One Crazy Blessed Mama: April 2016

I guess I have had a busy just being a stay at home mom, lol, for almost 2wks or too busy to sit down and blog, so let's play some catch up...

March 21st

Tonight my bestie's store Merry's On Main in Grapevine hosted a book signing for Mix and Match Mama new cookbooks. If you don't know Shay Shull, which I'm sure you do, you need to go check out her blog now! She is a Jesus lovin, food makin', world traveler, who also is a fashionista, wife, mama, and Sean Lowe, former bachelor, big sister. She writes about all that I mentioned and more. You can read about her and her family here and here yummy food here.
To me though, she is still just Shay Lowe, a beautiful girl from Irving, who grew up in the same youth group as me at Plymouth Park Baptist church, where both our parents still attend, and a bestie of mine, Kara Smith's bestie.
It's been super cool to see her soar over the years and I loved being able to go and support her tonight!

Not sure what my mouth is doing, but I'm digging my outfit

This kid can talk circles are anyone but refused to say his names until this week!

March 22nd
Pre-K/Kinder Graduation Precious or Ridiculous?
I got to take kinder graduation pictures of Charley's class today, can't believe it's about that time. Although we refer to it as Transitional Kindergarten aka TK, b/c she will be attending kindergarten at the elementary school next year, she is actual in a Kindergarten class at her school. I know some people think kinder graduations are ridiculous and though part of me agrees, part of me thinks it's precious, I love seeing kiddos getting recognized and commended on their hard work, I mean kinder is hard work for 5/6 year olds.
Everyone as the right to their opinion and it totally depends on your perspective. I am always looking for a reason to celebrate. Now I don't go and throw some big party, nor do we have cake or give presents, it ends after the ceremony for us but I think it's important to make our kids feel special and if that means putting on a cap and gown then I'm cool with that.
These kiddos will be moving on to new discoveries and new accomplishments in a much bigger world but they will take with them all the endless discoveries, accomplishments, and memories they experienced in Pre-K and Kinder and that's something to celebrate in my eyes, closing a small chapter of their little lives and opening a new one, which will be such a fun adventure!
So what's your thoughts, precious or ridiculous?

Just b/c she so cute!

Messy bun & getting stuff done!!! Found this fun shirt online Southern Darlin. Its so me and I may or may not have been sportin this do for a couple of days!!! Charley asked me if the girl on my shirt was me, guess that should tell you something!!!

Messy Bun twinin'

Brady had a baseball game tonight and Mr. Basseball was excited to cheer on his bro and eat a ring pop.

Brady got to pitch a little, still makes me completely nervous but I'm working on it.

March 23rd

This was my 2nd week 4:30am workouts (just 3 days a week) but b/c Lifetime's cafe doesn't open until 6am, I haven't been able to get my favorite smoothie, which I've mentioned before as one of my Friday Favorites. I have totally been craving so I decided I could stick around 15 extra minutes today to get a smoothie and it was worth it! Oh how I've missed you Emerald Energy.

I will admit, most of my early workout days I have been able to take a nap and on the days I don't it's not pretty, lol.

Mr. Corby has been a little attached these days and I've decided I'm just going to soak it in instead of getting frustrated. He's my last and he is not going to be little forever so if I have to lay down and take a nap with him every once in awhile I think I can manage that.

I mean seriously, I can not handle the cuteness and his obsession with hats!

March 24th

Easter Celebrations at Charley and Corby's school means a fun Easter lunch!!!

Check out this lunchbox, a previous Friday Favorite here

So I mentioned on my IG that this picture brings me joy for lots of reasons. Obviously one, b/c he is so stinkin' cute and his smile is contagious but also b/c their was a story behind the Easter basket. A story that shows my crazy mixed with mother's intuition maybe/wishful thinking, however you look at it, God's faithfulness and one of the reasons my blog is called One CRAZY blessed Mama.

So if you are curious about the Crazy story read Confessions/Definition of Crazy post.

Reading this first might make the above post make even more sense if you go back and read Baby Reveal and Happiest Mother's Day Ever which was the day we found out I was pregnant and gives you some background to our pregnancy journey.

Corby was very excited about his balloon he got at his Easter party

His precious teachers

Brady at hitting lessons

After hitting lessons, Brady went to one of his best buddy's bday party at a jump place near by and had a blast! These two of been best buds since birth, can't believe they are getting so BIG!

They had a great time playing Pie in the Face later that night!

March 25th

The kids were all out of school in honor of Good Friday and although we spent most of the day at home b/c I was cleaning to get ready for our family to come over Saturday night, we did get to go to one of Charley's besties' bday party.

Love these girlies!

March 26th

My first Friday Favorite...

My First Friday Favorite...

My fun new Fedora hat from Target, which my cousin referred to as a scarecrow hat, lol.

I originally bought it to go with Matilda Jane's last release Ginger Top that I talked about in a previous post. Not typically this kind of hat girl I have really grown to love it.

Charley had her first Softball of the season today. This is her 2nd season to play, both season with the wild kittens, both coach's and spouses are graduated from Abilene Christian, along with Ryan and I, and their mascot is the wildcats so that is where the name came from.

Char Char is ready for her first game of the season and super excited about sportin #9 like her big bro! Not as excited to have Char Char on her back again this year though. She informed me she was too big for that but at softball she guessed it would ok to still call her that

It was also picture day!

Love this girl!

After softball we headed to Brady's double header, 3 games in one game with a toddler can be a little challenging at times but don't worry we got the diaper changing down. Sweet boy used to be able to fit very nicely in my legs like this, lol.

I had our big cousins with us today and they were such a big help entertaining Corby. I was actually able to sit in a spot where I could watch them on the playground and still see the game. Btw until today, Corby has not been a fan of swinging but I couldn't get him to stop.

Easter Celebrations at our house

My parents, along with my sisters and theirs families, 2 aunts, 1 uncle, and too many cousins to count, although I think we counted 35 people total, came over tonight to do Easter. My mom's two older sisters and my cousins and their baby came into town yesterday. We don't usually see but maybe once a year if that, so getting all the fam together was a must. We had dinner, desert, Easter egg hunt, and lots of loud chaotic fun!

This is how she started the hunt, with a visor and headband, I bribed her to take it off for one picture.

All the little cousins

1 out of 3 ain't bad

It was a gorgeous night so most us hung out outside

Our net finally had it's last day

March 27th

Happy Easter!

He is Risen!!!

After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.

²There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. ³His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. ⁴The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

⁵The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. ⁶He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. ⁷Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.” Matt. 28:1-7

Oh how very thankful I am!

Sheri Rose Shephards' books His Mighty Warrior and His Mighty Princess

I bought these awhile back and decided they would be great gifts from the Easter bunny. They are just little devo books for kids which cover some great subjects and written in first person, so they feel like Jesus is talking directly to them, I love them!

Easter morning we woke up to Easter basket surprises, went to the 8:30 service at church, and then went to lunch at my folks house.

The boys is identical just written for boys.

While we are talking about Sheri Rose Shepherd let me share another one of my favorite books of hers, Preparing him for the Other Women. If you are a boy mom you need this book like yesterday!

I borrowed this from the description on Amazon...

What Kind of Husband Will Your Son Grow Up to Be?

His is a generation of boys who have better relationships with their Game Boxes, i-Pods, televisions, and computers than they do with their families. His understanding of marriage is that it has little hope for success, witnessing a fifty percent divorce rate both inside and outside of the church. His world is one where pornography is no longer a hidden shame, but encouraged as entertainment.

Can you raise your son to one day love, lead, and protect
a wife and family in a world like this?

The answer is yes. The heartbeat of this book is to give you the tools to help your son become a tender warrior who will one day fight for his family, a godly husband who will faithfully love his wife, and a leader who will be a man of his word.

The time is now to take your love, tears, prayers, and influence and pour them into his future. Even if our world does not change its moral fiber, you can influence your son and bring hope to the next generation. It’s an opportunity of a lifetime—yours.

She actually came to speak at our church years ago and I bought the book and read it immediately, Brady was only like 2yrs old. After reading it, I first felt overwhelmed by the things I discovered I needed to teach him. It felt like a HUGE responsibility I had now as is mother! I was finally able to take a deep breathe realize it was a process and God would help lead me so I could lead him.

She does a great job of breaking things down by age groups, and shows you what kind of things you can start teaching even a 2yr old.

This is one I need to reread soon!

My new Easter shoes that I just happened to find on Amazon, that just happened to perfectly match the jumpsuit I also found on Amazon a few weeks later. Two different stores, online, never seen in person, and the purples matched perfectly, I had to give myself some props for that, lol.

Staying on Easter and shoe topic, Charley's Easter shoes, Girls' Betseyville Reneee Fringe Gladiators

This is the first time I have noticed designer Betsey Johnson's more affordable line at Target and boy is the stuff super cute. These particular ones can only be purchased online not sure about others.