In the south, women do brunch

Though I've only moved 2 hours south, I have somehow been labeled the Yankee around these parts. Sometimes, I think they believe I hail from Boston or something. I don't think I'm what one would view as way northern (even though when I get loud and mouthy, northern always enters the convo..."there's her Northern coming out") no, just a tried and true Hoosier is what I would label me! 

Earlier in the week, I was invited to brunch at LeAnn's house, which was very nice!! But I do admit, it made me feel very southern. I know I've done brunch up in the Holy Lands, but it just felt different this time. 

We each brought something to eat, while LeAnn provided food for the children, drinks, and of course her home. I decided to do it up right, and show them that this Yankee knows how to make monkey bread. Anything that is dough covered in sugar, cinnamon, brown sugar, and 2! stick of butter, can't be bad, right? And I would say, it was like the end of the Civil War, no longer North versus South, just sisters, united by good monkey bread goodness. 

I didn't take a ton of pictures, I was busy enjoying myself with the ladies. Have I said how nice it is, to be welcomed by so many? Well, trust me, it is. It's a true blessing.

Oh, and GO HOOSIERS!!!!!!! :-)

2 weeks

So, I'm still on this hair adventure thing. You know, grow it out for the husband for his 10 year anniversary gift. And me being the obnoxious dedicated blogger I am, I can make almost anything for the blog, including my hair growing out. I plan to take pictures every 2 weeks to watch the hair grow, like watching a baby bump grow, but not nearly as cute. 

This is the first picture...

 And me being the classy gal I am, wasn't really sure how to document it today. So, I tried the whole picture in front of the mirror (people always crack me up, when they load these kinds of pics to facebook )

 Then opted for Hope to take a picture of me. In front of the toilet. Even classier.

Oh, let me just tell you all, I saw this girl yesterday at church with the cutest short hair, and I felt a serious pang to cut mine. Let it grow till December? I just don't know....

Girls just wanna have fun

Friday night Brittany had us and some other friends over for a little celebration for Blake's birthday.

33 years old.

 Did we all say the same thing when we turned 33? Same age as Jesus.

 I did my best to get a group shot of the kids, but that didn't turn out so well. A) All the kids would not cooperate. B) My camera acts up sometimes, and the picture of all the kids on the couch, they looked like the were sitting on the sun. Soooo frustrating :/

 I did manage to get a little time holding Miss Ella. She's so cuuuute!

 Then we (by we, I mean the ladies and kids, the guys stayed downstairs watching sports) all went upstairs for some play time.

And at first it was all about the kids. They were running around like banshees...

 Playing up a storm! Sweating, bouncing, playing ball, singing, and dancing...

BUT somehow, in the midst of child's play, the women girls took over, and it became ALL about us.

 You get a group of girls together, and turn on 'girls just wanna have fun' and we revert, and act a fool. (My favorite is Karen on the left. She looks like she's doing a little praise and worship!! Picture courtesy of Brittany)

 And while the women folk act crazy, all the children can do is look on in horror.

 But it's true.

 Girls really do, just wanna have fun.

A good reminder

I stole  borrowed this from Jill, because it's just a good reminder for myself....

Sometimes, I just need these gentle nudges, about what's really important.  

Pinterest? 'You are my sunshine'

When I heard about Pinterest, I initially of course, had no desire to do it. That's my usual m.o. I don't want to try the new thing. I finally caved, because all the cool kids were doing it, and I didn't want to be left out.  And I'm so glad that I did! It has given me soooo many ideas. It's like a kick in the brain, for the non creative souls of this world. 

Lots of party ideas....

 Hope would just DIE!

 Fun things to try with the kids..

 Ta-da!!

 New recipes, that I have ventured into trying...

 And when I made this nugget recipe, Paul said, "this is the best thing you've ever made." It only took 9 years to hear that!! :)

 But then, one day when I was perusing around, I saw THIS, and I knew that it was just what I wanted.  I had been wanting to do something different in the living room, but everything I saw, just didn't peak my interest. But this I loved.

So, as part of my Christmas from my parents, I ordered it, and it came just a few days ago! I was so excited.

 I had a whole idea of what I wanted to do, and Paul being the good husband he is, had to do the tedious job and put it together for me.

 If it were up to me to put it up, it would be a m-e-s-s.

 But he did it perfect!

 And I love it!

 It's just different enough for me

 And adds the pizazz I was looking for.

 And now I'm thinking I need some chevron pillows, and a throw. Back to pinterest I go..... ;-)

Going to keep it honest about hat day

Soooooo. Today was hat day at school. Sounds easy enough, doesn't it? And it's really tempting to show you this picture here and say how fun of a day is is....

Happy Hope. Oh boy, hat day is fun!

 But that would be a lie. So, let me keep it honest here. THIS is how Hope acted about wearing her hat.

 I took Hope out yesterday,and let HER pick out a special new hat for school today. THIS is what she chose to wear, oh yippee skippy. Yet today, when it was time to wear the new said hat, she fell apart. I wanted to ring her little neck  (even though, I remember my mom FORCING me to wear a LAMB hat one time, and I sobbed the entire time. Guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, right mom?!) We went three rounds about it, and I assured her that she could wear it in, and then take it off.

She went into school happy, but we still had to go through a myriad of emotions before getting there. Oh my soul people. :)))

The great wall of animals

You know how China built that ginormous wall to protect its borders from any harm? Well, Hope has her own wall built every single night to protect her from harm too. 

All animals must lay against inside wall, and why I asked? "To stop any monsters from coming through."

Hope and China. Both brilliant. 

What a sweet melody to a mother's ears

I haven't updated in a while about Pierce's karate. We took a little break around the holiday's, but he is now back at it, and he is now sparring. 

When we got his gear it came with some important instructions...

 Take a close look at the smaller print here.

'Read all warnings and instructions before use.'
'Keep for future reference by all users for the life of the gear.'
*and by far my favorite one*
'Failure to follow directions may result in injury, disability, and death.'

 I mean really, those are the sweet words every mother wants to read when sending her younglin' off.

Heaven help me.

Glorious 13.

Thirteen. Oh glorious thirteen. When you can officially be called a teenager. When hormones rage, and you start leaving childhood behind. Wait a minute....was 13 really glorious? I remember zits, bad hair, and mean girls. Well, hopefully for this next generation it's a little kinder.

We've just returned from the holy lands, known as the Hoosier state, to celebrate the life of this teen right here..

Nathan Corey

 Sweet boy. He's growing up, sooooo fast.

 And here's the woman who pushed him out 13 years ago. I was working at Cracker Barrel at the time, and brought her a piece of chocolate cake, and she's never forgotten. Cake is one of our love languages.

 Pretty women of the Robinson clan.

 We must have been feeling huggy this weekend or something.

 Nice picture Cody. Ha!  I was able to watch Cody play ball again on Friday night, another win for the Braves! And crazy aunt Gretchen was in the stands actin' a fool.

 You know something I love so much about my TEEN nephews? How they play so well with my kids!

 It's so sweet.

 And you KNOW, I cannot blog without our infamous 'round the table pic' We had a treat today, my cousin Seth (on the far end) came to dinner with his girlfriend. Felt like the old days :))

 And besides celebrating with family, I also was able to see some friends. Saturday night, I had dinner with two of my high school friends. Lyndsay brought pictures from high school and we were rolling. I mean, honestly, WHAT WERE WE THINKING?

 And then I even got a little visit with my gurls, who I miss everyday.

 It was a really great weekend, and this is proof positive of it.