Lovely Summer Frocks

Oh, how I love Gymbucks. I have been holding out on buying summer frocks for Mary Grace because I was waiting for Gymbucks time. Mima splurged on some sweet little outfits a while back and earned $125 in gymbucks, which, as my husband says, have been 'burning a whole in my pocket'.

My sweet girl is now ready for summertime and I cannot wait for these little yummies to arrive!

Gymboree Steals by bsjames on Polyvore

I snagged five pairs of shorts, five tops, one short/top set, one romper, one sun hat, one terry swimsuit coverup, and a yummy pair of sandals.

Score.

For my fellow mommies out there, Gymbucks can be redeemed until May 4th. There is also a great promo code going on right now {ROMPITUP} which saves 30% storewide. I used both, but had to make two separate transactions.

Happy Shopping!

Mary Grace's Two Year Photoshoot

 

I adore these precious shots and love how Chelsea was able to capture Mary Grace's spunky personality. She has been taking our pictures since our maternity session and we love how she has been there capturing these moments in time for us. We chose to do our pictures around our neighborhood, which was really neat, because that is where our maternity session was taken. It was fun having Grace pose in the same places we posed two years ago. Chelsea's button in located on my sidebar, so if you are in need of a great photographer, check her out!

The World's Toughest Job

I heard about this via KLOVE radio the other day and wanted to share. It definitely sheds light on just how demanding the world's toughest job can actually be! I don't want to spoil the ending, so watch and enjoy!





Hats off to all the 'Directors of Operations' out there who are holding down the world's toughest job! And to all the 'Associates' who make it all worthwhile.

Friday Five

This is one of those weeks that has flown by and I cannot believe the weekend is here already. Ya'll, it is a gorgeous, sunshiny day at the lake and I am typing this post as fast as my little fingers will go so I can hurry out and soak up those rays with my mini. On days like this I am so very thankful that I can spend days like this at home with my best girl. Today's agenda: a stroll around the lake with my mini and Lucy {the puppy}, popsicles on the back porch, swinging and sliding, a little light work in the flower beds, maybe a visit with my neighbor. Fun day, indeed.

Uno. Clinique's Moisture Surge CC Cream
I have been using the tinted moisturizer with SPF 15 for a couple of years now. It's my daily go to instead of heavier foundations. While stocking up on beauty necessities, I decided to give their Moisture Surge CC cream a go. Ya'll, this is the perfect daily go to for these warmer days. It has more SPF {30, to be exact} yet doesn't feel thick and sticky like sunscreen can sometimes do. It has good coverage, evens out skin color, and protects you from those harmful rays.

Dos. Mr. Clean Hawaiian Aloha
This is totally random, but I love this stuff! I have always used lemony/citrusy scented cleaning items. I once again stepped out of my usual picks, and gave this a try. It smells so good. Just saying :)

Tres. True Tori
I have always been a fan of Tori Spelling, and loved their reality show they had a few years ago. I was so excited to see this new documentary. The first episode aired this week and was heartbreaking to watch.

Cuatro. Date Night
Last Friday night the hubby and I took time away from the real world to have a date. This is a rarity. Don't get me wrong, we have dinner/lunch to ourselves fairly often, but it's usually followed by running errands, shopping, etc. This time around we had nothing on the agenda except spending time together. We went to dinner and then a movie. If you have not seen God's Not Dead, you should. Loved it! We are hoping to get away and see Heaven Is For Real.

Cinco. My First Column
I mentioned last week or so that my little blog is going places- to the Choctaw Sun paper. Well, this week marked my very first publication! My column featured on of my most popular reads, Immediate Obedience {Carrying Your Sign} and I am so glad that I came out bragging on Jesus. I have had such an overwhelming response from readers. Thank you all for your kind words and encouragement! Hearing that this week's post encouraged others in their walk with the Lord is just amazing to me. He deserves all the glory- I'm just the vessel He chose to use. I can't wait for next week's edition!

That's a wrap on another fun Friday Five link-up. Please check out Joy's Friday Five by clicking on the logo below, and browse other bloggers who have linked up as well.

This weekend is looking to be a no-makeup, soaking up the sunshine, spending time with my family, being lazy kind of weekend!

Happy Friday, lovelies!

 

The Bible in 31 Days {New Testament}

I am currently on day 25 of 31 and that means I am now in the new testament. My asssignment today is Zechariah 11 - Mark 6, to be more detailed.

I am on track to finish on time and haven't missed a day so far. Even with my little eye issue on day 2, I persevered and read every single word of my reading assignment, even though it was a bit painful.

The Lord is moving through His word and this has been an amazing challenge. Don't get me wrong, it's been tough. I read on average around 2.5 - 3 hours daily, and have pulled many long nights to make sure I finished my daily assignments.

I've had several people ask about my reading plan, so I thought I'd share it again for those of you who may have missed the earlier post.

I am reading the Bible straight through, from Genesis to Revelation, in one month {31 days}. You can find my reading plan here.

There are other plans for one month reading, such as reading through the Word chronologically, and even reading a few chapters from each section {i.e. law, history, poetry, prophesy...}.

If reading the Word in a month is just a little too much of a stretch for you, there is also a three month plan {which my husband is currently doing}. You can find it here.

My running partner is even reading a book of the Bible each day, which is a great plan in itself.

I am excited to see how those of you who are deciding to follow along and take the challenge grow through this experience! Keep me posted!

Happy Bible Reading!

 

Friday Five {Easter Edition}

I cannot believe that Easter is already upon us! We are gearing up for a fun-filled weekend full of family, friends, and Easter celebrations remembering the sacrifice made for us by our Lord, Jesus.

Here is today's Friday Five {Easter Edition}.

{One} He is Risen
I have been preparing my heart for Easter for several weeks. This year the magnitude of His sacrifice for me has hit me more than years before. I cannot wait to celebrate my King!

 {Two} Family Time
We are spending Saturday with my grandparents at the Grimes family camp house {which is my favorite place on Earth}. We are having a fish fry and egg hunt, along with lots of good old fashioned family time. After Sunday services, we are hosting a simple little Easter get-together at our house. Nothing fancy, just a fun time to spend with family and watch the kiddos play.

{Three} Resurrection Cake
I thought about doing the resurrection rolls with Mary Grace, but decided to wait until she's older and can help more with the process. I browsed Pinterest and found this cute little 'Empty Tomb Cake' which I will be attempting to duplicate. Keep your fingers crossed for me!

{Four} Easter Attire
We will be sporting hues of blue this year. Mary Grace has an adorable little blue linen dress by The Bailey Boys, I have a cute light blue floral dress, and the hubs will be sporting a blue dress shirt. Yes, I'm the Momma that insists we coordinate.

Easter Basket Goodies 2014 by bsjames featuring home decor

{Five} Easter Basket Goodies
We decided to make Easter more about Jesus than the bunny. One way we did this was by filling her Easter basket with things related to Christ, or things that will help bring her closer to the One that this holiday is truly about. I had been on the lookout for good devotionals that I could do with Mary Grace during our morning prayer time. I considered Jesus Calling for Kids, but it was a little too advanced. So when I came across these from Veggie Tales, it was a must. Add to that three new Veggie Tale movies, resurrection eggs to hunt, and of course chocolate and candy, and I think Mary Grace will be one excited little girl!

Happy Easter!

 

 

Mary Grace Turns Two {Birthday Beach Trip}

We decided to forgo a second birthday bash and opted to take little miss to the beach instead. Let's face it, when they are this young, parties are really more for the adults anyway.

It was the right decision for us, and we all had such a fun time together as a family. We are thinking of doing it again next year, and I'm hoping our little one will want to go to the beach every year for her birthday :)

We left on Friday, Bob's birthday {I was in labor on his birthday, but our sweet girl decided she wanted her own day all to herself}. We spent some time on the beach, and although it is Mary Grace's second time at the beach, she was only two months old before, so it was like she was seeing it all for the first time. She loved the seagulls! We then headed for the pool to let our little mermaid burn off some energy. We hung out at the condo the rest of the evening, and ordered in pizza {Mary Grace's favorite}.

Saturday morning we took the birthday girl to Hazel's for breakfast. Last year, I took her to breakfast at Cracker Barrell. It was the first time she ate regular, non-baby food. It looks like a birthday breakfast may be our new little family tradition. She ate more ice cream than anything else, but hey, you can do that on your birthday.

After breakfast we did a little shopping at some of the local shops, then headed back to spend some time on the beach. Mary Grace loved finding seashells and we brought home a nice little collection. After some beach fun, we dressed for dinner and headed to Lou-Lou's. It was our first time to go and the food and atmosphere were great! We will definitely add it to our list of favorite beach resturants.

Then it was back to the condo for birthday cake followed by more pool time. We left out Sunday morning in order to beat the impending bad weather. It rained most of the way home, but we made it back before things go too bad.

Not only was it a wonderful birthday weekend spent celebrating my two loves, but it was a much needed mini-vacay away from the real world for all of us. Mary Grace gabbed about the 'beat' {beach} for days after we came home. I'd say it was a big hit in her little world :)

I was the emotional Mommy with the camera snapping way to many pictures. I wanted to document every last little detail of my sweet girl at this age.

Her last day to be one.

Love those sweet curls.

Happy Birthday to the best Daddy!

Birthday breakfast at Hazel's {or rather, birthday ice cream ;) }

Sandy toes!

Sweet little footprint

My best girl :)

Girl talk on the beach :)

I added this one to showcase my husband's extraordinary photography skills  :)

Birthday Dinner at Lou-Lou's

She kept sneaking bits of the icing.

Making a wish!

Sweet Mary Grace {24 months)

Oh, my Love, I cannot fathom how quickly time has passed. You are officially two, my dear, and the days of babyhood are long passed. I can't believe you have been in our life for two years, yet we cannot imagine a world without you in it. You know you are a big girl now, and anytime someone asks how old you are, you hold up two hands and squeal TWO! You are such a shining ray of sunshine, my dear, and you bring us all such happiness. No matter how many years may pass, you will always be our darling baby girl.

Here are some fun little tidbits about your sweet little self.


Miss Chatty Cathy. When I looked back at your one year update, one of the biggest changes has been your vocabulary. Rarely are you a girl of few words. You are talking so much more, and more clearly, than even just a couple of months ago. You have moved on from one word answers, and are gabbing whole sentences. Your most used expressions are "Momma, hold it", "Loo-Loo no boom boom {Louie is scared of thunder}, "Thank you","Jegus lub me" {Jesus loves me}, "Daddy at work", "I wanna swing", "I wanna slide", "Go ride", "I want dog-dog and cheese" {translation: I want a hotdog and mac-n-cheese}, "I want a tucker" {sucker}, " I can roll", "I go dant "{dance}, and many many more.

Our Little Songbird. You love, love, love to sing and insist on having music playing at all times. Your favorite song to sing is "Jesus Loves Me". You will say "Momma, ting {sing}" and if I sing anything other than Jesus Loves Me, you will say "No, ting Jegus {sing Jesus}. Hearing your little voice sing always makes my soul smile.

Yummy To Your Tummy. You are a girl who knows what she wants, and you don't hesistate to voice your likes and dislikes. Anytime we ask what you want to eat, it's always the same response, "I want dog-dog and cheese". You definitely know what you like. Here is a quick little rundown of your favorite yummies.
Breakfast: bananas, scrambled eggs with cheese, cheese toast, fruit loop cereal, cheese grits, oatmeal, and then we have a strawberry-banana smoothie every morning together.
Lunch: Hot dogs, pizza roll-ups, grilled cheese sandwich, PB&J sandwich, mac-n-cheese {the shells kind}, ravioli, spaghetti-o's, pizza.
Dinner: You usually eat whatever Daddy and I cook, but your faves include: butter beans, garden peas, corn, Pizza, cheesy chicken and rice casserole, fried chicken, beef stew {you love the potatoes and carrots}, french fries.
Snacks: Welch's Fruit Snack gummies, strawberries/bananas, cheetoh puffs, cheese-its, goldfish, apples drizzled in caramel.
Drinks: whole milk, V8 Fruit fusions, fruit flavored water, Yoohoo strawberry milks, Capri-Sun, apple juice boxes.

Let's Talk Gluten. Gluten is not your strong point. We try to limit your gluten intake, and buy gluten free as much as possible. Your little tummy lets us know when you've eaten gluten, and I hate that this is a battle for you. Still, we are thankful it is something that can be controlled. As long you avoid gluten as much as possible, you are a normal, happy, healthy two year old.

Little Fashionista. You are currently in 24 month size clothing, although we have a few pieces that are 18 months and still fit. We struggle with pants because you are so tall and lean- so if we buy 18 months they fit you in the waist but not in length, and if we buy 24 months they fall off of you but fit in length. Needless to say, I have to take up almost all of your pant/short waists. When you are my age, you will be thankful you are long and lean :)

You have taken a big interest in what you wear. You would change clothes every hour if I let you. Digging through your dresser and finding somthing 'pretty', as you say, is your favorite thing to do. And don't get me started on your shoe obsession. I think Daddy knows he is going to be in big trouble when you hit the teen years :) I'm looking forward to many shopping days ahead of us.

You are even vocal about your hair style. Sometimes you say 'bow' and then other times you insist on 'piggas' {piggy tails}. You, my dear, are a handful. But I wouldn't have it any other way.


Our Busy Little Bee. You are always on the go and I wish I had just a smidge of your energy. You love being outdoors and I am so thankful we have a covered porch- it's a life saver. You love swinging and sliding on your new swingset, strolling around the lake, feeding the fish, chasing Louie, watering flowers with me in the evenings, collecting rocks, watching for birds {you love seeing the hummingbirds on the back porch}. Indoor favorites include play-doh fun, reading books, playing with your babies {you are a little momma, my dear}, drawing/coloring, singing/dancing. You don't watch much TV, but your favorites are Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Doc McStuffins, Little Einsteins, the Disney classics {Cinderalla, The Jungle Book, Nemo} and your newest favorite is Sheriff Callie. You LOVE the movie Marley and Me and insist of watching it most afternoons. I have to fast-forward to the parts with the puppy and you just giggle away.  

Little Miss Socialite. You know who you like, and who you don't. You are not big on people you're not familiar with, and it takes you a while to warm up to new people. That said, you love your friends. Church and Bible study are your favorites because you get to see your sweet friend Timothy {our pastor's little boy who is three days younger than you}. You are a very mellow kid, and you usually prefer to do your own thing or watch others. You are not aggressive in the slightest, and when someone takes a toy you have, you never cry/fuss/try to take it back. You just shrug it off and move on to something else. People comment on how quiet you are, especially at dance/gymnastics class, but we find it hilarious because around us you are such a busy, talkative little thing.

Milestones. You have changed so much this past year. You started walking last summer, you talk so much more, you are definitely more independent, and the biggest accomplishment is that you are officially potty trained! You have been going potty since about 18 months old, but we finally put you in big girl panties about two weeks before your second birthday. You are oh so smart, and we are constantly surprised by just how much your really do know. You've cut all of your teeth, except your three year molars. You've had so many firsts like swimming, your first haircut, and your first pedicures {both by me and at a salon}.

This year has brought so much joy and happiness as we've watched you blossom into such a beautiful little girl. You are a child of God and we are humbled that He chose to send you to us. This is just a smidgen of what your are up to these days. There are so many more sweet memories we have from this past year, and I cannot wait to share them with you one day, just between us.

We love you, toodles!
Daddy and Mommy

Here are a few of my favorite moments of you from this past year.

Playing in your new sandbox after your first birthday party

Yummy! Pizza is your favorite!

First time to have your nails painted

Swimming is one of your favorite things!

A day swinging at the park.

Helping mommy cook spaghetti

First ice cream cone at the park. Yummo!

Sweet kisses

Pool fun!

Fourth of July

Ice Cream and Fireworks on the Fourth of July

Trip to Callaway Gardens

Swimming with sweet cousins

 

Back porch fun!

Watching Cinderalla with lovey horsey

Popsicles!

18 month pictures with Mommy

You love Louie so much :)

Halloween as Mary, Mother of Jesus

Decorating the Christmas tree and sipping hot chocolate.

Piggy tails for the first time :)

Christmas with Poppy and Marlene at the camphouse

My two loves.

 

Your first snow!

Your very first dance class!

Your last day as a one year old.

Happy Birthday!

On your birthday at the beach.

You will always be Mommy's baby girl

Ready to go to town with your baby, hair bow, and boots :)

I love this picture of you- dirty face and all :)

A day spent outside playing :) Even if its 80 degrees, you still love your hats!