Whew!

Oh How I have neglected this blog. I have and have had every intention of writing down EVERYTHING about my children. I feel like my mind is going crazy on most days. (okay, every day) I don't want to forget anything and it drives me crazy that my Baby is starting preschool on Wednesday! Brogan turned one on the 17th. He still isn't walking and I think I know why. Because his heart is so genuine and sweet. He just loves his mama and I DO NOT MIND THAT AT ALL!!! He is just precious! He would rather just be held. He knows that he will get there faster and he doesn't have to work at it. I have to say, he's pretty smart!

My Bryli is starting her second year of dance and her first year at Alpha! She's so good at dance and I have to admit, she just did not get that from me! She has some pretty fantastic aunts that can dance though... So its in her blood somewhere! :)

Braydon is just a sweet precious kind hearted boy! He and I have been butting heads a little lately but because he and I are so similar! I just love that he is his own person and he has a mind of his own. It will definitely help him out as he grows up. He is starting pre-school this year and I have to admit that I am sad. I am sad that I haven't taken full advantage of him!! There are so many memories to be made and so many that I feel like I missed out on! I know God has blessed me and Blake with a little boy that saved our lives and showed us love. God will continue to bless our time together.

I have really been praying about time-management and doing everything. Obviously, I can't do EVERYTHING. But I do strive to do the best I can at the things that I can get done. I went and listened to a speaker at church on Sunday at Girl's Night Out and she spoke about the Feminine Biblical Prospective. And goodness, it was great! I could so relate to everything she said. The thing that spoke the loudest was that my house is only being judged by me. When someone just "pops" in, they aren't thinking about anything but is it homey there?? is it comfortable? I know that personally I don't go to other peoples houses to look for their messes! I look for the love that they show others. I think I'm going to make a sign to remind myself that my house doesn't have to be perfect. just perfect in the love that it gives to others! I appreciate those times that I am humbled to my knees because where I am today was so not where I ever thought I would be now.

I got an email the other day about my 10 year reunion... WHOA! I can't believe that is coming up this next summer! I am now going to start working out so I can Look Good! :) No big deal though, I am not going on a massive diet, just to feel good! John 15:12, “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.”

kidisms :)

A few things I want to remember from my children:

Braydon: Whispers in my ear: Buenos Dias.... then he smiles :) I asked him what that meant and he laughs and grabs his tummy when he is rolling around laughing and says... Because it means Like a good neighbor, state farm is there! HA! who knew he even knew that jingle!

Bryli is so into God right now! (which I LOVE) she wakes up every day and asks me and tells me Jesus lives in our hearts and he loves us so much!!!

Brogan turned 9 months yesterday. I was laying him down and started kind of rocking him while I was walking and popped his head up and looked at me and started humming... So I started humming while I was rocking standing there. Then he pops his head up and starts patting my shoulder and humming while he is staring at me. So I do that and he just passes out. He sure does know what he wants...!

Catching up!

Playing Catch up!

A couple of weekends ago, we went to Ft. Worth, for many different things! It all started out as a trip to my friend Carrie's wedding and ended up being a fun family filled weekend! We did so many things when we got there! Went to Uncle Julio's (Fabulous Restaurant!) and a TCU baseball game, Bailey's new favorite Frozen Yogurt place, The fun train that goes over the river, The Ft. Worth Zoo, FUZZY'S!!, The Love Shack, and of Course the new Mrs. Smith's wedding! We had such a fun time! Braydon said when we were pulling into the house on the way back, "can we PPPPPLLLLEEEEEAAAAASSSSEEEEE go do that again? I had so much fun!" I'm so glad! I have to say though, we did have some fun people hanging out with us! Here's a few pictures! :


Me and the kids on the train that Aunt Bailey took us on!


Aunt Bailey and the two big kids


Me and my boys!


The Kids watching the TCU baseball game


Me & Blake


Braydon doing the TCU School Song at the end of the TCU game.


Daddy and Brogan :)


Our Family :)


"Monkey" Brady and Braydon and Bryli


Aunt Bailey holding Brogie :)


Blake and I before the wedding


Me and Elizabeth, one of my bestest friends from college! and I don't know how we got away from the zoo without a picture of her and me and the kids!


Mr. & Mrs. Smith and Tatiana! :) Carrie, you were a BEAUTIFUL bride!!

1 Peter 4:80
"Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins."

A Little of my life...

Good Morning!! I hope this post find everyone rested... because some people around here need to be rested to function! But, according to EACH one of my children... mama doesn't need to be rested, what are you talking about?? Mama doesn't sleep! HA! Last night, Brogan finally went to sleep about 10, just like every night. I had just gotten settled into my nice, warm, soft, comfy bed with my pillow that I stole from Blake (because it is the best pillow and soft and squishy!) before he got into bed... It was AMAZING!
Well, fast forward to 15 minutes later (mind you, I am completely passed out) Bryli comes to visit our bedroom... Take her back to bed.... Fast forward to 1:25, (after 4 other visits between) I hear, hey mama... good morning... I'm just hangin out... wanted to come see you! If you haven't guessed by now, she has figured out that she can reach her door handle and she thinks she can visit anyone in the middle of night! Places I found my daughter last night: The top of her brothers bunk bed, the top of the bar, in the pantry, sitting by Brogans pack in play in our room, and snuggled in beside me singing amazing grace to me while I am passed out! Ha! You have to love her adventurous spirit!!!

Little Bryli started Dance this last week! She is always dancing around the house, trying to teach her daddy what she learned... She always says that she had a blast!! I'm so happy for her!



We took Little Brogan to meet his Great Great Grandmother... I love my nana!! She is so sweet and amazing!! I am so glad she is here to meet little man!! I have the sweetest picture of them too!! Doesn't this picture show you the blessings of how much grandparents love their legacies... ?!?!?!



And this is Brogan and his Great Grandmother and Great Great Grandmother:



And this is his Gigi and his brother and sister, He is very loved!:



I love pictures that show the history and people in the lives of our children!! Family is the most important thing in the world!! Always hold tight to your family!! They are the only ones that love you.... No Matter What!! All your craziness and everything :)

My sweet children, they found the baby powder in my room... While I was nursing... I don't get up while I am nursing because it scares the poor baby... so therefore, I kind of shut out anything "wrong" that the other kids are doing while I am nursing. Here is a picture of my sweet Braydon and Bryli: I laugh now!! I really do! and I laughed then too because I wanted to take a picture of the "evidence" and a picture for their daddy!



It is Halloween at our house:



Have a great day!!

Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.
- Titus 2:3-5

Wow... :)

So many things to say, and not enough time to say it today! My heart is heavy yet happy and I can't even begin to describe it in words. Fall is somewhat here... it is cloudy and cool outside... Jeans and a t-shirt kind of weather. Both of the big kids have started school and this week will continue on with first for both of them! I love for my children to be on a schedule and to be challenged. I admit I have completely become lax on both as this past summer came around.... and so did my belly and my energy level drained itself!

Bryli started Parent's Day Out again at Midcities this past Thursday! She loved it and would not even hold my hand going inside. She said "I am a big girl and I know what I am doing" with a big ole smile on her sweet little face! I bawled!! (My mom said she is just getting me back for what I did to her... proud and independent!!!) She is growing up faster than her daddy and I would like but I do hope that her strong personality never dies! She has a heart of gold and a mind of her own!!!!!! I want to always remember her telling me she knows what she is doing at one minute but then remember her crawling into my bed in the middle of the night because she wanted a big squeeze from mommy. I LOVE HER!!! Here is her first day of school picture:



Also on Thursday, Brogan and I had our 2 week appointments. Everything was great, besides Brogan getting the all too hurtful PKU test!! He weighed a whopping 7 pounds and 14 ounces! I couldn't believe it! I knew that his cheeks were getting chunky but wow!! I wasn't expecting that to show up on the scale!! He is finally getting himself on a decent schedule at night and I could not be happier!! It is so much easier to function when my body is on a sleep schedule! Such a sweet boy! Here he is at the doctor's office... :)



Braydon started school today... He started at a Montessori School that Blake went to when he was little. I think this place will be great for Braydon's personality and he will do wonderfully!! He was so impressed with all of the dinosaur things everywhere! He was so excited that he was running around everywhere and wanting to touch everything! I am so proud of him and his "want to" attitude. He told me... "I'm excited but I will do great... I'm not scared at all!" I'm so proud of him. I wish his daddy could have been there to help me take him. He would have been sooo proud too! Here are some pictures of him from this morning:









My prayer for my children this year: To always believe in themselves, to soar beyond what they think they can do. To learn who they are and to learn more independence. To HAVE FUN!!! and to enjoy everything. To grow in relationships around them and to meet people who will always be a Godly influence on their lives. I pray that God always watch over them and give them the right attitudes and words to Bless the children and people around them. And I pray for Blake and I to always be able to help them, teach them, love them the way God loves us and to always be a positive influence in their lives as well.
They are growing so fast and I don't want to miss an opportunity to teach them and to show them the love of Christ!


Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. Deuteronomy 11:18-20

Happy 2 Weeks Brogan!

I can't believe that our littlest baby is 2 weeks old! It has gone by so fast, yet so slow! The sleepless nights really aren't that bad! I believe God blessed me with a sweet little boy who likes to sleep... to make up for his big brother who would rather run laps around the house starting at 5 am! :) Gotta love the very active little boys! He sleeps for 4 hour stretches at night which is definitely FINE BY ME!!! He has little fat fingers and arms already! I can't wait until Thursday to see how much he has gained and grown! He is filling out his up to 7 pounds outfits from Gymboree... WOW!! They swallowed him two weeks ago! He poos and pees like its nobody's business and Braydon thinks he does it on purpose when he aims for him! ha! Bryli thinks that all of her baby dolls need to be breastfed and I think she is just a precious little girl with a big heart for her brother!! They both think that God gave them water like he gave mommy milk so that they can help feed him! :) I love their imaginations!



We have had Many, Many, Many visitors. One of whom will be around Brogan all the time!! Poor girl, she doesn't stand a chance to be innocent around my children! :) My Best friend had her baby 4 weeks before Brogan was born. A little backstory: Krista and I met each other when we were 4 and we have pretty much been inseparable ever since! The rest is history, I guess you could say! Her sweet little girl weighed the exact same as Brogan (he was a 1/2 inch longer).



We also had our neighbors from our old house come by! Courtney, her sister Britney and Parker all came over to meet Mr. Brogan! The kids had nothing to do with Brogan... they got tattoos and showed off their muscles! It will always be a contest between Braydon and Parker on everything they do!! I sure do love those boys!! One day, hopefully soon, Brogan can meet Kaitlyn and Kynadi! I can't wait!!



I believe that a blog should be a mixture of ramblings and honesty! I also think that it is fully my opinion on what I think and if someone doesn't agree with the way I think of things, thats okay... everyone is entitled to their own ideas! That's why God gave us a brain that is completely different from anyone else!
With that said.... I am having trouble obeying what I am "supposed to be doing" in my life! I know that my calling is to be a stay at home mom. I know this because I have been blessed with a husband that works extremely hard to make that happen. I also believe that it is my job to teach my children how to become independent successful adults who love God and respect everyone around them. I just think that I am missing something to fully be able to do my job... I have some good ideas about what I need to do (I wont mention them on here) but I am learning to give up on myself and learning to live in the word. Learning to listen is the hardest part but I want to learn how to listen AND OBEY!!!

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them and they follow me. John 14:27

Good Morning! I woke up realizing that my baby, literally my last baby, is a week old already! I just cannot wrap my mind around it! I sit there and think about how I wish I could sleep all night long without interruption, and then I realize that getting up every 2 or 3 hours to get a little smile and big blue eyes looking at me is so beyond worth it. It is my own little slice of Heaven. Every time I get a smile from any of my children, an "I love you Mommy ... to the moon" and a question of "Mommy, will you sing me the songs for the night?" My life is turned upside down for the better! It truly is amazing how God blesses you even in the smallest people with their words!

I have been reading my Babywise book so that I can get Brogan on a schedule. We are going to have a busy fall with two different schools, Braydon in flag football and Bryli in dance, Bible Studies and playdates! Little Brogan is definitely going to be a world traveler... well a traveler around the town anyway! :)

I got a very neat email this morning that really blessed me! Thanks Jana! I am so thankful for it! It reminded me to be content on where my life is! Instead of worrying, know that God has me right where I need to be. Blake finally finished school and is working so hard for us. We moved to a new home and we have our wonderful children. We are in a season of growing and learning and pushing forward the way God wants us to! As our relationship with God develops over time and through experiences, we learn to trust God more and ourselves less. No matter what you're facing today, through prayer you can receive the strength to be content.

In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thessalonians 5:18