Welcome to 2019 - January

Happy New Year! Welcome to 2019, I'm excited to be here and I hope you are too. I love the freshness a new year brings; new year, new goals, new start. I know you can technically do all this at ANY time but there something special about a new year that helps motivate me to reflect and change.

We celebrated NYE with some friends playing games, our favorite way to spend an evening, then Dan took the next two days off. It was FREEZING cold and we even had freezing rain one morning. We decided to beat the weather and go to the trampoline park. After Brooks just loved the one in Boise we decided to try the one close to us out. Spoiler alert, he also loved it.

This is the only picture I got because we were too busy having fun!

Trying to take pictures with a toddler and this is what you get!

A friend gave me these photos and I wanted to send a picture of them to my mom so I told Brooks to stand there for size reference and it turned out so darling! What a ham (sometimes).

January weather has been so up and down. When it is nice we take advantage and play out back, ride his bike or go to the park. He is getting so good at his stryder bike now! And he insisted on wearing these sunglasses.

Grandma sent a package because I forgot my coat in Idaho- oops! But she included leftover Trolls fruit snacks, race cars, treats, diapers and his Cars blanket. He immediately wanted me to spread it out flat so he could lay on and admire it haha!

We got to play with friends. Although this picture isn't evidence of it, they were playing and having fun.

Dan and I got to go to Dave Ramsey's SMART Conference in Garland, TX (about an hour away). Dan's mom offered to come help with Brooks and Dan and I made a weekend out of it! He was traveling that week for work so Friday night I picked him up from the airport and we drove out to Garland, stayed the night and spend all day Saturday at the Smart Conference.

A funny side note is that I had everything laid out to pack in a backpack. It was only over night so I didn't need much. We get to the hotel and I start laying some things out and I forgot a shirt! I look at the shirt I'm currently wearing and do a sniff test.... hmmm I'd rather not wear this two days in a row... so off to Target we went! At 10:20 at night. We had 40 minutes before the store closed to find a nice shirt and with Dan's help we were successful! Now it's actually one of my favorite sweaters.

The SMART Conference-oh where do I start with this conference? It was so inspiring, fulfilling, nuggets of gold knowledge left and right, so much wisdom and power behind their words! It had ALL of our favorite people: Dave Ramsey, Ken Coleman, Anthony O'neal, Les Parrot, Chris Hogan, Rachel Cruze, Christy Wright, Meg Meeker and Dr. Henry Cloud. Each of these speakers are incredible authors and I'd highly recommend all of their books. I'm currently reading Strong Mothers, Strong Sons but Meg Meeker and I know many of you have read Boundaries by Henry Cloud. These people are amazing!

After the conference Dan and I got some BBQ for dinner then headed back home. My stomach started to feel weird and I was so tired so I went to bed. Dan woke me up to show me Rachel Cruze had reposted my post. I would have fan girled (I did a lot later) but I was feeling so off. Come 1am I'm running to the bathroom. Then every hour after that (on the dot!) I'm throwing up. At this point, I'm thinking it's food poisoning. However in the morning Brooks threw up too. So it must have been a bug we both picked up and it went away with in 24 hours. Although it SUCKED being sick I could be more grateful for the timing. It was after the smart conference when I was at home and it didn't ruin our fun weekend- so thankful for that because it was an amazing weekend just Dan and I!

A huge shout out to Sylvia for coming and watching Brooks for us! Brooks had the best time with Grandma and from what I heard he was so good for her!

This is when you've told your child repeatedly to please sit down on their chair and they face plant on the tile- ouch! Poor dude! That's a hard lesson to learn!

I'm not sure why Brooks asked me to take his picture but this sure turned out cute!

Now that it's busy season Dan works Saturdays until April. So to make the most of our time we went out to donuts before he went into work. There was a new Shipley's opening so we went. Brooks picked the blue donut and devoured it. We also won some Shipleys cups and some free donuts- such a great way to start a Saturday!

I gave Brooks a haircut and every time I do he looks so much older! His hair grows like mine (like a WEED) so I've probably given him over 10 haircuts in his 2 years of life! My secret to get him to sit still? A sucker and Baby Einsteins.

I had to go clean out my Primary closet at church and I turn around and see Brooks setting up a bunch of chairs. He was saying, "Chairs! For friends! Singing!" I was surprised he set up so many!

Brooks and I made some cookies on a cold day.

Brooks approved! 

 We ended the month doing some Valentines Crafts and making caramel popcorn (and other treats!) for the book club I hosted!