Lately...

Praying for:

+ Scott & Grayson and our little family as a whole :)

+ This is probably bad, but I realize in writing this that I'm not consistently praying for any one thing or person lately, other than my immediate family. I can think of a lot of hurting people in my life, but to say I'm actually praying for them would be a lie. I guess for today, I will pray that I have more of a heart for those prayer requests and will actually turn to the Lord in praise and petitions. 

Working on:

+ Preparing for fall advisement -- I start next week!

+ Reviewing everything for my seniors, making sure they are good to graduate this semester.

+ eating healthier foods and trying out tasty new recipes each week

+ revising our budget with our smaller paychecks (since getting more insurance this year). We meet with the financial coach at our church this afternoon to go over everything!

+ a living will. It's long overdue and something that was actually on my summer to-do list last year, but it just never happened. We have all the information and the paperwork; we just need to sit down and fill it all out!

Hoping for: 

+ Grayson's newly developed cold to go away quickly!

Recently:

+ visited my best friend and walked around Providence Canyon and Uptown Columbus

 

 + Scott has been insanely busy lately with school, work, and his obligations leading one of the worship teams at a our church and leading our church small group. Mostly I've just been trying to keep up with his crazy schedule! Not much else has been going on lately! I think we're still taking it easy after the particularly busy holiday season. 

Reading: 

+ Stolen: The True Story of a Sex Trafficking Survivor by Katariina Rosenblatt and Cecil Murphey (my grandpa!) - so far it's very good! I'm a little more than halfway through. The first half of the book documents Kat's early teen life, her history of sexual abuse, and her repeated fall into the life of drugs and sex trafficking. Now, the book is taking a turn and Kat is sharing about her conversion to Christianity and how God saved her from that lifestyle. I can tell this is going to be a super encouraging book. It's not easy to read because you're constantly reminded that this is real life, but I think it's important for us to remember the very real hurting that is happening in our fallen world.

+ The Power of Habit - our office book club has been on a hiatus since before the holidays, but I just start reading this again this week. 

+ The Bible - specifically, Scott and I are alternating between 1 Kings and Mark during our combined study time. When reading on my own, I'm currently reading through Acts. Last night in small group we spent a fair amount of time in Romans. 

+ lots of children's books! Grayson LOVES books! Seriously, he likes them more than toys. :)

Watching:

+ We are caught up on the current season of Nashville, and we're impatiently waiting for the next episode to air! 

+ picking back up with Parenthood since we were exclusively on the Nashville train for a while there!

+ still occasionally watching the most recent season of The Voice. Maybe one day we'll finish it. Or they'll just finally take it off Hulu Plus. 

Listening to:

+ At this very moment, my Pandora is playing "Call Me Maybe." I'm not really listening to anything specific these days. I keep Pandora on shuffle, right now between Worship/Contemporary Christian, Andy Grammer, Taylor Swift, and One Republic. 

+ Still rocking out to TSwift's 1989 in the car :)

Laughing About:

+ I say this every time, but Grayson. Seriously. This kid is hilarious! I've been saying from the start that he has a great sense of humor, but it only becomes more evident as he grows in his ability to do and say more things. Being a mom is so much fun! :) And now, some pictures for cuteness! 

What have YOU been up to lately?

~Christy~

You Are What You Eat

Via

I didn't make some new years resolution to lose weight, get in shape, be healthier or really anything at all. Scott and I sort of stumbled into a relatively new lifestyle and it just so happened to fall right around the start of a new year. We each had doctors appointments shortly before Christmas. Scott's was just a regular physical and mine was for a relentless rash under my arms. Our appointments told us two different things about our health and our lives, and each bit of news spurred us toward healthier choices, particularly in our diets. Being the awesome team that we are, we have both embraced the goals and changes of the other.

Scott discovered that he has high blood pressure. It's most likely genetic because he already exercises regularly and eats fairly well. The doctor said it's "not if, but when" he'll have to go on medication. But he said Scott is really too young to be on it, and the goal right now should be to make changes that can hopefully prolong the amount of time before he has to start it. In addition to his regular exercise, Scott has decided to significantly reduce the amount of sodium in his diet. (When I use the word "diet," I mean it in the sense of what we regularly eat in order to live...he's not going on any particular type of diet in the way that most people think of the word.)

My doctor confirmed what I had already suspected from my obsessive Googling. I have something called Candida Overgrowth, which basically means my body has too much yeast. There are a lot of ways this can affect your body. One is the way that might immediately come to mind for ladies. For me, it's mostly a persistent rash under my arms. It doesn't sound like that big a deal, but I promise you an excessively itchy, ugly rash for months on end is no fun at all! In addition to some temporary medications and creams, the long-term solution is to greatly reduce (or even eliminate) sugar in my diet (yeast thrives on sugar!). I could never fully eliminate sugar! And that includes things that break down into sugar after you eat it (breads, pastas, alcohol, etc...). So, I'm not giving up all that stuff, but I'm looking for ways to significantly decrease how much of it I consume on a regular basis.

Neither of us realized how much sodium and sugar we were consuming daily. We started reading labels and really thinking about what is in our food. It was shocking really. I can't even imagine how much sugar I was eating every day! From my morning cereal, to my turkey sandwich at lunch, to whatever we ate for dinner (generally at least partially processed or pre-packaged), to our nightly frozen yogurt dessert! And the amount of sodium in things we didn't even think twice about, like seasoning packets for tacos and chili or a box of rice, is truly astonishing!

The easy answer has not been to go nuts reading labels. The easy answer has been to eat whole foods that take the mystery out of it. Fruits and vegetables are healthy. No reading and deciphering ingredients needed! Between smoothies, juicing, and just incorporating more fresh fruits and veggies into every meal, we have increased our produce purchasing to being over half our grocery bill and the majority of our shopping cart! It has been SO nice to not spend as much time going up and down each aisle at the grocery store!

Some other healthy things we have incorporated into our diets that you won't find in produce include: chia seeds, almonds, dried fruit (used sparingly...there can be a lot of sugar in those), quinoa, nut butters, Greek yogurt, coconut milk, coconut oil, and loads of spices and seasonings that don't include salt!

Pinterest has become a wonderful tool. I used to not like Pinterest. I felt like it was a waste of time and mostly just led to self-loathing and bitterness because I would spend time just pinning pretty pictures of things I would never own, never do, and never cook or bake. I never referenced recipes that I pinned, and most of what I pinned was extremely unhealthy desserts. But now I'm using it so much more effectively! We have been trying out 2-3 new recipes a week and honestly haven't had a bad one yet. It has been fun choosing new recipes together, making something new together, and discovering how delicious non-processed, fresh, whole foods can taste! I'm enjoying all the new flavors and I especially love how much healthier I feel as a result. I'm no longer bloated and uncomfortable, I'm thinner and trimmer than before, and even my skin and hair are more vibrant!

Here is what a typical day of food looks like for me (during the work week):

Breakfast: Green banana smoothie -- banana, peanut butter (have been using PB2 for smoothies), coconut milk, plain Greek yogurt, spinach, cilantro, chia seeds, drizzle of honey {today I did the same thing but also included a small amount of unsweetened cocoa powder} = YUM! Also a cup of black coffee with half a tablespoon of coconut oil and a dose of Vit D3.

Mid-Morning Snack: homemade "trail mix" -- 1/4 cup whole, raw almonds, 1/4 sunflower seeds, and a little less than 1/4 cup of raisins

Lunch: 1 piece of fruit (lately has been an orange) and a salad -- spinach, raisins, sunflower seeds, feta cheese, shredded carrots, cucumber slices, drizzle of balsamic vinegar (straight) and a TINY bit of ranch. {sometimes we include grilled chicken in the salad}

Afternoon snack: banana {may start bringing something else so I'm not eating so many bananas all the time!}

Dinner: Varies, but last night we had this delicious recipe! Black bean and quinoa tacos!

Dessert: sometimes we skip this, or we do different things. If we do ice cream, we usually get Kemps frozen yogurt (Moosetracks is our favorite!) and do 1-2 small scoops in a coffee mug. We have limited this treat to no more than 3 times a week, which is a big deal since we used to eat it 7 times a week!! (yes, really!) Other good dessert options include: chocolate banana smoothie, fresh berries, cup of hot chocolate, vanilla Greek yogurt {optional...top with any of the following: organic granola, honey, banana slices, berries, semi-sweet chocolate chips}, or just a couple graham crackers and a glass of milk.

For beverages, I have 1-2 cups of black coffee a day and other than that it's basically just water and my morning smoothie. We'll occasionally make fresh juices with our juicer. And yes, we do still drink alcohol, but very, very rarely.

Sometimes I'll have a glass of diluted, organic apple-cider vinegar before dinner b/c that helps regulate your body's pH levels, which can help with the yeast issue. Consuming ACV has other potential health benefits too. 

I've struggled with weight before, which you know if you've been reading for several years. I actually lost about 15 pound a few years ago just from working out a lot and eating a low-fat diet. But low-fat meant diet foods, and I have since learned how bad for you those things are! Now I steer clear of "low-fat" or "fat free" options, artificial sweeteners, and any pre-packaged diet meal that's probably loaded with sugar and/or sodium. It's truly amazing I was able to lose any weight eating like that! (I recommend the documentary Hungry for Change for more information about this, without all the Googling!) I do not claim to be a health expert, and am certainly not a perfect model of healthy living. But I've been amazed at the difference I've seen and felt in just a few weeks of making smarter food choices. I encourage you to give it a try! Don't worry about eliminating things from your diet just yet. Just work on incorporating more good things in, and eventually they start pushing some of the bad stuff out! :)

Happy Eating!

Tales of a Parent Tuesday! Vol. II

{Vol 1}

At Least it Wasn't Hemorrhoid Cream

If only he always slept this soundly! :)

It's 3:30 AM. Grayson has been extra fussy lately, waking several times a night and wanting to nurse every 1-2 hours. On top of a typical head-cold, he's cutting a molar. He's currently snuggled up next to me in my bed, an attempt to provide some soothing comfort to my poor, aching baby, and an attempt to provide some extra sleep to my poor, foggy brain! But then he wakes -- again -- in a frantic, shrill cry. One of those did-somebody-pinch-you-why-are-you-freaking-out type cries. 

Scott rolls over and mumbles into the pillow, "Did you give him milk?"

"Yes! I just gave him milk like an hour ago. I can give him more milk, but I think there's something else wrong." 

He reaches over to try and snuggle Grayson, who adamantly refuses, acting as though his daddy's warm embrace is an electrical shock or something equally horrifying. 

"Maybe try some orajel?" Scott suggests. 

"Okay. I'll go find it." 

In my sleepy stupor, I dig through the bathroom drawer. One day I will organize this thing! I shove aside travel size bottles of contact solution and half-empty bottles of Pepto Bismol and other medications, searching for something small and tube-like. I don't dare turn on a light, lest it wake Grayson up even more (because he's so peaceful while he's screaming). I pull out what I believe to be the correct tube. I squint my eyes, trying to focus on moonlight alone. I make out the word "Orajel." Bingo! 

I crawl back in bed, squeeze a tiny dab of gel on my finger tip and try to finagle my way between Grayson's gums without getting chomped by his 8 existing teeth. I do a half-hearted job, commence the inevitable nursing session, and try to get all of us back to sleep as quickly as possible.

The next day, Scott notices something unusual on my night stand. 

"Why is that there?" He asks, pointing to the small tube.

"It's the Orajel," I reply.

"Oh. Weird. I thought that was toothpaste. I got it from the dentist."

"No, it says right here, 'Baby Oraje...'" I pause as I read the rest of the wording on the tube. "Toothpaste," I finish reading. 

"Well, I'm not sure that helped his pain, but at least his mouth was clean!" Scott offers. 

I just have to laugh. At least it wasn't hemorrhoid cream or something else that's definitely not suitable for a baby's mouth. I guess that's what happens when you're operating on just a few hours of sleep and have to complete a task in the darkness with a toddler screaming in the background. The very fact that I found something that says "orajel" at all counts as a win in my book!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

What crazy mistakes have you made during a night waking? I know we've all got SOMETHING!

Providence Canyon and Other Fun Things!

We spent last weekend visiting my long-time best friend and her family in Fort Mitchell, AL (basically just over the GA/AL line...very near Columbus, GA). We had such a great time! I had not seen Hayley since October, and that is too long for us! We've been best friends for almost 21 years now! We grew up together, just a few houses down the street but basically living together b/c we had sleepovers every single weekend and hung out until our parents made us come inside every week day. Hayley may as well have left her toothbrush at my house during the summer, she was there so often! Anyway, visiting her is always like a breath of fresh air! She has an adorable soon-to-be 4 year old and soon-to-be 2 year old. I assume that Grayson and her youngest son would get along the best, given they are only 6 months apart in age, but Grayson and Leland, her oldest, seem to be best of friends! It was SO sweet watching them play together and make each other laugh hysterically! I don't think I've ever heard Grayson laugh so much and for so long!

We spent a lot of the weekend just hanging out at the house, but we had some fun outings too! We spent the day hiking at Providence Canyon (AKA "The Little Grand Canyon") on Saturday. It is a really amazing place! You walk down to the canyon floor and walk alongside these massive canyon walls, all the while trekking through sticky mud from the stream running through the canyon. It was definitely an adventure with three little boys, two of which required being carried the whole time. Thank goodness for strong daddies and backpack carriers! Here are some iPhone pictures of our time at the canyon-- Yes, I realize I'm not in a single picture. #photographerfail

Hayley with her sweet boys -- Leland and Cody

Of course we had to spend some time exploring the playground!

He kills me how he looks like such a big kid in these last two pictures! Just chillin' and playing with sticks!

I guess I'm kinda, sorta in this picture! #shadow

After our trip to the canyon, we headed back to the house for diaper changes and snacks. Then, we headed back out to visit River Walk in Uptown Columbus. It is such a cute little downtown (uptown?) area with this beautiful river running alongside it. The area is really well maintained and there are nice walkways where people of all ages were jogging or going for walks. There were also TONS of people walking their dogs (both at the canyon and River Walk), which Grayson was thrilled about! Every second he was pointing out dogs and waving and shouting "HEY!" :) Also at RiverWalk, they have man-made white water rapids in the river! People can actually pay to kayak through there. How cool is that?? Not something I would really want to do, but I still think it's pretty awesome!

We had dinner at this TINY burger/taco place and it was delish! The little boys were so well-behaved and Grayson ate his black beans like a champ (was there ever any doubt??). Then we went to a Growler place where we felt like parents of the year as we pushed our strollers around while making our beer selection. Don't worry--it was a fairly classy establishment! Scott and I chose an amber craft beer which wasn't great, especially considering the price, but it was fun to try something new.

After getting back to the house and got the kids to bed, we had a bonfire in the backyard and stayed up past midnight (a big deal for me and Scott!!) just talking and listening to music. I had a great time reminiscing with Hayley, but I'm sure we were boring the guys to death. Oops! Sometimes it just has to happen!

Sunday we just spent the day at the house, playing with the kids and jumping on the trampoline! Scott took an adorable picture of Grayson and Cody eating breakfast together at the kids' table. I can't believe what a big boy my little boy is becoming!!!

Hey, look! I'm sort of in that one too. Yep, the one with the awesome socks! ;)

We left and headed back home after dinner and managed to safely get home, despite both of us feeling too tired to drive by the end of it. Lots of prayers and TSwift keeping me awake during my shift!! And it felt oh, so good to crawl into my own bed that night!

Monday we had off work, but wanted to be home so we could get some much-needed stuff done! We cleaned the house, grocery shopped, and played outside with Grayson. We played with bubbles for the first time and it was both exciting and frustrating for Grayson. He had fun watching the bubbles and trying to catch them, but was annoyed that he couldn't catch one without it disappearing and even more annoyed that he couldn't blow bubbles for himself! Every time I tried to hold the wand out for him to blow, he would snatch it from me and put it straight into his mouth! Good thing the bottle says it's non-toxic! :/

It was hard going back to work after such a great weekend, but look! It's already Friday again! Hooray for short work weeks! :) No big plans for this weekend yet, but I'm sure we'll get into something!

Hope you had a great long-weekend and are geared up for another good one today! :) Happy Friday!

Standing Firm

Via

 Yesterday I was reading Acts 5 and was very encouraged by the actions of the apostles in this chapter of Acts. To give you some background, Acts documents the start of the church after Christ's death and resurrection. The apostles were sharing the truth about this miracle and what it means for believers, and the number of believers were growing by the thousands all the time. Acts includes many miraculous events and encouraging reformations (including Saul's conversion to Paul...who wrote most of the New Testament!). In chapter 5, the apostles are sharing the Gospel in the temple courts and the Sanhedrin (sort of the legal body of elders in Israel) were outraged. They did not want this movement of Christianity to continue growing because it undermined their authority and implied that they were responsible for the death of the Christ. They essentially call the apostles in for a trial and demand that they stop spreading this teaching in Israel.

Let's think about this from our perspective. This would be like if practicing Christianity were illegal in the United States (as it actually is in several countries of the world!). It would be like us being hauled into jail and going to court over talking to someone about Jesus. It would be like me being arrested for even writing this post and sharing it online. How would you react? How would I react? It's easy to just assume that I would stand firm in my faith, but when faced with the consequences of that decision, I'm just not sure it would be that easy.

How did the apostle respond? First they said, “We must obey God rather than human beings! ³⁰ The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead—whom you killed by hanging him on a cross. ³¹ God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might bring Israel to repentance and forgive their sins. ³² We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.” (Acts 5: 29-32)
  
So, they basically said, you're not the boss of me--God is! (so I'm going to do what he says, not you!) Which, by the way, he raised from the grave the man that YOU killed. (a reminder that God is more powerful than they are). God made Jesus a savior to allow all of us forgiveness of our sins (stating the Gospel), and we witnessed this (this is how we KNOW it's true) and so did the Holy Spirit, which God gave to us (we have HIS power living IN us!). 

Wow! Talk about sticking it to the man!! Can you imagine confronting authority like this? But it wasn't just defiant, it rang with truth. They emphasized the reasons why they were going to defy the law and emphasized the importance of their message. They could have stopped at the first line, but they went on to explain how God raised Jesus as a Savior for Israel. They literally shared the Gospel with the Sanhedrin--the very reason they were brought to trial! Talk about taking a risk! 

What was the result? "They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.⁴¹ The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. ⁴² Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah." (Acts 5: 40-42)

Well, they were beaten. I mean, not just a slap on the wrist...flogged. That's severely whipped and beaten. And then were told not to speak of Jesus again. Eek! Again, how would you or I react? It would be so easy to feel confused or abandoned. Why would God allow me to be punished for doing the right thing? But here's the thing--this world is broken and lost. It hates God. That's just a fact. And if we're not being persecuted, if we're not being met with opposition, if there aren't at least some awkward/uncomfortable/painful consequences for sharing His love with a fallen world, then we probably aren't doing enough. The apostles rejoiced in being considered worthy enough to suffer for Jesus! Can you imagine? But if you really think about it, that beating was a sign they were on the right track. It didn't stop them; it fueled them! They never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah! 

How encouraging is that?? 

God, I pray that you would show me opportunities to share your love and truth with this broken world. I pray that you would give me courage and faith in the face of opposition, no matter the consequences. When I face a set-back or negative reactions, I pray for JOY in knowing that I am obeying and serving the one true God who is loving, powerful, forgiving, and just! I don't want to share the Gospel or worship you only when it's convenient, polite, or politically correct. I want to worship you ALWAYS and in EVERYTHING! Holy Spirit, you witnessed God's great miracle. You were THERE. Fuel me with the faith of someone who witnessed that miracle for themselves. Give me the determination to stand firm in that knowledge and that unwavering faith. 

Amen. 

 

Another Big Year

Via

 I guess we're just in that stage of life where things seem constantly in transition. We're settling into our careers, finding that perfect fit, testing out soil for the best place to dig deep and plant our roots, growing our family, and finding out what this stage of adulthood really looks like. Arguably every year of my life has been a big one, full of its own changes, blossoming maturity, and soul searching. But the past few years have felt bigger and on a slightly faster track.

My so-called resolutions for 2012 were: graduate with my masters degree, buy a house, and get pregnant. We bought our first house in September 2012 and I graduated with my M.Ed in December 2012. We started trying for a baby that November, but didn't actually get pregnant until January 2013. Even so, 2012 was clearly a big year.

2013 felt even bigger. We got pregnant, I carried Grayson for a full 40 weeks, and had him in October 2013. I got my first "big girl job" as an academic advisor at Georgia Southern in June 2013. Everything got serious fast! Suddenly I was no longer a student, I had a full-time career, was a homeowner, and a MOMMY!

2014 did not have as many huge life milestones, but it was an important year of finding ownership in all the recent changes of the past two years. It was a year of striking a balance between work-Christy, wife-Christy, mommy-Christy, and just plain Christy. I added a few more responsibilities to my work life, including teaching an orientation class in the Fall 2014 semester. Grayson turned 1 and I marveled at my ability to see him through his entire first year of life. It both crawled and flew by at the same time. 

Now, twenty days into the year 2015 and I can already feel the weight and anticipation of another big year. We aren't moving yet, but we're talking more seriously about it. We're dreaming up new cities and new Universities--closer to family but still our own. I'm coming to terms with saying goodbye to this place that has become my true home. I will have lived in Statesboro, GA for 11 years this August. 11 years! I have no other place that I call home anymore. This is it. Georgia Southern is my home. Connection Church is my home. This is the town where I fell in love with Scott, fell in love with Jesus, and fell in love with Grayson and being a mom. I have so many friends here. It's comfortable. And this year I'm starting the early stages of weaning myself from it--gearing up for something new. It won't happen this year, but I can feel it coming. Which means this year will be one of cherishing all that I love about Statesboro, while also practicing the idea of letting it go.

We have big goals for this year--mostly financial. We're setting up new savings plans, looking seriously into investment options, and thinking to the future in all that we do. We've added life insurance policies and will soon be drafting a will. If that's not adulthood, I don't know what is! We're working on paying off our existing car and buying a second one -- a minivan. We need something to support our growing family, which brings me to my next point. We are ready to grow our family again! There is no set date yet, but we know we want to start trying for baby #2 this year. Granted, there is no guarantee that it will happen right away or that everything will go as planned, but the fact that we're trying again is a big step in that direction!

This is year of new traditions, new priorities, and really focusing on our own little family. Grayson will turn two this year, and as we near that date, we'll work on weaning from the paci, sleeping more at night, and weaning from breastfeeding. He'll get more teeth and say more words and do more things. It's more important than ever that we're modeling Godly behavior and values to him. It's more important than ever that the decisions we make are made prayerfully and intentionally.

Also this year Scott will be wrapping up his second bachelors degree in Spanish and teaching his first section of FYE 1220 (the orientation class at Southern). Connection Church will be moving into our new building, which will mean big transitions and potential growth for the Konnection Kids band (which Scott leads), and maybe new opportunities for me to serve. My brother will hopefully have enough saved to buy a car and be able to move out on his own (though we'll miss seeing him so often!). We're welcoming a new brother-in-law into our family as Scott's sister gets married. And all in all, it just feels BIG!

So maybe it's not as huge as buying our first home or starting my first big job or having our first baby, but there is a lot on the horizon and it's a time of newness and everything about it just feels overwhelmingly good! I can't wait to see how it all plays out!

How is your 2015 going so far?

Tales of a Parent Tuesday! v.I

As a parent, I have all these great stories of ridiculous things my kid does and all my ultimate parenting fails. It's story-telling gold, my friend! But do I just throw a story into a regular update post? Somehow work them into my "You Know You're a Parent When..." posts? Arbitrarily devote an entire post to a really good story? Well, my solution to this debacle is Tales of a Parent Tuesday where I devote a Tuesday post to a random story about Grayson and me attempting to parent him. ;)

Today's story involves poop. Which I think is pretty fitting considering most good kid stories involve some sort of bodily function. But if poop isn't your thing (b/c it's totally MY thing...), you may want to skip this one!

A Crappy Deal

I'm in the backseat of a Honda Odyssey minivan, alternating my attention between scanning the interior of the car, listening for concerning squeaks and bangs, making silly faces at Grayson to keep him calm, and vaguely hearing the salesman in the passenger seat schmoozing Scott. We are test-driving this minivan in Savannah, Georgia, about 45 minutes away from home. Grayson at only 5 months old is still at the age where he could demand milk at any moment. I hope he stays content, despite being strapped into his carseat for so long, and does not require me to whip my boob out in front of this stranger who desperately wants to sell us a car. We continue along nearby streets while he unsuccessfully tries to convince Scott that our budget is flexible. At one point I even hear him ask if Scott is an accountant. Ha! The search for cars and the talk of budgets bores me and leaves me all glazy-eyed and craving a nap. After making a mental note of my likes and dislikes of the car's interior, I shift my full attention to Grayson. I talk to him, play with his hands and rub his tummy. I'm eager to return to the dealership so I can scoop him out of his carseat. I never like for him to spend too much time strapped into something. 

The test-drive finally ends just as Grayson is starting to get cranky. We pull into the parking lot, on the opposite end of where we parked. We aren't going to buy this van. I know it. Scott's knows it. Grayson probably even knows it, but this salesman is relentless. I pick Grayson up, hold him against my chest, facing outward, and bounce him lightly. Scott and I are having this awkward moment where we both want the other to say the official "no" on the car. Then, during this never-ending game of passive-aggressive decline, I catch a whiff of something tart and vinegary. I am very familiar with this strangely sweet yet acrid fragrance. I turn my eyes down to take a peek in Grayson's diaper, to confirm what I already know to be true. Too late! No need to peek. It's one of his infamous blowouts and poop is seeping out of all sides of the diaper, including up his back and across my stomach where I had been bouncing him! 

At that moment I no longer care how badly this man wants to sell a car or what intriguing offer he may suggest, I'm on a full-fledged mommy mission! I quickly tell Scott I need to get to the car to take care of this issue. I abandon him there, to deal with this incessant salesman, while I awkwardly carry my poop-covered baby in one arm and struggle to push the stroller forward with my other. After finagling the stroller over several curbs and forging my way across the large lot, I make it to the car! Sanctuary! 

Hastily, I pull out the diaper bag, lay the changing pad on the backseat of the car, and gently place my foul smelling babe on top. Never mind that poop is getting everywhere; I'll have to deal with that later! One thing at a time! Now, where to start? Wipes, of course! I pop open the handy wipe dispenser on the exterior of our diaper bag--one of my favorite features. I reach in and pull out...one wipe. The last wipe! And, much to my dismay, it is completely dried out! NO! Now what? Grayson is crying, annoyed with this whole ordeal. We're both covered in poop. I'm trying to hold him still so he doesn't roll his poop-body over the edge of the car seat and into the floor board. I hold him with one hand and dig through my purse for my phone with the other. I type out the quickest text message I could: "Need u now!" 

Moments later, Scott appears, visibly annoyed and clutching a business card. "That guy would not let me leave! I kept telling him I had to go and he kept trying to sell me that car! I told him I had to talk it over with you first. He tried to tell me that you were on board and I had to make the decision. What a jerk! Finally I said, 'I have got to go take care of my family. I'll call you if we're interested.' Jeez!" 

Yeah, yeah, it's a crappy car and he's a crappy guy, but I've got some real crap to deal with here!

"Babe! Poop! We're covered in poop! And we need wipes! Can you get me some paper towels from the bathroom or something? What are we gonna do?" I spurt at him. 

Ever the problem-solver, Scott derives a solution in seconds! "What about that lady we met in the waiting room with the baby? I bet she can give us some wipes!" Scott suggests.

"Yeah, if she's even still here..."

"She is! I can see her over there! Be right back!" 

Scott returns with a handful of wipes. Hallelujah! Thank the good Lord for fellow parents! We work together as efficiently as possible, wiping poop from every smeared surface and chunking used wipes in a disposable bag. I strip Grayson of his adorable outfit, given to him by his Auntie Erin, and tie it up tightly in a separate disposable bag. Thankfully we always have a spare outfit in his diaper bag, which I dress him in after he's been thoroughly scrubbed. Of course, he cries through all of this, we're pouring sweat and losing our patience, but we handle it like a pro-team. 

What about me? I remember in horror that I recently removed my spare shirt from the diaper bag and never replaced it. I look down at my poop smeared top and conclude there is no salvaging it, other than a run through the wash. 

Scott comes to the rescue again and removes his own t-shirt and offers it to me. Fortunately he's wearing an undershirt so he has one to spare. I make the walk of shame through the dealership to the bathrooms so I can change shirts and scrub my hands for a good minute or so, meticulously cleaning under each fingernail and rubbing vigorously. Leaving the bathroom, I fidget and search over all my exposed skin and all my clothing for any last remnants of poop that might give me away to passerby as the poor, frazzled parent that I am. Poop and all. 

We strap Grayson back into his carseat and bundle up all the bags of used wipes and the dirty diaper. I toss it into a nearby trash can, and we drive away as quickly as possible! We're so stressed, and Grayson is crying again. There is no way we can drive 45 minutes right now! We need somewhere to decompress and let Grayson settle down with some milk. Thankfully, we have some friends who live in Pooler and we decide to pay them a little visit. 

Only after finally returning home do we realize that in our haste, we also threw away the bag with the adorable, poop-covered outfit! It's a frustrating cherry on top of the poop-covered sundae, but all things considered, it was a minor casualty to the whole ordeal.

picture taken at our friends' house...this is the spare outfit! Much less cute and now in our attic, rather than in some landfill covered in poo.

It was not our first blowout, nor was it our last, but it has certainly been one of the more memorable ones to date! 

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What about you? Any good bodily function stories to share? I'm sure you're just EXPLODING with them! (Pun intended!)

Yowzers...that's a lot of pictures!

I literally have 3-4 update posts floating around in my head and every time I think I have a minute to type one out...I suddenly don't! And at this point it's getting pretty ridiculous that I still haven't talked about our trip to Gatlinburg that we took for my birthday the first week of December and it's even a little embarrassing that I haven't talked about Christmas! And what about my resolutions!?!? Don't worry - I'm not really planning to talk about that. But the rest, well, I'm going to do through pictures. Way.too.many.pictures. Get ready! GO!


Instead of presents for my birthday and Christmas for each other this year, we decided to take a vacation instead. We went to Gatlinburg, TN and stayed in a cabin. This is actually the second time we have stayed in this cabin. We went the first time when I was just 10 weeks pregnant! It was really sweet going back there with Grayson now a very active toddler! All three of us had a blast!

family photo shoot on the back porch of our cabin

hiking in the mountains!

It's best to grip both ears tightly for extra support!

He loved walking by himself, though sometimes he wanted to stray from the path a bit!

This kid. Kills me.

On the Gatlinburg strip at the Ole Smoky Holler - no we did not drink any moonshine (b/c the line was too long...)

fun in the cabin :)

We went to an awesome interactive museum called WonderWorks in Pigeon Forge. I highly recommend it for good family fun! It's pricey, but there is so much to do it's well worth the cost! Here we are doing a great job at riding this virtual bike..so easy to do with a toddler on your lap!

That's me on the 360 bikes! Yes, you pedal yourself in circles and if your feet slip off the pedals (like mine did many times!), you will hang upside down until you keep pedaling. Exhilarating! Seriously!

Grayson LOVES balls. And you would have thought we pinched him or stole him from his real parents the way he freaked out when we finally pulled him away from this game!

See the pure joy and excitement on his little face!

We ate dinner one night at Bubba Gump Shrimp Factory in Gatlinburg and it was super fun and delicious! Grayson appreciated the fries. -_-

While the trip itself was the gift, Scott did surprise me with TSwift's 1989 album on the car ride! (I also surprised him with new PJ bottoms once we got to the cabin!) Anyway, I just think Taylor Swift is amazingly talented and so awesome. The first listen of this CD was strange to me b/c it's SO different from her older material! I've been listening to Swifty since her song "Tim McGraw" which was like 8 years ago! This one is very different. But then I realized she was purposefully writing and producing songs with the styles of the 1980's as her inspiration. And then I realized she's kind of a genius. :) Now Scott and I both love this CD b/c it reminds us of our magical trip to the mountains. <3 br="">

We had an event at work where we wore our "most spirited holiday attire" (there was discussion from the planning committee that the term "tacky sweater" might offend someone who wears those things for real). Me, Scott, and several of my coworkers got together in advance to make some homemade outfits! Scott's shirt says COBA (College of Business Administration) and mine says CLASS (College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences). Those are the colleges we each work in at Georgia Southern. And guess what? Scott won the most spirited contest with his "COBA Elf" outfit! Whoop!

Christmas time! We spent Christmas at my mom's house near Tampa, FL. She actually just moved into a new house only 4 days before we came down! Not stressful for them at all! ha! But we loved spending time with them and the new house was just perfect for good family fun, complete with lots of deer walking around outside. :) We spent several days at my mom's and then shot down to the more southern regions of Florida and popped by each of Scott's grandparents' houses and one of his cousins. This was the first time any of these family members had met Grayson. Needless to say, everyone was completely enamored with him. Duh. All in all, we had a wonderful vacation and holiday! And Grayson traveled like a dream on both this trip and the Gatlinburg one. How did I get such an awesome kid, y'all?

Good morning and Merry Christmas! :)

he got this cool plane from Granna!

We went to the park one day...my mom just loved spending so much time with Grayson.

this kid has more Elmo stuff than you can believe!! PS - My mom paid for me to get my hair done! It's much shorter and darker! I love it!

Grayson with his Great Nana...and Elmo!

And then when we got home from our trip, we surprised him with our big gift -- the classic Cozy Coupe!

Ready to go! So serious!

For New Years Eve, we just stayed home and hung out with my brother and his girlfriend. My brother bought some really cheap, crappy fireworks and we lit them before Grayson went to bed. He loved it and kept clapping and saying "IGHTS" (lights). We played a lot of Taboo and sang some really bad karaoke. Grayson didn't wake up until 3 AM, meaning he slept through some rather loud, off-key singing. I was impressed! All in all, it was a great time. I managed to stay awake until 12:20 AM, so that's a pretty big success in my book! :) Didn't really take any pictures, though. So there's really no proof!!

So, that's what's new with the Curley Crew! Sorry for such a long update!