Date Night!

Mine and Shaun's New Year’s resolution was to make more time for our marriage. And a part of that is making time to go on dates. We usually go six or seven months without going out just the two of us, and sense John Whitten has been born we have only been out once and we took him with us so Shaun says that doesn't even count as a date. Even if John Whitten did sleep through the entire meal. Well, if you read my blog you saw that last weekend we watch the Ellison boys, Sam and Eli, while their Mommy and Daddy got a much needed date night together! This past Saturday night Jenny and Daniel watched Lillian AND John Whitten while Shaun and I went out for our much needed date night. I have to say that I was VERY nervous about leaving John Whitten because of the whole won't take a bottle thing, but I knew that we would only be gone for a couple of hours and that he shouldn't starve during that time. Lillian was so excited to be at Sam and Eli's house and just thought that she was going on a big play date.  
Dinner was great! Spending one on one time with Shaun was great! Not to mention that it was really nice to get dressed up for dinner, get through salads without breastfeeding, order a glass of wine, and not have a grilled cheese and sprite on our final bill!

I LOVE Jenny Ellison and very much so value her friendship. It was so nice to know that my babies were with someone that I trust so completely! Oh, and she sent me three or four pictures of my little ones having fun while we were gone which really made me be able to relax! Thank you Jenny and Daniel!!

Lillian eating dinner!

 John Whitten chillin with Daniel.

Lillian wore her slippers over there and I guess Eli wanted to try them on too!

Nice and asleep!! 

PrimeTime Treasures

There is a place in Homewood called PrimeTime Treasures and it is a gift shop type store that sells hand crafted furniture, baby items, art and much much more! It is run by the Assistance League of Birmingham and pretty much the coolest store I have been in in a while. Older citizens of Birmingham make, build, sew and paint all kind of different things and then sell them at this store for some extra money. Driving by one day I noticed a dollhouse bookcase in the window. I stopped and went in only to find that it was already sold, but that the nice gentleman would make me another one if I wanted it. I placed my order before Christmas and last Friday Korey went and picked up Lillian's new dollhouse bookcase for me. The man who makes these does an amazing job, and I really cannot begin to tell you how solid and well crafted this thing is! The sold this same kind of bookcase at Pottery Barn for $300 bucks and we bough it for $200! It looks great in Lillian's room and I am so happy that I discovered this store. Hopefully I will be able to find some more treasures at PrimeTime.

moving that bookcase around the house wore Shaun and Lillian out!

The Greatest Show On Earth

Last year just Lillian and I went to the circus and I have to say that it wasn't that much fun. Mainly because I was eight week pregnant with John Whitten at the time and spent most of the circus in the bathroom being sick. We ended up having to leave it was so bad and Lillian cried the whole way to the car. I still carry Mommy guilt over that day....but this year was much different. We had a great time, and Lillian loved everything about going to the circus. She like the horses and the elephants the most, but was still pretty amazed by the tigers. And what was most amazing was that we actually left the circus without a light spinner or any other kind of toy!! We offered to get Lillian something special, but after looking over the table two or three times she kept telling us that she didn't want anything. It didn't break out hearts that she didn't want a $20 cup shaped like a tiger or a crazy light spinner. We were just happy to get out of there without the circus breaking the bank!

John Whitten did great the whole time we were there, and even fell asleep for about thirty minutes while Shaun was holding him. We had a wonderful time as a family and cannot wait to go back next year when both of our kiddos can really enjoy and experience it!

We had great seats...and it was packed!

The only thing Lillian did want was french fries...

she really LOVED those fries...

like, really loved them!

I hate watching these people...I pretty much keep my eyes closed during this performance

John Whitten grabbing a quick nap before the tigers

did I mention how much I hate this act...Shaun had to take the pictures.



"Don't Ever Let Anyone Color On You"

Who would have thought that six years and two kids later a tattoo wouldn't seem as cool as it once did. I wish that back then I had had the maturity to see that they were not cool or attractive when I got one to begin with...or when I got the next one...or when I got that last one.  I know it is SHAMEFUL; three tattoos! Thank you God for laser treatments and Groupons!! I have gone a couple of times to see how much it would cost to have my tattoos removed but the price what always WAY more than we could afford to spend at the time. And I honestly felt bad taking money away from our family because of my youthful indiscretions. But then my friend forwarded me a Groupon last week for four laser tattoo removal sessions at Prescription 2 Fitness in Vestavia for only $100!! Needless to say I jumped all over it. I called Shaun and he gave me the approval to buy three of them, but they only allowed two per person. None of the less, I bought two and scheduled my first appointment!

I went today and it really was not bad at all. I had heard that it was very painful to have a tattoo removed, but they numbed my foot before they started the laser so I did not feel anything. I only heard the popping noise of the laser gun. I have to wait five weeks between each laser treatment which stinks because I am so ready for these things to be gone! Hopefully Lillian and John Whitten will find a better way to act out when they get older....well, I hope they don't feel the need to act out at all but if they do I hope it doesn't include any type of body art! Whenever Lillian points at my tattoo now I always just tell her, "Don't ever let anyone color on you".  Hopefully that will stick with her when she gets older.

A Beautiful Marriage

"Beautiful the marriage of two Christians who are one in hope, one in desire, one in the way of life they follow, one in the faith they practice. They are servants of the same master...nothing divides them...They pray and worship together...instruct and strengthen one another...side by side they visit God's church...face difficulties together and comfort one another. They never bring sorrow to each others hearts...song and hymns they sing and Christ rejoices...and gives them peace...Where two are there, He is present with them...and where He is evil is not."


Adapted from Tertullian 3rd Century a.d.

Our Marvelous Monday

This past Monday was a super busy day for us. First thing Monday morning we headed to Lillian's preschool to register her for 3-k next year. I cannot believe Lillian will be three years old in just a few short months!! After leaving All Saints' we went to our two year old story time at the Hoover Library. I love their story times, even though you have to sign up a week in advance to make sure you have a spot. They fill up so fast!! It is always worth it though, and each week I go I realize why they fill up so quickly- it is amazing! We grab Chick-Fil-A on our way to meet our mom's group at the park, and had a great time playing and having a little picnic. The weather was SO nice on Monday and I am glad that we got outside and took advantage of it. I even decided to let Lillian skip her afternoon nap because we were having so much fun playing and coloring outside.  It was a MARVELOUS MONDAY!

story time at the library!

Lillian always has so much fun at our story time...

and there is always a fun craft for us to do!

eating lunch at the park

It was such a nice a day we skipped naps and played outside

I finally got a picture John Whitten's two teeth!

LOVE these two faces!!

Our Super Baby Swap Playdate!

I don't know if any of you have checked the going hourly rate of a babysitter these days, but it is $10-$12 bucks an hour!! Shaun and I went out to dinner not long ago and our babysitter cost more than our dinner!! My friend Jenny and I were talking one day about how difficult and expensive it is just to get a date night with our wonderful husbands when we use a babysitter, so we came up with a great idea- date night/ play date kid swap. So this past Saturday night Jenny and her husband Daniel brought their cute boys Eli and Sam over to play while they went out to dinner! And after being home with both boys by herself all week while Daniel was out of town with work, Jenny definitely deserved a night on the town!

We had a GREAT time! We painted, made pizza, played with playdough and danced! Eli and Sam are the sweetest, most well behaved little boys and it was fun to have our house full of kiddos! Lillian had a blast with both the boys, but she really enjoyed mothering Sam. However I am not so sure how much Sam loved it! 

Lillian giving Sam a BIG hug...she gave him a million of them! 

Shaun was a little worn out...

We had a great time with the Ellison boys and cannot wait to do it again some time soon. Next weekend Lillian and John Whitten will be going over to Eli and Sam's house for a play date while Mommy and Daddy go out!! Get ready Jenny and Daniel!!