My loves.

Long, exhausting, busy, mind-numbing, lovingly, beautiful.

These are the days.

Parenting

This is me, trying to parent.  Some weeks (minutes) are good and some are oh so hard.  It is constant discipline around here for these 3 growing boys - Winnie still does what she wants.   I don't care if my kid is the smartest or the most athletic or the funniest or the most handsome but I will not let them be a-holes, to put it nicely.  But man, is that easier said than done.  Keep grinding mamas, keep grinding.

the move.

Aunt Nat & Uncle Zack bought a house and it is not 2 minutes up the road, how dare they!  We are pumped for them but not for us.  JK - it is only 12 minutes away, yes we timed it.  They can't get rid of me and these hooligans that easy.  

New house, first visitors, obviously!

And someone had to see if they bathtub jets worked, they do.

going on 13.

Another 'new years resolution' of mine is less screen time for myself.  My phone.  It takes all my pictures and checks my emails and sends out my texts, and oh so very important.  But sometimes (lots) I get sucked in the hole of instagram or facebook or some very important new study that has me worried about some random disease that my kids might get... see I digress.  Winnie has been a HUGE help in this.  Whenever I pull my phone out she wants it, and she wants it NOW.  Pictures. Girlfriend loves looking at pictures and videos of herself, over and over and over.  I can't blame her, she cute.

Hmm, what we got here.

Red Bulldogs!

My big 8 year old might be hitting his basketball prime and he is loving it.  He is in a 7-8 year old Parks and Rec league.  The later birthday paid off this year with basketball he is one of the oldest.  We have talked about hustling and practicing and cheering on your teammates and of course, sinking some baskets.  He has been practicing/fighting hard in the driveway with his brothers every afternoon and it shows.  The other night he burnt his hand pretty bad on the stove before his game.  We cleaned and bandaged it up and I told him to try not to think about it.  Afterward with his shy little smirk he came and showed it to me all blistered up, 'I guess you could say I was on fire.'  Man I love this not so little dude.  

Heels House!

Every morning we watch ESPN, every afternoon we catch up on recorded games, every evening we tune in to the biggest sporting event on tv.  I have embraced the life of these sport loving boys.  The time has come for all the ACC / Tarheel fans out there, basketball season!  I really wanted to get everyone to a game this year.  I wanted someone to give us tickets, lower level seats, not on a school night, not too late, and against a decent team - because we have a lot of kids and I am a fan brat.  She who speaks the truth.  It happened!  Winnie sat in dad's lap the entire first half, the boys watched intently (I knew they would be fine), we got dinner before half-time - and that is where I messed up.  Winnie discovered you could actually walk around the arena and stairs, lots of stairs, and food, lots of food!  We roamed around the second half and that was fine by me.  We came, we saw, and we got it over with.  Now back to regularly recorded games in my pjs on the couch.  

Go Tar Heels!

'Woook Mommy, wook!'

AND YOU CAN GET YOURSELF A TURKEY SUB AT THE GAME!

celebrations

It was that time between Christmas and New Year's when no one really knows what day it is or what time or when it will stop raining - throw in some birthday celebrating and cousins from Chicago to town and we just kept on partying.

Started my bday off with a workout! New Year, New You, blah blah blah.  But this is the first time in over 9 years that I will not be pregnant of breast feeding.  I am the only one in charge of this body, kind of making me tired thinking about it.  ;) 

Kanki Celebrations with everyone.  It was my birthday, and almost Hannah and Zack's birthday.  Nothing says birthday like that white sauce!

You are never too old to celebrate at Kanki with your #1 boo and all your little boos.

Christmas round something, cuteness!

I even convinced my mom to get a picture with her actual kids in it, not just grandkids.  Looks card worthy to me!

Thanks to Aunt Brittni for this gem.  And now I want a new iPhone and all it's picture taking glory.

And a night of dancing the New Year's away.  Happy 2019 all!  

All is calm...

All is bright.  Totally kidding on the calm part.  It was a very enjoyable, albeit loud Christmas.  We are lucky to have both of our families close by so we can do all of the things and still make it to our own bed for a little resting.  We do Christmas Eve church service, eat some dinner and open our family presents with just us at home.  We put out cookies and milk and get to sleep!  Rise and shine (7:00am, win!) to see if Santa came - he did!  Then we head to Goldsboro for lunch with my extended Winslow family and then to Wilson for Farris Christmas time.

A ping-pong net for our dining room table.  How delicious...

Animal magnets, who knew?! Santa!

Nash got his rainbow looms and has been busy making me all the bracelets.

J got drums!  They fit right under his bed and turn off, go Santa!

Chef Theo got busy with his new kitchen stuff making us a delicious egg souffle.  It was, salty.

And who needs an X-Box when you bring back CrossFire!  Please tell me you had this game when you were little.

And one more of my sweet angel baby girl!

Merry Christmas!

A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices.  For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.  Fall on your knees.  Oh, hear the angels voices.  Oh night divine, oh night when Christ was born.

Christmas Eve has always been my favorite.  The uncontrollable mystery of excitement when you are a child. The knowing and longing when you are a parent.  Our kids are all at such a great age right now.  I love these exhaustingly beautiful days.  What a blessing it is to be their mother.  Thank-you Jesus.  Merry Merry indeed. 

Ya' Filthy Animals

Neighborhood Gingerbread house decorating.  I love my fun, organized friends!  And Nash is still pretty loud and intense in everything that he does  - perfecting the gingerbread house.

A Christmas cousin!  My cousin had a sweet baby girl, Mia.  Winnie and I are smitten over the 'baabbee.'  Being gentle is a whole different story.

Ain't no party like a Jersey Mike's party!  Jmikes had a big Holiday party for all of the employees.  We ate tacos and road a bull.  Jackson did it over and over and over... A celebration for all.

Party swag!

Our pipes burst under our sink.  We walked in one evening to a flooded kitchen and den.  Again, bless our neighbors and dad.  I sent out at SOS text and they came storming over.  Nothing like loud kids, tv blaring, piano playing all over 6 industrial sized fans in your kitchen for the week.  I am still recovering.  

Winter celebrations at school!  Don't even think about calling it a party, they are not allowed, boo.  These sweet nuggets were super pumped for a craft, book reading ad a little hot chocolate.