Day 7

Day 7: Mirror Effect

I realize that my oldest has been in three of the last 4 posts, but oh well! I will get the other two here sometime, I'm sure!  Today's pic was supposed to be "mirror effect", and even though I know what that means (i think) I thought this was a better idea.

Ever since this child was a day old I have heard that " She looks JUST like you"!  Our baby pics do look almost identical, and yes I agree she looks a lot like me.  I pray every day she will do better than me in all aspects of life though... well, I got a really great husband, so maybe not all, but at least as well! ;) 

I hope and pray that she is a spiritual giant compared to me, a way better mom, someday, and a better wife, and the list goes on and on.  She has a lot of her Dad's personality traits, but as any good first born she is still a people pleaser, unlike her Dad who cares less what anyone thinks of him. And 5th grade can be such a drag for that pleasing people thing!

 As we struggle along, together, through this age and all the changes and trials that come with it, I pray every day that we will only get closer and stronger in our relationship to each other and to the Lord most importantly.  I am trying to encourage her to lean on Him for everything, and He is teaching me the same lesson through her.  I love her and can hardly wait to see the little woman she is becoming... if we survive to tell about it! ;)

Days 4, 5, & 6

Day 6: Eyes

Day 5: Funny Face

Day 4: Hair

 So here are the days that I missed while out galavanting at sporting events for my very active children, over the weekend.  :)  That is a terribly long sentence and I apologize, but onto the task at hand.

They are backwards on here, but we will just work our way backwards, because frankly I am to tired to even try to fix them, and yes I am aware that it is only 9 o'clock at night, and yes, I am aware that this is indeed another very long run-on sentence, again.  

Day 4 was "Hair"... I don't think I really am following the rules real well for this challenge, as a lot of my pics are not of myself but... this is my deal so I will do what I want! :)  Ms. Briann and I manage to fight over this head of locks nearly every day.  She doesn't like to do ANYTHING to it, and some days it is a battle just to get her to brush it.  May 13th we have an appointment to get it cut, and we both have agreed that it is going to be fairly short, and something that needs little to no work.  I am also caving and getting a couple of highlights put in for her.  Crazy to think that my little "non-girly" girl wants them so bad, but hey sometimes they throw you a curve ball!  Might have to post another one later of the new do... she is super excited about it! Worried about the other little 5th grade girls teasing her about it, but excited non the less.  I fully understand the saying "5th grade girls" now... and am hoping Sydney can skip this grade all together?!  The cattiness that goes on is cRaZy!!

Day 5 was "Funny Face"  She is the queen of those in our house, and this was just a prime example I already had on my phone. :)

Day 6 was "Eyes"  Couldn't help it with this one.  It was the first really really beautiful day this spring, making it all the way up to 68 degrees with the sun shining and no wind.  If you have ever lived in the Fargo area, or visited, or even driven through, you know that it is ALWAYS windy here, so no wind is a big deal!!  I had three soccer practices to be at that night and had my shades firmly in place the minute I left the house.  Thought the pic was appropriate for the night.

So now I am once again caught up... well almost. Today is technically day 7, but that is another post that I am going to do as soon as this one is done.  So I will be done now :)

Day #3 Young

I wasn't sure what to post for this, but then Christa told me about this cool app to help me get my Instagram pics onto my blog!! So awesome!! Now if it is a Black and White day, my pic will be in B&W! Gotta admit I was more excited about this than I probably should have been :)  Thanks again Christa!!

So, I was scrolling through all my Instagram pics trying to find one that would represent "young", and came upon this one from just last week.  This is the newest Block family member... the "youngest" if you will ;)  Bauer is such a cutie and although I am not sure he looks a lot like a Block he probably is built more like one! :)  I love that Cody seems to be his favorite.  Cody can get him to giggle, and so far I think he is the only one that has made him belly laugh for so long.  

Cody waited and waited for a boy cousin on the Block side, then Brody came along and now Bauer! He is so excited, and it is so fun to watch the little boys follow him around and laugh at him.  I can't wait till they are a little older and can all play hockey or football together... but then again, I love little boys when they are "young" and will be still even for a little bit and cuddle. :)

So don't be alarmed if I don't blog the next couple days... at least tomorrow. I am NOT giving up! Just have to be out of town for a volleyball and a hockey tournament.  I will post my pic to Instagram tomorrow and then hopefully I can post twice here to catch up either Sunday night or Monday sometime.

Thanks for the comments, and for following this little journey. I can say, I have honestly missed blogging. 

Talk to you all again soon!!

Later gators!

Day #2

Today was a little different than most of the days I have had of late.  Today, I took time out of the usual busy crazy running that has become our life to just sit, and enjoy my littlest.  Miss Syd was sick today... she woke up with a really high fever in the middle of the night, and it continued all day.

The best part about her being sick, other than that she felt pretty good considering how high her fever was, was that it gave me the day at home to bake cookies, clean, and most importantly snuggle and nap with my baby.  As I sat with her sprawled out on my lap, I was thinking about how fast time flies.  Seems like just last week she was a little chubby red-headed baby lying on my chest sleeping like she was today.  Now she is six years old, and covers most of me, is in Kindergarten, but still has those sweet blue eyes, and that red hair.  

So, today is

day #2 of my photo challenge and it was "B&W".  If you look on Instagram it is in B&W, but this chic can't make it be that way on here, soooo here was the pic I chose for today. Imagine it in B&W!  My baby, sleeping soundly with her bunny and blanket on the couch.

Have a good night!! Sleep good! :)

Photo Challange

Hi Guys,

I recently joined Instagram, and have seen a couple of these photo challenges for different months.  I have always wanted to do one, but with our crazy life and schedule I decided I probably wouldn't be able to ever keep up with it.  Then tonight I decided that I needed to at least try it!!

I need to take more time out to take pictures, to enjoy the days and not just rush through them and try to survive the hot dog dinners on the way to someones practice. (I know I totally just grossed out Anna with the mention of hot dogs... he he!) We had a fire recently at the shop Jalon owns with his dad, and it has made me realize how much we take for granted the time given to us and the people He has placed in our lives, things and circumstances can change in an instant!

SO, off we go on this photo challenge! I am going to do it on Instagram, (katiemart7) and here on my blog.  So follow me on Instagram, if you have it, or check back here once in awhile. I gotta have someone looking at them to make it worth it right... and not just Briann who will like all my pictures cause she is my daughter and has too.... or a lot of her friends who like a lot of my pictures?!?!  Kinda weird, but whatever!!

So the first day is a "selfie" (kids and their ghetto talk these days!)  So here it is:

In my typical spot these days... sitting in my Sub waiting for kids at some activity or another.  I want to point out my freshly waxed eyebrows to mom, and let everyone know that I hate pictures of myself... just for the record!

Have a great night! Tomorrows pic, I hope, is much better!!

Out!

Happy Valentines Day

 Before the festivities can begin, I need to brag just a little bit.  I know the Bible says we are not to be proud, but I am a sinner saved by grace.... so just this once ok?!  

This little lady sang a solo in church on Sunday morning.  It was part of the verse and some of the chorus to the song "Live out Loud" by Steven Curtis Chapman.  I put a video up on my Facebook page if you wanna check it out in action.

I asked her if she was nervous the week before, and she told me that for her it was harder to sing in front of the kids, and not so much the adults so she wasn't all that nervous about singing.  I told her that was good cause there wouldn't be a lot of kids listening... only 1500 adults or so.  To which she rolled her eyes (which is SO common these days) and said "Mom you are so NOT encouraging"!

 I try :)

But onto the subject of the title!! Valentines Day!!  I love holidays, any of them really.  And although this one doesn't rank up near the top for me, it is still fun.  

I love by food.  

I think it has something to do with Grandpa Wally stopping by so often for coffee.  At least that is what I am going to blame it on. ;)  Whenever Grandpa would drive in, my mom would start a fresh pot of coffee and pull out some sort of goodies.  It happened whenever we went to Grandpa and Grandma's house too.  Grandma always had some sort of cookie, or bar, or Schwann's ice cream treat handy.  These are great memories from my childhood and to this day, as soon as someone shows up at my door, I start thinking about what treats do I have?! 

I don't drink coffee, amazingly, but I do have a bit of a sweet tooth!! I usually have a candy dish filled somewhere, like the pic below, but homemade treats always are better!

 I digress, sorry!! 

Onto today.  First of all we had french toast this morning... my favorite. A little selfish, but the kids seemed to enjoy it anyway.

 Since the kids aren't allowed any treats in school anymore, I decided we should fill up at home instead.  So to the kitchen I went.  First there wasn't enough oatmeal left for Monster cookie bars, so I made Chex mix instead with the Valentine colored M&M's I had for the bars.

 Then I remembered that one day a couple weeks ago as I stood in the baking aisle at the grocery store I decided I was going to be more like Jilly Willy and bought some very pretty Valentine day sprinkles.  Not something she probably even has in her kitchen, but I was trying to channel some of her baking prowess. You should see the sugar cookies this girl comes up with. She should own her own bakery. (I am volunteering for taste tester if you ever do k?!)  

Anywho, I decided some special kay bars with sprinkles weren't quite as pretty as Jill's sugar cookies, but more like me, fast and easy, and I can make pretty well if I do say so myself! (pride again... I know, I'm working on it!!)

So Happy Valentines Day,  let's hope I am not big as a house the next time you see me!!

 And if your in the neighborhood stop by, I have fresh treats, and might even be able to make you a cup of coffee.... if I can find my 2 cup coffee maker! ;)

Briann Marie

Surprise, I am blogging again!! :)  My last post was such a hit, ( I got THREE comments) I decided to do another one.  That and my oldest had a birthday, which gives me a good post subject! ;)

Briann Marie is now 11 years old.  I don't know for sure how that happened so fast, but she is.  I remember her birth I think the best because she was my first, and probably the worst labor of them all. Mainly it was my stubbornness that made it bad, but let's not tell her that.  To my pregnant friends... get the epidural!!! :)

First day of Kindergarten

Sorry, too much info... I know!  Anywho, I remember mostly food about that day, Jalon had an omelet that morning, a pizza sometime during the day, and a cheeseburger from McDonalds very late the night of the 9th.  I could not eat in case they had to do a C-section and was dying.  Then the next morning after she was born, I remember that someone forgot to order me breakfast.  I was starving after a day with no food, and then my sweet sweet sister in law/ cousin brought me doughnuts!  Jill was my lifesaver that day. I don't think I have eaten a glazed doughnut since then and not thought of how good the ones tasted that she brought me that morning!!  

Briann was my only bald, and sorta blond baby, but had the same bright blue eyes the day she was born that she has now.  She looks a lot like me, and acts a lot like her daddy! She hates mornings, and stays awake for hours at night.  Is a daredevil, and will try anything her father suggests.  Briann is a tough cookie and has a strong competitive spirit on the soccer field.  I always wonder what happens to my sweet, innocent little girl when that black and white ball is thrown in front of her ;) 

 She is fast becoming a young lady, and has the sweetest heart.  She reminds me to look out for the down and outers, and to show the love of Christ, no matter who the person is! I love that she does that, and doesn't care what kids think of her. I can hardly wait to see what she will grow up to be, who she will marry, and what she does next!  But for right now, I am so happy to just watch the day to day growing of a young lady who loves the Lord.  My prayer for her is that she keeps her desire to know more and more about Him, and that she will grow up to be a godly woman with a heart after our precious Lord Jesus!

I love you Miss B, and can't wait to see what this year as an 11 year old will bring us!