My last night...

in my twenties....tomorrow afternoon I am officially 30....I remember 30 being a lot older than me...but alas I still have one more promise to keep....This is where I find out who my friends are...I mean these pics are so embarrassing....I won't keep you waiting...yikes...

whoa...nice stonewashed jeans and LA Gears

ps I went to the hairdresser and told them I wanted to look like my mom...and yes that is a puff painted sweatshirt I am wearing

I made this outfit...that is all you need to know

babyface in the 7th grade

Junior prom...and that is my handsome husband next to me

one of my senior pictures...love the scholarly props

My senior prom...love these girls...kinda crazy we are all moms now...

My next post I will be in my 3rd decade...I am excited for this chapter to begin. For what God has in store for me. They say the thirties are your prime...Bring it.

I know you are probably wondering how I spent the last night of my twenties...wrapped up in a blanket watching Kung Fu Panda II with my kids on Friday Family Movie Night. Life is good.

Countdown is on...

I am closing in on it....I mean dangerously close...less than a week close...This Saturday I am turning 30. I know that 30 is not really old but it's old enough. I can literally remember thinking as a teen that 30 was ancient. And now here it is...I am kinda depressed...I kinda just want to skip it...so if anyone asks I am turning 25....because 29 is too close. As promised I am going to post some pictures of me from the past some cute, most really embarrassing....Please promise to still be my friend after you see these (yes they are that bad).

That is me with the money...my 5th birthday...I think June Ann looks like me in this one.

Sarah's Young Author Debut... I am maybe 7...I can remember thinking how cute I looked that night...haha

My first grade school picture....look at those bangs....yikes

When I was in 2nd or 3rd grade all I wanted for Christmas was a globe...Randy never lets me forget it.

These aren't as bad as some of the ones are going to be on here later in the week. Stay tuned for my utter humiliation.

I'm bringing PRETTY back...

A friend of mine from college posted this article today on Facebook and I was immediately intrigued. It's called "The Death Of Pretty." It talks about how girls have lost the desire to be pretty and are obsessed with being hot. I love that this article talks about how "pretty" is a special combination of beauty AND innocence.  As I read this article, my mind shifted to my three beautiful little girls. I am constantly concerned about raising them correctly and with the morals I hope they take from Randy and me. But this article really struck a cord with me. It talks about how they are surrounded by "hot" girls in all aspects of the media. Our culture pushes sexy on them so early. And that the main thing that girls today don't want to portray is being the good girl.  I am amazed at how many of these Disney and Nickelodeon shows talk about boyfriends/girlfriends, first kisses, and who is in love with who. I understand that I can monitor what they watch, read, and listen to but if you take away all of it they become the weird kid who has no idea what people at school are talking about. I would love to find the balance. We go to church and I try to reinforce that they are fearfully and wonderfully made...that their bodies are temples and worth protecting but they are constantly surrounded by girls basically trying "sell" their "real estate." My motto for my girls is going to be "modest is hottest." (I hope they think that is as cute as I do...haha) My hope is that I can teach my girls to be pretty not hot. I want them to find husbands that value how pretty they are inside and out. But above all, I want them to realize the value of their virtue and that is not measured by how many boys think they are hot.
Sorry for sort of rambling on a soapbox today.

photo by Nickie's Photography

New Year, New Nannie

Happy 2012!!!
I love January! It is a fresh start, a new beginning, a blank slate. My husband always rolls his eyes when I start talking about resolutions but I always like to have several that way I have a pretty good chance of at least keeping one. I hope that by actually writing them down I might succeed. So here goes:

1) I want to complete a Project 52. I hope that mine will look half as amazing as this one. I am planning on posting my project every Friday. I really hope I don't get behind.

2) Be more healthy. I don't want to say lose weight because I need more than that. I want to be more active, eat better, and drink more water. I also am going to start taking vitamins, drinking more orange juice, and trying to up my immune system. My insurance SUCKS!***This one is also being applied to the rest of my family because doctor visits are expensive :(

3) Floss more often.

4) Work on a budget and stick to it.

5) Make a weekly menu and stick to it.

6) Use a household organization chart and stick to it. (gonna try to copy this)

7) Bringing back Monday night *

8) Try to be ahead if the game with Valentine's and Christmas cards.

9) Make the girls hair bows and/or shirts/dresses for major holidays.

10) Teach Maddie to sew on the machine.

So there it is. Hopefully I can at least keep one of them. But I am going to at least start out strong. I will try to keep updates posted.