We're 1/4 of the way through 2017 already. They say with parenting the days go by slowly but the years go by fast and so far in my parenting journey that is so very true. It has hit me like a rock that my sweetheart is going to kindergarten later this year as her time in preschool is coming to a close.
It was hard for me to trust someone else with her. It was hard letting go for the first time. All those feelings are coming back up all over again. A new school, teacher, staff, class... everything. I guess I never really expected to feel this way. When she was a baby and we were blindly stumbling through the newborn days I fantasized of this day. (#mommyconfession) I couldn't wait for the day that I could drop her off at school and have my life to myself again. Or at least for those hours she was gone. Maybe once I get to know the staff at her new school I'll feel more comfortable but it is so scary to trust complete strangers to care for your kid. To love them. To treat them with respect. To help them. To show them kindness and patience. To protect them. To pay attention while so many things are going on around them. It's a lot to ask. And it's exactly why I have stayed home with my kids for the last five years instead of being a two income family.
So, it's April. We're one month closer to the end of the school year. We're one month away from our six year wedding anniversary. We're a month closer to Molly's 3rd birthday. And this month we've got a little guy hitting the HALF year mark (blog to come soon on that).
And now since it's Friday, I'm gonna share a few of my end-of-the-week MVPs!
For the first one, let's start off with a little backstory... TEN whole years ago I was 19 and had just moved back to Memphis from Illinois. I went to a group interview at Build-A-Bear Workshop and somehow tricked them into hiring me by the end of it! From that job I learned so many great things from my bosses at the time about work ethic and kindness. I am forever grateful for my experiences there and for the good memories... it was incredible to work for such a wonderful company and to work with some really compassionate people. One of my FAVORITE things I picked up from my time there (besides the phrase "if you have time to lean then you have time to clean!") I learned from my boss, Paula. Our store was part of an outdoor mall and across the parking lot was a Barnes & Noble with a Starbucks inside. A couple times she had me grab her her favorite drink - a black tea lemonade - from there and after a couple times I decided to try it myself. At first I thought it was disgusting until Paula told me you could also get it sweetened. So thank you Paula - you are one of my MVPs for introducing me to the drink I have been in love with for the last ten years! My favorite thing to do is to go to either Target or Kroger and order a trenta black tea lemonade with light ice & half 3 pumps of classic syrup and sip my drink while I shop! (Especially if the kids are along.) Then I'll stop on my way out to get a free refill thanks to my Starbucks Gold Card! #BTLFTW!
A few years ago we moved back to Memphis from Illinois... again for me... and this time we were looking for a new dentist. I reached out to my Facebook friends for their referrals and among them a friend of mine was super enthusiastic about the staff at Schilling Farms Dental. They accepted our dental insurance, sounded super great on the phone, and had openings for us relatively soon so we decided to give them a try. And I'm SO GLAD we did because we just love them. They're thorough gentle, and caring with us and our kiddos. Not only that - but our dentist is a Disney fan who loves being a dad to his three daughters - so he is someone I can relate to on a personal level. Recently a super sweet friend of mine was similarly looking for a new dentist and decided to give them a try. And just like us they had a great experience! It feels good to give friends a good place to go and to give our dental office the business they definitely deserve. So, Kaela, thank you so much for sending us to them! You da real MVP!!!
And my last end-of-the-week MVP goes to the Memphis Zoo! We are so grateful to be members at such a nice zoo but the reason they made it into my blog is because they're totally having a baby boom there right now and I love it! In the last few weeks they've had a giraffe birth and also a hippo birth. I feel lucky to see these little animals in person but for my kids to experience that is pretty incredible as well. Now if they could just have a baby rhino addition to our zoo and on display then I would be in heaven!!!
Hope everyone had a great week and has something wonderful to look forward to in the weekend!!!
So, it's April. We're one month closer to the end of the school year. We're one month away from our six year wedding anniversary. We're a month closer to Molly's 3rd birthday. And this month we've got a little guy hitting the HALF year mark (blog to come soon on that).
And now since it's Friday, I'm gonna share a few of my end-of-the-week MVPs!
For the first one, let's start off with a little backstory... TEN whole years ago I was 19 and had just moved back to Memphis from Illinois. I went to a group interview at Build-A-Bear Workshop and somehow tricked them into hiring me by the end of it! From that job I learned so many great things from my bosses at the time about work ethic and kindness. I am forever grateful for my experiences there and for the good memories... it was incredible to work for such a wonderful company and to work with some really compassionate people. One of my FAVORITE things I picked up from my time there (besides the phrase "if you have time to lean then you have time to clean!") I learned from my boss, Paula. Our store was part of an outdoor mall and across the parking lot was a Barnes & Noble with a Starbucks inside. A couple times she had me grab her her favorite drink - a black tea lemonade - from there and after a couple times I decided to try it myself. At first I thought it was disgusting until Paula told me you could also get it sweetened. So thank you Paula - you are one of my MVPs for introducing me to the drink I have been in love with for the last ten years! My favorite thing to do is to go to either Target or Kroger and order a trenta black tea lemonade with light ice & half 3 pumps of classic syrup and sip my drink while I shop! (Especially if the kids are along.) Then I'll stop on my way out to get a free refill thanks to my Starbucks Gold Card! #BTLFTW!
A few years ago we moved back to Memphis from Illinois... again for me... and this time we were looking for a new dentist. I reached out to my Facebook friends for their referrals and among them a friend of mine was super enthusiastic about the staff at Schilling Farms Dental. They accepted our dental insurance, sounded super great on the phone, and had openings for us relatively soon so we decided to give them a try. And I'm SO GLAD we did because we just love them. They're thorough gentle, and caring with us and our kiddos. Not only that - but our dentist is a Disney fan who loves being a dad to his three daughters - so he is someone I can relate to on a personal level. Recently a super sweet friend of mine was similarly looking for a new dentist and decided to give them a try. And just like us they had a great experience! It feels good to give friends a good place to go and to give our dental office the business they definitely deserve. So, Kaela, thank you so much for sending us to them! You da real MVP!!!
 |
| Kaela, her cousin Kelsi, & myself WAY back when I first met them! |
And my last end-of-the-week MVP goes to the Memphis Zoo! We are so grateful to be members at such a nice zoo but the reason they made it into my blog is because they're totally having a baby boom there right now and I love it! In the last few weeks they've had a giraffe birth and also a hippo birth. I feel lucky to see these little animals in person but for my kids to experience that is pretty incredible as well. Now if they could just have a baby rhino addition to our zoo and on display then I would be in heaven!!!
 |
| We haven't seen the new baby on exhibit yet but we love seeing the adult hippos |
