Monday

Oh, Monday.  You always have something up your sleeve.  I got to the gym this morning, only to realize I had forgotten my gym locker lock, and more importantly, my earbuds.  Ugh.  Gym - earbuds = torture.  But I soldiered on, bored out of my mind.  Got 40 minutes of cardio in, plus some weights.  Not to shabby for an unprepared Monday.  It would have been oh, so easy to turn around and drive home, but I'm really trying to make a point to get a good workout in on Mondays.  I have found it sets the tone for the rest of my week.  I've kind of made a mental goal of getting 4 workouts in per week, plus a walk on Fridays, so checking one off right off the bat really helps.

I went to the grocery store today with a list that would make Martha Stewart proud.  It was organized by categories and everything.  I know, who do I think am I?  Don't be too impressed, though.  I neglected to add spaghetti sauce to my list, so the Crockpot Lasagna that was on the menu for tonight will not be happening.  I'm going to give Turkey Enchiladas a try instead.  It's a new recipe, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it is edible.  By the way, I think I've finally figured out the winning combination for grocery shopping with Harper.  For the past two weeks, I've been bringing along the iPad and a plethora of snacks.  That keeps her satisfied for the majority of the trip.  Today, she got out and walked, aka hopped and twirled to the older shoppers' delight, but she was happy to sit back in the cart and play the iPad while I paid.  I know I probably get the side eye from judgy people who disapprove of my "electronic babysitter" and to those people I say, "Kiss it."  Girlfriend is likely going to be a track star, and ain't nobody got time to chase her around the grocery store.

You take away the iPad, and mama will for sure need a cup holder!

Friday Favs

Oh, hey Friday.  I'm so happy to see you again.  We have a pretty open weekend ahead, which is a lovely change.  Linking up with Momfessionals to share some of my favs today.

ONE.  These babies were delivered last week, and I am obsessed.  I opened them up, put them on and wore them to dinner, if that tells you anything about my excitement level.  They were so comfortable and easy to wear.  Love, love, love.  

via Nordstrom

TWO.  I am so pumped about the Scandal and Parenthood season premiers next week!  Griff and I watch Scandal together, but Parenthood is all mine.  I was super late to the game, so I started binge watching it on Netflix last year, and it is probably my favorite show.  I'm pretty sure I've cried at least once during every episode.   

THREE.  One of my best girlfriends moved to Midland in January, and she is going to be in town this weekend.  I am having breakfast with her and a few other fun girls tomorrow morning, and I can't wait to catch up!

FOUR.  Last night, Griff and I went to the March of Dimes Signature Chefs Auction in Cowtown.  We've been going to this event for about 4 years now, and it has become one of my favorite nights of the year.  Chefs from some of the best restaurants in Fort Worth are there to prepare a signature dish.  There were nineteen food stations and two drink stations this year, and everything was fantastic.  My favorites of the night were the beef wellington and sweet potato casserole from Ruth's Chris and the TX Whiskey Pecan Pie from Stir Crazy Baked Goods.  Umm...hello, elastic waist pants!  The live auction was a huge success and a ton of money was raised to save sweet babies like our Izzy.  Such a fun way to support a cause so dear to our hearts.  

FIVE.  Izzy called me into the playroom the other day to see what she had made.  She was so proud, and said, "Look, I made a picture of sister."  I was confused about the green circle magnet, but I didn't question it.  "Oh, good job!" I said, trying to encourage her sweet little creative mind.  She pointed to the magnet in question, and said, "That's Harper's poop."  Annnd, there it is.   

Family Command Center

Welp, that didn't take long.  It seems I have picked up some sort of sinus/head cold that has drained me of every last bit of energy.  I made it to the gym yesterday, but only lasted about 30 minutes.  I decided I would stay home and rest today, and try to get back at it tomorrow.  The girls are in school from 9-12 today, and this is the first time I've had to myself at home in months!   They just started school last week, and I've been running errands (aka shopping) like a mad women whenever I don't have them.  The house is eerily quiet.  As soon as this is posted, I'm turning on HGTV and curling up on the couch in hopes of a nap.  Who am I kidding?  I may never make it to the gym again.

Ok, so to the point of this post.  I've been wanting to create some sort of family command center in our mudroom area.  It is right by the garage door, so we are in and out of this space all day.  It's where we drop our bags, jackets, shoes, etc.  It is definitely the hardest working space in our home.  We had a big empty wall that was begging for some function, so function it got.

The memo board and B are both from Hobby Lobby.  The chalkboard was a simple diy project using a Hobby Lobby picture frame and chalkboard vinyl.  The calendar is a Target purchase, the black frame is from Aaron Brothers, and the print is from a gallery art pad I picked up at Michael's.  

Have y'all seen these?  I think they are so smart.  I wouldn't necessarily use them all together in a gallery, but breaking them up and using them here and there is perfect.  They didn't have as many options at Michael's as they do online, but you can use your 40% off coupon in the store.  They are regularly $14.99, so with the coupon, it's less than $9 for a ton of cute prints!  I have purchased single prints from Etsy for $20.  This is blowing my mind.  

So, all of our activities for the month are on the calendar, and we use the chalkboard to jot down things as we run out of them so I can remember to add them to the grocery list every week.  I plan on using the memo board to display cute photos of the girls and post invitations for any upcoming birthday parties, weddings, etc.  Also in the works are reward/behavior charts for the girls that will be displayed at their height right under this gallery.  Nothing fancy, but it makes me feel a little more organized, and sanity trumps fancy any day.

Friday Randoms

Happy Friday, friends!  I'm linking up with Andrea again this morning.  This isn't necessarily a list of favorites as much as it a bunch of randomness, but just go with it.

ONE.  Both of my babies started school this week, and they are loving it.  Read about their first days here and here.

TWO.  I will admit that I'm kind of loving this two-kids-in-school thing, too.  Harper only goes two days a week, so I get a total of 8 hours to myself, but it has been so nice.  On Tuesday, after I went to the gym, I stopped by Loft.  Alone.  I even tried on clothes.  It was heaven.  At the register, the lady in front of me apologized for taking so long.  Are you kidding?  No children were pulling at my clothes, screaming my name, handling every piece of jewelry in the store, or demanding fruit snacks.  I could have happily stood in line all day.  It's like a whole new world out there.

THREE.  As another result of school being back in session and getting back into our routines, I've gotten back into the groove of things at the gym.  I've been going sporadically all summer, but it's just so much easier to get there when I'm already leaving the house every morning anyway.  I hope the momentum lasts because I love the way a good workout makes me feel.  

FOUR.  Oh, hey.  Speaking of the opposite of working out and feeling good, I sure did buy my first bag of candy corn and candy pumpkins this week.  Griff is just as weak as I am in the face of candy corn, so he said I shouldn't have bought them.  Hey, if you want someone to blame, then blame Target.  I didn't go looking for candy corn.  The candy corn found me.  They know what they are doing placing those little bags of crack right at the register.  Damn you, Target.

FIVE. Izzy asked me to help her find Harper this afternoon.  Apparently there was a game of hide-and-seek happening.  I obliged, and this is what we found on Izzy's bed.  I'm not sure if it's the hider or the seeker, but someone needs to step up their game.

Harper Goes to Preschool

Harper started preschool on Tuesday, and she had a great first day!

She never cried when we dropped her off, but she looked so sad as we were leaving.  When we turned to walk out the door, she closed her eyes and put her head in her hands.  Right through the heart, I tell ya.  I didn't see this part, but Griff said he turned back to look, and Harper's teacher walked over to her and tried to tickle her to make her smile, and she pushed her hand away.  Ummm, looks like business as usual...let's run!

She was all smiles when I picked her up.  Her teacher said she had a great day, and that her class was a really fun group.  Harper is at such a curious stage, and she retains new information like a little sponge.  She is learning to spell her name, and now whenever she sees a pen, she'll pick it up and say to me or Griff, "Make an H?"  Oh, sweet girl.  

She will only be going to school two days a week this year, but I think it will be so great for her.  I'm praying this year not only sparks a love of learning, but also helps her navigate the rules of engagement.  To say she has a little sassy streak would be quite an understatement.  This kid is a boss.  I posted a cropped version of the photo below on instagram with the caption, "Lord, please bless this child's teacher with a sense of humor and buckets of patience."  

Seriously, this girl kills me.  Oh, my precious child, how mama loves you!  Get ready world.  She's comin' for ya!

Why Kindergarten Can Wait

Izzy is off to her first year of Pre-K as a five-year-old today, and I am so excited for her!

We had plans up until March to send her to kindergarten this year.  Griff and I had a conference with her teacher around that time, and she expressed some concerns about Izzy that we were also seeing at home: not transitioning well between activities, getting her feelings hurt easily, etc.  Well, this caused a few days of full-on stress mode.  We didn't want to hold her back from something we had been preparing her for, and from moving forward with her friends.  We also didn't want to push her if she wasn't quite ready for kindergarten.  It may sound silly, but I was a complete mess over this.  I called my pediatrician in a panic, and he was so kind.  He went above and beyond his job description and performed a quick counseling session for a mama who basically just needed to hear what she already knew.  If in doubt, wait.

We've talked to a few friends who have had similar situations, and they said that extra year made such a huge difference for their children.  My biggest fear was that Izzy would struggle, become frustrated, shut down, inevitably fall behind, and continue to fall.  I was a teacher before I was a mama.  I know how hard it is for kids to catch up and break away from the labels they are assigned early in their education.  I just want to give my children the best opportunities to be successful.  As our pediatrician pointed out, nobody ever says, "Man, I really regret holding my kid back that extra year."  If anything, it's the opposite.  After considering all factors, there were just no negatives to waiting an extra year.  I realize now that this whole idea of her "missing out" was my issue, not hers.  Sometimes us mamas just need to get over ourselves.

The second the decision was made to repeat Pre-K, I felt a huge relief.  I know it is exactly what she needs.  More than anything, I want Izzy to be confident.  There are soooo many things she will experience as a girl that will make her self-conscious, and I never want school to be one of them.  I want her to be a kind friend, a good listener, a helper, a self-motivator, a leader.  I don't want her to get by.  I want her to thrive.  I'm praying this year fosters a deep love and excitement for learning that will stay with her forever.  Now excuse me while I go cry in the corner.

The little one starts tomorrow.  Heaven help her teachers.

5 Fall Essentials

I think I am in agreement with the rest of Texas when I say, "Bring on Fall!"  The calendar tells me it's fall, but the weather tells me otherwise.  That doesn't stop me from dreaming of crisp, cooler temps.  When I think fall fashion, these five pieces come to mind.  They are so versatile, and this is the kind of stuff I will wear over and over again all season.  What are your fall essentials?

1. Military Vest

2. Gap Legging Jeans

3. Madewell Shirt

4. Kate Spade Earrings

5. TOMS Booties

Linking up with Momfessionals today!