Summer Lovin'

I have been completely MIA and not just from blogging. I feel like life has just been flying by me! The past few weeks have been a blur with all of our summer activities. I can't believe that this week will be the middle of July. It feels like Memorial Day was this past weekend. Oh no, wait, that was just Independence Day.

Our biggest news of the summer is that James had his springs removed!! YAY! We went in for surgery on June 26 and everything went great. No overnights in the PICU and a fairly smooth recovery at home after a one-night stay at the hospital.

Thomas has been my busy little bee. A week after participating in his very first VBS, he participated in his first soccer camp at our church. He had a blast, although drop-offs were a little rough some days. This past week and next week are swim lessons for Little Man. If you read my post about our swimming debacle then you know swimming has not been an easy one, but now I'm scared he is going to start growing gills.

This summer has been interesting for me personally as well. I decided to take not one, but two bible studies with our women's ministry. Both are challenging me in ways that I never thought possible. I feel more spiritually sound than I have in almost a decade. The past three years have been very difficult for me, and I am finally learning to have peace and assurance that God has something planned despite all of this brokenness.

I saw this quote on Facebook over the Fourth of July weekend and am clinging to it as my new favorite verse.

Speaking of the Fourth, check out this cutie-patootie.

All in all we are having a great summer. I am exhausted but the kids are having a blast and that's all that matters.

Now, will someone bring me a cup of coffee?

Milestones

This past week has been a week filled with milestones for our family. I can't believe everything that has taken place for us and all the things I know are about to happen.

First of all, my "baby," Thomas, turned four. Four. How the heck did that happen?! He should still be learning to roll over, and yet today I went to sign him up for soccer camp and Pre-K. I guess time flies when you're having fun.

Now our real baby, James, is on to eating solid foods. I wasn't sure how he would do since Thomas absolutely hated solid foods until about eight months old. It wasn't love at first taste, but James did great after he got used to the rice cereal and has already to pureed veggies which he loves.

Brian and I are getting into some great business opportunities with Startup Augusta, and Brian is serving as a mentor for the organization. I am also now a contributor to Augusta Moms and am SO excited to be writing again. I can't wait to share some of my recipes and other articles over there, but I'll still be maintaining my blog here.

Speaking of the blog, thanks to a little push from our local Christian radio station when I won their recipe of the week contest, I reached 4,000 hits on my blog today. I know that's not much compared to many blogs out there, but it is definitely a good starting point for me that I am very excited about.

It's times like this when I have to thank God for everything He is doing in my life and the lives of my family. We are blessed so much more than we could ever deserve, and I can't wait to see where He leads us next.

Hoppin' Weekend

This weekend was one of those rare, quiet weekends for us. Thomas went to his dad's house on Thursday, and we only had Jason and Dylan Friday night so they could spend Easter with their mom. This meant lots of time with this little bunny and a date night for me and Brian--even if James was with us and it only consisted of a trip to Party City, Sports Authority, Kroger and Moe's! That's romance when you're over 30 and have four kids.

Thomas came back to us on Sunday afternoon under the influence of Dimetapp and spewing a pretty nasty cough. That didn't stop him from enjoying his Easter basket at PawPaw's (my dad) and hunting for eggs in the yard.

After dinner we all lounged around and chatted. James got some peek-a-boo time with PawPaw and Thomas gave us a fashion show with my peep-toe shoes. (Oh yeeaah...those pictures will be going in his senior ad.)






For such a simple weekend I woke up absolutely exhausted this morning. Hopefully Thomas' candy will get me through the rest of the week! Happy Easter Monday!

Birthdays, Messes and Masters

It's been another crazy weekend for us. Friday night we celebrated Dylan's 10th birthday with his favorite meal and dessert. His present was his own BMX bike, although Brian and I got our own little present when we got to bring home a brand new grill to prepare burgers for Dylan. I can't wait to fire this puppy up throughout the summer. I got to experiment a little with a new burger seasoning that turned out really great.

The boys practically lived outside this weekend. Everyone was asleep as soon as the lights went out each night. With activities like Shaving Cream Slip and Slide, I would be pooped too!

I got a once in a lifetime shot at going to the Masters Golf Tournament on Masters Sunday. It's hard enough to get badges to the tournament without paying an arm and a leg, but it's especially difficult to get them for Sunday (the end of the tourney). I am incredibly grateful to my mom for inviting me to go with her...even if I was her second choice. : P 

Unfortunately cameras and cell phones are not permitted inside the Augusta National so I have NO documentation of the event. Oh well--just another memory I have to file away in my mind with so many others.

Life: Better than Blogging

Pretty much since I've been able to pick up a pencil I have loved writing. There is just something about sitting down and jotting down information whether it's my own opinion or someone else's story that just calms my nerves and gives me a purpose.

Until now.

Don't get me wrong, I still love writing but it's really hard for me to stick to a routine of blogging when there is SO much going on in our lives. For starters, I've been working on me. Being a stay at home mom has been more difficult than I thought so I've started including some "Momma time" during my day. I started attending a Bible study at our church and am really enjoying the fellowship with so many ladies from different backgrounds. I've also been working out. At first it was to lose weight and get myself in shape, but it turns out I am really just enjoying the endorphin high post-workout.

Don't worry--I haven't completely abandoned my kids. Now that the weather is getting nicer I can finally take Thomas outside without worrying about James being too cold. We've made a few trips to the Savannah Rapids and walked along the canal. It's not exactly a calorie-burner since Thomas walks at the speed of smell, but it is nice to get outside, even if it does involve inhaling mass quantities of pollen. Most of our walk involves picking up rocks and tossing them in the canal. Not to mention the occasional selfie.





This weekend we took a trip up to Liberty, SC to visit Brian's family. It was great to see everyone and for James to meet his aunt, uncle and cousins for the first time. Brian's sister Lorie had a baby around James' due date. It was neat to have the two of them together for the first time. I'm sure they'll be getting into lots of mischief together over the years.

We also got to experience one of those moments that makes gives me goosebumps on goosebumps and tears well up in my eyes--four generations of Brian's family got to take a photo when James visited with his great grandfather. Papa King has not been doing so well and was just released from rehabilitation about a week and a half ago. I was so happy that we got this photo of the four of them, and I can't wait to get it in a frame in our living room.

Most of the weekend was filled with outdoor fun since we had such great weather up until Sunday night when the bottom fell out of the sky for nearly 24 hours. I leave you with some final snapshots of the sunny side of our trip, including the beautiful portrait Jason drew of me. Haha!

James' Progress

We received a great report from James' plastic surgeon today! The springs have each separated to 40 mm apart. Last week the back was 40 mm after starting out at only 10 mm. The springs in the front measured 35 mm, and I cannot for the life of me remember where they were post surgery! (Whoops!) The maximum distance the springs will separate is 60 mm so we are already half way there! (Woooooah! Livin' on a prayer!)

The greatest news we received was that James' head is now what is considered "normal" shaped. Unless anything drastic happens, the springs will still be removed in May, and we will finally have all this craniosynostosis stuff behind us. We were also told that the doctors at MCG are already preparing to do their second spring surgery and that they have already learned so much from James' experience. 

Super James!!

Moving

Tonight we took the first of many loads of boxes over to the new house. As we were pulling out of the driveway to head back to the apartment I heard Miranda Lambert's "The House That Built Me" on the radio. I'm sure my hormones had a lot to do with the tears that began to flow down my cheeks, but I couldn't help it as I imagined the hundreds of memories that would take place within the walls of our new home.

I joke with Mr. King that we will be dying in this house because I never want to house hunt again. But the truth is I do want to raise my children under one roof for most of their lives. As a military brat I never really got that opportunity.

Our four boys have so much to learn and experience. I can't wait to watch them grow here. I can't wait to celebrate special events, especially our first Christmas! I want to enjoy those moments and soak in every moment because I know they will be over before we know it.