Super Pumped

Okay

So I am super excited

I found an amazing Advent Study

I am so moved by it!

I will still post nightly about our day...

but check out my other pages

Soul:

Daily Advent Devotion

Mind:

A daily super cute craft or organization tool that I like

(don't worry, I do not take credit for any of it...I stole all the ideas)

Body:

Fitness tip of the day...these are amazing...and yet again, all stolen!

But, it is something that I believe firmly in!

News in...rumor has it that our elf on the shelf is coming tonight...

Yes, very exciting!

Stay tuned everyday for what crazy things he got into

If I am really good

I will post a picture of it...

Camera has been taking a break the past few days....

Today was a very busy day...

Here are the highlights in my thankfulness number counter...

#41 Baylen loving storytime and being such a big boy

#42 Watching Samantha get super excited about school

#43 Decorating the christmas tree at grammy's

#44 Having one of those bible studies that just...wow's you!

#45 Keeping my cool all day long, and knowing that when we are in a storm, we will not be in it forever and it is guaranteed that God will see us through it, not leave us for one minute and then we will look back and say...oh yes, now I see!

Overwhelmed

Feeling a bit overwhelmed lately

And I don't know why

I love this time of year

But it causes my perfectionism to come out

I so try to overdo

I want five advent wreaths going

instead of just one

I want to make cookies 10 times

not just once,

I want to go to every Christmas parade

make every craft

let my kids watch every Christmas special

hit every sale

get everyone the perfect handmade gift

give the neatest teacher gifts

and the list goes

on

and

on

and on

And in the meantime

this jars my Obessive nature

that while I am at it

I want the house

the kids

me

to be perfect too

Where do you draw the line in

a clean house

and a mom that goes nuts

trying to keep the house clean

in a mom that wants to do it all

but if we do it all

mommy gets a little moody

why is it that my laundry is always piled up

that there is always old things in the fridge

even though I thought I bought

a perfect amount

why am I always cleaning out my car

redoing my workout plans

Making new checklist

updating pictures

deleting emails

taking new magazines

mopping floors

I know I know

because that is life

Sometimes I just feel

though this blog is called

Brodrick Balance

I have none lately

I walk that thin line

I feel that at night when all the kids are settled

and Kevin walks in

I want to greet him with a huge smile

hug

and all the energy that I had at noon

but I am zapped

He deserves more

I wish I could be 100 percent

all day

for everyone

all the time

How do you balance

I know we are not to really know

I just want to go with the flow sometimes

when sometimes I feel

I am in a wad

Going from one thing to the next

and then next

I have all these great plans...

Up at 6:00

workout

morning routine run smoothly

get all chores done

so Baylen and I can just play

Have everything done

so the kids and I can

just play

Relaxed for tea at 4:00

But

someday's

most days

I don't shower

I did not brush my teeth

I did not drink my tea

or drink water

or maybe even eat

I am not complaining here

I am just wondering

Do I create work for myself

Do I try to make things too perfect

the thing is

I get ideas from others

they seem to do it

and do it well

Just don't know

I know I need to breath

Pray

and give it up

Do all I can do

that day

I just regret the most

when I seem short with my kids

and get the slite bit annoyed

when there is pulling at my pants

demands for more milk

or one more bin of toys dumped

I know I will look back and want it all back

when it is gone

But how do you stay in the moment

enjoy each moment

when every moment

is doing for someone else

Again

I walk a fine line

of knowing when I am selfish

and when I am selfless

I will pray

Just pray

I will be a peace with the answer I know

Until then

I will try each day

to enjoy every moment

Have fun

And when its not fun

I won't do it

I love my kids

I love my husband

I love my dogs

I love my family

I want them to know it

and I want to show it

everyday

the rest is just icing on the cake

Which by the way

when I eat icing

I feel guilty

Working through this slump I'm in

know it is a phase

Working through this season

Knowing that spring is on its way...

good person

I thought a lot today

a lot more then usual

I don't know if it was the sermon

or being with my family

or spending time with Kevin's family

or walking with my parents

or listening to my kids

or working in the garden...

but I did a lot of thinking

I think I think too much

I worry too much

I get bogged down

way to much

I want to be a good person,

yet I know that I am not a perfect person

I want others to know that I know I am not a perfect person

yet I want to try to be the best person I can be

I don't know if I am just insecure

or think too much about what others think

But I want so badly for people to know

that I always mean well

I really do

I don't know when I cross the line of

caring a lot

and seeming like I am judging

The last thing I ever want to do

Is seem like I know it all

I don't

I so don't

But I want to help others

How do you balance that

How do you always come across like you have

others interests in mind

and not your own

How can I radiate positive energy?

I thought about this today,

I thought about it a lot

I have so many things I want to

do

say

read

tell

remember

I get overwhelmed

I want to read every book

listen to every sermon

capture every moment on camera

remember every funny and sweet thing my kids said and did

the list goes on

and on

and on

How do you let go

How do you just live

and enjoy

and not try to do it all

be all

read all

see all

I want to live in a manner

that I know God is

allowing me to see

do

remember

all that he wants me to

it is a daily battle

when I need to come to him

remind myself that he is indeed boss

and that I am along for the journey

these pictures remind me of that...

I want to enjoy every sweet little bite....

Be crazy and not care who is looking...have fun all the time...and love life always...
Smile often
Hug often...
And always stop to look at what is important....

#31 Baptisms

#32 Christmas lights

#33 My kids crawling in bed with me

#34 Italian food

#35 A passionate sermon that gives me chill bumps

oh and yesterday's

#36 Heating pads when you pull your back out

#37 When Georgia wins a game

#38 Having a long Holiday weekend

#39 Reading a book, even if it is just for five minutes

#40 Getting your email inbox under 100

Thankful

It was a wonderful Thanksgiving

Great food

Amazing family

Beautiful day

Could not ask for much more

We even had a dog come visit

that was a mixture of Riley and Walker

It was fun for the kids to play with her in the yard

I remember each year how much I love thanksgiving

The parade in the morning

The smell of food cooking

Pool Tournaments

Bartending

Sitting down with my huge family of 24

Laughing

Laughing a lot

Sharing memories

Catching up

Looking towards the future

I feel like time goes so fast

Yet when we are all together

it is like it has stood still

Everyone seems the same

Happy

Jolly

Full of life

Looking forward to next year

But not wishing it away

All I really want is family

Joyful Memories

Peaceful days

and Hope for future memories...

My three looked pretty sharpe I have to say...They clean up well...


Bo had so much fun with Austin, Charley, David and Zach

He thought they were as cool and they thought he was

Bo greeted me this morning with an array of christmas songs...

I loved to hear his words for them

" Rudolph the red nose reindeer, had a very shiny nose, and if you ever saw it

You would even say its gross"

He was not trying to be funny,

he really thought that was the words

He sang a rather large medly

Baylen danced and I loved it

Then he proceeded to go and dress like all three ghosts from The Chistmas Carol

They were sooo funny

He had chains when he was Marley

He put fruit all over him and a beard to be Ghost of Present

and he loved being the reaper for future

He did come up with this whole get up...

He knew exactly what he wanted me to make

He sat and sat

waiting for kids to walk by

so they could sit on his lap and tell them what they wanted...

He melts my heart

He worked hard with daddy outside

to build a winter wonderland...

Baylen was amazed with all the lights...

this will be a very special christmas...

Thanksgiving Eve

Love a day at home

when the kids are out of school

and it is only Wednesday

It's like you get an extra weekend

Started to day with pancakes

Actually went to the grocery store

with all three

the day before Thanksgiving

and it was easy

Amazing

The kids had fun

we did random things

Baylen continued to amaze us

he has gotten quite funny

He loves to open his mouth

dance

copy

and turn the tv on and off

point to everything

and share and gets very upset when you will

not take what he wants to give you.

He loves to hold my face

say ewww and ut-oh

and wear shoes...

I do have to say

when I am on the phone

it is like the kids know

that is when to ask me for things

because I will say yes,

just to please

Today,

they got candy

and when I got off

I did not even remember saying it was okay

why does everything go nuts

when I am on a five second call?

Here are some highlights

I owe it to Monavie that we stay so healthy....

Our yearly placecards for the feast tomorrow...all three helped!

Bo set up a "jail" in the laundry room, he said he and Baylen were robbers...not sure I understood, but they both were happy, and seemed to get it,

so fine by me!

Baylen hang'n with the big kids eating pancakes and watching Curious George...Sam and Bo both got Baylen up this am, and they all three made bracelets for everyone...It was cute to watch them grab Baylen by the hand, while he was wearing his batman cape pj's....saying come on Baylen lets go play...he was so excited...feeling pretty special...
Love those chubby legs....love that Sam still wants to wear Dora pj's..

#31 The kids asking if they can put coins in the salvation army bucket at the grocery store

#32 Seeing my grandparents

#33 Watching my three kids play together

#34 Laughing, really hard

#35 My mother in-law having two "best days ever"

Memories

In light of thanksgiving
I thought I would post some oldies,
but goodies
I am so thankful for so many things
For warm memories
Fun days
and hope in the future

It was a great day...looking forward to posting some older pictures these next few days!

 

#26 Going to Yoforia with the kids on a hot day in November

#27 Having the kids home for the next five days

#28 Watching Baylen show off how he knows where his mouth is now!

#29 Getting Walkers picture up and the memory wall almost done

#30 Rainy nights

Puppet Shows

Samantha is really into drawing and I am super

proud of her

She also was chosen by her teacher

along with three others to eat in the room

with the teacher and eat cupcakes tommorrow

for such good behavior

She was SO excited about this

when she got off the bus

It was the coolest thing to watch

Baylen helped with the after dinner puppet show

and right before he stood up at dinner and sang for us

Bo and Sam were laughing so hard

Tonight was also the first time he has ever sang the blessing with us

Pretty neato

 

Sam Bo and Bay at the end of the puppet show, yelling Bravo...




I got to keep my sweet nephew Hudson today, He was not so trusting of Baylen
and Baylen was not so sure about him
He is not too keen on not being the baby
And Hudson thinks he gets, well a little too in his space..

They were so cute to watch

Today was a great day

Not much got done,

I got about two things off my

"master list" done

But what I did get done was fun

I feel blessed

I feel happy

and I feel I matter

I am so thankful for thanksgiving week

I love this week

I am so looking forward to having the kids home

for five days,

I really am serious....

#26 Playing outside and everyone wants too

#27 Cooking a dinner that everyone likes

#28 Watching your kids puppet show

#29 Watching the kids get off the bus and have so much to say

#30 Getting new magazines in the mail

Sunday's

Yes, I think Sunday may be my favorite day of the week

It is family day

I get to go to church

and learn something new

see friends

and smiling faces

I get to eat my one donut for the week

and drink coffee

and spend one hour with my husband

and other couples

that are going through the same thing we are

I get to see my kids learn about Jesus

I get to spend the whole day with my family

I get to walk with my dad

I get to do nothing, but get random things done

with my family

I get to go to see Grammy and Pop Pop

I get to get a little caught up

I always wish for just one more hour in the day

no matter what day it is

I could use just one more hour

But I think if I had that hour

I would wish for another

I know that I will really never be caught up

there will always be just one more thing on my list to do...

I am just happy I am able to do what is on my list,

and that I have a list,

Today I learned to give God my worries

my anxiety

my stress

to be

P

E
A

C

E

F

U

L

We are all way to wrapped up in ourselves,

we need to focus more on what we are doing for each other

and God

And know that God will provide

for us today

Not to question yesterday

or worry about tomorrow

just live in today

enjoying the moment

and man, did I enjoy today....

Samantha working on her ornament at earth fare at the five points open house
Bo loved using blue glitter on his...daddy helped too
Samantha worked and worked, got it perfect and we brought it home
She was pleased, so therefore we all were
Baylen this morning giving Sam some love
A lot of love

And very proud of what he was doing....
Samantha was please...she really was.....
Horse and carriage at the open house....perfect weather, very fun!

Go Dawgs!
Baylen enjoys suckers way too much, and Bo tries way to hard when he is told to smile...Sam always eats it up!
On the hayride
All three told Santa what they would like....Bo said Lego's hero figures, Samantha said a camera and Bo told Santa that Baylen wanted action figures....Very impressed Baylen was chilled about this...things went way to smoothly!

We even went as a family to get flowers and pavers for Riley and Walkers garden

I am very excited about this
Can't wait to finish this up

so we will have a place to go

and spend time with them

a pretty spot

#21 Walks with my dad

#22 Cute kids and a very handsome husband

#23 Coffee

#24 Days that are not too warm and not too cold

#25 Samantha being so impressed with my princess drawings and posting them on her wall