Happy Father's Day! ~ 2019

One of my favorite holidays to celebrate with my little tribe is Father's Day because my children truly have one of the best men this world could offer them. I believe he is "THE BEST"! And he deserves a special day, set aside, just for him.

Super Bowl ~ 2018

Who's ready for the Super Bowl on Sunday? I'm about 50% of the way there. I have our table decor and one snack item, but I need to get focused on the foods A.S.A.P.  We've had some insane weather lately that has caused school cancellations and delays and then my lipsense business has blown up MORE THAN average these last two weeks, so it's keeping me busy.  I cannot believe I am saying this, but I have yet to post on last year's Super Bowl tradition that I created BUT, NOW seems more appropriate than ever!

Happy Halloween! ~2018

Halloween Day is always so incredibly hectic.  I plan and I plan and I plan.  I collect and I collect and I collect, but I NEVER have time to put things ALTOGETHER until the DAY OF and that makes the day slightly stressful.  I recall dripping sweat for the last 4 Halloweens in a row.  My kids have had costumes for weeks and pretty much months, but the day before Halloween they informed me that they couldn't wear them.  Jax had an inflatable costume.  He wore it to his Fall Festival at school, but he said it would be too difficult to really enjoy trick or treating.  Lilah had the most hilarious and comfortable costume, that she also wore to her school's Fall Festival, but she didn't want to wear the gigantic mask.  She feared it interfering with her fun. So YOU GUESSED IT... the DAY OF Halloween, I was standing in the Halloween Store, trying to piece mill what they had left, to help create my kids' costume desires.  

Lilah wanted to be a Zombie Cheerleader.  It was a pretty simple costume.  Obviously, she already had her cheer uniform and pom poms. I purchased a long sleeve, white t-shirt from Wal-mart and socks (featured below) from the Halloween Store.  Our local party store sold me some fake, washable blood, and an axe headband that made it appear as if Lilah got axed.  

I used my company's Snow ShadowSense and Onyx ShadowSense to create the dead look. 

Of course, she played the part to a T.

Jax wanted to be the clown from the movie "IT". With only a one day's notice, before Halloween, I was truly limited on options unless of course I wanted to pay $59.99 for the exact "IT" mask. So... close enough.   

Same deal: I purchased a white, long sleeve shirt from Wal-mart, splattered fake blood all over it, and hot glued clown buttons to the shirt. Our local party store, Fun Times, supplied the clown buttons and red helium balloon.  

Pretty creepy!

Well aren't they just the cutest twins ever!?

Tyson claimed that he wasn't going trick or treating. AH...NEGATIVE.  He wasn't going to sit home, on Halloween, night and play playstation.  I gave him the option to pass out candy or come with us. I didn't force him to dress up, but if he was going to collect candy, he had to wear something other than civilian clothing.  He wanted to wear his regular clothing and carry his book bag around.  He said, "I'll just go as a teenager!" I told him that was fine, but it had to be TEEN WOLF.  I picked up a self adhesive, instant werewolf patch. LOL! He wasn't crazy about it. This is a hard stage for him. He is turning into a young man, but still desires and should be able to enjoy being a kid. Doesn't he look so thrilled? This was the ONLY photo he would give me. 

It's always fun seeing all of our friends dressed up!

The day was so hectic that I didn't even have time to put on makeup or even consider costume for myself.  Darren always says I look like a drug addict without my makeup on, so when he walked through the door, after work, he said, "Are you going as a heroin addict tonight?" HYSTERICAL.  Shoot, that works!  So we joked and said we were dressed up as Meth Addicts. "This is your brain on drugs."

It was the night of the Zombies.  Sort of like a Zombie Apocalypse.  Haha.  And leave it to Darren to create comedy out of comedy.  He was trying to give this poor guy CPR.

Because our kids are still "trick or treating" eligible, we have to leave our candy out on the front stoop.  We leave it up to the parents and kids to follow the honor code.  

Halloween didn't seem too crowded.  Darren even mentioned that it seemed quiet and vacant.  

We came home and ate dinner together.  The kids sorted their candy! Jax created a hidden picture for me, in Lilah's sorted candy!

NOW... what to do with ALL OF THIS CANDY!? Sometimes we trade it in to a local dentist's office for cash.  But... as my kids get older, I am not sure they will fall for that. I pray I can keep my hands off of it. 

I hope your Halloween was filled with laughter, great memories, and you arrived home safely.

"YES" Day!!!!

Summer is coming to a QUICK close! Due to the ages of my children and their personal LOVES (fortnite, youtube, and musicallys, and slime), this Summer has been the slowest, most unproductive, and uneventful Summer to date. We have also been a little busy serving my mother and father, who recently moved to Roanoke, so our normal, Summer days took a major detour for a good month or so. No one has complained. I guess I just have mom guilt now that the school year is about to begin. I am thinking about all of the things we could have done or should have done, but didn't.  I am grateful, however, that my children LOVE being in their home and don't have to be whisked away on vacation and entertained constantly. When I stop and think about what we've done... we did plenty: we went to Charlotte, King's Dominion, Myrtle Beach, and Richmond. They had Starbuck's, Salem Ice Cream Parlor, Dairy Queen, and Bahama Sno-Shack.  They went to the pool (both ours and a friends'), the trampoline park, the YMCA, and enjoyed multiple/expensive sports camps, drama camp and cheer camp! Went to birthday parties. Had a sleepover or three.  We ate out A TON! They even were able to enjoy a day at the mall shopping for back-to-school clothes and then Target/Staples for personal school supplies. They were able to sleep in and didn't have to go to daycare. Sounds like a good Summer to me.  

BUT... I wanted to do a little something that would leave a lasting impression.  I feel like I am constantly saying "NO".  Kids don't get that discipline is love.  Guidelines are necessary.  Rules are required.  Motherhood/Fatherhood, PARENTHOOD ain't easy.  YES, I say no mostly out of convenience, because I know our daily agenda and what will fit into it, and for selfish reasons, but I am allowed to.  I've been a kid.  It was done to me and I survived.  My kids will too.  When they are parents, they will do what I am now doing.... "AH... now I guess why my mom ...."  [Fill in the blank]! I am not here to fulfill their every selfish desire.  I am hear to fulfill their needs and an ENTIRE day of fortnite, staying up till 1:00 a.m. every Summer day, eating endless amounts of CRAP, and not expecting them to do chores or allowing them to sleep till noon is NOT being a loving parent.  It's being an unprotective, negligent, lazy, abusive parent. It's teaching my kids how to be nonproductive humans in society.  I am raising the next generation, future adults, and hopefully, most importantly, CHRIST FOLLOWERS.  So saying "YES", all the time, is NOT necessary, practical, or loving.  

BUT TODAY, I will be saying "YES".  I do have (10) Guidelines, mostly for my sanity, but also because I know, allowing my children a day of asking questions that only allow me to say YES, will pose dilemmas, IF I don't set those guidelines. They knew this day was coming and they were already planning out their absurd desires, like pulling an all nighter, thinking they could have a budget of $100 each (guess who that was), or skipping their already planned out obligations to invite a friend to sleep over.  "UH... negative!"  So, guidelines were necessary.  Suggestions are mentioned.  They have the choice to make some major decisions and if they choose unwisely, like eating ONLY junk, they will pay for it.  

So, tell me what you think.  See the guidelines below.  I will also include a link for you to print these same guidelines at home, if you desire to mimic ours.  I plan to make sure I have plenty of coffee available to me.  I have ONE friend who has done this before and she said by the end of the day, you feel like you've been hit by a mack truck, went out partying all night but didn't enjoy it, or feel like you could sell your children to North Korea's leader and never look back.  HAHAHAH.  We shall see what they ask me to say "YES" to.  Stay tuned... 

P.S. I bet today will be the best day of their lives.  #MOMGOALS

 

After reading the guidelines, do you feel like I've put far too many stipulations on the day?  OR do you think I was fair?  There are (3) links below, that you can click on, and print if you wish to use BOLLINGWITH5's guidelines.  Oh and let me preface... these guidelines were created by ME! They work within the dynamics, morals, faith, and personalities of our family, so if you do not like them... make your own!!!! I am curious to see how they change, if you do make up your own. Send them my way! 

Guidelines 1-4
Guidelines 5-7
Guidelines 8-10

Elf On The Shelf - Day #17

Are you sick of Christmas in April yet?  Haha.  I promise produce more CURRENT posts this week too, but I have got to get some of Christmas documented.  

On Day #17 of the Elf On The Shelf, our elves dressed up in their favorite tacky sweaters and left a few outfits for the twins' holiday party.  Ty didn't get anything, but he didn't seem phased. He probably wouldn't have worn it anyway. Plus, as the old saying goes, "If you don't believe, you don't receive!"

I think I like Napoleon's the best! Christmas lights just make everything brighter.

Jax was given a shirt that reads, "Chillin' with my SNOWMIES!" I LOVE this shirt so much! Hysterical.  

Lilah received a light up, MOOSE sweater.  

And some cute matching earrings.  

Both of the twins received some tacky, Christmas head gear.

 It doesn't get much more creative and fun than this!

Elf On The Shelf - Day #16

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! As if the cheerios wasn't messy enough.  On Day #16, our elves stuck colorful post it notes ALL. OVER. THE. KITCHEN. CABINETS.  Sigh...

They also left our kids a fun tablecloth to color.  

Above: The elves used three different color Post It Notes.

Below: They specified exactly what color was left for each kid.

Jax: BLUE

Tyson: YELLOW

Lilah: PINK.

Which, to me, meant that they had to clean up the Post It Notes that were left for them. AHAHAHA.

I love how they insinuated messages, like "Color Me" and "Clean UP" your color Post It Notes, by leaving a large array of coloring tools.  

It looks like the elves already began coloring a little bit of the tablecloth.  

What a total mess. I can't deny that it really was pretty though.

Elf On The Shelf - Day #15

On Day #15, the elves reminded us that "[Our] House Is Under Elf Surveillance." I found this awesome, front door mat at BIG LOTS.

And then... as if the mat isn't perfect enough... guess who arrived? Well, the ELF himself... Will Ferrell. I mean, it doesn't get any BETTER than that!

The kids woke up to this funny face starring at them as they walked down our stairwell.

This inflatable, normally $69.99, was sold to me for $24.00 because it was the FLOOR model and the box was missing.  SCORE! Thank you LOWES Home Improvement.  It is the greatest addition to our elf collection.

If anyone woke up in a BAD mood, their mood was immediately lifted, morning after morning, as they walked passed Will Ferrell each day.