What's Up Wednesday- February

How is it the last Wednesday of the month? I haven't participated in a What's Up Wednesday in awhile so I thought I'd join in today and answer these questions!

What We're Eating.... Italian Chicken and broccoli (I didn't love it), Empanadas made by my house keeper, BBQ out tonight for a late birthday celebration with Patrick's family, Enchiladas tomorrow night and out for pizza on Friday!

What I'm Reminiscing About... This week marks six months since my sweet mother in law, Donna, passed away. I cannot believe it's been six months. Some days it feels like a lifetime ago and others it seems like yesterday. There have been lots of little things this week that have let me know she is here with us in spirit! Our hearts still ache daily at the huge void she left but we have learned to push on and live with the memory of her in our hearts!

What I'm Loving... The spring like temps and flowers blooming!

What We've Been Up To.... We've been doing a lot of playing outside! This time of year is the best to meet friends at the park and run out the kids energy post afternoon naps! We Celebrated Patrick's 39th Birthday. The boys and I went to a mommy and me tumble class. We went to Church on Sunday and Patrick and I went to a State game!

What I'm Dreading...I have to go to the dermatologist tomorrow for my bi-yearly skin check. I always dread it and get super anxious.

What I'm Working On...I am still working on organizing! Getting each room organized and decluttered one step at a time!

What I'm Excited About.. Getting to use our screened in porch. Before it gets too blazing hot and humid I love using our porch. This year I feel like it's going to get so much use with as much as the boys want to be outside, which is all day every day!

What I'm Watching/ Reading... All things bravo! I am loving Summer House right now. Of course This Is Us and TGIT on ABC.

What I'm listening To... The Greatest Showman soundtrack! On repeat!

What I'm Wearing..Time time of year is so awkward for us clothing wise. It's cold in the morning and hot in the afternoon. I've been living in my athleta leggings and my zip up Lilly Pulitzer popover jacket from last year.

What I'm Doing This Weekend... Patrick and I are going to get pizza Friday night and Saturday he and Jack are going to the last home State game!

What I'm Looking Forward To Next Month... Spring! March always feels like the official first month of spring to me! Bring it on!

*linking up with Shay

How Do You Know When Your Family Is Complete?

Hey ya'll! Today I am getting personal and pretty raw with you. I have had this drafted in the notes section of my phone for the past month and I have not had time, or the want to sit down and write this out. I feel like this is such an easy question to answer for some and for others its so much more complex.

When you first get married people start asking when you're going to have a baby. When you have your first you immediately get asked, "when are you going to go for number 2" and then you have two of the same gender, boys in my case, and you get asked on the regular "when are you going to try for that girl?" which to me, all of the above questions are so rude and none of anyones business!!

So to answer the question "how do you know when your family is complete?" simply put...I don't know! Prior to having kids if you would have asked me how many kids I wanted I would have said without a doubt 3 or 4. And frankly that answer did not change until very recently. This topic of conversation has been one of the biggest sources of disagreement in our marriage. Patrick is happy and complete with our two perfect boys. He has no desire to have another baby and would happily sell every baby item we have in the attic tomorrow if I said so.

I on the other hand have not felt that sense of closure and finality. I've always said that Grahams birth was so quick and unexpected I don't think I ever fully had time to think "Gosh, this could be my last baby". Life is quickly growing easier and easier with each passing day so for me, the thought of going back to sleepless nights, sleep training, endless years of diapers and that general hard baby stage doesn't exactly sound like a piece of cake to me.

To be completely honest, if we had a boy and a girl I think I could say "we are done!" But when you have two of the same gender you always wonder "what if" My girlfriend and I, who also happens to have two boys who are my boys best friends, always say that if we could guarantee that our third would be a girl and we wouldn't be sick during pregnancy we would go for it. But knowing both of us, we would end up with a third boy! Which of course would be so fun, but man I'm not sure this mama can handle 3 boys!

As the days become easier and easier and we get further away from that baby stage I am beginning to feel content. I love my boys and they are wild and trying and keep me on my toes but raising them in the greatest joy in my life. Of course there is a part of me that will always long for a girl. That mother/daughter bond is like none other. I also would be lying if I didn't say that the thought of my boys not needing me anymore, not wanting to hold my hand or kiss my cheeks or sit next to me puts a lump in my throat and tears in my eyes. But I am beginning to believe that our family, our sweet little family of four is complete. I believe that there will always be a part of me that wants more babies, I loved each pregnancy and the thought of not experiencing that again makes me sad but there is so much joy in the days and years ahead of raising 2 boys.

So while the answer is very clear for some on if their family is complete, for me, it's not a straight yes or no. But for me, right now, on this day and in this month I feel good. I feel that my hands are full and my heart is even fuller and I'm okay with that!

I'd love to know if you had a clear yes or no to this answer or if you also felt like I do and wonder if you will ever truly know the answer.

*linking up with Owen

Random Questions

Hey friends, I hope you are having a great week! We have had some unseasonably warm weather and it's been so nice. Yesterday we spent the afternoon at the park and it was lovely! I'll be honest, I am in a major blogging rut. Life is busy right now. Jack has dropped his nap so that takes away time to write a blog post and then by the time we get the boys to bed I am spent and just want to sit on the sofa and veg, or fall asleep which is what usually happens. I have so many post ideas that I need to sit down and work on. 

So for today I am answering some fun random questions. My sweet friend Sarah posted them on Monday and I thought it was a great idea. I love finding out random facts about others! 

1. What is your favorite smell?
Fresh clean babies straight from the bath! Also baby laundry done with Dreft. 

2. Last time you cried?
Yesterday morning. I was watching the Today show and they did a segment on the school shooting last week interviewing a teacher and student and I lost it. I was sobbing. Here's a fact about me, I cry all.the.time. We're talking certain commercials can bring the water works. I am super tender hearted and there are so many things that just get me and I start tearing up. Patrick laughs at me every time. 

3. What is your favorite pizza?
I really like cheese. But if I was going to pick toppings it would be ham and pineapple. 

4. What is your favorite flower?
Hydrangeas! I have always loved them. My dad has the most gorgeous ones planted at our lake house in Michigan. We also purchase new plants each year and put them in pots on our deck and then plant them in the beds the following spring. My goal is to have huge flowering hydrangea plants! 

5. What is your favorite dog breed?
I grew up with standard poodles so I love them. Patrick had a sweet lab Roscoe who we had to put down last spring and he was the best. I want to get some sort of doodle when we decide to get a dog. Especially for the non-shedding reason! 

6. Do you untie your laces before taking your shoes off?
Rarely 

7. Do you like roller coasters?
It depends, I am super scared of heights so I don't think I could ever do the big loop ones anymore but I do love some roller coasters in Disney World! 

8. Favorite ice cream?
Chocolate chip cookie dough

9. What are you listening to?
I'm loving The Greatest Showman soundtrack. The boys and I have been listening to it on our Alexa and they love dancing around the kitchen. 

10. What is your favorite food?
Pizza. hands down. 

11. What is your favorite holiday?
Christmas! 

12. Night owl or morning person?
I'm really neither! Ha. Although I'm becoming much more of a morning person since having kids. I am usually asleep on the sofa by 9-9:30 nightly so I definitely wouldn't say I'm a night owl. I'd say I'm a mid day person haha 

13. Favorite day of the week?
Saturday! 

*linking up with Lindsay and Jenn

Friday Favorites

This week has totally crept by so I am glad Friday is here! The weather is definitely spring like and it has me all kinds of excited for the warmer weather!

My favorites for the week...

O N E | I purchased this dress from Loft yesterday and I can't wait to get in in the mail. I am hoping its a cute fit so that I can wear it on Easter as well as to a wedding we have in March.

T W O | Yesterday while I was at Target I was browsing the shoe aisle and found these tennis shoes. I've been on the hunt for a cute pair that I can wear around casually, or even go on a walk with the boys. They are super comfy, I'll report back once I wear them for awhile.

T H R E E | I think this may be my summer! Yesterday we were outside playing and the boys were able to go on the swing set and I didn't have to watch them like a hawk. Graham has mastered the stairs from the porch to the yard. I texted one of my best friends who has two boys and told her this may be our year where we can actually sit on the porch and chat while our kids play! Oh how I've waited four years for this day! haha

F O U R | Yesterday we were on our way to the club for dinner and saw this sunset. It took my breath away and I just knew that spring is coming. I have always loved a sunset but they always make me think of my sweet MIL now. I love thinking that she's up there in heaven and it's a little sign from her!

F I V E | Did you catch my other posts this week. I shared a yummy valentine's mix which you could easily make any time, and also a life lately post!

We have zero plans this weekend and I plan on watching the Olympics most of the weekend! Have a great Friday!

*Linking up with Andrea and April 

Life Lately

Hey friends, I hope you had a great Valentine's Day! The boys each had a party at school, and came home hopped up on sugar. They then continued that binge until bedtime. Patrick and I cooked a steak and baked potato and actually got to eat in in peace. The boys sat and watched a movie and not one of them got up to ask us for something the entire meal...it was a Christmas miracle!

Today I'm bringing a photo dump of life lately! I haven't done one of these in awhile and while our life has been pretty routine we've had some fun things going on.


We celebrated Valentine's Day a little early with a cookie decorating play date.

Patrick and I went to watch the NC State/UNC game.

We spent all day in our jammies on Sunday. It was rainy and gross, so we skipped church and the boys changed out of one pair of jammies into another to go to bed!

Patrick and Jack woke up with the exact same hairstyle. They are twins through and through. Their hair is stick straight and sticks out each morning. I had to get a picture because it made me laugh so much.

 Jack got silly with his Valentine's treats for friends.

We made a Valentine's Snack for our favorite teachers.

The boys celebrated Valentine's Day with cute outfits and sweetness

I got this sweet picture from Graham's teacher!

 Graham and I had a lunch date yesterday while brother was at lunch bunch!

and that's some life lately for you!

*linking up with Owen

Valentine's Day S'mores Snack Mix

Hi friends!  Last night I met some girlfriends to go see the new Fifty Shades movie. I know some of y'all are probably anti-fifty shades, which is fine but I really enjoyed the movie. Aside from the kinky stuff its actually a sweet love story. A fun reason to get together with girlfriends!

Today I'm bringing you an old post. Last year I made this yummy Valentine's Day snack mix to give to Jack's teachers and since tomorrow is Valentine's Day I figured I would share with you! We are planning on making this and giving it to teachers again this week. It's super easy and the boys really love helping do it since all it involves is dumping things into a big bowl!

You can find the full recipe here. Also notice how sweet and little Jack was last year. Time you are such a thief!

Friday Favorites

Happy Friday! This week has seemed long for some reason. But the weekend is here and that deserves a happy dance! 

My favorites for the week.

O N E | Tobacco Basket - Last Friday I schlepped my kids to a local garden center to get my hands on a tobacco basket. I saw on FB that they got a shipment in and I knew they would go fast so we were there right when they opened. I had my pick of which one I wanted. I have been wanting one for awhile now and I love that this is a real one. Patrick wasn't thrilled about having to hang it but we made it work and I love where it is!

T W O | Park Weather- This week we've had some warmer days so on Tuesday we met some friends at the park to play! It definitely got me excited about warmer weather not to mention both my boys were actually easy at the park. I was able to have a conversation with my girlfriends and know that my kids weren't about to cowabunga off the jungle gym!

T H R E E | The Olympics- I don't know about ya'll but I love the olympics! I am so excited that they are starting today and can't wait to watch the opening ceremonies!

F O U R | Valentine's - Did you catch my post on Wednesday? I shared several great ideas for Valentine's for your kiddos!


A short and sweet post today! I am off to get ready to have some kiddos over for a little Valentine's Day cookie decorating! Have a great weekend!

*Linking up with April, Andrea, and Katie