Lately

Here's a random collection of what we've been up to lately.  

This is a terrible picture but this is always one of my favorite trees each Fall.  It's always so vibrant and beautiful.

I'd been promising Barrett we would go for a little hike at the GUTS trail.  Every day we'd planned to go it was raining.  So we finally had a beautiful Saturday morning to hike.  I made this fun scavenger hunt to kind of give us some fun things to look for.  Patrick had to work so we called my dad to see if he wanted to go with us.  (Thankfully he did because AveryAnn wanted to be carried the whole time)

Barrett found this giant leaf.  It was huge.  We still aren't sure which tree it fell from.

AveryAnn was not impressed with all the nature.

It was a perfect morning!  We can't wait to do it again.  We're also excited to try some other local trails.

That night Alabama was playing LSU.  I'd asked my dad if he was making muffalettas for the game.  Ask and ye shall receive.  So yummy!  We went to my parents to watch the game.  It was a good time.

Tuesday was election day!  I love getting to vote.  I always take the kids so they get to see how our great nation works.  They were very proud!

I mean if you don't take a picture with your sticker does your vote even count?

Barrett had to disguise Tom the turkey this week for school.  I let him have full control.  He hates to color so I felt like this was pretty good.  I wanted to add a cape but was quickly told Spiderman doesn't wear a cape.

I got an influencer Vox Box this week too.  I love free stuff!

This girl has had a runny nose/cough for a few days now.  She randomly ran a fever for about 4 hours and acted pitiful.  Then all of a sudden she got up and felt better and her fever was gone.  It was so weird.

I love this picture so much.  We were at a birthday party for one of his classmates.  This picture could not be more inaccurate of how his time at the party actually went.  He cried when we got there because he was nervous, then he cried (I mean wailed) because he didn't get to hit the pinata.  Then they made slime but it didn't really turn out and he was mad because we had to leave and he didn't get to play in the kids area.  But I still love this picture so much!

 After the birthday party we had to hurry home and I changed clothes and got the kids stuff together because they were going to stay with my parents so I could go to the UAB game with Brittany.  Long story short, my parents had to go keep my brothers kids because of a family emergency so I called Patrick's parents and they were able to keep the kids.  I'm so thankful for family that lives close and will literally drop everything to keep our kids.  I know not everyone is that lucky!  

I had this green sweatshirt so I threw it on with my gold leather feather earrings for the game because I have to wear team colors.  Not that it mattered because it was 35 degrees and I was wearing a coat and scarf and bundled up with blankets.   

Because of baseball season (and life), I hadn't gotten to hang out with Brittany in over a month.  This is not like us at all.  So I was so excited to get to hang out with her (and Seth).  Now, we talk to each other and video message each other more times than either of us care to admit every day.  She is a one of a kind friend and it was so good for my soul to get to hang out.  (Even if it was freezing!)  The game was so good.  UAB is having an amazing season, they ended up winning in over time! I love a good football game.

Patrick has to work every UAB football game.  I was probably overly excited to get to see him at work.  He doesn't have to do much during the game so he was able to come sit with us for a little while.   It was a really fun night! 

Barrett was out of school yesterday for Veteran's Day.  He really wanted to go to the office to see Steven and Millie so we went by for a visit.  It was pouring down rain and so cold all day.  The perfect day to stay in your pajamas all day long.  After we left the office they wanted to go look at the pets at the pet store so we did that.  They were so sweet and loved seeing all the animals.  

I'm finally getting back into working out and it feels really good.  I've just been in a funk lately.  I don't know if I've even talked about this but I got laid off from my job at the beginning of October.  I am now just running the sign business.  I've never wanted to be a business owner.  It's been a stressful 6 weeks trying to navigate my new situation.  There are a lot of perks to being your own boss.  The financial part is obviously the most stressful.  I'm not great with money.  Anyway, all that to say, I'm thankful for the 10 years I had at the job, I'm also thankful for the opportunity to own and run my own company even if it's not exactly what I saw myself doing.  I'm really learning what it means to trust in God and his provisions.  Which is not always easy, but I know it's worth it.  I never really felt like I got my identity from my job.  It wasn't a career, it was just a job.  But I've felt so out of place for the last 6 weeks.  I don't really know how to explain it.  I know it'll all work out and be fine, it's just hard to remember that every day.