She is Seriously Three.

May is a special month in our family.

My Mama, Lauren and I are all emerald May babies. Just to officially document the awesomeness of us; Mama and I shared the same due date for me and Lauren. Neither of us were born on May 28th, but it's still a sweet familism!

May holds a good list of my favorite things; strawberries, peonies, birthday's, family cookouts, warming sunshine, planting gardens, not-very-many-bugs-outside-yet, reappearance of the Ding Ding Man (aka. The Ice Cream Jeep), and general wonderfulness.

This year we decided to celebrate Lauren's 3rd birthday at Silver Dollar City! It was perfect. She had a little family birthday when she woke up with balloons, cheese danish (becauseit'snotabirthdaywithoutcheesedanish) and a new tricycle. Within a month or so, she'll be able to steer and pedal better. She's a wee bit too Lil'bit to reach it all. But they figured out in no time how to ride together with her standing on the back holding on to Beau. It's just as darling as it sounds.

Lauren is now in the 50th percentile for weight and just under 50th in height. She has really grown. She wears size 3T and 7shoes. That also means she graduated to ride all kinds of big kid rides at Silver Dollar City! It was just unexplainably fun to take them on the teacups, little roller coaster, she didn't want to get off the swings, and LOST RIVER!! Mike and I acknowledged a new chapter in our lives; we are officially back on the water rides at the City!!

 

 Lauren has my heart. She is the sweetest cuddle, sassy pants, and prays for her brother.

Way before I even started thinking about having babies, little baby girl swimsuits always caught my eye. I would touch them and pray, "Dear Lord, I would just love to have a baby girl so I can pick out these sweet swimsuits." It may seem silly but it was certainly a heartfelt prayer. In fact, I picked out a new swimsuit for her yesterday and my heart just sang praises for the gift. The gift of a healthy baby girl.

Lauren memorized 18 Bible verses as a Puggle in Awana at church this year, still eats anything you put in front of her (Hallelujah!), has a million things to say, sings, twirls and giggles with delight. She meets me at the door coming and going. Mama and I call her our Velcro and Sticky Note. She is always right beside one of us. She is a beauty on the inside and out and is basically a super star of a toddler. I'm praying away the troublesome threes! Daddy and I are so thankful God chose us to be your parents Lauren. We are so blessed by your genuine love.

 

We love you more than you know.

Crackhead

I can be a crackhead {well, what I imagine I might be like on crack. I've never tried it because crack is whack}. I get so caught up in getting three million things done, all the time. Sometimes I get three million things done, other times I don't get the dishwasher turned on or I have to rewash the load of laundry I left in the washer because I don't get three things done.

Sign up for a huge craft show to sell hair bows? Sure, why not? Let's do it! Then, I get totally overwhelmed. Then, I call my amazing friend {and hair bow mentor} two weeks before the show and she says, "Yes! I'd love to come!" I heart Cassie Phillips. She did come to the overwhelming craft show to sell bows. She did sit in freezing temperatures while sleet pelted our frozen cheeks {all of them}. She is my dear friend and I hope she gets a million customers in this neck of the woods because I am DONE making hair bows for income. Mostly because I don't make income. My graduate accounting course has come in handy to let me know, I'm not clearing the cost of materials in my pricing. Super genius, that's me. I'm heading on back to hobbyville for my bow making skillz. Craft shows are fun to make new friends and visiting with pure awesomeness such as Cassie. Otherwise, I'm attending craft shows as visitor and consumer of deliciousness, not a vendor.

BTW - I am super blessed with these friends and family of mine. I know they would come at a moments notice aka a crackheads melting point. Thank you Lord!

Sometimes I think I have everything together for ______ {Christmas, Birthdays, Dinner, a Shower} only to realize I don't have taco shells for taco night and I forgot a washcloth for the shower. I just hate getting out of the shower before I'm finished. Its cold and blech. So I beat on the shower wall until someone comes to see if I'm concussed. I'm a crackhead. OR I'm dashing to the mall or target or Hobby Lobby the day before (or day of) to get those last minute things for the birthday photo shoot, my Easter dress or Christmas stockings stuffers. I don't want to talk about my keys. I'm fairly certain this drives my Mama nuts. She is what you call, a planner. So is my sister, my mother-in-loveS, and my sister-in-love. Everyone else really, but me. You'd think I would learn something from them. Don't get me wrong, I make lists, oodles of lists! That's on my to-do list of three million things, Make a List! I think one of the problems; changing my mind. I don't settle on the plastic tea set for the photo shoot, I accept the challenge {I created} to get the ceramic tea set {it was 40% off thankyouverymuch}. I put the pressure on me. I come up with unnecessary changes. I have visions of sugar plums dancing in my head.

At the end of the day, it sometimes comes together. People are eating dinner {although it changed to taco soup}, I end up clean, and a birthday still happens whether I find the perfect curl enhancer mousse or not. On year 13 of hanging with Mr. Crews, I've learned to ASK FOR HELP and CHILL OUT when my crackheadedness {its a condition} gets outta control. He is my Chill and affectionately calls me his Crackhead.

My condition is also a chance for me to practice reflecting God's Grace when things don't come together. I often fail, which is unfortunate because HIS grace is unconditional.  I get stupidly frustrated and forget God created me to trust HIM and not try to make it all alone. I'm so thankful for Grace and the lessons HE teaches me in showing grace to others. I give HIM the glory for helping me in my brokenness and crackheadedness.