I may be partial...

but my kids are spankin' cute.  

 Since about 9 months old Patton has loved to do "arms up", a trick he learned from Your Baby Can Read.  Now, he already knows how to play his momma, because he will do it and get me to laugh when he is supposed to be getting down to business.  He daily reminds me to stop and enjoy the moment.  Oh, and he loves Mrs. Kay's recipes  …. he devours her morning muffins and could not get enough of her cornbread dressing last week.  

The Simmons kiddos joined us up at the Livestock show this morning.  Kirby woke up asking to go to the "live show …".  She was so ready to go that she told me we could leave Patton at home while he slept.  Don't Porter and Caleb look so handsome in their hats?  

And this kid … he was literally climbing the fence to get in there with the pigs.  He is so ready.  Daddy is so ready to have his kids in the arena too.  CR's pigs did really well this year.  Grand Champion overall, Grand of 3 breeds and Reserve in one.  Decent placings in each class with the rest.  Overall, the best year Patrick Farms Show Pigs has had yet.  

"…that you be filled with all the fullness of God."  Ephesians 3:19

Oh my Darlings ….

Caught her in a still moment ….

Then she saw I was taking a picture.  I have never seen her smile like this before and thought, "Who does she look like here?"

Patton and Kirby in action on their playground.  He is loving the swing from GG.

Later I took a selfie (I just thought the one last week was my last one ever!) to show my mom my hair, and thought our smiles looked similar.

Not sure if you have heard of the site Sevenly, but I highly suggest you keep up with them.  They are a company that chooses a new charity each week.  Whatever charity they are helping that week, they donate $7 cash for every purchase made.  They have some really neat designs and help every cause you can think of.  I subscribe to their emails so I know which charity they are helping that week.  This shirt is from December and they were giving to Operation Christmas Child that week.  I loved the design, wore it on Christmas, and still feel it is appropriate to wear.  Give … give your love, your time, your heart … give your life to the Lord and be his servant here on earth.  Give your extra.  Give your all to whatever you do.  Just give, and you will be so surprised how blessed you are.  

Next up on the blog … Patton turned one on Monday.  Stay tuned.

I am too old school

I hate going shopping anymore.  I am not talking about grocery shopping.  I am talking about shopping for clothes for me.  Everything has changed so much.  It has been an extremely long time since I went shopping for me.  I have the same jeans, shirts and pants that I have had since early college.  I just like traditional, simple stuff.  I try the trends, and usually only wear them once or send them back.  Last year I finally got rid of some of my high school clothes.  And I recently donated anything that was too big or I hadn't worn in the last year.  Some still had tags on them.  I order some things online here and there and I follow a really cute boutique from Montgomery on Facebook (go check out Ruthie Grace) so I order stuff from there every once in awhile.  Everything has changed so much in stores though … yesterday I spent hours trying to find one pair of jeans.  Every sign I read and every pair I tried on was skinny, super skinny, low, ultra low, stretch or super stretch.  What happened to button fly blue jeans?  What happened to boot cut that covered your rear?  What happened to just blue jean material, also known as denim, and not spandex?!!  And do not even get me started on the dresses.  The sales people look at me and say, "Oh didn't work?"  "No ma'am, quite a bit shorter than I am comfortable with …"  "Oh, just add tights."  No thanks, still doesn't cover.   Ok, rant over - I will just live in my boots, 10 year old jeans, and workout clothes.  Thanks and gig em'.

Yesterday while I was shooting mini sessions, getting my hair cut, and trying to revive my wardrobe, my kiddos were playing at Granny and Daddy Ray's house   CR was taking care of them:

And then today after church was hair cut day for the crew … CR got his beard and hair trimmed, Kirby got her bangs trimmed, and Patton got his first hair cut too:

"Behold, you are beautiful, my love, behold, you are beautiful…"  Song of Solomon 4:1a

Girls, remember that … you are beautiful.  You don't have to wear the ultra low, ultra skinny, super stretch jeans or the super short dresses.  You are beautiful, in every single way.  You are beautiful and the way God designed you.  Learn it, believe it, know it.  All by God's grace and for His glory!

Survival Mode

Last night was a terrible sleep night.  Right as we were turning off the tv in our room (around 11), Kirby comes walking in and says she needs to go potty.  Too late … she was already soaked.  CR took her to the potty and I cleaned up her bed.  I told CR I would lay down with her to help her get back to sleep … bad idea.  It is never a good idea for me to lay down with her anymore.  Not sure if there is such a thing, but she loves me too much.  She will sit in there and rub my hair, kiss my cheek, squeeze my neck (all of which I adore) for hours if I let her.  I do not know how she does not get sleepy.  So after an hour of that, I finally gave in to let her watch a little bit of a television show to get her sleepy again.  Well, about 5 minutes into her show Patton starts wailing.  Oh ya, forgot to mention in the meantime CR had gone to sleep in our nice, warm, cozy bed.  The monitor is in our room so I thought to my self, "Self, don't go get Patton.  CR is in there and he can get up and help."  20 minutes went by and he was still snoozing away (God love em').  I came in to our room to make sure the monitor was on and to see what Patton was doing.  He was standing up so I decided to give in and check on him.  I start to make him a bottle and CR says from the bedroom, "Do I need to go get him?"  "No dear, I have it but you can come but Kirby back to bed."  "Ok …"  That was the last I heard from him.  Ha.  I wish I could sleep like that.  Gave Patton a bottle and he went back down.  Kirby's turn … she thought both of them being up on the coach with mommy at 12:30 was funny.  I did not find the humor in it at all.  S calm Kirby back down, drag to her room and she finally falls asleep around 2 and I crawl into our cozy warm bed at 2:05.  Kirby comes in at 5:30 ready to start her day, like she hadn't just fallen asleep 3 1/2 short hours ago.

So to say the least, today I was just in survival mode.  I knew I had to have my quiet time first thing or it would probably  be a disaster.  I needed my Savior to be my hands, feet, and heart today.  I need Him everyday, but I knew I reallllllyyy needed Him today.

 We did our homework … 

 They love each other.  The face that Patton is doing, Kirby started doing at this same age.  I think it's cute and wondered why they both do/did it ...

 Then I realized it with these next 2 pictures.  Apparently I do it all the time.  

 Patton loves his new swing that his great-grandma gave him for Christmas.  And Kirby thinks it's hilarious that he can swing with us now.  

 She was showing off her princess dress and her rubber boots.

 Then she had to get the hair out of face.

 This was a very peaceful ending to a very tired day for momma.  But we survived by His graces!

"He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak."  Isaiah 40:29

Siblings and a bag

This morning Kirby went up to the barn with CR.  When she came back I was on the phone with the insurance company, but I was able to over hear her conversation with Patton and take a quick picture.  She walked in, sat down on the floor by his high chair and said, "Hey buddy, I'm back, I was working cows."  Judge now, but I put Patton in his high chair watching My Baby Can Read while I am on the phone for his safety.  

By the way, this new insurance stuff is for the birds.  Hopefully you have not had to deal with anything … I guess since we were in the doctor and pharmacy so soon into the new year, they weren't actually "ready" for us.  Here is your CHANGE Mr. Obama - keep it … we want nothing of it.  Just LEAVE US ALONE.  Let's just say I was on the phone for a total of 3 hours today dealing with different divisions - one hour and forty-five minutes of that was on hold!!!!

Then my camera bag came in that I have had my eyes on for almost 3 years now.  Mom and Dad know how to Christmas shop for their little girl.  Yes, I will always be their little girl.

After we came in from walking to get the mail and playing outside, the kids were playing in the living room while I was making lunch.  I looked over and Kirby was showing Patton how to fix a tractor.  Yes, he is standing by himself.  No, he is not walking yet, just scooting around the furniture like sister did.  I am completely ok with that … she did it until she was 15 months old and never fell down.  I love how they are starting to play together.  I hope they continue to grow closer and closer as they grow older.  Another fun thing Patton likes to do is give you something, hear you say thank you, and then let you give it back to him.  He laughs and laughs.  

"Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you." 

 Ephesians 4:32

Our little hunter

A good friend of ours gave Kirby this darling outfit the other day.  It was a "feels like hunting" weather  day so I decided to let her wear it to school today.  While she was getting dressed she informed me she was going hunting with daddy.  

Tricks are for kids

This morning Patton and I were the only ones awake at 6 am.  I have been working with him the last few days to actually give a kiss and a hug.  Well, at 6:03 he nailed it … and laughed harder than I have ever heard him laugh.  So all day today we were practicing … it is his new favorite thing to do.

And this is just me …. on one of my photography forums (which I looooove being a part of by the way) they started a weekly challenge and the first week was to take a selfie and tell a little bit about yourself.  Well, I thought all day Sunday and Monday surely I would put on some makeup, do my hair a little and get in clothes other than spandex pants and a sweatshirt … did not happen.  Thank you good Mary Kay moisturizer and dry shampoo to help me feel just a little bit confident to snap a pic.  Hopefully last selfie ever … those are so 2013.  But I thought this captured ME … this is me on most days.  I shower at night because we are in and out of the house all day feeding cows and pigs, riding bikes and the stroller, I workout when I can, and we LIVE each day - I do not have time to do it both morning and night, so night it is.  Sometimes I do end up at least "fixing" my hair better and putting on makeup, but normally no.  When I do have to go out in public, I am a boots and jeans girl.  I love the smell of leather, reminds me of my cowboy, and I drink coffee too often (is there such a thing?).  This mug says my heart … it is full of joy.  

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds,  because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance."  James 1:23

Today's snap

We were bored and freezing, so we loaded up in the car with the heated seats on.  CPS: I was on private property the whole time.  He helped me get the mail and let the bulls out into the oat patch.  He is going to make a hand!

"Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it." 

Proverbs 22:6

These are the moments

So my goal for my blog is to at least do a picture and sentence a day.  I went back the other night and made a blurb book (will tell you how I like once I get mine in) from Instagram and phone pictures and it would have been much easier to just do a blog to print.  I have always wanted to scrapbook, but do I really have time for that?  I have 2 drawers FULL of pictures and things to add to a book …. hmmm. So instead, I will blog book or blurb book every year so my kiddos have something to look back on.  And possibly think their mom is either the coolest or the dorkiest.  Probably the later, but I am ok with that.

Catching up:

January 1st

My spiritual walk goals are to actually finish reading through the Bible in a year and to be more of a helper to my husband.

January 2nd

 Tio taught Kyleigh and grammy how to play 42 while they visited.  Kyleigh loved the game so much she wanted to play all the days.

January 3rd

 Patton pulls all the way up and starts to scoot along the couch while holding on.  

January 4th

 The docs first trip to the doctor in 2014 … only 4 days into the new year.  She is the best patient.

 After being sick for over a week, I decided to bundle him up and take him outside for fresh air.  Guess it worked because this morning he woke up a new person!

January 5th

Kirby walked in to my office with her brother's (12 month) overalls on and said, "Thank you mommy, I love my new outfit."

These are the moments 
I thank God that I'm alive 
These are the moments 
I'll remember all my life 

Welcome 2014 … when did you get here?

Is anyone else as baffled as I am about how in the world it is already January 5th, 2014.  I already failed at one of my goals for the year, which was to blog a sentence and a picture every night.  Maybe starting tonight … even though this will be more than a sentence.

Our year has started off in the sick zone!  The Monday before Christmas I had a 24 hour bug that felt like death - it was a low grade fever and I did not want to move.  Then December 26th (while visiting my parents) Kirby Rose came down with a 48 hour stomach bug, which let me tell you made for a fun drive home.  Thankfully she never got sick in the car, but just moaned and groaned the last 3 hour leg of the trip.  The morning after we got home, Patton woke up with a low grade fever.  I had heard from my sister the night before, and her youngest daughter had been diagnosed with the flu and croup - yay, we were around her all week.  So I ran Patton in to the dr to be on the safe side.  Even though they did not do a flu test, the doc ensured me it was just a virus that would get worse before it got better.  Boy, was he ever right.  I do not think I have ever been so scared for one of my kiddos as I was Saturday night.  Patton's fever got up to 104.2.  It never broke, but did drop some.  You better believe I was back in the next morning for them to flu swab.  It was the same doctor who was on call Saturday, so he was a little annoyed I was back in, but I really wanted him to be tested to be certain it was not the flu.  He made me feel like a real winner, pointing out "his ears are still clear … his flu test did come back negative".  Look bud, I don't care if you think I am some bat crazy mom who is president of Hypocondriaville … when it comes to my babies I want to be 100% certain … and I am pretty sure I pay your mortgage with the amount of visits we have in here.  So you are welcome.  Today, a week later, is the first day Patton has acted normal again.  Then CR came down with the bug that next Monday.  Back to Kirby, who came down with it and an ear infection Friday evening.  Whew.  Join me in praying that this will not be how the rest of 2014 will go.  We are a healthy family most of the time.  This has just totally whacked us out!

2013 was such a different year for us.  My favorite moment, of course, would have to be adding Patton Luke to our family ….

CR knew all along it was going to be a boy, and I had my notions that it was, but when I got to hold him for the first time it finally sunk that we had a little boy.  I have always wanted a boy.  I always wanted an older brother, or a younger brother, or an adoptive brother … finally God placed one in my arms.  

My least favorite moment of 2013 was losing Dat, CR's grandfather.  We all knew it would be coming sooner than later, but you are still never ready.  Al Cave was such a neat man, and from the minute I met him, I felt like one of his grandchildren.  He always called me his granddaughter and it made me feel so warm inside.  He had a giving heart … so much so that we ended up with his dining room table as our dining room table now.  It is a piece of him that we get to see, use, and feel everyday in our home.

Adjusting to a family of 4 was not easy.  Looking back through some of my selfies (yes, I took some of those things) I almost looked depressed.  I would not go as far as diagnosing myself with post pardum depression, but I may have been closer than I realized.  Lack of sleep, not eating well, and not being able to take time for myself I am sure took its toll on my heart.  Thankfully, I realized I was in a funk and that it was interfering with so much of us (not just me), that I started to make the change to get back to Lauren.  Praise the Lord for opening my eyes and heart to that.  

Kirby started coming into our bed as soon as we gave the crib to Patton.  We were too tired (with already being up for night feedings) to deal with it so CR just put her in bed with us.  Start your judging stares now … but we all got sleep.  However, now it is an every night thing.  For those of you with young babies or who have yet to have kids, take the advice "do not start what you don't want to be".  Kids thrive on routine.  Kirby is the epitome of that.  If you do it a certain way once, it has to be that same way all the time.  all.  the.  time.  What is funny, is that there is no certain time that she comes in - she comes in at 11 or 5; 1 or 3.  Why in the world does she wake up??  No clue.  

This farm year was odd too.  It was the longest harvest that wasn't.  We only had a few fields that actually made anything.  So, because we are farmers and have to make ends meet somehow, we took on every hay bailing job we could.  Farmers bale their grain stalks (it is amazingly good nutrients for the cattle), so we had a plethora of grain stubble bailing.  And then we added quite a few cattle to our herd.  And then we planted oats.  And then we had to fence the oats.  Let's just say that October-January has been busier than some of our summer harvests all together!  Living on a farm, you never leave your work … kind of like a home business, which I own as well, so work is always there.  This year we have had to be purposeful about not working to death … it is always there, so that is a very hard thing to not do.  Something always has to be done, fed, locked up, edited, blogged, accounted for, filed, calf pulled, tractor fixed, or cows that need to be put back up.  In order for your family not to feel as though they are second fiddle, you have to chose.  

2013 was a huge time of growth in the Lord for me.  I had to rely on Him more than ever before for strength to get through each day.  I had to dig deep to break free from some things that have bound me up and anchored me down from growth for a long time.  I had to come to terms with things in my life and forgive myself for some of them.  I had to overcome the idea of not being the mom of the year.  I had to accept that many things are out of my control and remind myself constantly that my Maker knows about tomorrow.  And loves me anyway.  

I am looking forward to 2014, just like I look forward to each and every new day.  "His mercies are new every morning …" and I am so thankful for that.  I look forward to actually completing my second half-marathon at the end of this year in College Station.  I look forward to making changes in my business that will free up more time for my family while still meeting our financial goals.  I look forward to my 8th year of marriage to the man of my dreams.  I look forward to watching my children grow in the Lord.  I look forward to watching CR become even more of the man that God has planned for him to be.  I look forward to digging even deeper in the Bible as I try to read through it again - 2013 I got the closest I have ever gotten, but still was a few books short.  I look forward to meeting the babies of friends and family that I have been praying for over the last few years.  I look forward to what God has in store for each and everyone that I know … stay tuned each day as I will post a picture a sentence a day.  I will … it's in writing, so it must be true.  

"Create in me a pure heart, O God,

    and renew a steadfast spirit within me."  Psalm 51:10