MCM

Happy Monday!!

I thought that in honor of MCM I'd share some of Joseph and my favorite things :) Just random things we love to do together or just both really love! 

1) World Cup Soccer! (Ahhem, Joseph calls it football because you know, he's cool like that, and has even taught Charley to call it football as well!) the World Cup begins THURSDAY! And we are getting prepped and ready for the month long celebration of the worlds sport. I've ordered shirts and jerseys and have big plans for house decorations in the works! It will be so fun! 

Us at the Netherlands vs Denmark Match at Soccer City in Johannesburg, South Africa - 2010

2) Luther. Joseph and I love watching good tv and we have been in search of a new "show" for a good while. We love what the BBC produces, and Luther does not disappoint. It's about a homicide detective, John Luther, his genius ability to get in the minds of criminals, and the big question of what is truly right and wrong. It's sometimes gritty (it is a show about murder) so we have to watch after the girlies have gone to bed. It is a mini series so there are only four or so episodes a season, but they are so stinking good! We only have time to watch one at a time, which is good, because mentally I think that's all one can take. We stream this on Netflix. 

http://youtu.be/aEwrOnrlERY

3) Basin Burger. http://www.basinburgerhouse.com I'm not sure if it's sad or awesome that I have their number programmed in my phone!? While we love to dine in when we can, takeout is more convenient for us and the girlies early bedtimes. The best burger in town in my opinion. Homemade buns. Yummy sweet potato and regular fries, and their meatloaf is to die for. When we eat here we feel like it's a game to see which "side" we sit on. The "family" side (on the left of the door with the booths) or the "cool" side (on the right of the door with the bar and patio). We only get sat on the cool side when we are sans kids. The only con to Basin Burger is it's all the way across town. But it's well worth the drive :)

4) Indian food. Gosh it's no wonder out waist lines aren't slimming down with all the tv and food we enjoy ;) But seriously, this place in Midland: http://www.indianfoodmidland.com has the BEST (and to my knowledge, only) Indian food. We only do takeout since he last time we dined in someone got stabbed in the parking lot. No lie. It's so delicious and the garlic naan is out of this world. A little pricey, but then again we do order A TON of garlic naan plus simosas and our entrees ;) (Also across town and in a shady hotel. Strange thing: they also make pizzas!)

5) Books. While we don't necessarily do this together, we do this together. As in we typically read in bed before we go to sleep (or we did before we found Luther!). We both love reading and it's a treasured part of Charley's bedtime routine that we swap out on. 

6) The Girlies. Obviously. :) We adore our lil ladies and love watching them grow into bigger people (even if it is painful that they can't be little forever!) It's amazing to think that we are allowed to be their parents forever. When I see our girls I just see the Grace and Bigness and Beauty of our God. So much goodness. 

MCM

This is going to be a super quick MCM post. Not because my man doesn't deserve a long, well-thought out, lovely post, but because we are both exhausted and want to lay in bed (at 8:25pm) and enjoy some down time.

Last night was our first night of hardcore, no more bringing the baby to bed when she cries night. And it was killer. On us all. I ended up sleeping on Liza's floor because she seemed to be comforted with me in the room and it's like less of a bandaid pull to break her from co sleeping with me to being on her own. 

Just now Jojo pulled Charley's trundle bed in there so that when she starts wailing {in about one hour I'd say...} I can have somewhere more cozy to sleep. 

My husband is awesome! He really is the foundation of our family and the level headed thinker, the do-gooder, the selfless giver, and the happy maker :)

Throw in a few years of travel, kids, Austin living, adventures, and lots of love, grace, laughter, and food, and you've got yourself eight years of a wonderful life! And that ain't no joke :) We will celebrate eight years tomorrow :)

Here's a short timeline in pictures: 

2005-little babies in love without a care in the world! Both college students. Engaged. And he gave me a puppy for Christmas that year (enter Addie!)

2006: we got married!!!! Hip hip hooray! I remember being so elated, it being hot, and not wanting to leave the reception cause we had such a blast with our friends! 

2006 we also took the trip of a lifetime to Italy! Ciao Bella! (Even though we honeymooned in San Francisco!)

2007: We both graduated with our Bachelors degrees. Attended tons of weddings, went to the beach with the fam, travelled to Mazatlan, Mexico with friends. 

2008: we lived it up in Austin staying involved with our church community and friends. And I had really super short hair. 

2009: we vacationed in Managua, Nicaragua and had the most relaxing, low-key and least pretentious vacay to date. 

2010: we had another trip of a lifetime attending the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa! On the way there we had a layover in Cairo, Egypt and got to see the great pyramids. We went on a true African Safari, drank in African bars with some awesome people we met at match, saw two football games, and had adventures in Johanessburg and Cape Town. So much goodness this year! 

2011: we made the decision to move back home so we could start a family. We boldly and blindly moved. No jobs. No prospects. And how God has so provided for us. This year we got pregnant with sweet Charley Girl, got big people jobs, bought our first house, and took a just me and you road trip to Santa Fe, NM and Durango, CO. 

2012: we welcomed Charbear into our world and family January 4. She has changed us forever, teaching us the simple joy that is found in being goofy, to love unconditionally, and to smile and laugh all day long! We visited California with a baby (crazy people!) and worked on this whole grown up-you-have-a-kid-now-thing! 

2013: we adjusted to our new roles as parents, loving the life of a toddler and getting happily pregnant with baby number two. We took our annual vacation to Cali to visit family, worked on the house, and stayed busy awaiting the arrival of Elizabeth Jo. Liza was born on December 4, 2013, making our girls exactly 23 months apart! We have two amazingly sweet, full of personality, and healthy (thank you Lord!) little girls and life is so grand! 

2014: to date, there are 1800 pictures in my 2014 folder on my phone. We are just living life with our little family and close circle of friends. We hang out with Meemaw and Papaw a lot, and love takeout food. Traveling is a bit harder with two babies, but we have Cali planned for later this year and are working on a mommy/daddy getaway! We play a ton, read a ton, listen and dance to music, and laugh and occasionally bicker. 

Joseph Lee, we have done SO much together in just eight short years! Just think what is in store for the next eight or twenty, or fifty! 

I am SO blessed to be your wife. You're my best friend. My bees knees. The creamer to my coffee. You're like my favorite comfy t-shirt that I love to wear over and over again. Seeing you become a daddy has made me fall ten-fold more in love with you. You're our family superstar and I love you a million, jillion, bazillllllion heepie gobbers! 

Happy Anniversary Man Crush!

(also, I realize this turned into a rather long post...got a little carried away, huh?)

MCM

I'll keep this man crush Monday short and sweet and to the point...

Joseph is awesome because he supports me one hundred percent, all the time. When I got a difficult call this morning he immediately said, go, do it, and let me know if I can do anything to help. 

Love this man! 

Also, this weekend while he was off work, he dedicated a great deal of his time doing yucky yard work while the girls and I got to spend the day at the park with friends! Just look at these sweet kids holding hands and playing! Joseph and I have had the pleasure to know their parents since we were all in high school. It has been so much fun growing up together and now getting our babies together for play dates! 

MCM

Today is Monday! Unlike working people, a stay at home mom welcomes Mondays as the day that gets us closer to daddy's weekend off! And today is Man Crush Monday, the day of the week for me to dote on the dude! 

This picture pretty much sums up today's post. Daddy in the background doing what he loves...making his girls happy!

Joj really spends most of his time in the background making sure we have a comfortable life. He works a great deal to provide a healthy life for me and the girls, often times putting his own wants and needs on the back burner. He doesn't get the credit he's due for all the work he does while at home too. Things like cooking (he is the FAR superior cook in our home!), yard work, girl duty, and just being present. 

I can honestly say that the most attractive feature I see in my hubby daily is his unwavering ability to always love unconditionally! He just oozes love for us girls, and for that we want to ooze love right back! 

Here are just a few of the awesome things my man crush did for us this week to show us we were loved: 

-wrote us a sweet note on Valentines day! 

-sent mommy some over the top, totally outrageous, girly flowers! 

-bought the babies giant lollipops ;)

-bathed Charbear when momma was busy with Liza.

-washed dishes!!! <---thank you! 

-covered us up with blankies when we asked for them and also when we didn't :)

-grilled us a delicious meal

-watched HGTV with me when I was feeling down when I know he really, really wanted to change the channel! 

Joseph Leanderthaw, we love you greatly and you will always be my main man crush! Don't, however, get a big head and think that Ryan Gosling isn't still up there ;)

MCM

I'm finding that writing really releases great pleasure for me :) Hooray for a hobby! 

In an effort to be consistent (maybe no more cluster posts?), I'm motivating myself by making Mondays, MCM, or Man Crush Mondays! ...because I constantly talk about the littles and need to dote on the dude too! 

My hubby is spectacular. I don't ways give him the credit he deserves, and most times I'm much too hard on him for those naggy wife things I get stuck on, so I need to complement all he does so lovingly well! 

Jojo is a great daddy! Just ask his little girl! Once I asked Charley what her friends name was, "Sydney". "Is mommy your friend?"  Silence. "Is daddy your friend?" "Daddy! Friend!" There ya go! That kid adores her daddy. 

I'm thankful Jojo is an active and involved daddy. I'd say about half the nights of the week Jojo gives Char her bath. He plays in the floor with her every day. He puts her on the potty and wipes her hiney. He takes her outside to jump and swing. He fetches her milk and water when she requests it. He worries about what she does and doesn't eat. He cooks us yummy breakfast. He does dishes. He feeds the dogs, always. He buys the dog food. He buys the people food most times too. When I ask him to wash the soiled panties, he does so without a grimace :) 

Mondays will be my ongoing little love notes to and about my sweet Jojie! Love you a gabillion zabillion heepie gobbers :)