Weekend Wrap Up {October 4}

What a fabulous first weekend of October! We rocked the windows open all weekend and it has been so enjoyable! With a break from weddings, we were able to really enjoy each other this weekend and it has been fabulous!

The weekend was really kicked off in a festive way with Friday being LSU Fall Fest. Who can't get in the spirit at that event? It's just so much fun and the weather was really perfect! I volunteered to help and ended up passing out burgers. How funny is that...the vegetarian passing out burgers! Now that is LSU love! ;)

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A low key evening was Friday night due to Saturday being such a big deal...Lily's first soccer game! Oh, how excited I was to get her ready for her first game! Frozen themed shin-guards...check! Frozen themed cleats...check! Superheros (her team name!) uniform...check! We were off! Little did we realize how chilly it was actually going to be on the field...so Daddy dropped the girls off to head back to the house to get jackets!

As expected...the first game was hilarious! A bunch of 4 year olds running around chasing after a ball...with no strategy, no communication, and basically no idea what they are doing. It was amazing! Lily was really into it for about five minutes...and then she was done. She was the best combination of Charlie Brown and Daria. You'll notice in the photos to follow that she (number 7) isn't really in a lot of the action shots...

Lily throwing it in!!!

I know I'm not supposed to be keeping score...but thanks to the adorable little blonde brothers on the team, we won 16-2! Go Superheros indeed! ;) I think after a couple more games, she'll get pretty into it. Until then, I'll keep cheering from the sideline to "Pay attention! Stay with the ball! No hands! Go Lily  Go!" Also, how cute are these two:

We spent the remainder of the afternoon grocery shopping and puttering around the house! Little man had a hard time keeping up...

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As with every first weekend of October, I finally start decorating for Fall! I didn't go crazy over the weekend, but I did put out a few of our fall decor!

Brand new flag pole finally hung! Yay!

Yes...we are inflatable people. Sigh...

Hard to see, but we have little trio of yarn candy corn, a candy corn themed H, and a little pumpkin! Hoping to add some real pumpkins and maybe some mini-hay bails this week!

I don't do a lot of decorating inside...but I added a couple spices to our entry table.

I'll add a little here and a little there throughout the month. But out main focus will be costumes...that is where we tend to shine this time of year! I think we have narrowed down our various costumes so stay tuned! They should be fun!

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Probably the most difficult thing we finally tackled this weekend was saying adios to the nighttime bottle for Harrison. Yes...you read that right. Even though that child is 19 months, I've still be rocking that sweet boy to sleep each night with a little bottle. I know, awful and selfish...but I loved it and wanted to keep him a baby as long as I could! It has been long overdue, but we finally ditched it. The transition has been a little rough, but I know it's so overdue and necessary. Now, we will just have to cuddle and rock as we read his night-time story. Don't mind me...I'll just be over her sobbing into my pillow.

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OH! I almost forgot! One crazy little thing I did do this weekend was sign up to be a rep for Beauty Society! Random, I know...but, I've been using the skincare and make up products for about a year now and really enjoy them! So, I took the plunge and I'm really excited! Don't worry, I'm not going to spam your social media or constantly invite you to parties...but I'll share my journey here and if you want to know more, just ask!

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All in all, it was another amazing weekend. This time of year is just so tough because there is so much going on between football season, now soccer season, and, of course, wedding season. I love, love, love weddings...but sometimes a weekend off is just the perfect thing! I did a couple bridal meetings and had a lovely visit at Houma's House, but all in all, it was a gorgeous weekend at home loved up on my sweet family! There is just nothing better!

My goals for the week ahead are to love on my family, be a positive person at work, gear up for an awesome Truly Haute wedding, catch up on my readings, blog an amazing meal, and wake up each morning for a quick run! We'll see...

Taming The To-Do List {P31OBS Week 2}

"The Lord says, 'I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name." 

Psalm 91:14

Oh wedding season, how you drain me at times! I've tried to dedicate my lunch breaks to catching up on my readings for this study, but I've been falling behind. Thankfully, I'm surrounded by amazing woman at work that continually encourage me to keep moving...even if it is as a slower pace! So, week 2...wow! Each chapter this week has completely hit home...which is both reassuring and terrifying.

In chapter 4, we addressed the price we pay for over-committing our time or procrastinating various tasks. Just as there is a price to our bad decisions, there is a price to good decisions too. She uses a great example that completely correlates to a goal of mine: If I say yes to reading my Bible every morning than I must say no to something like sleeping in a few more minutes. She mentions that if we want to be sincere followers of Jesus we have to put Him first in our lives and the cost of not doing so is just too high. She continues to explain that these costs of our decisions can be costs to our character, calling, unmet potential, and health. So many of her examples felt like pages torn out of my personal story. I have the talent to justify any decision, good or bad, with notions of what I deserve or "need".  I get so overwhelmed due to over-committing, that I tend to put off the hard projects until I have to push through them. I white lie about progress so others don't get a sense of me being overwhelmed because I put way too much value on my "to-dones" than I should. Too often have I equated "I don't have the time to do that" as an admittance of weakness. All of this leads to unnecessary stress that can seriously affect health...and has affected my health. Just so uncool! This biggest "aha" moment of the chapter was when she mentioned that the greatest cost any of us can pay is in our relationships...first with God and then with those we love. Oh, how true this is! I will kill myself to get tasks done...even if it means putting off the time I had dedicated to reading my Bible or going to church or even spending time with my family. Seeing those words in front of me was the nudge I needed to make a change! We must prioritize God and people over everything! I love that!

In chapter 5, she busted so many of the myths we tell ourselves. I just mentioned how I can justify any decision...and she tore my reasons down! I work better under pressure...I'll feel more like it tomorrow...I'm too busy to get that done...I'VE GOT THIS! Oh no, I've said all of these and more! True procrastination involves a voluntary delay of something we could do but chose not to...period. I could do all of my tasks strategically or methodically, but I chose not to because I'm too consumed with something unimportant that I shouldn't have agreed to do in the first place! Because of this chapter, I've started making a list of what my actual priorities are and the tasks that directly correlate with those priorities. If I have time to do more after, great...if not, oh well.

Chapter 6 wasn't my favorite because it was the least relevant for me. It was all about overcoming fears. She talks about fear of failure...and I do have a fear of failure and a fear of the loss of control, but it isn't entirely debilitating. I don't think my underlying reasons for procrastinating tasks is due a fear. She continues to explain misplaced identity and I can admit that I placed a huge star next to this portion. I do place too much of my identity on results...even bad ones. If I stumble, I label myself clumsy. If I make a mistake, I label myself stupid. If my house is too dirty, I label myself pathetic. Even if its temporarily, that label is there...and it never feels good. What's worse...that negative labels always trumps any positive labels I give myself..always. I love how she transitioned next to mention that only one label really matters...as His chosen and beloved child. (John 1:12).

So many truth bombs this week...and based on the titles of the chapters of week 3...I think there are more truth bombs ahead! Loving this study...even if it is making me feel a tad bit vulnerable!