Because I have no female roommates over the age of 2

I need your help. I'm going to a wedding this weekend and since Sean's response to, "Which one do you like?" is often, "I like all of them...which one is YOUR favorite?" followed by, "You should wear whichever one is most comfortable..." you can see why I need help. I thought I'd enlist a few, (as many of you who will give me the time of day!) friends to help me choose. It'll be like we're all college roommates helping each other get dressed for a formal. I didn't go to many of those since I wasn't in a sorority mind you. My dress-up days were few. But if you know me at all you know I love dressing up...hence my putting multiple dresses on and taking pictures of myself as some Tuesday night fun.

Are you ready? Here goes. Sorry the pictures are so dark. I don't have time to edit them this morning!

Dress #1-love this dress but it's dark gray. I like cheery dresses for weddings but the neck of this one is pretty cheery so it's a contender.



To even the playing field I intentionally left my hair in my post-shower 'do. read: I forgot I still had the towel on but it's actually helpful to you so that hair isn't part of the decision. Good Lord we'd need a separate post for that! I'd wear either black or silver strappy heels with this one.


Dress#2. Love the bright color but maybe too bright?


I'd wear gold strappy shoes with this one. Basically I'm wearing strappy shoes no matter which dress I wear. I don't get to do strappy often enough :)



Dress#3. I wore this last June to a wedding when Joy was about six weeks old. Mom took it in for me so that I can wear it in my not-immediate-postpartum state. I was still nursing and also weighed about 20 pounds more than I do now. She did a great job fixing it-I hated to get rid of it and now I don't have to.


Notice I have two pictures of each one. You're welcome.


Dress#4. My Easter dress that I really like but may not be the most flattering choice. At least that's what Emmy told me. I think she's right. I lied I only have one picture of this one.


The last one is not an option for the wedding but I had to show you since you're here and all. I got this a few days ago. Same bright color as the other one, (was it #2?) but way different.


The best part of this one:


BAM! After telling Sean how cheap it was over and over he said, "Clearly you're the most excited about that one Mary. You should wear it to the wedding."

First of all, I'd feel obligated to tell everyone I see how much I paid for it because it is such a huge bargain-shopper victory. A wedding may not be the best/most polite place to proclaim my victory.

Second, it has long sleeves. Does he know me at all? Unless I'm going somewhere where the thermostat is at a confirmed 60 degree hold, I'm not wearing long sleeves after March.

ME: "I sweat, honey. Potentially a lot since there may be a walk to the church or reception...or dancing or just movement in general. Worse, I might sweat, sit somewhere cool then sweat again and start to stink." HIM: "Man that's romantic. But you're totally right."

Marriage sure is glamorous.

So there are a few choices for you. Help a sister out please!!

Lawnmowers, Eydgers, Weeweeders, and Blowers

Also known as lawnmowers, edgers, weed eaters, and blowers. They are his favorite things. Right up there with sleep and macaroni and cheese. He wakes up thinking about mowing. To be honest I'm a little relieved he doesn't wake up thinking about his drums anymore because mowing happens outside instead of in my closet, where the drum-playing happened.
We found a Ty-sized mower, (a toy, with no actual mowing capability but DO NOT TELL HIM THAT FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT IS RIGHT AND GOOD) and he mows all afternoon when we're playing outside. He asks Sean to mow approximately 47 times a day and boy is he excited when it's the right day and his Daddy says "Yes! Today is the day!" The kid finds his shoes, "My Cowboy Shoes," (blue crocs,) faster than you can find them for him.
"Here we go Daddy! We're mowing the yard! We're mowing the lawn! I love to mow Daddy!"
You can tell from the pictures that he actually keeps a good distance between the real mower and himself. He loves the mower but he is a little afraid of it too. Nothing wrong with that!
See the shovels? Those are the "Eydger, Weeweeder, and the Blower." I wish y'all could hear him say the names. When Sean finishes with the mower, Ty does too. He puts his mower right beside the real one in the garage. When Sean gets the weed eater out, Ty gets his out. He follows right along with his equipment, (plastic sand toys bless his heart,) right down to the blower at the end. I fear it might be one of those things that only his parents/grandparents/aunts would find funny so I'll spare you. It is by far my favorite thing these days: sitting outside with the girls watching Ty and Sean mow. Who knew I'd stoop to this? Pretty soon I'll just pull up a rocking chair and sit outside drinking tea all day and eat dinner at 4 p.m.

I actually do most of that now too. Sometimes the tea is the only variation. It's tea or DDP.

I have some exciting news! My brother and his wife had their "big" appointment today to check on their new baby and found out she is healthy and growing just perfectly! Yes, SHE, already named Sally--could you die at how cute that is--Henry and Sally--is doing great! We are so excited about a healthy baby and I'm double excited because I know Ana is ready to start looking for cute girly things...I've got tubs in my attic that are headed her way :)

Ok now I have to go. I have an idea brewing that involves y'all's input...can you write 'Y'all's?' so I have to go get it together then I'll ask for you help probably tomorrow. It involves clothes and wishing I had you all for roommates. Have a great day!

Ana and Sally=much cute happiness

One year ago

I can't believe how much they've grown since then. Their last week being the only two...

Birthday week

I've tried for about four days to get a good video of Joy walking. I'll keep trying today and hopefully show y'all tomorrow. Or the next day. Or the day after that. Or never. One never knows.





Here we are right after picking her up when she cried her way out of the nursery. Again. Every week for the last ten weeks or so...if we take her to church she gets "kicked out," which simply means she cries so hard and for so long she throws up.

It's her spiritual gift.

For weeks we took turns going to each service. I'd stay home with Joy while Sean took the big kids and then when Joy woke up we would go trade and I'd go to church. Working in Joy's room in the nursery has helped since as long as she is hanging on my leg she remaines calm. My child hanging on my leg of course makes it tricky to help other kids so if they kick ME out of the nursery I'll totally understand.

This week is Joy's birthday week which means I'll buy/cook/eat/feed the kids exciting or just different snacks and treats all week so as to spread the wealth instead of pumping them full of sugar on one day. It's a system I've used all along and allows me to eat more candy than any regular week while also monitoring how much makes it into the kids' bodies. Low blood sugar runs in the family and one of mine, (Ty) is a confirmed candy fan who can't handle much candy. He will eat it in place of anything else like his momma too. Then get sick and shaky...

We are thinking back to a year ago and what we were feeling: anxiety, fear, uncertainty, hesitation, joy, peace, calm, and exhaustion. We had no idea what was in store for the week of Joy's birthday. We just knew we were trying to cling to what we knew-that God was with us and wasn't surprised by what was happening.

This last year has been incredibly full of blessings. I'm hoping to put them into words this week but I'll warn you that since our families are coming over on Saturday to celebrate I'll also have to um clean this week. Which I um do not excel at.

Nighty night.

Charlie up close and personal

On the way to pick Ty up from school


Or on the way home. She really let's it all hang out, doesn't she? I don't know where she gets it!


Notice how protective she is of her drink. She's a trip.

And the winner is...

click on my giveaways page to find out if you're the winner

No really.

No really.

She is. Happy. Almost all the time. Except when I don't let her touch my phone. Y'all don't forget to enter the giveaway! It ends tomorrow at noon Texas time :)