"Mom'ing" in the Summer

You know it's summer, because this blog has been neglected. With both kids home all day long, my days seem to leave little to no free time for myself. Even with my days a little busier, I still feel like my kids are having a little too much screen time for my liking. But things like laundry (oh, the never ending laundry) have to get done whether my kids are home all day or not. So some days, I spend 3 hours folding and putting away laundry (I'm not even kidding y'all...3 HOURS), and my kids get a free for all when it comes to screen time. It's called balance, right?

Summer is always an interesting time for a stay at home mom. I feel like it's a true test of our abilities as a mother. Are we truly capable of caring for our school aged children all day long without completely losing our minds? I can answer that for myself. No. I'm not capable.

 I lose my cool with my kids more times in one day than I am willing to admit out loud. I oftentimes find myself at the end of a very long day wishing I would have been a little more "fun", a little more "grace-filled", and wishing I wouldn't have been so hard on my kids. Let's face it though, in the heat of the moment when my kids are fighting with each other, tattling on each other, and whining to me about being hungry or bored or whatever they are, it's really tough for me to not be completely overwhelmed. That's usually when I lose it, and I'm not always proud of it. Praise the Lord for grace and mercy, amiright?

The other day, I did manage to stop myself before saying something unkind to my children. I got in my bathing suit, and just lounged in our pool for 20 minutes while I gathered my thoughts. Once I was calmed down, I felt more in control of my erratic "mom emotions", and in turn was more more pleasant for my kids.

Sometimes, you just need some water, a floppy hat, and some quiet time to gather your thoughts.

Oh yeah, our pool is finally finished! Hallelujah! It literally feels like it took forever, but the pool company finished it just in time for summer. The temperatures are averaging in the 100s these days, so it's a nice reprieve from the heat. It also gets my kids out of the house and off their screens, so that is also a nice added bonus. My backyard is also slowly coming together as a nice place for me to hang out. Shout out to Nick for tirelessly working and building things for me.

I don't want to ever hear from Nick that I don't help maintain the pool...

Not sure if this little boomerang video will even load, but if it does...

I got a TON of compliments on this striped one piece bathing suit. I got it several years ago, and thought I lost it. But through moving and unpacking, it mysteriously appeared out of thin air! These days, I am enjoying rocking a cute one piece more often than a two piece. I'm trying to teach my daughter about modesty, and it's hard to be doing that when mama's hanging out of her bathing suit all the time. 

A few months ago, we got 6 baby chicks that are now hens. We named them Opha Mae, Dixie, Lydi, Kimchi, Presley, and Aggie. One of them (we think its Lydi) laid her first egg this week! We're excited for all of our hens to start laying. We are going to be using the opportunity to teach our kids about entrepreneurship and giving!

This is me and Lydi (the suspected egg layer)

I started a new devotional this week called "Children--A Gift and a Responsibility". It's a free devotional I found on YouVersion, and so far, I am really enjoying it. It literally takes me 5 minutes a day, and let's face it, during these summer months, even just 5 minutes with Jesus can restore your sanity.

There's a lot I need to blog about and catch up on. Nick and I recently celebrated our 11 year anniversary, and got to do some really fun things here in Yuma. I think that's what I'll post about next! Other than that, I hope summer is going well for everyone. I thought I'd end this blog with a quote that I found this week on Facebook that lade me chuckle...

"Don't worry about me. Worry about your eyebrows."

A New Orleans Wedding (pt 3...the final day)

First of all, HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!! Our family just returned from a short getaway to Goodyear, AZ to visit some dear friends of 10 years of ours to ring in 2019. We have been settling in back home, and getting ready to get back into the "school routine". I hope everyone's 2019 is amazing! I am definitely looking forward to a new year here in Arizona!

Finally! Here is the blog post everyone has been waiting for...the actual wedding!!!! Our family got so busy over the holidays, so I didn't get a chance to jump online to blog about my cousin Mark and his WIFE, Lisa's actual wedding day. 

Their wedding was absolutely stunning. It was a formal wedding, and not a single detail was left out. Their wedding ceremony was held at "The Cabildo" in Jackson Square. It was an absolutely breathtaking Spanish Colonial building right next to St. Louis Cathedral. It is a museum by day for local tourists where you can see all kinds of artifacts from old New Orleans, and learn about the history of the town as well. 

The prettiest flower girl I ever did see...

And have you ever seen a ring bearer this cool in your life?!

I think not.

I LOVED my dress...

All the cousins (minus baby Zoe)

Dang...I have a good-looking family.

The groom and the ring bearer!

I call this photo...

"the Matriarch and Her Cubs"

These are the only photos I got of the venue, and they don't do it any justice.

They had kindly asked no one take photos with cell phones during the ceremony, so we are all patiently waiting for the professional photos!

I loved that no one had their cell phones out during the wedding. 

As a guest, I enjoyed being able to watch the ceremony without someone in front of me annoyingly trying to take a cell phone photo, blocking my view.

Everyone got to just enjoy the wedding.

Here are my parents with Nick and me!

It was so nice to see Nick at a formal event in something other than his dress blues.

Look...I LOVE him in his dress blues (because he looks sexy af in them...), but man...he really cleans up nice in a tux too.

 Me and my babe.

The reception was held at "Capulet by the Water". It is a restaurant on the week days, and they host banquets and wedding receptions on the weekends! It is an 1800's warehouse that has been restored to a cool eclectic space. They had an amazing live band, and the appetizers and food was delicious! It was such a neat place, and we really enjoyed everything about it!

The ring bearers and flower girls!

They were so fancy.

Best uncle ever.

Nick asking my niece Lulu to dance.

Cause no trip to the bathroom with a bunch of girls is complete without a bathroom mirror selfie.

These are my gorgeous cousins (in high school) and old me.

My mama and her first son-in-law

Nick dancing with my oldest niece, Lyla.

I'm pretty sure this was the best part of the reception...

An actual ice sculpture of my cousin Mark!!!!

(Note, his body is actually not this disproportionate)

This was a surprise for him from his wife.

It was actually a luge. You could alcohol from his head, and it came out of the bottle of liquor carved into his hand. 

It was great.

We haven't seen too many of the professional photos yet. Once I get a couple, I'll post them! 

Just Another Marine Family Holiday...

Looking back at the last several months, blogging has truly taken a "back seat" in my life. I love blogging, and I really do wish I had a little more time to do it! Between both kids being in school, gymnastics, homework, work, volunteering, my gym time, and Nick being gone, life has been quite hectic! I loved seeing everyone's Thanksgiving posts on social media, and for those who wrote about what they were thankful for, I enjoyed reading those as well! Our Thanksgiving was pretty dang awesome! Nick flew in on Thanksgiving morning, and stayed until Sunday morning. The weekend flew by, and felt entirely too short, but we were thankful to have that bit of time with him. Short visits like this past weekend toy with my emotions so much. I get this initial sense of relief and excitement followed by immediate sadness.

We spent Thanksgiving day with my family in Houston and enjoyed our traditional "Korean American" Thanksgiving. We do a huge "fusion" of Korean BBQ, Korean food, as well as the big turkey with all the sides. It really is as awesome as it sounds. After Thanksgiving, our family came back home to CS, and just chilled all weekend. Nick pulled the Christmas decorations down from the attic for me and hung Christmas lights outside. With Nick gone, I wasn't really in the mood to put a tree up and decorate like I normally do, but he insisted that I decorate. I know I am not the only military wife that doesn't do festive or decorate when spouses are away! It just doesn't feel right sometimes. I'm glad he made me though, because it does make my house feel more like a home (even with my better half missing).  I cooked a meal for him, and we really just enjoyed our time together as a family. It was perfect.

So, I think it is time I change the name of my blog. "Domesticated Combat Boots" fit me when I first got out of the Marine Corps. I hung up my uniforms and put away my combat boots to be a stay at home mom with Dannika. It was fitting for me in that season of my life. That was five years ago. Five years ago was also the day that my contract officially ended with the Marine Corps. As a Marine wife, mother of two, Marine veteran, and working girl...the word "domestic" doesn't quite fit me. Suggestions welcome.

Here are some pics from our weekend together as a family of 4! If you follow me on IG, you've most likely seen all of these.

Nick came in early Thanksgiving morning to Houston!

We were SO excited! 

9 long weeks without seeing him!

When your "baby" cousin shows up to Thanksgiving in her 5 series BMW...

From L to R: My cousin Mark and his NEW FIANCÉ Lisa, cousin Tiffany and her longtime boyfriend Nathan, the glorious me with my Gig 'em thumb, and my handsome hubs,

My Uncle Mike and Mattis.

My grandpa and Mattis (throwing up a "gig 'em"...of course)

We babysat my friend's sweet dog last weekend as well!!!

Sweet Gracie was the BEST houseguest ever!

She helped me wrap gifts...

Me and my guy

This is one of two trees in my house. 

We have a family tree that our whole family gets to decorate, and a "mama tree".

The "mama tree" is one that I get to decorate all on my own with my own ornaments with no help from anyone.

The day that Nick left was the saddest...

After an amazing week together as a complete family, having to send him back to Uncle Sam sucked.

Mattis and Nick's bow (he decided to take his bow to go hunting on weekends we wasn't busy)

We have done this a million times (it feels like).

It never gets easier though.

In fact, it gets harder as our children get older.

My sweet Dannika has gone thorough more separations from her father than any child should have to go through...

But as she's gotten older, it's gotten tougher for her tender heart.

She is a daddy's girl, and watching her say her tearful goodbye to Nick broke my heart.

We are almost at the end of our first week since Nick left, and we are back in the swing of things.

The kids and I are back into a routine again, and we anxiously waiting for Christmas when we can see Nick again.

I hope y'all had a wonderful Thanksgiving, and I pray that all of you have a great holiday season.

Much love from me...

"Your grace so free, washes over me."

I heard a song by Northpoint music on the local Christian radio station (Peace 107) this morning on my way home from church, and the lyrics (that I made the title of this blog post) just stood out to me. The song is called "Death was Arrested" (in case any of y'all want to hear it).

I'm a BIG fan of secular music...even the slightly inappropriate stuff. If y'all know me, I am a HUGE Tupac fan. I also am a lover of old school country music, and even the new stuff. I love Florida Georgia Line...even though true country music lovers claim they are an abomination in the country music scene...but I like it. Mattis' current jam is Liam Payne's "Strip That Down". He literally calls it "my jam", and we listen (to the edited version) every morning on our way to school. But I also love worship music. I listen to it in my car when I'm alone sometimes, and it brings me a lot of peace and calmness...especially before a busy day.

Anyway, the lyrics, "Your grace so free, washes over me" really resonated with me today. For those know who me well, know my personal testimony. Lots of really emotional and messed up stuff that has happened in my life from the ages of 16 to 26ish. What really got me back "on track" as far as my relationship with Christ was accepting the fact that His grace was free. There was nothing I needed to do to earn back his forgiveness. Any time I hear something about His amazing grace, I am always reminded of my broken past. It always overwhelms me to think that I serve a God who loved me in the midst of the darkest hours in life...when I was destroying my life and my relationship with Him. He continued to love me.

Anyway, speaking of grace...this mama needed LOTS of grace this past week! 
I mean, y'all...
RED RIBBON WEEK.....
I know you moms out there get it.
A "themed" dress up day every day.
And if you have a child like mine, your child suffers from FOMO...bad...
So I have to make sure that she has something to wear for every day of the week.

Oh, and Red Ribbon week is not even over!!!!!!!!!!!! This year is like an extended red ribbon week. It goes until Halloween!!

Good Lord...give me some grace...because I have definitely fought with my 8 year old this week about each theme day....

Let's go through this....

 So Monday was the start of Red Ribbon week...

Guess when I found out it was Red Ribbon week?!

I found out MONDAY morning, when my panicked daughter ran into the kitchen waving a red paper with all the info for each dress up day on it...

I simply told her, "it's not my fault you failed to give me this vital, red piece of paper earlier so I could help you prepare. Guess you're not participating!" (then she cried)

It was crazy sock day.

My child has no crazy socks...

And after some tears, she literally emerged from the garage with these Elsa and Anna socks that were shoved inside her roller blades.

I don't ever recall buying her these socks.

I don't think they belong to her.

They were probably left at our house by one of her friends on a playdate.

I don't think know if they were clean...

They probably stunk...

But she was happy she had them...

FOMO was cured...

Day 2.

Favorite team shirt day!

Easy!

Aggies...duh, and since half her wardrobe is maroon or "Aggie themed"...easy day!

FOMO crisis averted.

Day 3...

Wear red day.

We have ONE red shirt.

It is a shirt she got from cheer camp two summers ago, and it sorta fits.

I was gonna make her wear that, because this mama does not have time to go buy a red shirt for Red Ribbon week,

But praise Jesus for my friend Katy (the mother of Dannika's BFF), who randomly got these adorable shirts made for Dannika and all her besties.

FOMO crisis averted...again...thanks to my super "extra" mom friend...

(And Dannika's eyes look super Asian in this pic...kinda makes me happy because people always tell me she looks more white than Korean)

Day 4...

CRAZY HAIR DAY.

OH MY LORT....

D told me Wednesday (wear red day) that she wanted turquoise hair.

I told her if I can't find turquoise colored hair spray at Walgreens, she's not having turquoise hair.

I was not about to drive around town to Target and Wal-Mart to look for turquoise hair spray. 

Thankfully, Walgreens had it (in their Halloween aisle).

Then comes Thursday morning....

We're already running late, and D does NOT know how she wants her hair done...

Two pigtail buns?

No.

A "mohawk" braid?

No.

Pigtails? 

No.

"Well hell child...then i'm just putting your hair up in a ponytail and spraying it turquoise!"

Tear...lots of tears.

Pinterest to the rescue.

We finally agreed on a "bow bun" (Praise Jesus, because it was simple").

We were late for everything that morning (insert eyeroll)

Day 5...

School Spirit day!!! Wear your school shirt!

Simple right?

No...not in this family.

Thursday night, I asked D to get her school shirt out of her dresser and lay it out.

Panicked Dannika claims she can not find it!

Me: Well, then you're not wearing it. I'm not here to keep track of your clothes.

Tears. Lots of tears.

Then she decides that she will just wear "last year's" school shirt (which is purple...this year's is black),

I already know she's gonna suffer from FOMO when she shows up to school in last year's style, while everyone else is in this year's look.

Thankfully, I just happened to be folding laundry, and her current school shirt appeared.

FOMO crisis averted..,one last time for the week.

We still have two more days.

Tomorrow is camo day, and I actually found a Marine marpat cammie blouse in her size.

She'll be representin' all you devildogs tomorrow!

Tuesday is storybook character day, and my "extra" mom friend Katy hooked up all our girls with Dr. Seuss' "One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish" costumes!

Seriously...she is a lifesaver.

Everyone needs a mom friend like her in their life!

I will share those on my IG page this week (@dcb_blog)

And lastly...

My son's very first school photo. 

Seriously....do they get ANY cuter?!?!

I'll answer that question for you...no, they don't.