porterfam

Last post...

I'm getting ready to shut this blog down, so I wanted to do one last post with the new address again.

Catch up with us here...

http://porter-family-blog.blogspot.com/

I have finally decided to make the switch to Blogger. I will leave this blog up for a couple more weeks, but will only be posting at the new address from now on...

http://porter-family-blog.blogspot.com/

See ya there! :-)

Why yes, yes we DO live here...

We've been in this house for just over two years now.  And, it's taken me this long to finally feel like it's our home.  Maybe it's the military wife in me that just can't call a place home until I've lived there for two years...or maybe I'm just lazy...

We finally decided to start painting the house.  We've had the builder's horrible flat paint on our walls since we moved in.  I painted the bedrooms, but other than that we've been living ina world of beige for way too long.  Not to mention we couldn't wipe anything off of the walls without taking the paint right off...it was horrible.  Yeah, we have kids...it's a MUST to be able to wipe the walls, ya know?!

After many debates on whether to just put up another shade of (NOT FLAT) beige, or bring some color into the downstairs, we finally decided to do a nice teal blue in the living room, and leave the rest of the downstairs a nice neutral beige.  It feels so good to have some color, be able to wipe up smudges, and we even got crazy and rearranged the living room.

I was too lazy to look through and find a more recent photo, so here's one from shortly after we moved in...

Since then we had added some decorative type things and photos to the mantle, and hung pretty teal blue curtains.

Now, here it is today (or rather yesterday when I took these...since my house was actually clean in anticipation of company)...

And, yes...I know the whole strips of stained wood painted with some quotes, sayings, proverbs, etc. has been done and overdone, but I don't care...I still love it, and here's our version...

Now if only we could keep it that clean...

Summer planning...

Everyone is talking about summer plans, and getting their "gameplan" ready to entertain their kiddos.  Summer planning is going to be a whole lot easier this year for us.  I only have to entertain two kiddos for just over four weeks instead of eleven or twelve weeks.

I love my kids.  I love that my girls are actually friends and like to be together (most of the time).  I love the dynamic we have when it's just the three of us during the day.  I really, really miss having Alyssa around during the day!!!  However, that "I love my kids" starts to turn into "I tolerate my kids" when we're all hot, tired of the same old things, bored with each other's company, and anxious to get back to a more structured routine.  So, 4 weeks vs. 12???  Give me the 4 any day!!!

I looooove year-round school.  I'm going to cry the day Alyssa starts high school and we're back to a traditional calendar.  We love that we can take off for Florida in the middle of October instead of traveling in the horrible heat of July...when everyone else is!  I love that we can take three day weekends to camp the entire month of April if we want to.  Not to mention that I think the kids tend to get along better when they have more frequent breaks from each other, and the breaks have helped Alyssa stay more interested in learning, which is always a good thing.  I could go on and on, I think there's so many perks!  I remember when she started and I felt like I was somehow depriving her of her childhood right to have a "real" summer.  Now I can't imagine doing it any other way!!!  She still gets the entire month of July to be a kid, goof off, swim, play, whatever...but it's not going to last so long that she's bored, fighting with her sister (and me), and anxious to get back to her friends.

Our plans are pretty simple this "summer".  Alyssa is going to do a week-long half-day camp for the first week, and then we'll have the next three weeks to swim, have sleepovers, play with friends, have a Monkey Joes day, go to the free summer movies, and just enjoy doing whatever we want, whenever we want. 

For the first time since she started school, I am truly looking forward to summer instead of worrying about how to occupy their time fully!

Putting a stop to the junk...

Junk food, that is.

We have been eating out WAY, WAY too much.  I feel like we're in a major "food rut" and instead of coming up with new creative meals we just end up grabbing something on the way home and then complaining that we eat out too much.  So here's my challenge to myself...

During the entire month of May we are going to eat fast food one time, and eat at a sit down restaurant one time.  Realistically, I think if I said NO eating out, I'd be so stressed out with the impossible goal that I'd just throw in the towel almost immediately.  So, one fast food night, and one sit down restaurant night.  We just need to drum up some willpower, and make the decision to follow through. 

In the next couple of days I'm going to make a menu for a full month's worth of meals.  I'll leave the dates negotiable so that I can still shop the sales and coupons at the grocery store, but I want to have a whole bunch of meal ideas ready to go so I have no excuses.  I plan to stock the freezer with easy things like spaghetti sauce, taco meat, etc. for those nights when the thought of cooking makes me want to cry.  I just have to remind myself that dinner doesn't always have to be a huge production...I can do mac & cheese on those feeling lazy nights, and we'll all live to tell about it...lol.  I need to remember that even the worst lazy meal I'll make at home is still better for us than what comes through our car window!

I'm not going to lie...it's going to be tough.  Especially because Ryan just surprised me with a short beach getaway for Mother's Day weekend.  I know we'll eat out at a sit down restaurant one night while we're there, because as much as I really want to do this no eating out thing, I also refuse to cook for our Mother's Day trip...lol.  So Ryan will cook one night, and we'll eat out the next...and have easy things for lunches on hand so we're not tempted to blow our one fast food outing as well.

It's not always easy and convienent to eat healthier, but I need stop allowing that to be my go-to excuse.

And now I'm off to browse through recipes and get started on my menu.  I think I may even try to fancy up my own menu printable, just for kicks. 

Wish me luck...we're going to need it!!!  :-)

What's another word for "hectic"?

Alyssa has been tracked out, so I've been trying to keep these two crazy kiddos entertained.  They both participated in a great program our gym offers, so that's been really nice.  Alyssa is coming right along with her swimming...it's amazing to see her now and remember how nervous and scared she was in the water just two years ago.  She made a new friend and they were attached at the hip during their class, and during the free swim afterwards.  Hailey had a total blast in her class as well...although she FINALLY got scared of something!  When her coach let go of her in the deeper water, it frightened her a little bit.  (Honestly, it's just such a relief to know that she can actually experience the feeling of fear...lol.  I was beginning to think we were going to have a true daredevil on our hands...and the ER bills that go along with that.)  She got over her initial fear, and she can now swim a very short distance unassisted.  I'm glad she was able to take part in the fun this time, it just about killed her to sit out the last time Alyssa did it.  She's just so tiny, and I don't think I really realized until she's in this class full of four year olds and she seriously looks like she's a teeny tiny baby next to these other kids.

Aside from that, we've had lots of little things going on.  Meeting up with friends, MOPS, etc.  Alyssa and I have been working on a little project we wanted to get done during her track out, and here it is the end of track out, and we're not even half done.  Oops.  I am glad that the time passed quickly, though...I'd rather it be filled with go-go-go than us sitting around and the girls getting bored and picking at each other.

We did have a pretty bad scare this last weekend.  A huge tornado ripped through our town, and actually came right through the back of our neighborhood.  We were out at a movie (Rio, which I was disappointed with, for the record) and on the way home we got calls from friends telling us that there were tornadoes in Raleigh (right behind us!!!), so we raced home and had to camp out in the downstairs bathroom for a bit.  Ryan and I jumped right into action and had our "safe room" together in about 30 seconds!!!  Alyssa was terrified, and I am so grateful that I managed to keep it together and comfort her, thank you God!  Hailey, on the other hand, thought it was SO COOL that we were hanging out in the bathroom with a flashlight and radio, and just wanted to play with the flashlight.  Needless to say, it was extremely stressful, and driving around the next day, seeing all of the horrible destruction in our town, was shocking and scary.  Neighborhoods less than two miles from ours were flattened!  It's been amazing to see the Red Cross' efforts and the local churches pull together, though.  Our little town sure can rally!!!

On a lighter note...

Easter is almost here!  I'm super excited because it is starting to really become more meaningful for the girls as they get older and begin to understand how important Easter really is.  Alyssa is excited about getting the Resurrection eggs out, and keeps begging to be the one to read the Scriptures to go along with them.  We're glad that Ryan's mom is going to be able to come up and spend Easter with us again this year, and I can't lie...I'm REALLY looking forward to some Honey Baked Ham!  :-)  We also get a chance to visit with some friends on Sat. that we haven't seen in a few years, so we have a lot to look forward to this weekend.

Now, if only my house would clean itself...

Birthday planning mode...

Alyssa has made sure that we are all in birthday planning mode around here.  At least five times a day she brings up some aspect about her upcoming birthday for us all to discuss.  This year she's having a baking themed birthday party with just a couple of friends.  They'll decorate cookies to take home and play some games.  Then, we'll head west to my Grandma's for a family dinner and ice cream sundae bar.  On her actual birthday, she's requested that Hailey and I come have lunch with her and bring chocolate cupcakes to share with her friends.  She also mentioned that I can feel free to bring everyone two cupcakes...yeah, that would be 46 cupcakes...I think not, kiddo.  Think that's enough sugar packed into four days?

I quickly threw together an invitation...

Hard to believe this will be her 8'th birthday!!!  Hard to believe I've planned for 8 birthday cakes, 8 parties, and 8 birthday gifts!

Looking forward to lots of celebrating around here!

Praise attitude...

Lately I've been trying to focus on having a praise attitude.  I read something the other day that made me renew my efforts.  It was a blog post by a woman (that I can't find now, of course), and she talked a lot about how having a praise attitude in ALL situations has developed into such a habit that when the big stuff hits, it's only natural to handle those bad situations with the same praise attitude.  Makes sense, and I want to work on this.

I love watching for things to praise God for instead of focusing on the little (or big) annoyances.  It's been humbling to try and re-focus my attention on praising Him for everything.  I don't think to stop and say "Thanks, God" when the milk carton spills all over the kitchen floor...but I want to change that.  I want to see the milk all over the floor, and say "Thanks for the milk in the first place.  Thanks for the wonderful invention of paper towels.  Thanks for organic cleaners.  Thanks that we have the means to just go out and replace the milk.  Thanks for the opportunity to extend grace to my children in the face of an accident."

I was toying with the idea of keeping a separate praise journal...but I know it would be just one more thing I would feel guilty for not keeping up with.  So, I'm just trying to jot down some thoughts in my prayer/quiet time journal, and I've been enjoying looking back on them when I'm having a particularly rough day.  Some of my favorites from the last few days...

• So thankful for my time spent chatting with Alyssa on the way home from school.  She loves to recap her day for Hailey and I, and I am SO thankful for those extra little tidbits that she throws in about her feelings, friends, etc.
• So thankful for my body.  My back has come a long, long way, and I'm so grateful for the strength that He provides to get me through each day.
• So thankful for the chats Ryan and I have each night.  I am so thankful that we still desire to share every little detail with each other...it's what has kept us close through these last two semesters with so much time spent apart.
• So thankful for Hailey's cheerful attitude.  She reminds us all constantly of what a praise attiude really looks like.
• So thankful for God's patience with me.  I know I'm not getting it right as often as I should...and His mercies being new every morning are what keep me trying!!!

I am finally starting to look through pictures from the last couple of months.  But of course, I haven't gotten very far...

And, now I need to get moving.  I have a load of laundry waiting to be folded before we head out to the gym!

Random...

What's going on?

• We're at the mid-way point this week in our Foster Care Training.  This week's topic is discipline, and apparently the single most important class of all the training.  Looking forward to seeing what they have for us on that topic.  It's been going really well so far.  Sometimes I have to bite my tongue...like when a woman who doesn't have children said "I TOTALLY disagree with that" under her breath in response to my statement that you cannot spoil a young baby by responding to their cries.  Oh well.  Most of the people in our class seem to be there out of a genuine want/need to help.  We were told that a lot of our class would not finish the training, but out of a very large class only one couple has dropped out so far.
• The girls are doing great.  Alyssa is doing really well in school.  She's not reading as many books this quarter (last quarter she couldn't put books down to even eat!).  Instead, she's been really into writing stories.  She has Hailey laughing to the point of hiccups with some of her stories.  So fun to watch.  Hailey's loving that I've been better at getting to the gym so she can play with her friends there...the women who run the gym "day-care" are so amazing, we just love them all.  The girls have both been pretty busy, they've had a lot going on!
• Ryan found out that he does not have to take two classes on campus (like he was originally told), so we are all really looking forward to next semester when he only has to do one class on campus, and then he can do 2 or 3 on-line.  We've been missing him in the evenings!!!  He's getting close to being finished, and is trying to decide if he wants to do a double degree or go for his Masters.
• Between me having a commitment on Monday nights, Ry in school on Tuesday and Wed. evenings, and our Foster Care stuff on Thursdays, we are all more than ready for the weekends when they roll around.  Looking forward to being done with the training and one of Ry's classes so our weeks don't feel so hectic!!!
• We're looking forward to Spring.  It's starting to warm up a bit, and it is just SO nice to walk outside and not be freezing!  Can't wait to get our fence done so that we can enjoy our backyard this year...speaking of the backyard...I'm trying to decide if I'm going to do a garden this year or not.  I need to decide pretty quickly, and get on it if I'm going to go through with it.

I have no photos to share...since I've literally taken about five pictures total this month.  I don't know why...but I need to remedy that before this month is over!!!

Closets...

I'm finding myself daydreaming about closets lately.  Every single closet in our house is driving me CRAZY!  In themaster bedroom we have a great sized closet, we have more room than we even need in there...which is good since we only have a small dresser in our bedroom...we need the storage space.  However, the layout and lack of FUNCTIONAL storage is what is making me nuts.  It's a big square with just rods/wire shelves (yuck) on each wall.  The big drawback is that closet systems cost a small fortune, so we're going to try a less expensive DIY way.  We just have to come up with what exactly that is...

Don't even get me started on the girls' closets.  Grrr. 

I think I'm "nesting".  Just the thought of adding another child (even an older one) is making me anxious to reorganize, clean, purge, and paint!