New Year's Eve

We haven't done anything for New Year's Eve in years and we were so excited to actually have plans this year.  We went back and forth about what we wanted to do.  I wanted to go bowling, no one else seemed excited about that.  Patrick called one day and said Sister Hazel was playing at the Alabama Theatre for their 90th birthday celebration.  I love any excuse to go to the Alabama Theatre and I was excited to get to dress up.  We made plans to go with Jeremy, Jessica, Brittany and Seth. 

We were all really excited until we realized how late midnight is, and how old we were.  So I made a giant iced coffee while I was getting ready.  You know you're old when your pregame for the pregame is coffee.

Funny story, Brittany and I both kind of stalked this sequin dress at Target all December long.  We wanted it but had no where to wear it and knew it would be silly to buy.  Well when we decided we'd be spending NYE at the beautiful Alabama Theatre I knew sequins would be perfect so I went back and grabbed up the last one.

We met at Jeremy and Jessica's house for pizza and drinks before the show.  We decided to all ride together and Jessica offered to be the DD

Meanwhile, back at my parents house the kids were partying hard.

Every year.  Oh that little NYE newborn.  I can't believe how quickly the time has passed.

We walked in just as Taylor Hicks was starting his set.  I loved him on American Idol.  I love that he loves Birmingham and he's a really good performer.

After his set he had a little meet and greet in the lobby, I didn't go get in line but I did see him taking pictures with fans. Just a super nice guy.

We're so excited to be out with grownups!  Also we're tired.

Sister Hazel was great.  Took me right back to middle school.  It was a fun little time warp.  The quit playing around 11:30 to give everyone enough time to go outside and countdown to the lighting of the new "Alabama" sign on 18th street.  It was freezing so we killed time taking pictures in the lobby.

Jeremy and Jessica

Brittany and Seth

Patrick and me.

Then we made the guys take our picture.

Then we made them let us take their picture.

With the Alabama sign that's always been there.

And the new one!

Group shot!

Both signs all lit up!

We quickly got to the car because it was so cold.  We headed back to Jeremy and Jessica's house, ate more pizza and then headed home.  It was such a fun night and the perfect way to close out a banner year welcome in a new one.  2017 was good to me.  I learned a lot about myself.  I'm so proud of all the progress I made.  I'm so excited looking forward to all 2018 has in store.  It's going to be a great one!

Last week of 2016 & NYE

We had a wonderful week between Christmas and the New Year! Can I just say that I love when Christmas is on a Sunday!! I love the four day weekend, I was just perfect!  We worked Tuesday-Friday.  Mainly just getting the office cleaned up and ready for a new year.

This sweet girl loves her beauty and the beast tea set. 

She rarely falls asleep on me anymore.  This was so sweet!

While brother plays on his new swingset she tries to pick everything off the ground and eat it.

I feel like it's rained nearly every day since Christmas.  There was one clear day and we took full advantage of it.

Barrett got a new tool set for Christmas and he's been working on everything around the house all week. 

He definitely never falls asleep on me anymore so this was a real treat!

We went over to Matt and Jennifer's house to watch the Alabama game Saturday.  The Moore's came too.  Barrett and Jackson were obsessed with the cat.  The cat was not obsessed with them.  At one point they were just sitting and waiting for him to come out so they could take his picture with their tablets.  It was a fun night celebrating the big "W".  We're headed to the National Championship again!

We headed home to watch the ball drop.

I had to get a picture of my girl in her cute elephant hat.  I bought this hat when I was pregnant with Barrett (the bow comes off).  I love that she got to wear it too.

Every NYE I'm reminded of that first week at home with out tiny newborn baby.  He was on the bili-light and he got to come off of it at midnight NYE so while the rest of the time zone counted down to the new year we counted down to getting to take him off the light.  I can't believe how quickly the time has passed.  Now we have two precious babies.  2016 was crappy for a lot of people but for us it was pretty special.  Patrick started a new job, we had our baby girl, Barrett started K3 and we went to Disney World.  It was so much fun!  I can't wait to see what 2017 holds!

New Year, New You?

I love a new year, a fresh start.  I really like to have my house clean and put together going into the new year but this year I'll just have to settle for a clean refrigerator (all thanks to Patrick).  I don't usually set big New Year's goals, this year I did.  They aren't huge goals but I did jot down some things to keep me accountable and give me some things to work towards in 2017. 

I'm a pencil and paper planner girl.  I've tried to use the electronic one and it just isn't for me.  I like to write things down and mark them off.  I saw this planner on someone's Instagram feed and I loved it.  It's by Ink and Volt and I feel like it was made for me.

It has places to list your goals!!!  I'm in love.  At the very beginning you outline your overall theme for the year.  (Mine is ME, not in a selfish way but in a take care of myself so I can better care for others way).

Then there's a monthly goal list.  The page on the right is to make one commitment for 30 days and you can mark the days off at the bottom.  I love this.

Then you can list your weekly goals.  I can't tell you how much this list maker loves this.  I have goals for my goals!

You also have the month at a glance

And finally each week is sectioned off into days and morning, afternoon and night for each day.

So hopefully this will keep my to do lists in check and keep me from feeling completely overwhelmed!

Like I said my overall theme for this year is ME.  I want to eat better to fuel my body, not just because it tastes good, I want to get moving.  In another 30 years I'll wish I hadn't taken for granted what I could do.  I want to be better organized (que the planner) and finally I plan to read through the entire Bible. 

I got the one year Bible (it's not the chronological one like I thought, I guess I read that one next year).  I also got the abundant life devotional out that my sister in law gave me a couple of years ago right after I had my miscarriage.  I wanted to read it coming from a place of thanksgiving instead of grieving.  I feel like I can learn even more from it now.

Another random thing I'm trying to do, for the last two years I've posted a picture a day on Instagram, this year instead of doing that I've decided to write a little something about the day in a journal.  Lame? Maybe but I think it'll be neat.

These are all such cliché goals but they're my goals this year and if that's what it takes to light a fire under my behind then so be it. 

New Years Eve & New Years Day

We had a fun New Years Eve.  We both worked and when Barrett woke up from his nap we went to my brother's house for my niece's birthday.  Unfortunately we missed the party but we did enjoy hanging out with them for a bit.  Around 7:30 we left there to head to the big New Year's eve celebration at Buffalo Wild Wings.  They had a great area set up for kids and it was all free.  They had hot chocolate and you could roast marshmallows.  The had a few inflatables and a photo booth too.  Barrett was still a little young to enjoy it.  It was freezing too and I didn't dress him warm enough.

The had fireworks at 9:00.  We got in the car to watch them because I was afraid Barrett would be scared, which he was.

Jessica and Jackson sat in the truck with us so the boys could watch together.  They were sweet.

We headed home after the fireworks.

I love this little ham.  (also I'm still obsessed with the spray tan!)

Family NYE photo. 

Three NYE with our little guy.  I can't believe how tiny he was.  He was just 6 days old in 2012.
New Year's Day we got up and went to Mass and then to Publix.  (Have I mentioned how much I love Publix? Because I love it!)  We came home and watched football.  Then we headed to Matt's house to watch the Sugar Bowl.  Our Tide hasn't done well in the Sugar Bowl in recent years so I was a little nervous.  We had to win to advance to the National Championship game.  

We lost.  It was sad.  But I keep telling myself we have had way worse seasons.  It's sad that for the first time since 2005 there won't be an SEC team playing for the title.  

This guy was a trooper.  It was way past his bedtime and he was so good.  He did fall asleep in my lap for a little while.  We left with 2 minutes left to play in the game when we were down by a touchdown and it didn't look like we were going to get another possession.  Well we ended up getting the ball back and had a pretty great drive that I was listening to on the radio.  I thought I was going to have to pull over I was so nervous.  We threw a hail mary and it was intercepted and that was the ball game.  It's still been a great season.  I'm proud of my team.

Happy New Year

We had a great New Year's eve and New Year's day.  We got take out Mexican and enjoyed the night together watching football.  Last year Barrett was just a week old and we were so new at this parenting thing.  This year it was fun to just relax and enjoy the family time.  I can't believe how much Barrett has grown.

Isn't he the cutest in his little hat. 

I love these pictures!

My only resolution this year is to stay on top of photo organization.  I can't decide if I'm going to have them printed and put in albums or just have a book printed at the end of the year.  Either way I don't want it to be November and I'm trying to go through thousands of pictures and organize them for a calendar.

We're settling in to watch the Tide Roll in the Sugar Bowl, wishing we were in New Orleans!

Happy New Year!

We were so sad we missed getting to go bowling to celebrate my sweet niece Ava's 9th birthday.  I can't believe she's 9 years old!

We spent a quite night at home counting down to midnight to ring in the New Year and celebrate Barrett getting off the bili light!  It was a perfect night.  Everytime I think about the past week, I am overwhelmed with joy.  We were sitting in our big cozy living room chair last night, watching Dick Clark's New Years Rocking Eve as a family of 3 (well 4, Ally was snuggled in there too!) and I just cried.  I'm pretty sure it's still the hormones but I just couldn't help it.  In that moment life was perfect!  It was one of those moments that you've pictured for your life for years and here it was completely real. 

Sweet baby. We have the new parent look of exhaustion glow! I love this one.  Barrett looks like he's at a rock concert with those hands in the air. 2013 has a lot to live up!  There's no way we'll top 2012 but I can't wait to try!