Life.

Somehow my blog always loses touch with reality. I think real life just happens and I forget to actually post anything on my blog. Because I'm too busy living life to write about it. Or something. Who knows?

Either way, we have been super busy around here and summer just started!!

We made an unexpected week long trip to Virginia for a family emergency. It wasn't a fun trip for us to have to take because of the circumstances, but I'm glad we got to visit family for a while. We left on June 2nd and came back home June 9th. Makayla missed the last four days of first grade AND her first ballet recital, but there will always be more of those things. She was very upset about missing her recital and she cried a lot, but we explained that family is more important. She gets it and she is such an amazing kid. Addison also missed her best friend's birthday party and cried about that, but we told her the same thing and she understood, too.

So we came home June 9th and then Adam and Makayla turned right back around and went to Ohio for the weekend on June 12th. They went for Adam's sister, Sarah's, graduation party. Insanity!!

That's kind of what we've been up to lately. Now we are relaxing at home and getting ready for Addison's birthday party, which is this Saturday.

Life just never stops! This past weekend when we were missing two of our family members, the little ones and I went grocery shopping, got Kalkidan's hair cut for this blazing hot summer, hit up World Market because Mama had a $10 coupon and needed a new soap dispenser for the kitchen and got Adam's Father's Day gift. We were busy bees!! Addison also picked out a new Anna and Elsa doll with some birthday money she got in the mail!

Yesterday we went to the library so Makayla could get her first prize for the Summer Reading Program. I signed all the girls up last week and they each have a little booklet and for every 15 minutes they read, they get a check mark. They have a row of places for checks, so every five hours is a row and you get a prize for every row. Then when the whole thing is filled up, they get a bigger prize. It's fun and Makayla and Addison LOVE to read, so they are flying through it! Kalkidan isn't as big a fan of reading as them, so she's a little behind, but that's okay! It's fun for them and they love getting check marks!! :)

Today we went to the school to get some paperwork M's teacher left in the office for us. Then we ran to Target to pick up my prescription that was ready and we came home! I made lunch for my babes and now they are having some Quiet Time in their rooms, which I write this up and finish my current book! Hopefully. And watch some Friends.

I started re-watching Friends on Netflix even though I own all the DVDs. This way is more fun because I don't have to change out the discs! HA! I'm at the end of season three and I've been watching it for a few months. Oops! Life kinda happens, though. I did watch season three of Orange Is The New Black this weekend, though. I flew through that!

That's our life in a nutshell around here. Things won't be slowing down anytime soon and that's okay! We have LOTS to get done this summer and I'm so excited to share it with you....later! :)

Have a great day!!

Preschool Graduation!

You guys.

My babies graduated preschool last night. Do you know what that means?

THEY ARE GOING TO KINDERGARTEN NEXT YEAR!!

What?! What is life? What is happening? Where am I? Who are these children?

I don't even know.

So anyway, they had their graduation ceremony last night and it was so sweet and tiny and beautiful and all the things. Addison and Kalkidan both walked out so proud to get their little diplomas and I just die all over the place.

Addison's class was first and then a different class and then Kalkidan's. After the graduation, each class sang a song. It was so cute and precious and I had tears streaming down my face during both girls' performances. They had it set up so the parents for each class could come up during their performance and take pictures and video and stuff. So when Addi graduated, we left M at our seats and when we came back, she said, 'I almost cried watching Addi graduate! She's just so little!'

She asked if she could come up with us during their songs and of course, we said yes. Then when they are performing, I look at Makayla and she is crying her eyes out!! Both times!! Then she tells me, "I'm just so proud of my sisters! I can't believe they are growing up and they will be at my school next year!"

You guys, I die. She has THE sweetest and most loving heart ever. She is the best big sister in the entire world and I am so proud of her and her little sisters.

It was a tearful event last night, but they were all happy tears! We ended the evening with a little treat for the graduates. Makayla wanted to get them flowers, but she said the flowers smelled like goldfish, so she went the safer route with a mug and stuffed animal. She has the heart of an angel, you guys.

I am just so proud and in awe of all three of my darlings. Of how much they are learning and growing on a daily basis. Of how kind they are to each other and to their friends. Of the love they share for our little family. Of how protective they all are of their sisters. I'm just so proud and in awe of them.

They are my life and I wouldn't change them for the world.

Congrats, graduates! You are the sweetest little biscuits of life. And your big sister is so, so freaking proud.

Wednesday Weeklies!

Well, I dropped the ball on this again. I mean, you guys probably figured I would. I've already sucked at keeping up with my blog this year. Again. Whatevs. Let's just get on with it, shall we?

•I'm addicted to books. Everyone who knows me even the tiniest bit knows this about me. So this list is my life.

25 Signs You're Addicted to Books

•And let's just keep with the book theme since they are my life. These are the worst. And this is also why I NEVER let people borrow my books. Go to your library and save me the headache, thanks.

The 26 Worst Things to Happen to a Book Lover.

•Another thing you should know about me is that I'm an introvert. I would MUCH rather snuggle in my bed or a comfy spot and read a book than go out into the world. This list is spot freaking on.

27 Problems Only Introverts Understand

•This is just adorable. Introjis are emojis for introverts. Again, my life. Yes. They need to make these ASAP.

Emojis for Introverts.

•This list is the best thing of life! If you weren't in the Air Force, you probably won't understand, but it is perfection. I love this list and it's just all kinds of the best.

32 Terms Only Airmen Will Understand

•These vandalized signs are hilarious. These are the things that have me cracking up all day long. I love pictures like this. Keep doin' what you're doin', party peeps!!

33 Hilarious Vandalized Signs.

•And these adorable animals will make any day better. Obsessed.

48 Tumblr Animals

Annnnnnnd that's it! Hope you enjoyed and read them all! Until next time! Which probably won't be next week because, let's just get serious.

Peace, y'all!!

Horrible, Horrible, Horrible Day.

Today was awful. Just all kinds of gross.

So we got a puppy on Sunday. Yay! He's adorable. His name is Max and we are all obsessed with him. Well except Addi. She won't come within three feet of him unless he's sleeping. HAHA!

Anyway back to today. Addi hasn't been feeling well the past couple of days. My girls have had really bad luck with getting sick since winter started. It's been gross and awful and horrible and I wish sickness would just leave. But it's here to stay awhile.

So.

I took Kalkidan to her speech appointment today. Yay! She's finally in speech therapy!! We started two weeks ago with the evaluation and she failed, which is good and bad. Good because she finally qualifies and bad because, well, she qualifies. But at least she can get the help she needs now! So we did that. And usually on Wednesdays we go see Makayla for lunch, but I told her this morning that I needed to take Addi to the doctor so we couldn't come today. I got Addi an appointment for 11:15.

We stopped at Target for some essentials (coffee travel cup and Dr. Pepper) and then went to her appointment. We discovered she has an ear infection. Again. Ughhhhhh. She literally cannot catch a break with the sickness. Oy with the poodles already! Gilmore girls reference FTW.

So thennnnnn, she took a nap. And woke up. And she was upset and HOT. SO HOT. I took her temp.

104.6

I mean, really? So I'm losing my damn mind, shoving Tylenol down her throat and making her drink juice and holding an ice pack on her forehead and calling Adam and trying to decide if we should speed to Urgent Care and calling the pediatrician and wow. It was insane. Oh and the puppy is losing his damn mind because he's all tied up in his leash and can't reach his water. I mean just bananas around here.

I threw her (I didn't really throw her) into a cool bath and she said it was too cold and then she finally relaxed into it and said it felt good. She stayed in there for a bit and her temp finally went to 102. Hallelujah!!!!!

It was crazy town. Oh yeah, I also told Adam to come home somewhere in there because did I mention I was losing my damn mind?! So he came home about that time and just took over.

Makayla has ballet on Wednesdays instead of Mondays now so I took her over there and was looking forward to sitting in the car for an hour to read while she danced her sweet little heart out.

We went into her classroom and she was telling me about a game the girls play and then some other girls came in and they were running around and Makayla came barreling toward the barres (they're stand alone ones) and she tripped over the end of one and slammed her face straight into the ground. And I stood there and watched it happen.

She started screaming and I grabbed her and she was crying and the teacher came in right at that moment and the girl that was chasing M was worried it was her fault and just like that, another disaster on our hands. Makayla didn't want to stay for class after that and I don't blame her. Her sweet little lip is busted open a little bit and after we left, a scrape on her nose came through. She falls hard, that one.

So instead of ballet, we enjoyed dinner at Chipotle together. That was a super highlight of my day, for sure. My girl is hilarious. She would eat her rice and put it between her top teeth and her lip and then smile. Oh man, I was dying with the laughter. She's the sweetest. And she kept hiding her face because she said she didn't want anyone to see. I told her she's beautiful no matter what. All the time.

It's been a hell of a day. I'm glad it's over and we can start fresh tomorrow. Addison isn't going to school because of insane high fever and just no. We have a vet appointment for our cat to get flea treatment since we have Max now even though Mittens doesn't go outside. So that should be fun. And we were just at the vet on Tuesday for Max's first visit. He got his flea treatment and a shot and his nails clipped. He's a sweetheart. I'm also supposed to volunteer at M's school in the morning. Life is insane and this week has been all kinds of cray cray.

On the bright side, Max didn't whine at all last night in his crate! All night long!! He woke up howling, though. I think his little bladder was full. And he didn't poop in there last night, either! And he went to bed tonight without whining. We're getting somewhere!! Oh and the best news of all....he had no accidents in the house today! None!!! So proud of that little guy!!! :)

Here's a better tomorrow!!!

A Little Slice of Heaven.

My girls had their usual nap time today and it was unusually quiet in Addi's room. When I came upstairs to wrangle the girls, I peeked in Addison's room and there she was. Laying on her chair with her pillow and blanket. Fast asleep. The most precious thing I've ever seen. My little Nap Bandit.

I went and got the other two, got them set up with snacks downstairs and came back up to try and snag another picture of my sleeping beauty. And BAM. She woke up and started yelling at me. So I asked if she wanted me to go and she said no. I asked if she wanted me to hold her and she said yes. Now, my girls are typically not good nappers. If they wake up, they are UP. There's no getting them back to sleep. So when Addi said yes, I scooped her up as fast as I could before she could change her mind.

I sat in the chair with her sprawled across my entire body and rocked and rocked and rocked. We were like two puzzle pieces that were never meant to be apart. Her face nuzzled in my left shoulder and my head snug against hers. It was beautiful. I soaked in every single moment.

My phone was right there. I could have easily gotten on Facebook or Instagram or read some mindless article. But I decided in that moment to just soak it up. My babies are not so little anymore. Sure, they're still little in the grand scheme of life, but they aren't teeny tiny fresh newborns that snuggle on their Mama's chest anymore. And oh boy, how I miss those times. A fresh little baby snuggled on your chest in the middle of the night.

And this afternoon took me right back. I had flashbacks of holding Addison as a teeny little itty bitty thing. In that very same chair that is still in her room. And then I came back to this moment that we were sharing. This moment of her at four and a half and me at thirty and I cherished it. I can't even remember the last time I held her like that and she fell asleep on me. It has been so long.

She rolled over a few times during our hour of me rocking and her sleeping. I thought every time that she would wake up, but she didn't. Her sisters were in the playroom being not so quiet, but we powered through. We had our time today and it was glorious. Her little arms draped across my chest, just like when she was a baby. It was my slice of heaven for today. Possibly for the year.

It's amazing what happens when you're just PRESENT, ya know? Today was that for me. Just being there in the moment. Not worrying or thinking about anything else. Staring at her teeny hands and her small body scrunched up against mine. Looking at her hair draped all over her back and her face. Hearing her ever so slight snore. I'm telling you I breathed in every moment of that hour and I don't regret a second of it. I don't regret the other things I could have been doing. I don't regret anything I missed in any other part of our world. I don't regret it at all. It's exactly where I was supposed to be. Oh man, I can't even tell you how amazing it was. This is a memory I will hold in my heart forever.

And then right at the end, she rolled over one last time and mid roll said, 'Love you.' I melted all over the floor. Someone come sweep me up because I'm still laying there in her room. On the floor. Melted.

This time is fleeting, mamas. Soak up your sweet babies and their precious little heads for as long as you can. Moments like these always remind me how fast our little ones grow up. It's too fast! I'm so thankful that I got to savor an hour today.

Wednesday Weeklies!

And so we meet again. There are just, like, so many good things on this world wide web! And I love sharing them. Even if nobody reads this...I like having these cute little things here to look at again and again! Enjoy this week's installment of Wednesday Weeklies!

•I just found this sweet girl on Instagram via the Explore page and I was hooked as soon as I stalked browsed through her pictures. She's stunning...her pictures are stunning....and then I found her blog! And wow. She's got a way with words, this one. So I'm hooked is all I'm saying. And I found this gem that she wrote about doing it all. It resonated with me. If you're in the Mommy trenches and feeling unsettled about your ability to keep juggling all those balls in the air, read this. I love honesty.

How to Do It All.

•The Bachelor started this past Monday. It did not disappoint. It lives true to its nature...everyone is here for love, nobody finds love, drama, drama, drama. And all of America is hooked! I'm one of those people...what can I say? I love a good fake reality tv show! So this little list made me crack up and I promptly sent it to my mom who also loves the show.

What Happens on Every Season of The Bachelor

•Hello Giggles is quickly becoming a favorite website of mine. Their articles are adorable, I've gotten book recommendations from there and some serious thought provoking articles, too. And this is just too freaking cute for words. I die. And I MUST get to Tokyo!!!

Owl Coffee Shop!

•Glennon Doyle Melton wrote my favorite book ever. Carry On, Warrior. It is the best. It helped me get through a difficult life period and I need to read it again to refresh. She's witty, sweet, hilarious and just all kinds of awesome. I got to meet her last April and she was just as adorable in person. Her blog posts can get lengthy sometimes, but this is short and sweet. And to the point. Life is forever tries. Don't get down on yourself because you are awesome and doing an awesome job. Read this!!

Forever Tries

•I LOVE reading. Did you guys know? If not, you should get out from under that rock, though. Annnnnyway, this list pretty much sums up my thoughts when I hear someone doesn't read. Like, um, what? Are my ears deceiving me, because you did not just say that?! Let me know if you agree!

6 Reactions Book Lovers Have to People Who Don't Read.

•I had an unfortunate experience after drinking two cups of coffee through the course of the day yesterday. I got REALLY irritable and annoyed and started having heart palpitations. It was weird and scary. I was super angry for no reason. My girls were getting on my nerves and they weren't even doing anything! Then I stumbled across this article and it made perfect sense. Just get over the fact that a New York Magazine article spelled extrovert wrong. I mean, extroverts ARE full of extra vert, so maybe that's what they were going for?

When Introverts Should Avoid Coffee

That's all for this week! Anyone enjoying this? Well, I am. So until next time!! :)

Mom Guilt.

This morning, as I was getting the girls in the car for school, I kept thinking about how quickly this time passes. All this time when my girls are little.

Some days I wish it away and just want them to be self sufficient. Other days I want them to be little forever. Every mom has their moments and it's so hard to just live IN the moment, ya feel me?

But this morning, Makayla climbed in the car and she just looked so. little. I lingered a little bit longer and stared at her teeny tiny feet dangling from her car seat. Sure she just turned seven and oh my gosh, how did that happen and why all the growing?, but also she is just so dang tiny!

And this morning I just relished in that. Seven is, like, way too old for me, y'all. It means she's really growing up and I just can't cope with that. At least at this very moment in time. But you know, I go back to the ugh, just grow up already! side way too fast.

I'm a big emotional mess. I love my girls growing up because they are SO fun and funny and sweet and seeing how Makayla loves her sisters just slays me in every way possible. And then I hate my girls growing up because they are becoming independent and Addison understands, like, everything I say to her and when did that happen?!

It's a confusing time for me. I have literally loved every stage my girls have been in...even the one year long Makayla crying and not sleeping stage. Okay, maybe that wasn't my favorite stage, but she was an itty bitty baby and MY itty bitty baby and she was perfect and she still is and run on sentences are my favorite!

My point is: I love hearing my girls have conversations with each other. I love when they all play together. I love hearing them scheming with each other from the next room. I love when they joke with each other and get along. I love that they always want to be together. I love it all. And I have loved all of the stages, but it goes so freaking fast.

And then sometimes I feel guilty. Guilty that I didn't just relish in the moments like I should have. Guilty that I can't remember every single thing they have said over their short little childhoods. Guilty that I don't take more pictures and videos. Guilty that I haven't taken them to enough places. Guilty that we don't do enough during the day. Guilty that I say no too often. Guilty for the amount of tv they watch. I feel guilty about pretty much everything.

Guilt is just not a fun place to live. It's exhausting worrying about all of that stuff! And you know what? My girls just love being with me. They love talking to me and asking me every question under the sun. They love when I just get on the floor and play with them. Addison asks me almost every day, 'Um, Mommy...can I tell you something?' My response every time is, 'You can ALWAYS tell me something.'

I don't need to feel guilty for all that stuff. We have videos. We have pictures. We do so many awesome and fun things. The girls have so many wonderful memories already and they talk about them all the time!

Mom guilt is so real. And so stupid. I'm quitting. That's my New Year's Resolution. Quit the Mom guilt because nothing good can come of it.

I'm going to enjoy my babies while they're little. AND I'm going to enjoy them growing up! Because it is just so freaking fun!!

But for now, I'm just gonna focus on those little dangling feet and hope they stay around a little while longer.

Christmas Day!

So obviously I'm not posting this on Christmas Day. Life is so hectic for us that day, as I know it is for most. Just a little bit more for us because Makayla's birthday! As is my life motto: better late than never! :)

We had a wonderful Christmas this year! Every year is always amazing and I think no other year will top it. And then it does! Each day has its own special beauty that comes with it...even not on Christmas! But there's just something about December 25th. It's become all the more special since our babe was born seven years ago!

Let's start at the beginning of our day...the girls woke us up at 5:30am! I think the last time I saw that time of day was in Basic Training! I am SO not a fan of waking up early. We tried to keep them in our bed until at least 6, but it didn't work out so well. They already ran downstairs and saw that Santa came!! Makayla came bursting in our room and said, "Santa came and there's a big box and I know it's an American Girl doll because that's what I asked for!" And she was totally right. :)

So we begrudgingly went downstairs to open our gifts before the glorious sun was even up. It was hard, but our girls' excitement was so contagious that it woke us up a little bit!

The girls opened their gifts from Santa and everyone was super happy! Makayla got the American Girl doll of the year, Isabelle. Which brings her total to three AG dolls. Excessive, I know, but I never had one growing up, always wanted one, always looked at the catalogs and now I get to spoil my girl! The other girls don't have any because, let's face it, they won't take care of them and those things are expensive! Addi got Anna from Frozen and Kalkidan got Elsa from Frozen. They like those and I don't care if they get destroyed because they aren't 8 million dollars per doll. Win win.

We took a little break and ate cinnamon rolls for breakfast and then went right back to opening the rest of our gifts! I *might* go a little overboard at Christmas, but my girls are worth it. And it's SO FUN!!!! They got so many fun new toys, pjs, clothes, hats, books, you name it. I love shopping for them! Oh yeah, Adam and I opened gifts, too. I love presents!!

We finally finished after the sun came up. Then we did our stockings which is always a fun little treat! After cleaning up that mess, opening up every single stupid toy package known to man and one plastic cut on my thumb, Adam and I made Christmas dinner/lunch!

It was delicious, like it always is. We threw in Miracle on 34th Street for the girls, while Adam and I napped because 5:30AM. And that whole entire time, Makayla kept asking if she could open her birthday presents! This kid!

So right after the time she was actually born (4:27PM) we did our birthday festivities! She opened up all her birthday gifts in our room upstairs because she got this totally rad horse and stable for her AG dolls! She was in love! She also got some clothes and books and a few other little toys and games. Then we had what she chose for dinner...design a pizza by Digornio! She is the sweetest. We let her pick what she wants to eat for her birthday dinner every year because I'm sure it probably sucks a little bit that everyone else opens presents on YOUR birthday. But I also know how much she LOVES having a special birthday! She asks me to tell everyone all the time. And I totally do. :)

That was our day! I think we ended it by watching some Cutthroat Kitchen on Netflix. I dunno. It was an exhausting day. But it's always so fun. My house is always trashed...dishes everywhere, wrapping paper and toys littering our living room floor.

So the next day was Operation Clean Up! And we did. We found a new spot for all of our fun new toys. And obviously by now my house is back to normal. I'm so glad we got rid of about three boxes and two trash bags worth of toys back in October. That really helped us have space for all the new stuff the girls got! They sure are spoiled, too! Between us, Santa and four sets of grandparents...I think they're set for a while! Or forever. HAHA!

I'm looking forward to no more wrapping paper for a while!! Buuuuuuut, we do have Makayla's friends' birthday party coming up in a few weeks! More toys! Get me outta here!!!

Wednesday Weeklies!

Welcome back, lovelies! I keep forgetting about this. I still read a ton of stuff on the interwebz, but I forget to bookmark it or send it to myself or keep track of it in any way. But I'm back! At least for this Wednesday! So you're welcome! And here we go...

•These pictures are amazing. Interesting. Fantastic. Totally rad.

21 Pictures You've Never Seen

•This dad is pretty cool. He illustrates things his daughter says and they are truly hilarious! Check it out for yourself!

Dad Illustrates Daughters Comments.

•Now THIS I can totally relate to! I have thought about many of these things many times. I'm still trying to figure out how to teach my girls about VHS and Blockbuster.

7 Things Our Kids Will Never Understand

•These tattoo sleeves. In. Love. Beautiful works of art and it makes me want to get my next tattoo right this very minute!!

27 Tattoo Sleeves.

•Taylor Swift is my jam. I love her music and I think she is the sweetest little person ever. This video just proves my point even more. T. Swift, you're amazing. Keep making this world a better place!

Swiftmas Video

That's it for this week! If you have something interesting that you want me to see, email me! lindseycrock {at} gmail {dot} com

Have a great day!!

Christmas Eve!

I love the Christmas season!! Everything is so much sweeter. Sure, there's stress that comes with the holidays, but there's so much joy and love out there, too. Even more because my baby girl's birthday is December 25th!

We have been busy little bees around here lately! I got most of my shopping done for Christmas at the beginning of the month, which has helped TREMENDOUSLY!! I highly reccomend it. Adam and I have been furiously wrapping for the past few nights. It's been insane, but it's also kind of fun! Wrapping gets you in the mood for Christmas. And oh man, I can't wait for the joy all over our girls' faces tomorrow morning!!

So, on Sunday the 21st we went to the Texas Motor Speedway to see the Christmas lights they do there every year. We didn't go last year because we didn't know they existed. It was pretty fun! You just drive through and there are lights everywhere...the Medina fairgrounds in Ohio have the same thing, but the one here costs way more. Though I don't think we will be going back next year...the girls said it was boring and kept saying they wanted to go home. What can I say? I'm raising homebodies and I like it.

On the 22nd we went to a neighborhood around here that has been rumored to have lots of lights up. It was free and way better than the Speedway!!! There's a place in California called Candy Cane Lane that we frequented every year we lived there. THAT was the best place ever. We would get hot chocolate and walk around and look at all the houses. It was awesome. This one here was pretty rad, too. They had two houses that had music going to their lights. The girls liked it a little better than the night before, but they still didn't care as much as I thought they would. Eh, oh well!

The 23rd, Addison turned four and a half years old! We don't celebrate half birthdays or anything, but it's fun to remember them! In honor of that, we let her sleep in her sister's room for the night. We dragged her little crib mattress into Makayla's room and she slept on the floor. It was so sweet and they were so excited! And little Addi was out five minutes after we put them to bed. HAHAHA!

Today we went to the Gaylord Texas Hotel to check out their lights. It was not as cool as I was expecting it to be. It was talked up quite a bit, but hey, it was free and it was fun to walk around and see some cute Christmas trees! 

All in all, I think we will just stick with our Southlake Christmas tree lighting. That has been the best and most fun thing for all of us. Traditions are traditions for a reason! Speaking of traditions, I totally flaked on my life and we didn't take the girls to get new ornaments this year! My bust. I'll blame it on the nice weather. Or something. We also put out some reindeer food for Santa's reindeer tonight! We started that last year and the girls love it! It's so freaking fun having kids on Christmas!!!!

Santa has already come and gone. I can't wait for the girls to wake up in the morning, though I know it's going to be earlier than necessary. :) Oh yeah, we opened up our new Christmas jammies this morning and the girls each got a new Christmas book, too. Christmas Eve is almost as fun as Christmas! *Almost.* Addison is the cutest thing in the whole world! When she opened her new pjs, she said, 'I was needing this!' She's the sweetest.

Merry Christmas Eve, peeps!