7 yrs ago.....

a quick post before work as today is going to be uber busy without a lunch time post (i eat lunch at my desk and do posts and comp work during my lunch break) since today is my sweet baby's 7th bday and i'm eating lunch with him at school!

seven years ago bubba hubster and i were blessed with our sweet miracle boy, Cordell. as most you know we had a long hard road for 6 yrs before that, but he was worth every moment, tear and needle prick, lol!

Cor, baby you are such a blessing in momma and daddy's life, you fill our lives with hope, happiness, light and love. you are our miracle boy, and we are so glad God made you especially for us. we hope you always know "i know i know y'all luv me!" and how much you mean to us and our family. you make me smile everytime look at me with that crooked grin, and your arms around my neck are the most precious jewels i have. we luv you buckaroo!

Cor said we needed to decorate for football season!

i luv you sweet boy.

 

Much luv,

Michelle



crazy busy or routine craving?

hey everyone!

how has your week gone? ours has gone great actually almost fabulous! We are almost at the end of our first week of school and new routines and things are really starting to fall into place. i was talking with a girlfriend of mine last week and I was telling her i didn't know if this summer was just crazy as all get out or if i secretly am a routine loving gal. I have always been a "fly-by-the-seat-of-our-pants" kinda person, routine-smutine, i couldn't stand them. And well then kindergarten came and i was MADE to get on a routine (somewhat). He had to be at school no later than 8:30 and i was at the school to pick him up at 4:00, there was no after school routine besides 30 mins rest and then homework. Then came the summer, no routine wake up be at work no later than 9 (it's our family biz so our kiddos get to come with us always have) leave at 5. I felt off kilter all summer, at first I thot it was just being super busy but when another friend asked what we had been doing to keep us busy I could only think of a few trips and that got me to wondering.

Fast forward a few weeks and a new school year with alot more routines. A morning routine, after school routine, and evening routine, for all of us (except Bubba Hubster of course). So far, no more rushed aggrevating mornings, a cleaner more cohesive house, more time spent with family, and a momma that isn't dragging so bad. So y'all heard it here first! I think I was an undercover routine fanatic! Buckaroo isn't too sure about it since it's giving him more responsibilities. He now has to take care of his backpack, lunch kit, toys, and room. He even has a different chore each day!

what about y'all? are y'all routine cravers or go with the flow-ers? have you found that you were really one when you thought you were another?

Much Luv,
Michelle

The jewelry Swap Reveal

hello Guys!

Well thru several of the blogs i read i had heard about an amazing thing called "The Jewelry Swap". The wonderful Melissa over at The Life of a Not So Ordinary Wife has hosted this, I got in the Augsut go round. You ask "Well Michelle what exactly is a jewelry swap?" well ladies and gents it's where we put our name and likes and wants on a list and we are partnered up with other people BUT it is a blind swap so the person you send to does not send to you. It's really awesome to think who is my partner, i wonder what she is sending. the best part? you shop your own jewlery box! all you are out is your postage. It's a way to give that once loved piece (or maybe not for you piece) that has been religated to the back of your jewelry box a new owner that may luv it just like you did at one time!

So without further adue my partner was the wonderful Lauren from Me & My Beautiful Mess and she sent me this beauty:

I had asked for long necklaces and she send a note that i could alter it easily and she was completely correct. BUT I absolutely luv it like this, so i'm going to wear it as is until i want to change up and then i'll make it long and it will seem like a totally new peice!.

I luved the swap!

Much Luv,
michelle

oh my word!! omw omw omw

hey guys!

jsut a quick note. so y'all know how we are fostering to adopt? well I got the info back from our agency we have 2 inspections, fingerprints and two papers (we forgot the fill out) before the home inspection (that is the last step!) i am so excited! i really thot we had alot more to do, but we don't!

we have taken our time and thought things over and over and over, but the Lord has still put this on our hearts to do. I'm a natural worrier but i just know that God would not have lead of here and kept us here for so long if this isn't what we are supposed to do. So September is going to be a busy busy month (we are doing dave ramsey so we've had to budget in the inspections and stuff) but september we sould be able to do the two inspections and fingerprints. I will let you know more as i do!

much luv and excitement!
michelle

An amazing day!~

Hey Lovies!!

Today is an awesome day! First it is Buckaroo's 1st day of 1st grade! On that note I've decided to make a lil tradition, every year when the day cooresponds with that school year we are gonna have a photo extravaganza and a celebratory dinner. For example this year is today, 1st day of school of the 1st grade. next year will be the 2nd day of 2nd grade. 3rd day of 3rd grade, and on and on. Yes, I am a COMPLETE dork, but am awesome dork!

 He was telling me "Momma boys don't do "Yeah I'm so excited to be in 1st grade" pictures!" So I told him how to pose!

 How many more!

 he got really excited once we got to school!

 I luv this lil dude so much!

 when in the world did he get so big?!

Him and his teacher with her presents (post on the clipboard soon - from another great blog I follow)

He was all over knowing what to do - he's a "professional" lunch up, backpacks on chairs, get breakfast - bing, bang boom!

 

 

What???? Did you really think you were NOT going to get picture overload today? I mean I wouldn't be me without them!



 

Then when I opened up my blog I had an awesome award, The Versatile Blogger Award, waiting for me from Lauren (LoLo) over at Me & My Beautiful Mess. Don't you just LUV LUV LUV that name - i mean that embodies my life most days, it's a mess but it beautiful and wonderful and i wouldn't take a gazillion dollars for it EVER! Plus Lauren is so real on her blog, it makes me feel so good and like I can breath that I'm not the only one who has crazy issues and things go wrong and that craft I just posted pix of that looks like it took 20 mins and no issues with, actually took me 4 hrs and 36 different damn issues to fix to finish it!

Thank you Lauren - it means so much to me! I know I'm not writing for just ME - other people really are reading and maybe I will give them a laugh or touch them in some way! Here are the rules:

The VBA Rules:

• Thank the person who gave you this award. That’s common courtesy.
• Include a link to their blog. That’s also common courtesy.
• Next, select 15 blogs/bloggers that you’ve recently discovered or follow regularly.
• Nominate those 15 bloggers for the Versatile Blogger Award.
• Finally, tell the person who nominated you 7 things about yourself

My fifteen are the following (in no particular order):

1) Merissa @ Little House on the Praire Living http://www.littlehouseliving.com/
2) Mandy @ Biblical Homemaking http://biblicalhomemaking.blogspot.com/
3) Andrea @ Queen B & Me http://queenbandme.blogspot.com/
4) Ashley @ 5ohwifey http://www.5ohwifey.com/
5) Danielle @ Blissful & Domestic http://www.blissfulanddomestic.com/
6) Heather @ Glitter & Gloss http://www.glitterandglossblog.com/
7) Abbie @ Five Days Five Ways http://www.fivedaysfiveways.com/
8) Cassie @ Hi Sugarplum! http://hisugarplum.blogspot.com/
9) Erin @ Living & Loving Life w/ My Boys @ http://lovingandlivinglifewithmyboys.blogspot.com/
10) Heather Lynn @ Just.Love.ly http://blog.justlove.ly/
11) Ashley @ Mini Manor http://www.maillardvillemanor.com/
12) Lena @ Mom2Mephisand Ruby http://mom2memphisandruby.blogspot.com/
13) Our Little Orphanage http://ourlittleorphanage.blogspot.com/
14) Amy @ While Wearing Heels http://whilewearingheels.blogspot.com/
15) Delilah @ The Confessions of a  Semi-Domesticated Mama http://www.semidomesticatedmama.com/

Shew! Choosing JUST fifteen was hard! There are such wonderful blogs out there that I luv!

Now for 7 things about myself......hmmm this is hard I can talk all day about my family and crafts but me, oh no thank you ma'am!

1) I have 8 tats (technically 11 if you count cover-ups but I don't), yes I luv them all, no it really didn't hurt (the vibrations of the machine makes your body numb after a while), no i don't care if one day they are going to be all wrinkly and distorted ( i will remember the reason and story behind them), and yes my momma and daddy HATE them. my most favorite one is this one:



2) I have always wanted to be just a momma and a wife. I think those are the highest, noblest callings one could have. Not that working is bad or not noble, I've just always (from a little girl) wanted to be at home, taking care of my home and family. I'm not that great at multi-tasking so with me being a working mom, something usually get pushed to the back burner (sleep) but thats ok. it's our life and i luv it.

3) I'm kinda really a ditzy person. I have such great intentions, but then I forget something or I can't ever say no and it usually bites me in the buttocks. But Bubba Hubby finds it endearing (than you Jesus) and loves to take care of me, and laughs while doing so.

4) I have anxiety. horribly. I used to be ashamed of it, but not anymore. I feel that if people talk more about disorders they have the better off we will all be. There are still people that tell me I can fix myself if I want but I know that I am one that needs the medication, and that is what's best for my family and me. It no longer controls me or us, I still have bad days of course, but I can move past it.

5) I have had dreams of being a singer and a teacher. I know I could never ever BE a singer, I just am painfully (#6) shy and to be honest I do not think any fame. fortune or fantasy would be worth what celebrities go through. Since my son has started school I have learned that I may not have the mental reserves it takes to be a teacher. I praise these men and women that follow their calling and are teaching our kids, it is alot to take on and then to still have reserves for your family at night time. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU if you are a teacher.

6) Most people that haven't known me for a long time would never ever classify me as a shy person or close to it. But I am painfully so. I worried so much about Buckaroo and Bubba Hubby and I are cut from that same painfully shy cloth, and if he would be the same. Thank you Sweet Heavenly Father for him not being that way. As I've gotten older I have perfected my "bulldoze thru the first few conversations" tactic, to make new friends. But if you asked my family and friends that knew me when I was younger they would lament how shy I was.

7) I want a gaggle of kids (and yes gaggle is a word in Michelle's Dictionary - it basically means more than a brod) unfortunately my body has other plans and it took us six long, hard years to have Buckaroo. During those six years I learned so much about myself, my husband, our marriage and people. I'm not in any way as strong as I thought I was but I am not as weak either. My husband is a rockstar, in all facets, a true honest to God *ROCKSTAR* never once did he ever ever think of changing his mind about spending the rest of his life with me. Our marriage was/is as strong as I dreamt it was, thank you Sweet Jesus for sending this man for me. Thank you Sweet Jesus for making and sending this man to me. I do not know where I would be today without him or our marriage. People, well this one is alot harder. People can be so mean and cruel without trying but by not measuring their comments. But I also learned they can be sweeter than the sweetest nectar. So many people would tell me, it'll happen if it's meant to be. Be happy with the son (my stepson was 8 when his daddy and I married) you have. People that is the top two things to NOT say to people fighting infertility. Meant to be could be so many different ways and it's really a fight, a battle, just stand beside or behind us to help us. And just because we want MORE children does NOT mean we are NOT happen with the kids we have, it's just that we want more. On the flipside, I had a friend that said one day when she found out I only had the one, "God knows you could get it right with just one, He keeps giving me more chances." That sweet friend has NO idea how profound effect that statement had on me. During the process of trying to have more kids after Buckaroo and deciding to foster to adopt her statement has been that light at the end of the tunnel for me so many days.

So after reading my autobiography I hope you come back again......can you see that painfully shy girl coming out?

Much Luv!
Michelle

Menu Monday Take 33 {not really but should be...}

Hey friends!

SO it technically is the 33rd week of the year, so it SHOULD be my 33rd post bbuuuttt y'all know me. So the past few weeks months we've spent WAY too much money on eating out and not enough on paying off the bills. So i'm trying to get back on track with my routine since school is right around the corner ~ whoa!! when did that happen?!~ we have 14 (OH MY WORD) days till school starts. Buckaroo will be a 1st grader (if u hear whaling know its not the ghost of old woman hollering creek, it's me technically i have a kid, no baby, no toddler, no preschooler, no kindergartner, but a kid, he has passed all those titles and he is know technically a KID. all you mommas out there know what i'm talking about and sayin!

but you know what? i'm actually kinda cool with it, because i know that means he is healthy, safe and doing what all children should do. but it does hurt this mommas heart just a wee bit. Oh and he luvs school and i luv him going to school, LOL! seriously it is nice to have an adult break, but i luv what the experience of school has done for him and his personality. he used to be so so terribly shy like true hide behind momma's apron shy, and he isn't anymore. i don't like that the first month of school last year he came home and whispered in my ear, "Momma what does assh*le mean?" but most his friends have older brothers and sisters and Lord knows it was bound to happen. So just get it outta the way and be done with it, but all the tradeoffs are worth the growth i've seen in his personality and shyness.

Are y'all ready for school to start? When does everyone else's start? Some bloggy buddies up north and in the midwest have already started!! I still have to get all of Buckaroo's school supplies (yes i'm glutton for punishment i always procastinate!) and his gma is taking him and his cousin school clothes shopping next tuesday. SHe tries to always get the grandkids a new outfit for school, yes, i am blessed with great parents! we got some shorts and here in texas we can wear shorts at least 9 if not 10 months out of the year, and lots of shirts. we already have shoes - altho people are totally bugging out on me to buy him new shoes because it's the new school year. I'm all for a few new outfits (altho he needs none he has more clothes than his daddy and i put togather) but to me if he has newer shoes that fit why does one feel like they must buy new shoes? how about you - what is the one thing you always make sure you buy your kids new every year even if they technically don't need it? Backpacks are my thing - i'm sure it stems from me wanting a new backpack every year but not getting it.

anywho, on with the menu after i've talked the ears off your billy goat!

MONDAY: porkchops, alfredo pasta, corn
TUESDAY: orange chicken w/stir fry veggies and rice (via crystal & Co guest posting at http://orgjunkie.com/2012/08/menu-plan-monday-august-1312.html )
WEDNESDAY:fish stix and fries
THURSDAY:sausage and juilenne potatoes cassorole and veggie (i'm trying to find some good for diabetics veggies that can go togather - potatoes and peas no go - both are uber high in carbs. so i'm trying to pair low carb and high carbs togather. if u have any knowledge on this i would so welcome and not above begging for it ;D
FRIDAY:pizza night Bubba Hubster and i have a supreme while Buckaroo has a cheese - and yes i'm cheap and we have frozen pizza most the time. of course it is also the fact we live out in the country so by the time Bubba Hubster gets back with it restaurant pizza is not any good and delivery yea right if you wanna wait an extra 45 mins!
SATURDAY:
L: hamburger helper
D:chicken spegahti casserole (via http://orgjunkie.com/2012/08/menu-plan-monday-august-1312.html)
SUNDAY:
L:eat out after church (no mexican tho since dinner is sorta mexicany and yes that is a word i looked it up)
D:crockpot chicken tacos and fixings

I'm gonna try the pinterest post about the eggs supreme muffins - I'll let you know if it turns out!

Much luv!
Michelle

my lil guy is growing up....

hey everyone!

just a quick little post for what's been happening around here lately. This has been such a great summer - I'm so happy for Buckaroo that it's been so much fun and so many things to do. His first "official" school summer, he will be a 1st grader this year!!! wait! what!? when!? where did my lil guy that would hide behind my legs go??? He's grown so much in maturity that it's crazy - like good crazy, but still crazy! he went to his great auntie/godmother's house for a WHOLE week!! i mean this little guy doesn't spend the whole night at my sis's house a couple mins from here! but he does have his idol, his cousin Niko, there, along with other kiddos to play with and his aunties. he's been going 90 to nothing his aunt said. so a HUGE shout out to Cindy and Shelli - thanks for helping my big boy know himself that he IS a big boy! (and for allowing jeff and i to reconnect as a couple) - luv you guys so much!!

Jeff and i got to have a whole day for just us and doing whatever striked our fancy - we shopped and ate and shopped and ate the whole day!! it's been so much fun!! Here's some pix of how we've spent our time:

 buckee's withdrawals

 cor's new shirt for one of his bestie's bday party - plus eating some yummy chuys!!

 been totally *crushing* on some manis

 i think this is my newest favorite color i luv how soft the gray is

 this guy still makes my heart go pitter-patter, or would that we twitter-pated?

 totally digging this guy

finally filled my gumball machine up - truely one of those pieces that I LUV - it makes me smile everytime i see it!

and i'm trying to gracefully let my hair grow out (i think i have to tell my hairdresser to NOT allow me to cut it to achieve that)

I hope everyone has had a great weekend and enjoy the rest of it!

Much Luv!!

Michelle