 We added the remaining ingredients and poured it on top of the cream cheese layer.

 We covered it and let it chill in the refrigerator for about five hours before serving.

We had friends over for burgers on Saturday night.  I forgot to take a picture of us enjoying the dessert, but this is what the pan looked like afterward...

It was delicious!!

Strawberry Pretzel Dessert:

1 1/2 to 2 cups crushed pretzels

1 1/2 sticks soft margarine

3 T. sugar

1-8 ounce package cream cheese

1-8 ounce Cool Whip

1 cup sugar

Large strawberry Jell-o

2 cups boiling water

1 1/2 cups cold water

20 ounces frozen sliced strawberries

Preheat oven to 350.  Mix the pretzels, margarine, and 3 T. of sugar, press into a 9X13 and bake for ten minutes.

Mix the second layer-the cream cheese, Cool Whip, and 1 cup sugar.  Add it to the pretzel mixture.

Third layer-mix jell-o, boiling water, cold water, and the strawberries.  Stir really well.  Then pour on top and chill for several hours before serving.

Hope you guys enjoy it!!  And...I have a fun little giveaway for today!  An early little valentine treat from you to me.  :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Don't forget to go check out these other bloggers for some fabulous ideas...

What To Wear | Molly at Stilettos and Diapers
Date Night Outfit | Ashley at Fancy Ashley

Women's Gift Guide | Heather at My Life Well Loved

Men's Gift Guide | Chelsea at Two Twenty One

DIY Gift Idea for Bestie | Thuy at Hey Thuy

Kids Gift Idea for Classmates | Sandy at Sandy a la Mode

Kids Craft | Ashley at I Love You More Than Carrots

Kids Printable | Kristin at Taz + Belly

Kids Printable | Jennifer at Life in the Green House

Free Printable | Andrea at Momfessionals

Decor Tips | Taryn at Design, Dining & Diapers 

Dessert | Destiny at Just Destiny Mag

Dessert | Erika at A Little Bit Of Everything

Friday Favorites

Happy Friday, Friends!!  Welcome to Friday Favorites!  :)

Narci, Andrea, and I are sharing our FAVORITES today.  Hope you can join us!

We had a fun weekend!!  My aunt, two of her friends, and my mom came into town on Thursday night.  We decided to have a girls' dinner in downtown McKinney as soon as they arrived.  Burgers, sweet potato fries, and girl talk are all FAVORITES of mine!

Friday night, we had game night!  We invited Marla over, made homemade pizzas, and finally got to play Pie in the Face.  Oh my goodness!  My boys were terrified and refused to play.  Ebby Lee was a TRIP!  Her reaction was my FAVORITE!  She was so nervous about playing but she wanted to be so brave.  She did awesome and we all had a turn getting pie-d in the face.

Sunday night my parents took the kiddos to run a couple errands and grab some dinner.  So Tab and I...

Went out on a DATE!!  My FAVORITE!

First we shopped for a new washing machine and then we sit down for a real grown-up meal.  It was delightful!

I'll be sure to share when my Chatbooks finally arrive!  I finally signed up for the app and to receive them whenever I have a full book.  I'll keep you posted.  :)

My washing machine went out over the weekend.  Think leaking water on the floor and blinking lights on the screen.  My valentine bought me a new one.  The new one was delivered Monday and I MIGHT have watched a big part of the first load get washed.  This baby is bigger which means I can throw more clothes in and do less loads.  Every lady in my family is shaking their head at this picture, because I do not separate the colors.  That sound?  Was my grandma screaming.  hahaha!  This was my FAVORITE thing delivered this week (and probably my only thing-but just go with it). 

This kid and I laugh and laugh during his homework time...it's partly my FAVORITE and partly one of my least favorite things.  On this day, he was sounding out "eight"....well that's pretty much impossible.

Tuesday night while I was doing the dishes I heard LOUD college marching band music blaring in the front room.  I went in to see a mascot, a cheerleader, and a football player running around.  My sweet hubby was singing along. (Sidenote:  Tab knows a freakish amount of college fight songs.)  It was a FAVORITE moment to watch this week.  

My FAVORITE devotional this week.  How often as women do we wish for a smaller waist, more toned arms, or less thighs?  We are fearfully and wonderfully made, ladies.  We should be proud of these bodies.  (It's from the Savor Devotional.)

I had these two on Wednesday after the gym.  It was SO chilly outside.  One kid was happy to be in all cozy and warm and one kid was so frustrated that I was standing in front of the tv.  hahahaha!!  His expression and hers too are my FAVORITES!

Our FIRST chit chat is this next Monday.  Andrea and I double booked ourselves, so please go ahead and post on Monday like scheduled.  We're posting on Tuesday and we'll have the link-up ready for you to join on Tuesday as well.  You can just link-up your Monday posts.  So sorry about that!  We have something fun planned on Monday and then we'll be chit chatting on Tuesday.  :)  

Here's the line-up!  We'd love for you to join us!!

Happy Friday, Ladies!  Let's make it a GREAT one!  :)

An InLinkz Link-up