28

Today I turned 28 years old.  Really? 28?  I don't feel old enough to be 28.  I think in my mind I will perpetually be 24.  I don't know why but 24 is the number that always comes to mind when someone asks me my age.  This has been a big year for me.  I've done things that I knew I wanted to do but wasn't sure I was strong enough.  In some ways I feel like life really began this year with the birth of Barrett.  It's so true that a baby changes everything.  I've had a really great weekend.  My boss and I share a birthday week so we had ice cream cake Friday to celebrate.  Then at book club we had more ice cream cake. 

Those girls were so sweet to remember my birthday!  (Which, I've been a book club slacker.  I've not read the last two books and I really wanted too, I just didn't.  It's my goal to catch up before we take a break for the holidays)  Today Patrick, Barrett and I went to Tuscaloosa for the day {separate post coming}. 

If you've been around here a while you know that I try to set goals on my birthday each year (kinda like a New Year resolution but for my birthday year.)

You can read last years goals here.  I kept it simple last year because I really didn't know how life would change. 

This years goals.

• Let go a little.  I've been so worried about meeting other peoples expectations that I spread myself to thin sometimes and it puts a strain on me and my little family.  I don't want them to suffer because I'm afraid to disappoint someone.  It's okay to miss a tea or book club if I need to be with my family and recharge.  It's also okay if Barrett and I don't have an outfit to match every holiday. 
• I also want to do little things for others.  (which kinda contradicts the first statement but hear men out.)  Simple things like sending a birthday card in the mail.
• I want to soak up every little moment with my baby boy.  By my next birthday he'll be 18 months old. (and I'll be 29 ouch)
• Spend weekly quality time with Patrick.  In the new chaos of like he's kinda been pushed to the back burner.  I want to make him feel special too.  Even if it's just letting him run the remote sometimes and not complaining about what he chooses.  (which is really hard for me)
• Get on a good cleaning schedule so I don't feel like my house is always dirty and I'm always cleaning.  

Hopefully I can work on these things and simplify and enjoy life.  Even if it is chaos most of the time.

Getting to know you...

(I don't know why this button is showing up weird in my post.  It looks normal in the draft. Ugh.)

1. What part of the state do you call home?  

We live in Northern Jefferson county, the Gardendale, Morris area.

2. How long have you been blogging? 

4 years

3. Why did you start blogging?

I wanted an outlet to record my feelings and to scrapbook our lives.  We had been married for almost a year and I realized that I was terrible at getting photos printed, dated and into albums and I thought this was a fun way to keep track of life.

4. What is your favorite part of being a member of the Alabama Women Bloggers community?
I like seeing my state through other women's eyes.  I hope to connect with women in my area and season of life.

5. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Wow, in 5 years Barrett will be in Kindergarten.  Hopefully we'll have another kid (or two) by then.  We will have been married 10 years.  I expect to be living life, raising my kids and enjoying my family.  Nothing to crazy.  

6. If you could choose an actress to play you in your life, who would you choose and why?

I would choose Sandra Bullock.  I love her and I like to think we have similar personalities. Although I'm sure she is way cooler than me.

7. Name 5 things on your Bucket List that you hope you’ll check off before you die?

-See the Grand Canyon

-Travel to Hawaii

-Retire on a body of water (hopefully the lake)

-See my kids fulfill their dreams.

-See Alabama play (ideally win) in all 12 (14) SEC stadiums.

8. If you could be known for one thing, what would it be and why?
Kindness.  I truly try to live by the golden rule.
Can you imagine how much better this world would be if everyone just treated everyone the way they wanted to be treated?!?  I want my son to be kind and to treat others with kindness.

9. Describe the best moment in your life.
So far...the moment Barrett was placed in my arms for the first time.  Before Barrett was born I would have said receiving my diploma from Alabama and marrying my husband.

10. If you could “be” anything (no consequences, no fear), what would you “be”?
This question really got my thinking.  I've always wanted to be a mom and a wife.  That was always my biggest goal in life but if I could be anything I think I'd like to be a professional photographer.  Traveling the world, taking pictures of beautiful places.  Or I'd like to be in Broadcasting, ideally on the 4th hour of the today show with Hoda and Kathie Lee.  They seem to have so much fun!

11. What or who inspires you to blog?

My family.  I started blogging for me (and I still do) but I love having a journal for my kids to see one day and my family gets to follow along day by day.

12. We’re headed to your neck of the woods… what restaurant would you recommend?
There are to many restaurants to mention in the Birmingham area so I'll focus on Gardendale.  If you find yourself in our area for lunch you have to stop by Our Place.  Try the chicken salad sandwich or the Evelyn's special with a side of ranch.  They have the best ranch on earth.

13. What’s a southern tradition you and your family have?
I'm not really sure.  We have a lot of traditions but I don't know if any of them are specifically southern.  My parents cook a big lunch on Sundays and we eat together after church most weeks.  (Well I eat with them most Sundays everyone else is out of town so they aren't there every week) We tailgate for Alabama football games in the fall.  We drink a lot of sweet tea.  Since I've had Barrett I feel like I way more Southern just in the way I dress and parent him.

14. If you could pick your favorite blog post from your blog this year, what would it be?
Definitely Barrett's birth story.  My Mother's Day post was a special one.  I also love all of Barrett's monthly growth posts.  I promise I blogged before Barrett, a couple of my favorite posts from then...Saying goodbye to my college house and Patrick's truck.

15. We all love social media, tell us your links so we can follow you!
Twitter & Instagram @MaggieMHorton

Ally Bama Horton

Not long after we got married I new I wanted a puppy. I actually had talked about it before we got married!! I new that I wanted a little poodle. My family had a teacup poodle growing up and he was the best dog we ever had. We all loved him so much. Patrick works nights so I wanted one that would sit a watch tv with me but also have some personality! That is exactly what we got. We already had two big dogs but Patrick wouldn't let me let them in the house. He has never had an inside dog so he didn't really know what to expect. I think he was pleasantly surprised. He loves her more than he would ever admit. She goes everywhere that we are allowed to take her. She goes to work with me everyday. She goes to our parents houses, she goes to our friends houses. She is like our child only we can leave her at home when we need to. She is just enough responsibility for us right now. We would like to wait 2 or 3 years before we have children so Ally is our baby for now!

This is Gracie my 6 year old black lab. We've been through a lot together. I hit her with my car when she was only 5 months old she had to have very expensive surgery. She survived almost a whole year at Alabama with me. Then she moved back home to live with my mom and dad until I finished school. She is very hyper and will get our of any pin you put her in but she is so sweet and so good with kids. I have so many pictures of my neice Ava laying all over her. This is Sam. He is Patricks 105 pound yellow lab. He is the biggest baby. In this picture I actually am in the kitchen and he has is nose and mouth pressed up against the glass door. He is a great dog. He does exactly what you tell him when you tell him. He and Gracie have become best of friends.
These are all of out babies.

It's All about Me!

Since I am new to the blogging world I wanted to introduce myself a bit.

I am Maggie Maxwell Horton. I married Patrick on March 28, 2008. We had a beautiful wedding and reception at the church I grew up in, St Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church.

It was truly a magical day. I can't thank our parents enough for everything they did to mkae it happen! For our honeymoon we rented a little house in a retirement community in Rotunda West, Florida, it is about an hour south of Tampa. We had to drive about 10 minutes to the beach but it was worth it. Each day we went to a different beach, one day we drove to Tampa and went to Busch Gardens. I didn't know Patrick was afraid of roller coasters until then! This is just one of the many things I would learn about him this year! One day we drove clear across Florida to Palm Beach to rub elbows with the rich and famous! It was a beautiful place! We had a blast.

The cups were given out at the wedding as favors and were a huge hit! Patrick and I met through my older brother. Whose name is also Patrick! They are the same age and went to school together and became really good friends 5 or 6 years ago.
Now for my family. I come from a very large family. My mother has 4 brothers and 2 sisters. There are 12 grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren. We are pretty close to most of them. I have 2 brothers and 1 sister. My older brother Patrick is married and has four beautiful children.

From left to right: Ava (5), Porter (21 months), Drew (8), and Harper (7 months).

My younger sister is a junior at The University of Alabama. People have thought we were twins for years. I don't really think we look that much alike but others would disagree! She is my best friend. She is the over achiever and wants to please everyone no matter what it takes. We shared a room most of our lives and we got our own rooms when I was 16 then while I was finishing my last semester at Alabama my dad made us share a room again. We thought it was going to be awful but it turned out to be one of the best semesters ever. We laughed a lot and caught up on the years since we'd last shared a room. This picture was taken after Alabama beat Arkansas in 2007 in a nail biter.

This is my baby brother John. He is a freshmen at The Univeristy of Alabama. They share a house with my cousin. He is very smart but rarely uses it for good. He has a sweet little girlfriend. They've been dating for a while now. She just transfered to Alabama this semester. He is the typical baby. Just like in any family he gets away with everything.

These are my awesome parents. They truly are two of my best friends. They are there when I need them. They will always tell me like it is. They are supportive and I couldn't ask for anything more. I can be myself and don't have to hide a thing with them. That's not to say that we don't have our disagreements but we can usually respect each others opinion and just agree to disagree.

I guess this is all for now. I'm not through introducing myself but this will do for now!