Fun in the Sun

Last weekend we had some exciting visitors! My sister, aka...Aunt Kat, my cousins Amy and Lori, and their sweet kiddos Alex, Gracie and Kayla came to College Station for the day. They also brought their awesome new summer toy for the kids to enjoy! We invited Nat and Nate over to join in the fun too!

Don't Worry, Be Happy

My blog inspiration today came from an email that was sent to me about How to Calm your Anxiety, Stress and Worry. This is something I have worked on quite a bit lately and it is very helpful in order to lead a healthy, and more importantly HAPPY life, as well as creating a happy life for your family and loved ones. I have been known to be a worrywart but I have worked very hard to change because worry not only affects you, it affects everyone and everything around you. I admit that some worry is unavoidable and necessary. But worrying needlessly about natural disasters, terrorism, 401K losses, Facebook status', global warming, swine flu, falling elevators, aliens, expiration dates, and the return of polyester....or obsessing over things that need to be turned off, put out, opened, closed, switched on, filled up, and emptied....is not only unhealthy for you, but for everyone around you! Creating a healthy environment for your family to grow doesn't only consist of fruits and vegetables, it has a lot to do with attitude in general. Your family will not thrive on negativity and anxiety and worrying about the past, present and future...but will flourish with flexibility and positive encouragement!
The email sent to me this morning listed 10 ways you can stop worrying, and I found these very insightful!

1. Let There Be No Crisis Before Its Time
Don’t worry about something that will take place in a week, a day, or even an hour. The variables will be different then, than they are today. If you have to make a decision on Friday, wait until Friday, and see what the day brings.

2. Stay Grounded in the Present
Squash unnecessary worrying with one question: “Can I do anything about this matter right now, right this minute?” If the answer is “no,” stay in the present moment, jot down the thought, and then let it go.

3. Don’t Let Possessions Possess You
Don’t let objects rule you. Don’t give them the power to spoil your day. No one’s advocating that you don’t react upon losing or damaging something, but worrying over a problem after the fact can’t restore or bring anything back.

4. Set Worry Limits
If you can’t get worry under control right away, then establish limits. Set a timer or a watch alarm for 15 minutes. Tell yourself: “I feel the need to think about ________, but I can only afford to spend 15 minutes on it.” When the time is up, the alarm will be a tangible reminder to let the worry go.

5. Keep a Worry Journal
Write down your worries in a journal on a weekly basis. Referring to this journal often will show you how much time you waste by worrying. It will also serve as a reminder that most of the things you worry about don’t actually happen.

6. Be Your Own Disaster Master
Worrying is a choice, and you can choose not to do it.

7. Stop Playing God
You can’t plan for every outcome. Truth is, you don’t know what will happen five minutes from now, let alone tomorrow, so stop trying to do God’s job. Acknowledge the Divine is in charge with a prayer. Prayer has a calming effect that can center you and drive worry away.

8. Don’t Control Others with Your Worries
Worrying about loved ones wastes a lot of time and opens up the door to permanent estrangement. Let people be who they are. Stop forcing others to do what will make you feel better, instead of what they want.Don’t manipulate them into eating what you want them to eat, going where you want them to go, or doing what you want them to do. Give people credit for having half a brain and knowing what’s good or bad for them. You’ll cut your worrying in half.

9. Rein in Your Imagination
Many worriers are gifted with imaginations. Don’t use yours against yourself. Instead of doting on the worst case scenario, conjuring up negative images of doom and gloom, use your mind to form a positive picture.

10. Practice and Pretend
Practice and pretend not to worry and, in time, anxieties won’t paralyze you. But will I worry about not worrying and make myself anxious? I think not!

So...the moral of this post....DON'T WORRY, BE HAPPY!

Handsome like Daddy

Congrats Kat!

I will never forget the night, about 19 years ago, when my Mom and Dad asked my brother and I the most exciting question....."How would you like to have a little brother or sister?" My eyes lit up immediately and I began to scream in excitement. My brother, being 14 at the time did not exactly share my enthusiasm that night, but in time we all got used to the idea of our new addition to the family!
Kathryn Victoria was born! And life has never been the same since!
This weekend we watched her reach another milestone....high school graduation. It made us all feel old! It also made us proud and excited for what is yet to come for Katy.
We celebrated Katy's graduation ceremony and my mom and I wiped away tears as our baby walked across the stage in her pink high heels. We celebrated afterward with the rest of the family...all 35 of us! We all took turns sharing our funny memories of finding out my mom was pregnant at 40! It was interesting hearing everyone's different experience, and how each of us were affected by this little miracle.
Congrats Kat! We love you!

Summer Nights

These past 2 weeks we have transitioned into our new home, finished unpacking, and established new routines. Charlie loves his new house, new room, and most importantly new buddy, Parker. All of our new neighbors have been a blessing. We could not have dreamed of landing on a better street.
We love our summer nights, Charlie playing in the backyard, riding bikes, and staying outside until dark with all of his new friends! Ryan and I have enjoyed unwinding and visiting with everyone too.
I look forward to our evenings, but not as much as Charlie...











And soon this little guy will be running wild with the other boys! (Isn't he PRECIOUS?!)

Getting Settled In

We closed on Monday and are now finally, officially moved in our new house! It has been exhausting and overwhelming...but mostly very EXCITING!
We had an ENORMOUS amount of family support, and are so grateful for that. Charlie loves his new room, and has slept in his bed by himself every night! We have enjoyed spending our evenings watching him play with his new friends and watching him enjoy his new surroundings. We could not have handpicked better neighbors, and feel so blessed that we chose the street that we did.
Unfortunately I had to go back to work on Tuesday, which has made it difficult to get everything I wanted accomplished. But I plan to spend the long weekend to try and get everything in its place and start the fun part...decorating!!!
I will post pics soon of all the progress I make :)

Moving and Miracles

6 days to go until we close on our house! As they are putting the final touches on the house this week, I am crossing my fingers and trying to stay calm, praying that it will all get done...correctly! Packing has been challenging with a little boy who enjoys unpacking faster than I can pack! I know it will all get done somehow and by this time next week we will be sleeping in our new house.
Speaking of sleeping...Charlie has decided to stop fighting me on sleeping in his bed. It is a miracle! In fact last night, he told us he was tired and gave us a hug and kiss good night and went and climbed into bed, covered himself up...and went to sleep! I went and checked on him and he was out. Unbelievable. When I woke him up for school this morning, I praised him for being such a big boy. He smiled his squinty smile and was proud of himself too.
I pray this move will be an easy transition for him. He seems excited about his new room and new backyard, and new neighbors, so I am hoping he won't back track.
I am so excited to see our house that we have watched progress weekly, become a reality. While I don't look forward to the moving...I look forward to the new memories to come!