Art Class

We all know Olivia has a love for all things art.  It has been our plan all along to get her into an art class.  Almost all of them start at age 5, so we were just waiting for our school year to start and then add it into our homeschool schedule.

After vacation and having to wait for the new month to start, it was FINALLY time for her class!  It's actually a homeschool class.  I didn't set out to find one specific to homeschool, but I figured it would work well with our schedule.

She was beyond excited, and was counting down all week until the day arrived!

She will go for an hour and a half every Friday morning.  They will learn about different artists and styles, and use all different mediums.  In her first class she made something out of clay.

Her teacher seems really sweet.  She's big on kindness, respect, and appreciating everyone's art--no matter what.  Which is exactly what Olivia needs.

The art studio is in a house.  Each room is rented out by different local artists who teach.  I wasn't exactly sure how it would be set up, or how Olivia would do, so we just hung close for the first day.  We went and grabbed some breakfast, and then this cutie just sat up front with me and thought he was hot stuff.  When it's not raining, we may walk around outside.  The library is a half a block away, so we will probably head there some days as well.

Olivia ran out of class and said, "Art class was wonderful!  I just loved everything about it!" :)

The teacher wanted to check in and make sure she could handle it.  Even though 5 year olds are welcome, they really need to be able to follow the directions and do the task asked.  Olivia said she was fine.  After talking with the teacher, she felt Olivia would do well.  She said she was actually going to move her away from the other two 5 year olds and put her next to some of the other girls, so that Olivia could "rise to their level and be challenged".

I'm so excited for her and all she will learn.  As of right now, this is her one passion.  It makes my Mama heart happy to see her get to do what she loves.

Since art class is first thing in the morning, we still had time to head down the street for First Friday at the local church.

It looks like they had the place to themselves, but there actually were other children there.  Not many, though.  The rain kept people home, I think.

I love that this can be my Friday morning!  I wonder what kind of class I'll be driving this one to in a few years?! ;)

Gratitude Lately

There has been a lot of talk in the mommy world lately about comparison.  We are the first generation of parents to raise our kids with social media and it's influence.  Social media is playing a huge roll in how we think of ourselves and of others!  We are constantly comparing, even when the comparison isn't fair (because we are just seeing the "highlight reel" of someone else's life).

One of the speakers at MOMCON said that we need to combat comparison with kindness and to celebrate ourselves and others.  We are good at mourning with others, but we need to be good at celebrating other women as well.  "Celebrating is the counter to comparison."

I have really been trying to work on loving my life.  Not loving the life I hope to have.  Not mourning the life I once thought I might have.  But to be present and grateful.  I don't want to look back when my kids are leaving the house and be sad that I wished these years away.  I want to remember the memories and be thankful for the opportunity I had to spend with them!

September has been an amazing month for us/me.

*We got to take our kids to the beach for the very first time.  This was a vacation that we so desperately needed as a family.  It wouldn't have been possible without staying with my dad and Judy, and I am so grateful for them opening up their home, loving on our kiddos, letting us rest, and feeding us well! Thank you!

*While we were on vacation, we CLOSED ON OUR CONDO!  It's gone, y'all!  Can I get an amen?!  We didn't make any money on it, but we aren't paying for utility bills, condo fees or a mortgage on a condo that is sitting empty!  (Our renter broke her lease and moved out months ago.)  You do not even know how happy I am to have that burden lifted!

*I came back from vacation and found out that I got a dollar an hour raise.  I was already pretty happy with my pay (I got a 10% raise in May!), so this was just icing on the Target cake. ;)  Oh, and that sweet girl babysat for us this month so we could go on a date night.  Our free babysitter moved to Colorado, so while we did have to pay for babysitting, we actually got our dinner for FREE and a gift card for next time because of slow service (we didn't even complain! They just offered).  I'm going to go ahead and say that is the Lord looking out for us!  Woo hoo!

*Not only did I get a raise, but a former boss of Michael's has since switched companies and contacted him to do some extra contract work on the side.  This is where being a hard worker with integrity pays off!  Why yes we will take that check, thankyouverymuch!

*I ended the month with 4 days away at MOMCON.  It was perfect, and I'm so thankful that I was able to go.  And along those lines, I'm thankful for a husband who believes in me, supports me, and wants for me to be able to do things like this.  Who also has absolutely no issues holding down the fort.

*I'm thankful for these goofballs daily, but one of the things I've been reminded of over and over of lately is their health.  There are so many kids (and parents) out there struggling with so many different things.  Both of our kids are perfectly healthy!  No food allergies, no occupational/speech/physical therapists, no developmental delays, no issues whatsover...  Even something as simple as Logan's speech.  He speaks so clearly, can talk in sentences, and communicates very well for a two and a half year old.  I take that for granted!  Or the fact that I can buy them any treat I want, and I don't have to read the labels for hidden allergens.  They don't get swollen eyes or runny noses due to seasonal allergies.  It's so easy to forget for us, but I am being reminded more and more how lucky we really are!

So that's what I'm celebrating!  I'm ready to end this year strong!  (Can you believe it's already October?!?)  How about you?  What are you celebrating?

MOMCON

MOPS International puts on a convention every year for their leaders.  They bring in speakers, have break out sessions that relate to being a leader/mom/wife/etc.  It's a way of training, but also a break from life to be poured into.

This year it was in Milwaukee (hello, motherland!) and I got to go!  Actually 15 out of our 16 steering members went.  The church where our group meets really invests in the program and it's leaders.  So while I did have to pay for my plane ticket and a small portion of my registration fee, the rest was taken care of!  Both Michael and I knew this was an opportunity for me that we didn't want to pass up!

We left very early Thursday morning!  We were all on the same flight.  We landed in Milwaukee a little before 10 AM, and we headed to our hotel and the registration lines.

 We went to a fun little pub right on the riverwalk for our lunch.  Then we headed back and went to a fantastic session on being an unNatural mom.  It was all about how you are the perfect mom for your kids, and how we all have different personalities/strengths/weaknesses and we need each other.  So it's OK if you are x, y or z, because somebody is counting on you to be you.

She did a mom personality test of sorts, and each personality was a tree.  I was the boxwood, and I can honestly say that no results have ever matched me as well as this one.

After the one afternoon session on Thursday, we headed to dinner as a group.  Which was paid for by our MOPS group.  Hello, cheese curds!

Sierra and I waiting for the evening session to start

Then it was time for our evening session.  To say it had been a long day was putting it mildly.  I woke up at 4 AM that morning, and our evening session didn't even start until 7:30!

But it was worth it!  We had praise and worship with I Am They, and then Lisa Harper spoke and she is hilarious!  One great quote from her was, "To be a good Mama, you must first be a good daughter (of the King)."  Oh--and she homeschools. ;)

Friday was full of more sessions.  Seth Haines spoke in the morning general session, it was a lot about being real and vulnerable and honest about our struggles.  It dug a lot deeper and was a lot more serious, but I think it's what is needed in our sometimes fake world.

I went to some great break out sessions, but my favorite was Loving My Actual Life.  This whole talk is exactly what I've been working through in my own personal life.  I didn't buy her book there, but I think I might have to pick it up.  I took two pages of notes, and it is exactly what I needed to hear!

Friday's evening session was from Chrystal Evans Hurst (Priscilla Shirer's sister).  She was also pretty funny.  The general sessions kind of went light, heavy, light, and then heavy again.  She just kind of kept it real, and spoke about the story of Ruth and related it to being a mom.  Oh, and guess what... she homeschools too! :)

Most of our group getting ready to head out for dinner.  How much Kendra Scott can you find in one picture? Ha ha!

Our dinners were usually late and took a long time because of the size of our group.  But it was nice to get to know the girls I'm leading with a little better.  I ended up sending Michael a selfie to pass the time. 

Rebecca Lyons spoke on Saturday morning.  It was a lot about the struggles that today's mom has.  She shared a quote that 1 in 4 woman today take medication for anxiety or depression, which is 400 times higher than in 1988.  Wow!  I can't help but think that is has in part to do with all of the pressures we are putting on ourselves!  Her talk was a lot about mental health and freedom from guilt and that it's ok to need help.  A great quote from her was that the enemy is bound by two things--Christ's blood and the word of our testimony.  And that the nature of God is for wholeness and healing.

I couldn't be in my home state without getting some cheese curds.  Of course, I had already had them fried twice at this point... but still! Mmmmm!

The last session of the event ended with a message from Mandy Arioto, who is MOPS CEO and Natalie Grant.  There is nothing like worshiping with 2700 other moms and Natalie Grant's beautiful voice!

Then it was out to one last fancy shmancy dinner (minus two girls who stayed back).

Some of the group had early morning flights on Sunday, but for those of us who had later ones, we walked around the Third Ward.

When we first started talking about the trip months ago, people were like "Milwaukee?  Who chooses to go to Milwaukee?"  So I wasn't sure how this was all going to go down.  But I was pleasantly surprised by all of the things people loved -- the weather, the architecture, it was clean, it had super cute shops, and on and on.  I guess Milwaukee isn't so bad after all. ;)

I mean, who doesn't love cheese... and beer?!  Oh the irony that the girl who grew up in Milwaukee has never had a beer in her life!

But I did get a Sprecher cream soda!

Overall I had a fantastic time!  I am so happy that I was able to go, to learn, to fellowship, to have a break from my day to day, and to just be Bethany instead of Mom.

Oh, and my kids were living it up at home with Boppa!  So it was a win/win for everyone!

Photo Dump #2

We hadn't been to the mall in a while, so we did a few of our favorites over Labor Day weekend.

Our church is building a new church, and we had walk through tours of the new location. Then we could write prayers on the walls of the sanctuary.

Our life group signed up for the same tour, and then went out for ice cream after!

:)

We went over to John and Alison's to watch the Buckeye game and hang out.

Logan just made himself comfortable on Avery.

The kids have been building all sorts of creations with the Duplos.  This is Olivia's mouse hotel. 

Mommy's boy!

People ask me if working at Target has ruined Target for me.  Working there hasn't ruined Target for me, it's ruined people for me.  But that's a whole other story.  But the truth is, even though I'm there 4 nights a week and I grocery shop there, I hardly ever shop there.  At least not in the ways of old where I would leisurely stroll through every aisle.  The reason is because I just don't have time.  I'm either with kids or at work.  Truly.  So one Saturday morning while Michael and the kids were at swimming, I decided to do it old school.  I got my first pumpkin spice latte of the season (I also hardly drink Starbucks these days... my, have times changed!), and I wandered through the store for hours.  I even tried some clothes on!  I can't even remember the last time I bought clothes for myself.  It was heavenly!

Silly kids... always throwing my pillows and blankets on the floor.

 These pictures crack me up!  Michael was on the phone with his mom, and then each kid talked to her.  Logan was just talking up a storm.  He was telling her he went to the ocean, he played in the sand, Boppa got sunburned....

So cute!

We've already watched Curious George Boofest (or whatever it's called), so they were being No Noggin.

We made an apple pie for Apple week!

August Photo Dump

When you don't blog for a month, you have TWO months of photo dumps to catch up on!

My brown eyed boy... or shark

These two!

It's nice to go to the library on a school day!  They have the kids area to themselves!

Puppets!

The bugs from bug week live on!

We've been trying to "use what we have".

She got this owl for her birthday, and we finally got around to painting it.

and we have more stickers than we know what to do with!

We get the playground mostly to ourselves too!

Sweet babies!

Someone was a little excited about his new swimsuit!

She got herself ready for the beach!

Oh, this boy! :)