Me Lately: Bran in Real Life

Life has been so fast and slow and crazy all at once here lately. With our new, fairly consistent schedule, the mundane routine sometimes wears me plum out. Our weeks are work three days a week for mommy, school two days a week for Charley, Meemaw three days a week for Liza, work five days a week for daddy, a house "cleaning" day (and I say "cleaning" because these days that consists of the continuous, never ending task of picking up toys that will just end up disheveled and unorganized, laundry that never finds it's way all the way home, and a sweep-vacuum-quick mop job "clean".), several laundry days, and two weekend days. Something is missig from this equation: a mommy day! Haha! 

In all honesty though, I'm beat. With Liza running around the house on all fours, pulling up, and in dire need of a thick, ultra heavy duty helmet and face mask, the day to day of being mom to these kids is wearing me down. Is that bad to say out loud? Or in a very public place? 

Don't get me wrong. I adore my girls. Love them to death! And wouldn't trade this crazy life for anything, but friends, do you get bogged down and tired too? Please tell me I'm not alone here. 

As I type this I'm having the first real "break" in several days: I'm rocking a sick baby who has refused to sleep at all today. At. All. As in, no naps. None! Aye, aye, aye! I'm so sorry Meemaw! I'm pretty sure she is exhausted too! (Really thinking baby Liza has another ear infection :( But this is actually a nice treat. Just sitting with nothing to do or no task on my mind. I've been very OCD lately with my tasks, wanting to pick up this, organize that, finish this project, start another one...and so on. I think that's why I'm feeling overwhelmed by the kids too; I just can't seem to get it all done. 

But as I sit here I've had the great pleasure to catch up on some super mommy blogs I frequent. From ladies I call friends, which is even better :). I really learn so much from these moms and their gifts of compassion, kindness, and Grace. When I feel like my life is a total mess with a toddler and a baby, it's reassuring to know that 1) I'm not the only mom feeling this way, and 2) that I have great friends and family that support us. Not to mention my sister who always calls when the crazy breaks out. Sorry, Step Step. 

I realize this post has been all over the place, but that's just me :) 

I hope you find something that encourages you and that you can plan a date night. They are oh so important! 

Sleeping beauty!

A park day! 

These girls are lots of work, but worth it all!!!!!! 

I need a beach getaway. Or any getaway! Ha! 

Recently...

I've been wanting to post for a while now to get caught up on life, but then I get sucked into meal planning or tv or the girls. Here are some random tidbits fron our life lately: 

-I got a job! Yup! A part-time gig working for a local clinic helping them set up a new electronic medical records system. So far I really enjoy it :)

-I also enjoy the balance that being a part timer allows me with my family. Being a mommy is the best! 

-Liza has started eating solid foods! Right now just oatmeal but soon we will introduce green veggies. Yummmm! 

-Liza has had more awake periods and loves to play on the floor or in her exersaucer! 

-Charley has some "good/bad" days in this world of toddlerdom... Lately we've been getting a ton of "NO" and "I want it ________"<---insert noun such as hat or Memaw or Cheetos! Yaaaaa, lots of spankings going on...

-On the flip side, her vocabulary is getting more impressive each day! Today we watched Frozen and she told me "wear wear purple dress like Elsa". Then she did this...

Bahaha! 

-I really want a vacation. A mom and dad vacay to the beach or something. {can we make this happen!}

-Super bummed about going to get to go to Austin to surprise the baby sister for her bday only to find out she had other plans. Booo! 

-I've been on a super duper sweet tea kick lately. It's all I want. All the time. Mmmm :)

-

These three crack me up and keep me on my toes! 

A Good Day!

Some days being a mommy is such hard work. The days when you reaaaaaally just want to sleep in but can hear your toddler through the monitor crying "momma, momma". The days when a shower seems like an eternity away since the only thing I seem to get accomplished is making more messes or cleaning up spit up. The days when I would love to hide in the bathroom and pee solo only to...BANG, BANG, BANG..."moooooommmmmma! Where are you!?" {gee, I'm definitely not in the potty...} 

Days like that happen a lot. It's a hard job being a full-time mommy. I sometimes get legitimately angry and jealous of Jojo because he gets to go to work every day. Most weeks the only place I go all week are a trip to the grocery store (so fun) and to take Char to school two days a week. Some days I would give up my daily dose of caffeine to have just thirty minutes to an hour of alone time. 

But today, today was not like those days. I don't know what it was, but Charley and I had the best day! Sure, we pottied at the same time and I didn't actually shower until four o'clock, but beneath all the chaos and messes, we just had fun being silly! And days like that make all the hard times of being a mommy so so SO worth it! 

Here were the highlights of the day: 

-Breakfast at the tiny table while playing playdough with stamps :)

-Organizing my craft stuff while Charley commented "oooo, booful (beautiful)" and painted at the kitchen table. 

-Making an impromptu trip to Target and asking Char if she wanted to go bye bye. Her response? "Present!?" Haha...then she danced around the house saying "yeehaw, Target!" At Target she was so sweet and got to pick out a small present. She picked a red bouncy ball and held it by her head the whole time! 

-Lunch from Chick-fil-a where Liza decided to have a major meltdown in the drive through line. Charley kept singing to her, "Liza bear, Liza bear..." We sang to her the whole way home ❤️ 

-Making silly Instagram movies!!!! @chessaline

-"Paint fingernails", per the request of a two year old! Who could say no? Besides, OPI makes an instant dry spray that makes that task so much easier! 

-Cooking an easy and delicious dinner (fish tacos and cous cous with premade HEB pico and guacamole!) sans the typical nighttime fit.

-Spending just a short time outside watching Charley and Jojo play while I rocked Liza on the porch swing :)

-Listening to Joseph read a bedtime story to Char and her asking him, "what's that?" a thousand times while she points to the characters. 

Soooo many more cute and sweet moments happened today. I'm so thankful! 

 For the mommies who need a major nap (and shower) and margarita and a friend...I totally understand! Hang in there, these good days are what it's all about.