2014/Baby Gray/birthday/Jax/Shooby

Throw Caution to the Wind

Posted on by Mrs Gray / 1 Comment

Can I brag for a minute? I mean, of course I can, this is my space, but really? Can I?

My boy is cautious. So cautious. Make me crazy cautious. He reminds me of someone I know well. Someone whose skin I live in.

Imagine my delight Friday evening when he climbed in the inflatable basketball goal to stick his head out the hoop.

Basketball Goal

Granted, the other kids were doing it first, but he tried it the first time without prompting from anyone. He went down the big slide with Shooby and Jax, too. I know part of it is him getting older, but he is also starting to be slightly less cautious–when it’s safe, of course.

Now, I’m not saying I want him leaping from tall buildings or anything, but I don’t want him to be afraid. I want him to enjoy being a dirty, jumping, climbing, exploring boy.

“Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.” –Deuteronomy 31:6

2014/Baby Gray/fashion/Fashion Friday/independent/school

Telling the Tales

Posted on by Mrs Gray / 2 Comments

It’s Friday, and the fashion guru didn’t disappoint! Whether he’s bearded or frilly, he’s always hilarious. 

Bearded Boy
Hat
Princess

I always look back on the week and wonder how many outfits I actually missed. I can usually think of a few where I didn’t have my camera, but based on the photos I sometimes get from grandparents or friends, I can’t help but wonder what I missed all together.

That’s kind of how parenting goes, though, I guess. You soak up as much as you can in your memory (and your camera’s memory) then relive the rest through stories and sharing. I love that we have a support system that tells and shares what happens. I know as he goes to school (more than two days a week) and continues to be away from me more, I will feel like I’m missing more. It is hard to grasp that, but I especially love when he comes home and shares his own stories for me to sort out (no matter how challenging that might be sometimes). 

2014/Baby Gray/favorites/fun/interview/questions/school

The Big Guy Himself

Posted on by Mrs Gray / 1 Comment

Sometimes the things this boy says are off the wall; sometimes they’re dead-on.

Flyin in an Airplane

I thought I’d see where he was this morning–a good mix of both. This isn’t quite as funny as his video interview we did earlier in the year, but I loved his answers.

The italics are direct quotes. The bolded are my exact questions. The stuff in (parenthesis) is my addition to his answers.

How old are you? 
Three! Am I three? 

When’s your birthday? 
September 26th

What’s your favorite color? 
red and blue 

What’s your favorite sport?
softball (he had softball on the brain this morning; he isn’t usually into softball)

What’s your favorite team? 
I usually cheer for the Aggies. 

What do you want to be when you grow up? 
Um, a softball player; ok? (see?)

What’s your favorite thing about school? 
I like letters and going to Creative Movement. 

What do you like to do after school? 
go to Target (we do go to Target quite a bit, but so far never after school)

Who are your friends?
My favorite friends at school and church are Lainey and Ella. 

What is your favorite game? 
Hide and seek is my favorite game. 

What is your favorite toy? 
Frankenstein (this morning; he hasn’t played with it in months and found it)

What’s your favorite food?
blueberries and strawberries

Where does Jesus live? 
In a manger, Mama!

How old is Mommy? 
I don’t know. 50? 

How old is Daddy? 
50? 60? Something like that. 

What does Mama do for work? 
Work from Honey’s; you get clothes and suckers for me. 

What does Daddy do for work? 
At his office? He just does work all day long.  

What do you want to remember about when you were three? 
Playing football and painting. Those were my favorite birthdays.

2014/30 Before 30/Baby Gray/goals/half marathon/Mr. Gray/running/stroller

Run Rant: Mama Style

Posted on by Mrs Gray / 0 Comment

I haven’t been back on the actual traning wagon long, but long enough to gather a few thoughts. Things are much different with a 3.5 year old than they were with a 1.5 year old.

Running

1. Running is easier when your child doesn’t ask questions the entire run. It’s hard to get in a good groove with questions flying.

2. I do not like stopping to play at the park mid-run, but it seems to be the only way (so far) to sneak any longer mileage in without protest.

3. We are a far cry from when my boy would wake up asking for a waffle and his stroller. It’s much more work for me to get the runs in when he’s home (YAY for school days or I’d be failing miserably so far).

4. Letting him run with me (short distances) is not the answer. We ran home from the park Sunday, and he said, “I think next time we need the stroller.”

5. I’m having a much harder time sticking to my schedule this time (I’m not sure Mr. Gray was in school last time we did this; I have become a weeknights-with-my-husband-hoarder) than I did last time, but I’m getting it done.

6. I still love the top Baby Gray of him in the stroller. So cute. He just sticks out a lot farther now. I’m grateful we did our research and got a jogging stroller with higher height and weight limits. (For reference: We have this one.Warning, affiliate link.)

2014/church/community/family/friends/go/hometown/move

Currently Craving

Posted on by Mrs Gray / 5 Comments

Community.

We have lived in a town where we know one family for the past (almost) six years. We have driven to our Heart Group, driven to church, driven to work, driven to our home town, driven to our family, and driven anywhere else we needed to go in that time. They’ve all done a lot of driving, too.

TCR

I do not mind driving. That’s not it at all. I mind not being able to have a home where people just stop by on their way to and from the grocery store–just because they saw we were home. I miss having the home that acts as a hub for friends, family, and the like. I miss hosting and entertaining without being “a drive” for everyone. I miss community. My friend Wynne posts about her open door policy a lot, and I long for that. Growing up, I had the home people were always stopping by. All my friends knew where the key to the back door was, and it wasn’t uncommon for them to stop by even if I wasn’t there.

I can’t wait to be back in a community where we know people. I love the family we know here–tons–that’s not it. I want to be back in the action; I want to live, work, and worship all in one place. I want to wave at people I actually know on my runs. I want to have a knock on my door when I’m not expecting anyone and not have it be a solicitation.

photo 2

Will we stop hanging out with the friends who aren’t in our hometown? Nope. Not even close, we’ll be in the same situation with them we have always been in, so that doesn’t have to change. Someone has always had to drive (now they’ll just need to bring me things from “the city” when they come).

Group Shot

God has truly prepared my heart to go.

IMG_4362

I don’t know if I even thought it was possible, but what’s a little relocation to the One who can move mountains? 
  

2014/clothes/fashion

All Mixed Up

Posted on by Mrs Gray / 4 Comments

Once upon a time, I was afraid of pattern mixing.

Mixed Up

Clearly, I’m over it. 

Sometimes I take a minute and wonder if I’ve gone too far, then I usually add one more twist. It’s sort of the opposite of that Coco Chanel quote about taking off your last accessory.

2014/Baby Gray/faith/Fashion Friday/God/life/on my heart/pain/process/yoga

Tension, Not Pain

Posted on by Mrs Gray / 2 Comments

Disclaimer: These photos have nothing to do with what’s on my heart today. I’m just cruisin’ with Fashion Friday in conjunction with a heart moment. 

Yesterday when I was in yoga, the instructor said something that really stuck out to me. As we were in a deep stretch, she said, “Remember, you want tension, not pain.” Yes, she was referring to the stretch we were doing, but doesn’t that refer to any type of growth we want to experience as well?

Bundled

We are called to step out of our comfort zone and stretch a little. We are called to create that tension, to gradually move into something bigger and different. It’s not about jumping from one place to another in one big, painful motion. When we walk in the tension, we allow God to use the process in order to get us where He desires us to be. He works in that process. It requires us to take the first step, then the second, and the third, and so on. Tension isn’t easy. Tension isn’t coasting along, but it’s not painful. It’s part of the process.

Daddy's Socks

Eventually, when you make it through the tension, you get to the place that would have been painful initially. You grow in time and in the steps it took to get there. Lessons are learned along the way. I’ve found that for me sometimes those first baby steps are the hardest when stepping out in faith. It seems like it would be easier to jump off the cliff rather than taking each individual step to the bottom–I’m pretty sure we all know how that would turn out, though. The tension in each step is a necessary piece. Tension, not pain.

2014/coffee/favorites/gifts/Keurig

It’s More than Coffee!

Posted on by Mrs Gray / 3 Comments

People ask me all the time if, after a year, we’re still using our Keurig. Yes, yes, and YES! If I love an appliance enough to leave it on the counter, it is worthy. (Only my Kitchen Aid mixer has achieved this status prior to the Keurig.)

photo(52)

What we use it for:

  • coffee (duh) 
  • hot tea
  • hot chocolate 
  • iced tea 
  • oatmeal
  • Malt-O-Meal
  • hot water for recipes

A couple of tips:

  • We bought a reusable k-cupso we can use brew any coffee with our Keurig. Huge time and money saver here!
  • I do not buy hot chocolate that is for the Keurig; it is much more money for the same amount of servings. Use any ol’ hot chocolate mix in your favorite mug! 
  • We brew both single tea bags (pictured, green tea) and brew-over-ice k-cups for tea (we have a flavored Snapple onein a k-cup). 
  • For hot cereals, just stick your bowl where the mug would go!

What’s your favorite thing to make with your Keurig? 

I included affiliate links in this post; we might need to buy more coffee! (Thanks to Amazon for the extra spaces after the links; why is my site so against embedding things? AH!)

 

2014/crafts/create/decorating/diy/do/make/Valentine's Day/winter

A Banner Year

Posted on by Mrs Gray / 0 Comment

Last spring, I found a cute felt bunting at Target that graced our mirror on the living room wall until it was time to change decor. I loved having it there. I’ve had something on that wall since.

When I took our Christmas decor down, I wasn’t sure what I was going to add to the wall. It looked so naked without anything up there.

Enter the 90% off Target clearance section yesterday.

Package

I found this make-your-own kit and bought several. I figured I could piece something together for Valentine’s Day if nothing else.

Turns out, with the four kits I bought ($0.50 each), I had enough to make a winter bunting–even if it’s a little more plain than I would usually go for–

Snowflake

and a Valentine’s Day bunting.

XOXO

I’ve got red and white baker’s twine I’ll string the X’s and O’s on when the time comes.

Hooray for festive!