Summer.

Believe it or not, I am alive and well. Crazy? Yes. Happy? Indeed.

Summer has been wonderful and has completely flown by. School starts back in 3 weeks and I am in complete denial. Kilbi Branch Designs has taken on a life of its own and has become a full time job for me. I am so grateful but so, so busy. Many times lately I have contemplated closing up shop and going back to easy days with my kids. I am constantly reminded that they are only little once and how fast this time goes by. I don't want to miss a moment. I want to soak up every minute of their sweet little life before I blink and they are grown.

We have spent a great deal of of time traveling this summer. My brother is getting married at the end of August so we have spent time at showers and parties. Between that, the beach and the lake, we are in major need of a stay-cation!

I completed my first sprint triathlon a few weeks back and really enjoyed it. My husband and littles were there to cheer me on, along with my parents. It was a really great experience and something I hope to do again. Hint hint... I have been telling my husband it's time for me to invest in a race bike, lol :)!

All the tots are great and thriving. Baker is talking up a storm and chasing his sisters non-stop. Chloe has enjoyed being in camps throughout the summer and Saylor is happy as a clam being at home and playing with me.

Life is good and such a blessing. I am beyond thankful for my husband and the little people I share my home with.

Preschool then and now.

This year has been wonderful for Saylor. She started preschool in the fall in the 18-24 month class, two mornings a week. 

On her first day, I was worried sick. Scared for her. Afraid she wouldn't be happy. And my shy, timid little girl proved me wrong her very first morning. She showed me how brave she was. She was happy. Excited. Chatty. She hugged my neck, gave me a kiss, and walked right in to a new room full of friends. 

She has learned so much this year. I'm quite certain she talks like a 4 year old and some of the things she says are absolutely hilarious. She knows all her colors, numbers, alphabet, tons of songs, Bible stories and prayers. She potty trained herself (yes, herself!) back at Christmas. 

She loves school, her friends and her teachers. Loves to color, draw and sing. She has grown up so much this year. Although still shy and timid (and on the verge of tears during her end of the year program), Mommy is proud of the sweet and feisty little girl you are becoming SaySay. 

First day of preschool // Last day of preschool

It's a GIVEAWAY!

Visit Kilbi Branch Designs on Facebook to enter to win this wreath! Winner will be announced Monday! 

Buckle up!

I dropped Saylor off at preschool this morning then headed home to put Baker down for his nap. A few hours later, we hopped back in the car to run errands. Upon backing out of my driveway, I noticed this out of the corner of my eye. Apparently, Saylor buckled her pony into her carseat before heading into school. Safety first! That girl is a mess and keeps me laughing!

iPhone photo dump Friday

This space.

So many times I sit down at this little place and can't put my thoughts together to even form a sentence. I love this space. I love the memories that are here. I love looking back through posts and remembering the moments and the words I wrote. Remembering the place I was right at that very moment. I want to find time to come back to this space. Life has a way of slipping by with no notice whatsoever, and this is my way of holding onto a small moment here and there. 

I love the journey that got me here. I started this blog as a newlywed, a few months pregnant with my first baby girl. We were selling a house, buying a house, moving states and learning to work together as husband and wife. That first year was full of so many blessings. We learned so very much and I am beyond thankful I sat to write about that journey.

I am thankful I sat to write about my pregnancy, both times. I am thankful I wrote about how I felt when I became a mother for the very first time. How that moment changed me, from the inside out. How I longed that very day to be more. To be a better woman, friend, wife. To be the very best mommy to the little angel God had sent for me to care for. 

I am thankful I have wrote about the day to day. How crazy it is with 3 kids, a business, and keeping up with it all. I am thankful I throw pictures up here every now and then. I love to look back on them and see how little my babies were. How much they have changed and how they are turning into their own little independent people. Man, time really does move so quickly. 

Our journey hasn't always been easy but it has certainly been filled with so many of God's blessings. We serve a God of love. Pure love. That alone just amazes me. He loves us so purely. So deeply. He is jealous for us. In his eyes, I am perfect. I fall short so many times and forget that we serve this God of pure love. That He will never leave us. I love to sit in the peace of that thought. He is here. 

This blog holds so many of my thoughts, my joys and my fears. It has been a small glimpse into our little life, chronicling the day to day as we strive to raise our children as God would have us, be kind, take the high road, and keep on truckin' when we fall down. And Lord, we fall down plenty.

Thank you for following along with us. Thank you for loving my family and praying for us. I love you all. I am thankful for the friends I have made here and the family that comes beside us on our life walk. You are all a huge blessing to us! I miss this space and hope to make more time to write down the moments that fill up our days, our weeks, our months and our lives. 

It's a GIVEAWAY!

Hi sweet friends! Thank you for following along as I've been a patchy blogger and full-time mommy turned wreather lately! I feel your cheers and prayers and certainly appreciate each one of you. Now on to the fun news.... 

My sweet pal, EPH, is hosting a giveaway over at Unabashedly Uncorked for a Kilbi Branch Designs 18'' moss letter! Have you entered? This one is hanging on her door (which how fun is this color!) and I'll be sending out another to the lucky winner. Visit her blog and enter to win!  

Giveaway ends tomorrow, so don't miss out!

Love ya'll! 

iPhone photo dump Friday

Easter weekend

Easter was a really great weekend around here. Instead of traveling, we stayed home and enjoyed just the 5 of us. The weather was nice, time was spent outside and we had daddy home for a few days!

The girls were thrilled with the Easter bunny and Baker couldn't have cared less :). They loved dying Easter eggs, the egg hunts and all the candy.

Sunday was spent at church celebrating our risen Savior. It was a fantastic morning! Our church held 3 services and it was packed. Such a joy to see! My eyes stayed on the verge of tears the whole morning as we rejoiced in the fact that he is indeed Alive!

Hope you all had a wonderful Easter weekend!

Happy Easter!

"You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this." -Acts 3:15

He Is Risen! Praise God!

Happy Easter!

Kilbi Branch Designs is live!

See that link up there reading "Kilbi Branch Designs"... well my hobby, turned teeny, tiny business has found a little home. Thanks to the incredibly talented Jessica, a link has appeared on my blog to add a few pictures from KBD.

I am also on Facebook @ Kilbi Branch Designs! Thanks for following along!

Unglued.

We are reading the book Unglued by Lisa Terkeurst as part of our small group at church. This group of ladies is a huge blessing in my life and we have really enjoyed walking through this book together.

This morning, after a rough night of sick kiddos, I opened the book to start my morning and find some peace in the words. I was struck by so many things but sat on these words for a few minutes. May we be those Godly women that choose to rise up. Jesus always wins.

Happy Birthday, Baker!

On Friday, my sweet boy turned one. I remember that day last year so well. I remember getting up very early that morning, after not much sleep to head to the hospital. I was both nervous and excited as Sean and I checked in, filled out my paperwork and prepared to meet our son.

Sometime after 7am, I was all hooked up and being monitored. I was having a scheduled c-section after having had one with Saylor. This time I felt more at ease, knowing how things were going to go. Around 9am,  I was rolled into the OR, given a spinal and almost immediately, things were rolling. Within minutes, Sean was by my side, and a few minutes later, at 9:35am, I heard that sweet, precious cry. The one that allows you to finally release the breath you've been holding, the cry that answers all the prayers you've prayed. As he was being pulled out, the nurse made me laugh by telling me he already had leg rolls! And leg rolls he did... weighing in at 8lbs 9oz, he was a big boy.

The first time I met my son.

After that, it was almost a blur. I was rolled to recovery where Sean brought him to me to nurse. I snuggled him into me, and in those moments, the feelings are so overwhelming. Just like that, my heart expanded. It's amazing really, the way our hearts have the capability to grow. To feel such huge, raw emotion for a tiny little person nestled in our arms. I feel certain it is one of God's many gifts... the ability to enlarge our heart, to make room for one more, to love them more than you ever knew possible. As I met my son, I was sure my heart may explode. What an amazing joy it is to become a mother. To meet your child face to face for the first time. 

Since that sweet day, Baker has been the perfect addition to our family. He is both tough and sweet. He is all boy and wild, and mellow and easy going. He is a joy to be around. He makes us laugh and smile constantly. He loves trucks, cars and balls. He growls and throws balls and loves to chase things. He giggles and loves to play with his sisters.

This year, watching you learn and grow, has been such a huge blessing! I pray you keep your adventuresome spirit and your sweet nature. I pray that you always know just how much you are truly loved. That your mommy and daddy are so proud of you and will always be here cheering you along your journey. I pray that you know our Jesus, and that He loves you with every bit of Him, even more than we can imagine. I pray that you will always know what a gift you truly are. 

I love you, darling son. You stole my heart the day you were born and continue to run away with it every single day. 

Happy 1st Birthday, Baker. I love you.

Mommy

Babies and more!

Happy (early) Wednesday morning. I'm up and rolling before the crows (we don't actually have any crows, incase you were wondering) and here I sit at 5:30 am, which may I add, still feels like 4:30 am to me. Thankfully, springing forward is a much easier adjustment around here. Falling back, not so much. I have been single-momming it all week as my husband is in Nashville. I feared we'd have sleep issues with the time change, but I am happy to report, we sailed right over this time change and right into spring.

It's been a super busy few days but I took a break yesterday and got to spend the day with my dear friend and her sweet baby, Katie. Kristen and I were roommates all through college and our babies were born a day apart. They will be one next week and I cannot even believe it! We had a great day and I love watching our littles play together! Come back soon, sweet friends!

We are heading to NC this weekend to celebrate the engagement of my brother and his fiance. We are so excited for the festivities to get started! We'll be keeping the road hot over the next few months with parties and celebrations... (can you hear me nudging Sean to move back to NC yet? HA!) 

Baker's 1st birthday is next week. Did I really just type that? How in the world has a year gone by already? Seriously. What? My baby boy will be one. He is such a mess and such a joy. We just love him to pieces around here. I found this picture the other day and my heart just melted into pieces. These sweet moments, they are so fleeting. Babies grow so darn fast. I need a pause button. I need just a moment more to soak it all in. 

Speaking of babies, one of my oldest and best friends had her baby this past Saturday. Welcome to the world, sweet Carter! We love you!

Have a great day, friends!

Photo dump Friday

Cali, sickness and more.

Every time I sit down at this place to write I am overwhelmed. Overwhelmed because I'm so behind and have so much catch up on. I don't even know where to start!

So lets start here. Last week, Sean and I went on vacay! We spent 4 days in Southern California and had a wonderful time. Best time away since our honeymoon to Australia years ago. I so enjoyed the time with him and it was such a refresher for us. And that's a good thing because it's been major payback since we returned, ha!

While gone, both my mom and Saylor got sick with a stomach bug. Less than 30 minutes after we arrived home, Baker came down with it, followed by Sean the next day and Chloe the next day. Welcome home!! I somehow managed to skate by it, or as I told my mom, I willed it away! As of today, I think it has finally left our house. I was pretty sure I was running an infirmary all week!

Baker turned 11 months while we were gone and we are in party planning mode for his 1st birthday. How has a year gone by so quickly? It is unbelievable! That sweet fella has grown so quickly and it seems like I blinked and he is turning one. What a blessing he is to our family!

I'll leave you with a few pictures of our trip and a loose promise I'll do better posting in March :)!

You know you're a dad to littles when...

You fall asleep, midday, paci in hand. Love what a sweet daddy he is!