love him. madly.

family of four.

{for a night...}
ha, made you look!

thursday night, joanna was receiving a lifetime pta member award {she'd never tell you that on her blog, so i'm telling you that on mine} and we had the privelage of watching her sweet little boy, pierce! the boys had a blast together! we were meeting a group form our bible fellowship class at jason's deli, so we got a taste of what it's like to be a family of four!

{not really though, because pierce and b. are close enough in age that they're doing pretty much the same things... so it's not really real to life, right? they were sharing food and making each other giggle...}

this awful-quality pic was jeff trying to carry them both out to the car at the same time.

love it.

mr. wrangler.

i have absolutely no idea where jeff and brady came up with this name,

but it's my pleasure to introduce you to:

mr. wrangler.
our snowman.

making funny faces with daddy.

big yawn.

mr. wrangler's girlfriend, tiki.
{our next door neighbor's snowman - oh, snowwoman}

the art of throwing a snowball.

happy valentine's day.

my gym.

brady loves the ball pit. for the time we were at the gym, he was in this thing for 45 of the 55 minutes. not exaggerating. he kept yelling, "ball! ball!! baaa-aaaalllll!!!!!"

holice and b. watching 'big boy' hudson climb the ladder and jump into the pit..... hud's mommy wasn't too sure... :)

after hudson's big jump.

love this picture of holice jumping on the trampoline. b. didn't quite get the trampoline yet, but holice was trying his best to show him!

it's official

As of 8 a.m. this morning, I'm officially registered for the Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon.

March 14th here we come.....

we're 6 inches under. {and counting}.

freedom {aka 'disciple now'}

This past weekend, we hosted a Freedom house. {Disciple Now for those of you who don't know what Freedom is}.

Our girls were awe-some. Kaytie and I couldn't have asked for a sweeter, more low-key bunch of girls. They are juniors in high school - from all different schools. A few PCA-ers, FBA, Plano West, some Home Schoolers, Allen and Aledo. Loved how well they all got along... caddiness was nowhere to be found.


On Saturday, Kaytie and I made up a little scavenger hunt at IKEA for our rec time.
Oh - so much fun.


Needless to say, we got about 5 hours of sleep both nights. {I guess, it could have been worse}. Saturday night, I think we could have stayed up all night with them talking about random things... just like we did in high school, but we couldn't even keep our eyes open. Love it. These girls are sooo solid, I wish I had their perspective when I was in high school. It was such a privilege to get to know each of them and share in this weekend together.

double digits

Running Tip #1: It's MUCH better to run first thing Saturday morning.

Running Tip #2: It's MUCH better to run with friends. {Not because you necessarily talk, but just because it keeps you from walking when you get tired... or bored}.

So... what happens when #1 can't happen? You make #2 happen.

Last week, after our 9 mile run when I got injured, I told my running buds that I couldn't run on Saturday morning - so one of them - I didn't care which one - was going to have to wait until Sunday to run with me. And wouldn't you know it, they all sacrificed the #1 rule of training so that we could all run together. Aren't they just the best?????

Needless to say, I had to record this run because we ran for 2 hours straight. {We took a water break after mile 5, but it was for 3 minutes - I looked at my watch - so we don't really count that}. AND I had to record this run because we're now in the double digits. Can you believe I ran 10 miles on Sunday? I mean, I can't believe it... but we did it.

It's totally mind over body.

This is the first run that was absolutely miserable for me, from the get - go.

Maybe it was the lack of sleep from the two previous days.

Maybe it was that I hadn't eaten like I would normally have eaten the day before.

Maybe it was just that it was plain hard.

I don't know - but I do know that Monday, I was literally in tears because I was in so much pain.

But by Tuesday I felt tons better.

Thank goodness.

you've got to be kidding.

i broke my sewing machine today.

"broke? you must be exaggerating!" you say.

"nope, BRO-OOOKE!" i say.

"how?" you ask?

well, after all of the wonderful comments, suggestions, emails and texts i received on my previous post, i got into the sewing mode. i looked up all sorts of random ideas on sewing blogs. i spent hours on etsy trying to find cute things to 'copy'. i was sooooo inspired.

so today, i swung by hobby lobby, as i have a gift certificate there, and picked up two 'calico prints'. one pink, one blue. and then i picked up two 'minky' fabrics. one pink, one blue. {see where this is going?} i decided i would try my hand at making some baby blankets, loveies, burp cloths, whatever i could think of and simply practice.

{side note: my girlfriend who suggested i get a sewing machine just found out she's having a girl - so i know that she would more than welcome being my guinea pig... hence the pink fabrics}.

so, i got home, put brady down for a nap and got started. i pulled out a few 'scrap' fabrics i had left over from his nursery and cut them to size for a 'lovey', pinned them, threaded my bobbin and was ready to start.

no one {i repeat no one} told me that i'm not really supposed to be sewing on thick fabric. or let's just say, there's probably a special way to sew on thick fabric that i didn't know about {p.s. how was i supposed to know about that?!?}

so, needless to say, an hour later i was on the phone with a sewing place in plano walking through how i threaded my bobbin. every time i'd pull the needle down to pick up the thread, it would hit some sort of metal.

"were you sewing on a thick fabric before this happened? did you have to sort of tug it through, ma'am?" the elderly woman asked me.

"uh... yes, that's exactly what i was doing. why?"

apparently, i 'threw my machine out of time'. WHAT??? i didn't even know it was possible to break a sewing machine, short of breaking a needle, that is.

so.... it will cost me no less than $80 to get a brand new sewing machine fixed.

my dreams of being a sewing goddess were whisked away as soon as they arrived.

bye bye, bobbin. bye bye, needle. bye bye, cute baby blankets. i will see you soon.

injured

Last weekend, my running friends {joanna, julie, janet} and i were supposed to run 8 miles. We knew it was supposed to be cold, but we wanted to get it over with. We were upping our mileage by two miles, and we were all anxious to see if we could actually run the whole thing.

Needless to say, we were determined to run first thing on Saturday morning. What was the weather like? Oh - of course - it was freezing {literally}. The wind chill was in the teens and there were definite snow flurries in the course of the morning.

The Hubbs definitely pointed out to me before we started that 8 miles is "a lot of miles" {to quote him directly.}

no kidding.

so we got started at 8 a.m. it took us a little over 1 1/2 hours to finish. BUT, not without injury.

I had run through ice, water, sleet and snow. I had stepped up curbs, over pot holes and who knows what else. Had no problem. But somehow, when we had .48 miles left, I tripped. Over what? I have no idea.

My sweet friends stopped and looked around, "Becky - there isn't any ice or cracks or sticks on the sidewalk... your shoes are tied... what did you trip on?" In their grand attempt to make me 'feel' better, they sweetly pointed out, "Beck - you're a clutz, you tripped over your own two feet!" {My words, not theirs - although I'm sure they were thinking it!}

Anyway - I'm LUCKY I didn't not seriously hurt myself. My ankle has been sore almost all week but I know it's just the muscle, not the bone, and finally yesterday, it started feeling a bit better.

Here's to the 10 miles we'll be running on Sunday.... and if you think about it, wish me 'no injuries'!

brady day.

last friday, {yes a week ago}, we decided that it was going to be 'brady day' at our house. it was rainy and cold outside and we had a busy week for whatever reason so we decided to stay in all day and play together.

we started off with cinnamon rolls and chocolate milk {a regular friday morning occurence at our house now}.

we watched gabba as many times as b. asked {i think it ended up being like thirty times. ha.}

basically, i let the bug direct ALL play for the day. i let him pick out what he wanted for lunch. we played with puzzles, pot & pans, we threw the ball, we had a block race and we wrestled.

he was tired for his nap.

when he finally woke up, i put him in our bed with me. we watched cartoons, ate snacks and read books. he didn't move for an hour and a half. {the hubbs told me he looked 'sick' when i sent him this picture, but he wasn't. he was just chillin'}.


we had a great time, but we had a mad dash when daddy called and said he was on his way home. {i didn't want him to walk into the chaos that was our home from not picking up all day long!}

i love you, little bug. i had so much fun staying 'in' with you all day!

slacker

So, the Hubbs was in the garage last night and came back in, looked at me and said:

"I'm glad that sewing machine is being put to good use!"

Well, excuuuuuuuuseee me!

It's not my fault that I don't want to go spend $50 on fabric that is just to play around with!

It's not my fault that any extra $$ I have right now goes to my new habit {#13 - it's not necessarily always cheap}.

It's not my fault that #1 is going to cost me $100 just to enter the race, not to mention these little races here and there that are $20/pop or the new pump-up music, I need to get from iTunes {thanks for helping me out with that, Joanna!}.

And it's certainly not my fault that there are too many sewing projects around my house {and in my head} that I don't even know where to begin.

Okay, so maybe it is my fault.

Maybe the Hubbs is right. **I can't believe I said that**

I need to get motivated. No, scratch that, I want to get motivated.

I need a good project to start. Any ideas?

Any ideas on where to get cute, cheap fabric?

Help. Please.

crazy love.

has anyone else read this book?

amazing. inspiring. challenging. convicting. encouraging. uplifting.

all of these words come to mind when i think about my time with the Lord this morning - led out of the pages of this book.

i will take the liberty to summarize the brilliance of francis chan in the first part of chapter 2:

***DISCLAIMER: This is not meant to be preachy, as it is more of a confession of a struggle I didn't know I had, and a struggle that I feel many busy, stressed out women can find that they have too. It kind of sneaks up on you - without you realizing it! Okay - move on, now!***

"'Rejoice in the Lord always. I will sa it again: Rejoice!' {phil 4:4} You'll notice that it doesn't end with '...unless you're doing something extremely important.' No, it's a command for all of us, and it follows with the charge, 'do not be anxious about anything' {vs. 6}. .... When I am consumed by my problems - stressed out about my life, my family, and my job - I actually convey the belief that I think the circumstances are more important than God's command to always rejoice. "

hmmmmm..... if that doesn't bring you to your knees before Him, let me keep going.

"Worry implies that we don't quite trust that God is big enough, powerful enough, or loving enough to take care of what's happening in our lives. Stress says that the things we are involved in are important enough to merit our impatience, our lack of grace toward others, or our tight grip of control. .... Both worry and stress reek of arrogance. .... I am still dumb enough to forget that life is all about God and not about me at all."

Can I get an amen? Does anyone else feel like you just got slapped in the face? Who am I to stress out about making it to a play date on time, or making sure all of the laundry is done or getting all of my errands run for the day? Shouldn't I rather be looking for ways to glorify our Sweet Savior throughout my day - doing the laundry, running errands, meeting friends to play? Shouldn't I rather count it a privelage to have a roof over my head, food on my table, water to drink, and a family to love and serve?

He wraps this section up like this:

"The point of your life is to point to Him. Whatever you're doing, God wants to be glorified, because the whole thing is His. It's His movie. His world. His Gift."

I don't know about you, but I knelt before the Lord this morning and asked Him to show me how to start making my life one big, fat, arrow toward Heaven. It's not about me, and all too often I forget that.

It's simple really.

It's all about Him, and doesn't He deserve it?

If you find that you're walk has become dull, boring or dry. Pick up this book, to help jump-start that spark in your love-relationship with the Lord again.

just another 'step'

This morning we woke up bright and early to participate in the "Resolution Run". It was supposed to be a 'fun and challenging' course for all. A 10K. {6.2 miles for those of you not versed in the metric system}.

Let's talk about this 'fun and challenging' course. Have you ever been to McKinney? Joanna labeled it the "rocky mountains" of north Texas, and I would have to agree. Although - the hills looked much more intimidating when we were driving to the YMCA and not when we were actually running them.

With all that said, we DID run it. Run it all. At an 11:22 pace {which is great for us}. AND we went to church afterward. Yup. 2 months ago, I couldn't run 10 minutes to save my life and today, with the help of my running buddies, I ran an hour and 10 minutes - and it didn't even kill me.

I have to say that my favorite part of the race was when we were running up a short, steep, hill and I started yelling 'attack, attack, attack' outloud. I burst out laughing as I realized I was doing it, and it honestly relieved some tension for me! At least we could laugh at ourselves, right?

Here we are coming down our last hill... all in a row.

rI love Joanna's face in this picture. I think she was probably talking, but it looks like she was concentrating really hard!

oB. wouldn't let me put him down for this pic. :)

My precious boys made me a sign last night.
{Aren't they so cute in their Sunday Best?}

play date with mommy & daddy