You Better BELIZE It!

So Mother's Day...not to sound like the worst mom ever, but it never goes as planned in our house.  Usually it's the one weekend my kids decide to go bat sh*t crazy & fight like mad.  I host cookouts and am generally exhausted when the day is done.  #truth

So almost every mother's day I have proclaimed that the next mother's day I'm spending the day all by myself at a spa or mall.

Oh I'm a hateful Mom, but for real when you spend 24/7 with your kids as a stay at home mama - sometimes you just need to get away!  Feel me?

So this year I did.  The day after Mother's day I took a #girlsTrip -(note capitalize the T on that or it takes on a new meaning when using Instagram!)  I flew out with my coach, mentor, and dear friend for a week in Belize!

It was magical!  It was refreshing!  It was just what I needed to get reinspired in life - to be a better wife, better mom, better friend, better business woman.  We all need balance and sometimes balance comes from the outside - by getting away, unplugging, and re-engaging with life!

In all honesty I wondered what in the heck we would do for a full week to ourselves - how would we entertain ourselves?  We with a condo smack dab on the beach in one of the most gorgeous places in the world - there was no time to be bored!  We had a stunning view, incredible front porch on the beach, and the nicest resort staff to boot!  We laid out, listened to music we can't play around our kids, enjoyed adult beverages, kayaked, paddle boarded, at our fill of chips and salsa & GAUC!!!! 

 We took a day trip to Belize City - hopped in a van and took off almost to Honduras to tour a mayan ruin (the history nerd in me was geeking out!!!).  Then we went zip lining and cave tubing through Jaguar Creek and saw real LEGIT Jaguar foot prints - creepy cool!  Our friend was crazy brave and tasted termites - I opted to jump into a cave river off a rock - I'm not one for legs in my mouth but she proclaimed they tasted like carrots!  What?!  How?! 

We took in all the glory that Belize had to offer & Facetimed our babies at night.

It was incredible.  I'm incredibly blessed to have a husband that fully supports my business, dreams and aspirations and that says honey - take a week off and I'll handle the house!  I came home to a fully cleaned home with all the laundry and dishes done - I have trained him well <3 a="" allows="" amp="" and="" dear="" do="" experience="" fortunate="" friend="" good="" have="" i="" is="" job="" life="" m="" me="" nbsp="" nd="" od="" p="" so="" that="" to="" travel="" with="">

Reid Dynasty

Our Christmas was hilarious.  My kids have fallen in love with every ridiculous show on TV - Duck Dynasty, Gator Boys, Swamp People, Rattlesnake Republic.

 

Their Christmas list was as follows...camo clothes, camo boots, camo gloves, red ryder BB gun, live animal trap...and the list goes on.

 

Their wish was fulfilled - check them out - pretty sweet hunters right!

 

Full on sniper pose.

 

Jason Bourne as a boy.

 

And no worries - the BB gun has a padlock and the keys & BBs are kept hidden away so they are only allowed to shoot with adult supervision & safety glasses.

 

And my sweeties - they were on the nice list too (although Jade was on the fence - Santa said he was naughty for peeing in the shower)

 

Merry Merry

Merry Christmas!

The best way to spread Christmas cheer,

is by singing loudly

for all to hear!

XOXO

Love,

The Reid Family

Spooktastic

Last night the kids rocked it out mutant style.

We had the famous Leonardo & Raphel.

Everett had some muscle milk to pump up the biceps.

We had enough weapons to take down Maggie's clan.

Ollie was the famous rat, Splinter (the wise martial arts teacher for the turtles)

She proves her mad martial art skills here with a swift kick to Penelope the cat's chest.

Their favorite spot was seeing Toots & Howard at their new digs - all the tenants were gathered in the lobby handing out candy & my kids hit the lottery big time there!  

With buckets full at 8:00, Everett asked if we could please go home because he wanted to go to bed.

Success!

PS - if anyone sees Aubrie's missing weapon please call our tip line 1-800-CRY-HARD - she desperately wants it back.

Fathers Day

Today we celebrate the Dad's in our life. 

I have been fortunate when it comes to Dads.  My Grandpas were/are amazing men that I love dearly. 

My Grandma Toots & Grandpa Howard (Mom's parents - married 70 years!!)

My Dad is the best there is.  He just is a great man & he loves babies. 

I married my best friend & have watched him turn into a terrific father.

Everett gave Jade a jar of rocks that said "My Dad Rocks" & Aubrie made him a pot holder.  Aubrie said he'd freak out over his gifts & he did!  They also answered questions about him.  Everett said he is so tall he's big as a wall.

One year ago today we celebrated the news that I was expecting.  Little did we know what the good lord had in store for us.  Miss Ollie is better than we ever would have dreamed of with our own plans.  We are really looking forward to this coming year.  Open heart surgery is over!!!  Ollie can grow and thrive.  Aubrie starts kindergarten, and Everett does his second year of preschool.  Caroline will turn two and Penelope Jane will meet our family.  Maggie & Kylie build their dream house too!  It's going to be a good year.

Today we just had fun.  Fried chicken, amazing desserts, naps, and a kids pool to float in.  What a great day!

Caroline's legs & booty = best ever!

booty pickin...

My favorite part of this picture...Ev in the background.

He got stung by a sweat bee...but he claimed a bug laid eggs on his belly screen (team umizoomi).

A Brand New Year

Where does the time go?  I really don't know, I can't figure it out! 

2010 was a great year for us! 

• Jade turned 30 - still can't believe that one!  The man I knew at 16 weighed 140 pounds & now he's all grown up, and thankfully bigger than 140 pounds at 6'2"!
• Then, he started his dream job - he opened up a land surveying business with one of his good friends & trust me friends it's such a blessing in our lives!!  He LOVES his job & he is home more in the evenings than he has ever been!
• Everett started preschool & Aubrie entered her second year of preschool - ugh they are too big!
• Ethel Edith was formed - my sisters & I as well as our Mom had a great time junking, slinging paint, and showing our goods!
• In June, we found out we were having a 3rd baby - a girl!!
• In October, we found out we needed to pray hard for Miss Ollie & her heart.
• Maggie & Kylie decided to move in with us to be our Nanny McFrees.  The basement project is beginning to start.
• We went to Disney and had the vacation of our lives with our favorite people!!  How I wish we could do that every year!
• We purchased a swagger wagon - and love it - woot woot!  Maggie loved it so much she bought a swagger wagon too!
• Our family is growing fast!  I'm going to be an Aunt again - thank you Maggie & Kylie - this time I want a boy :)
• The best part about 2010 is my faith has grown and changed in ways I always prayed for, but never took the action to make a reality.  Thank the sweet sweet lord for the blessings he's poured upon me!

I can't imagine where our lives are going in 2011, but I'm excited for it.  Every year brings such new change in our children & it's exciting to see them grow and transform from toddlers into little people!  Plus, we get to celebrate another year of married bliss and thank our lucky stars that we are in this together as a team.  As a family, we will finally meet our new daughter and pray probably more than we ever thought we could!  No matter what we'll tackle it as a family, and I'll have Jade by my side picking me up when I fall down.  I have the best supporters a girl could ever ask for, and my community - well you can't beat this tiny little town.  Their hearts are oh so big & I am thankful I grew up and came back to raise my family here.

So I wish you all a very bright and shiny New Year as you enter 2011.  Hug the loved ones in your family tight, and remember to cherish them, because they are truly what is most important.  If I have learned anything in 2010, it is that we often take for granted the health of our loved ones, and we consume our lives with petty worries that seem at the time very important to us.  Make 2011 the year that you change and evaluate the blessings in your life!  Take time to slow down, take time to play with your kids - to hear them giggle and relish their hugs, let your house fall apart and pick it up later, kiss your husband before he leaves for work and right when he gets home at night.  Thank the good lord every single day for the blessings he has given to you because everything is his, and you get to manage it for him!  Oh and one last thing on my small rant - build a personal relationship with Christ today - don't wait around until it is convenient to you - he wants you in his kingdom today!  Trust me, if you ever truly face a hardship in your life, you will need HIM more than you ever expected.  Without HIM, our burdens can not be carried alone and it is too much to bear.

 

We love him, because he first loved us.
1 John 4:19

A Family of Elves

I thought I'd better get to business and share my house this winter with you all.  I've been slacking around too much! 

Anyone that truly knows me knows this:  I love anything that sparkles and shines - especially old glitter - I am like a hummingbird or a raccoon.

This wreath is hanging on the door into our garage.  It is fabulous and adorned with a vintage reindeer from my beloved Grandma Toots.  I have a big reindeer collection but it's in the "long term" storage tote because of my littles.

As you come in the house from the laundry room this greets you.  A painting done by my fabulous Mom and a big Santa boot filled with reindeer and elves.  I have a love and small collection of creepy elves!

This is my foyer at the front door.  My pink dresser couldn't be any better for the mere $40 I paid for it.  I have a collection of some of my favorite industrial finds in this area.  I kept it simple for me this year and added a stocking, magazine wreath, and glittery snowman to jazz it up.  A giant pulley is holding all the Christmas cards we have received.

The kids have been busy crafting for me!  My chandelier is covered in coffee filter snowflakes & we'll leave them up through the winter.  The back door is covered with vinyl ornaments that Everett likes to peel off and lick - we won't go into that right now!  We recently put my bench back at the table & now I can fit 8 people!  I'm ready for Kylie & Maggie to move in!  Oh hello Trudie - thank you for getting that tiny morsel for me!

I don't like a lot of fuss on the table because with kids it just gets messy and moved for all the meals so I took an old tool box tray, filled it with vintage garland, some reindeer from the fabulous Toots, and the vintage Santa ornament Jade adores.  It used to be on the tree...but Everett broke it this year along with the tree topper.  He was so excited to help decorate this year, he broke many things, but he had a great time!

I have a tub full of vintage glass ornaments and oh me oh my they are something special!  However - "long term storage" is where they are.  I get out just a select few and keep them up high!

I had to share this shadow box because Aubrie painted it for me, and I was quite impressed.  She's becoming quite the little artist.  This is my window above the sink so she's proud that it's front & center too.

In my cabinets I have a collection of old vintage glittery houses from Toots.  Again they are fabulous & up high so they can't be broken.  I have learned if you don't want it broken, put it up high.  You can't expect littles to not touch glitter - I don't blame them - glitter is great!

This little tool box is in the kids' bathroom on their vanity.  They each have a tinsel tree from Grandma.  We added some more tinsel, plastic ornaments, and a vintage sleigh and reindeer for some fun.

At the staircase the stockings are hung with care.  Even Trudie has one.  I am looking forward to Christmas to see what gifts have been hidden in them this December by the kids!  Anything is possible to surprise us!

Aubrie made a big paper garland so we strung it up over the TV cabinet.  I also have another small collection of glitter houses, but they are "newish" so little hands have ravaged them a bit.

Multiple glitter reindeer - check. (PS I would love a herd of these!)

Glitter Jesus with all the glitter plastic balls & tinsel I could fit into an old tool box - check!

Then, our white tree is one of my favorite things.  It was prelit, and darned the luck this year half of it didn't light up.  I added lights, but with my belly, I missed a small section at the top.  I did my best, but I'm pregnant and if I got too involved trust me I would have knocked it over or it would have taken me over!  Which that would make for a good story in itself!  It's still beautiful I think.

The most exciting part this year was that I forgot I bought a ton of stuff on clearance last Christmas.  I had some new fabulous ornaments, glittery leafy sticks, glittery peacock feathers (woot woot), and snow flakes.  The tree is really full this year and looks fantastic.

Almost everything on here is plastic!  I have a few special ornaments that are glass and of course at the top because accidents do happen.

I had to keep it real for you and show you that the kids rule in this house.  With the addition of Caroline to our family I now have 3 tiny recliners ruling the center of the room.  The TV cabinet is to the left of this picture so you can see they are seriously front & center.  Mom even got them their own personal Christmas throws.  If you even turn on Little Bear when they aren't watching - five minutes tops and all butts are firmly parked gawking at the TV for a good 20 minutes.  You can get a lot done in 20 minutes because of Little Bear!  Little Bear is one of my best friends - he just doesn't know it.

At the bottom of my stair case is my nativity set.  I had it upstairs last year and too much temptation took Mary's head clean off when she hit the tile floor.

This year it's obvious that Everett has done a bit of adjusting.  The sheep was sick of it being crowded in the stable so he took off upstairs & the camel, well clearly the camel is over the long journey it just made.  It is not impressed with the new baby Jesus.

I have an ornament wreath, and then another creepy elf that I love.

Oh there is Ollie.  Hi Ollie!  She has a mere 9 weeks left - really 8 since we are going a week early!  Yes, I may pop by then, and I have no idea what size my feet will be - they are severely swollen but I'll save that post for later!

Oh and the last bit of merry is in our bedroom where I blog.  My glass head is filled with vintage baubles and glass balls - it's better than David Bowie's tight pants in Labyrinth let me tell you.  Some people find this head creepy, but it's versatile - fill it with candy corn for Halloween - eggs for Easter - it's really endless what you can do with an empty head.

So there you have it.  I went really easy on myself this year.  I have a shocking amount of Christmas decor and it's my favorite time of year.  I usually have everything tinseled out - all the cabinets inside and on top.  Sparkly lights everywhere, but mama was tired.  I just put out my favorite things and well it's perfect!  I can't wait for this Christmas to see my kids' expressions when Santa comes.  They are finally big enough to really love the season!  I do dread tear down.  I'll be even larger then.  Thank the lord that Jade is stepping in to help.  Decorating really isn't his cup of tea, but he's been quite the stud this year when it comes to carrying around tubs and decorating the tree.  I am lucky to have him!

Merry Merry to you and yours.  And remember it's all about the Jesus this year!

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