Benefields Take TN

On Thursday, we set out on our very first vacation as a family of four.  I wasn't quite sure how the 8+ hour drive would go, because we all seemed to have woke up on the wrong side of the bed with wrinkled foreheads due to our bad moods.  That wasn't the way I'd looked forward to starting our trip to the mountains, but we finally got loaded up and we were on our way...

 to take the dog to the vet to be boarded.

The GPS took us on an unnecessary trip through Mentone, AL.  Honestly, we circled the town, stopped to look at this view

before taking us back out to the main road that we were traveling to begin with.

The kids traveled like champs and the further we traveled, the better everyone felt.
We stopped in Chatanooga to see Ruby Falls.

Once out of the cave, the kids had to have another dose of ice cream

 while Daddy worked (as usual).

And around 9PM, TN time, we arrived at our cabin (and not a moment too soon).  The kids were very excited to be out of the car and to see this!

 This kid has no fear.

The next morning, we had delicious pancakes.  John wanted a picture taken of his power ranger standing beside the window.  The Princess was just ready to eat.

  On Saturday, we went to Cades Cove.

This trip was VERY interesting to say the least and
 took all. day. long.
The kids were wore out when we made it back to the cabin.

Later on...
While Sadie and I ate ice cream, the boys enjoyed The Track.  We were so surprised at how brave JMc was.  He was not afraid of anything and loved the roller coaster the most!

 

On Saturady, we visited the very crowded aquarium.

We shopped at the Tanger Outlet.

We all had a great time and did not want to come home. That says a lot about a family, too, when you can travel almost a 1,000 miles (with a 1 & 5 year old in tow) and still want to be in close proximity to each other after 4 days in a vehicle.

XOXO,

Stacy

UNdomesticated

I took the day off from work yesterday to catch up on housework.  One day is never enough, but one day without the kids at home is enough to clear a path through the door. So, I dropped the kids off at daycare in two different towns, ran by the dollar store to buy groceries, and headed home.  Then, I realized that I forgot to check my post office box as I turned on to our road.. So, I turned around  heading 10 miles back to the post office.  That is how my day went pretty much.  Two steps forward, one step back.  After catching up on the Kardashians while enjoying a snack and a diet coke for breakfast, I began cleaning the kitchen.  Then, I'd have to take something to the bathroom and I'd stay in there piddling for a few minutes.  Then, I'd need to take a something from the bathroom into one of the kid's rooms...I'd stay there a few minutes before heading back to the living room to put a toy in the bin.   From there, I'd find an empty juice and take it to the kitchen and remember, "oh, yea.  I was washing dishes."   I made progress, but didn't finish everything that needed doing.  When JMc walked in yesterday evening, he said, "WHOA!" before running to his room to see if the cleaning fairy had cleaned his room, too.  Sorry, Bud.  Didn't make it that far.  That is a clear indication that I need to get it together. Yes, I still work full time, but being a full-time college student in addition to wife, mom, and my M - F job is no longer an excuse.  I think I'd rather go back to school and keep that excuse rather than being the domesticated goddess with all of my crap together that is expected of women.  I was raised to keep things in order, but I never have.  My bedroom growing up was always a disaster. Once, a friend stepped on something and had to have a tetanus shot.  It's a good thing that my best friend growing up is just as big of a slob as I am so she didn't mind sleeping in there! 
It's time to woman up and get it together. No more grocery shopping at the dollar store and more organization and tidiness!  After selling our house and moving into a rent house while building a new home, life has been chaotic.  Daniel and I are sleeping in one end of the living room and I'm sharing a tiny closet in the dining room with JMc.  If I'd get my act together, we'd have plenty of living space in the 2bed/1 bath home.  We are very thankful for our rent house and being able to live there has been such a convenience to our family.  We moved in a hurry and we can't find anything because we do not know if the needed items are in the shed or stowed a way somewhere in a box.  It's time to get the house in order and start rummaging through boxes both in the closets and in our sheds so that once we move, we will not be in this situation again.  So, here's to my journey of becoming domesticated.  This should be interesting.

Weekend Fun

This weekend deserves documenting because 2 things that NEVER happen, happened.

1.) Two girls who have no sense of direction made it to and from a college football game among 50,000 folks and lots of acreage safely.

2.) Both of my kids went to a restaurant and to the zoo with no tears and without anyone getting aggravated or in trouble.

This girl is the best and so much fun.  We had a great time at MSU's homecoming and are so thankful that we didn't have to endure a dreaded walk of shame to the car.  21-20 was the final score and we'll take a one point win over a one point loss any day...but, we were expecting a blow out.  Maybe MSU homecoming should be a tradition for us from now on!  Daniel was glad that I had someone to finally take selfies with besides him, because that is so not his thing.  I'm pretty sure that we have the two best husbands in the world for staying home with the kids while their wives attended a late night football game.

Yesterday, we took the kids to eat at O'Charley's and then to the zoo.  The kids were saints during the entire trip.  Speaking of Saints, they lost their first game of the season on Sunday...BOO! We've never had a meal at a restaurant that wasn't chaos even with just John McRae.  Sadie's first zoo trip was fun, too.  She enjoyed watching the water shoot up and down at the splash pad and John McRae really enjoyed his ice cream, as usual.

He's a flamingo.

The Sadie face.

Ice Cream Mustache

It's HOT HOT HOT!

 The kids got their nap out on the way home so D & I didn't get ours.  I was sure looking forward to it after staying out so late the night before.

So sweet!

Miss Sadie is now holding her cup.  She isn't crazy about the juice inside (or the flash from the camera), but she enjoys swinging the cup in the air hitting who ever she can with it, even herself.  She has so much personality these days and is so much fun.  John McRae informed us that he wanted a brother like George on Peppa Pig.  I told him to take that up with his Daddy!

Next weekend is going to be fun, too. We have a birthday party to go to at JMc's best friend's house.  He's going to be SO excited and I'm looking forward to the cake. It's possible that Sadie will get her first taste of ice cream, too!

TBT 2010 style

My Facebook status 3 years ago today:

September 26, 2010 via mobile

is snapping a few pictures of John McRae because today is one month home, but none of the pics capture how adorable he really is!

*Now, he won't hardly sit still long enough to take his picture so my feed is full of Sadie who can't yet jump out of the view of the lens.

 

John McRae has been home exactly 3 years and 1 month.  Who would have thought in just three very short years later, I'd have a 4 year old and an almost 6 month old!?! It's true that even though we have to fight through very difficult times in life, God's love and grave is enough to make it through to see sunshine and rainbows once again.  After a while, it all sort of starts making sense and you can find reasons to look back and be thankful during times that you found it hard to find anything to be thankful for at all.

 

In looking back to 2010 when my life was changing so much so quickly as a new parent, I also found statuses about how sick my Papa Carney was at that time.
So many happy things going on mixed with some very hard, sad times for my family.

Three short years later after losing him, I'm now missing my Grandma Johnson terribly, too.  I'm very thankful for the memories I have of them both.  I will treasure the happy memories forever and also the memories that my family and I made during the hard times.  During our darkest days, we spent some pretty awesome quality time together.

LOTS OF FIRSTS

September 21, 2010 via mobile

is ready for our play date with Brooke & Judah tomorrow. My first play date ever! 

 

September 18, 2010 via mobile

Might be a grown up, finally...driving this big truck pulling a uhaul right by myself.

September 14, 2010

just made Mississippi proud. Went to check the mail barefoot with a baby on my hip.

*Now, I can check the mail barefoot with a kid on each hip. ;)

 

September 14, 2010 via mobile

's sweet baby boy got a clean bill of health! All of the things he had is Korea have been healed. Praise God!!!

*And He is still answering prayers.

 

No one will care about any of this but me, but I'm documenting folks...because I sure will be glad to have these memories to look back on in 2016 and beyond!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1, 2, 3...Pretty as can be!

Sadie @ 3 Months

It seems like just yesterday, I found out that I was pregnant.  Then, it seemed like those 9 months would never come to an end so that I could breathe again and finally hold our sweet baby girl.

And just like that...
In the blink of an eye, Sadie has reached THREE months old!

  

NOW, SADIE IS:

• Smiling constantly
• Talking/Cooing up a storm
• Being very silly

• Pressing her feet down when they are on a flat surface
• Repeating the sound "Hooo" from her owl book
• She's about to move up to size 3-6 month clothing
• She loves to watch her big brother play

• She gets so excited that she doesn't know what to do with herself
• She loves to be held and talked to
• Her colic is much better
• She likes to throw a fit around 6PM, but it doesn't last long

•  She's beginning to fight sleep a little

• She's sleeping from about 9PM until 5 or 6AM
• She's now in daycare and seems to love her teacher
• She still likes to swing

• She's eating a little cereal in her morning and night time feedings
• She can eat from a spoon and has sat in her Bumbo seat a few times
• She loves to be outside
• She's very curious and loves to look around

• She's grasping objects
• She's noticing people and following them with her eyes and head as they walk by

• Establishing a personality
• Holding her head up
• She sits through church like a champ

• She's absolutely perfect
• Her big brother is getting attached to her.  She has been named the pink Power Ranger by him.

It's my birthday...

 and I'll cry if I want to...

but I didn't want to.

 Time and tide wait for no man, but time always stands still for a woman of thirty. - Robert Frost

Yesterday, I turned 30.  It wasn't nearly as bad as when I turned 25.  25 was tough, for a lot of reasons, but turning 30 - it was great.

Everyone was so good to me.  I received presents, lots of money, well over 100 Facebook birthday wishes, dinner, lots of cards, and had cake with Daniel, John McRae, and Sadie.

All in all, it was a good day.

It took 30 years, but I now realize that my major accomplishments are keeping my parents proud of me, loving my husband, being a good mom to my kids, having a relationship with my God who has made all of my blessings possible in His time, loving my extended family, making time for friendships that are true, working hard, and appreciating what I have and not being greedy for material things that I do not need.  I always strive to be more, have more, and one day finish my degree and be "successful," but I am successful.  I love my job and the people I work for and with.  It allows me to do charity work for for Batson and help one of the most important industries in our state to survive.  So maybe my purpose in life isn't to do all of the things I set out to do that just haven't worked out.  Maybe the smaller things that come with NO monetary pay are what I was put on this Earth for.  My passions are to help end the orphan crisis and spread awareness, put an end to the negative myths about adoption, to help the children in our state receive the top-notch healthcare that they need and deserve, and to be a loving mama to my children.  It's all coming into focus and just the right folks have been put in my life to help me with these things.

XOXO,

 The newest member of the 29 club