It's Beginning to Feel Like Christmas!

Can you believe there is only one week left in November?!?! Wow. Time is flying by this year! We have definitely been enjoying the season so far and this weekend was no expectation! It started early as soon as I got home from work on Friday, we had a great family dinner and then headed to Mason's favorite thing to do...BOWLING!

It was great to because Nash was finally old enough to play with us and oh what a game it was...now I like to think that I am a decent bowler [I'm no pro but I can hang] well apparently Friday night I left my bowling mojo at home because here was the final score...

So...yeah...I got waxed by them both! Check out the videos below of their skills!

Totally embarrassing but good times so who could complain! This is the face of a 5 year old gloating about how awesome of a bowler he is...from winning one game, ha!

Next up on our weekend was spending Saturday night at Global Winter Wonderland at Turner Field in Atlanta! Christmas lights + food trucks + carnival rides = perfect way to start celebrating the season! We had a great time but it was COLD so poor Nash got stuck hanging out in the stroller most of the night just taking in the scenery, but Mas and his good friend Ashlyn had a blast! Here are some pictures from last night!

Poor Nash all bundled up!

We've also been counting down the days until Christmas with our Elf Game and it is definitely a big hit with Mason!

Now Nash is just a little too young to understand the Elf Game but I can't wait until he's old enough to enjoy the game with his big bubba! Maybe next year we'll have two elf's in the house!

Making Our Own Traditions!

We've had so much going on lately that it has just seemed impossible to blog! But I thought I would share a few new things that has been going on around here!

Can you believe Christmas is right around the corner! Yeah. Me either! But it is and we have decided to get some new traditions started in our little family. My husband in all his genius glory purchased "Elf on a Shelf" for Mason. Now I should start by saying that we have explained to Mason and will eventually to Nash as well that Santa, Tooth Fairy, Easter Bunny etc are not real. We just hate to lie to them and we agree it is best that if we're teaching our kids to always be truthful then we need to set an example for them to follow. So, back to my husband...he obviously did not know the story behind the "Elf". But no biggie because we've come up with our own game to play with this Elf, who I will now refer to as "The General" which is the name Mas chosen for him.

So, for all you parents who don't promote the whole Santa thing I give you the "Elf Game". 

Here's how you play...

We've explained to Mason that this is a game to count down the number of days until Christmas kinda like an advert calendar! Every night we told him we would set up the General somewhere around the house, usually in some funny position and Mason will be in charge of finding him every morning. When he does there will be a bag with the General and it will have a number on it letting him know how many days he has until Christmas! As an added bonus inside the bag there will be a prize! The closer it gets to Christmas the better the prizes! Needless to say he was pretty excited about the whole idea!

So, tonight is our first night of the "Elf Game" and what is the General up too you ask...

What's in the bag...some yummy pieces of candy that he will be able to add to his lunchbox for his school lunch tomorrow!

In other Harris news...

Mason had his very first kindergarten performance to celebrate Thanksgiving, he was a little pilgram and they sang three songs to celebrate the holiday. It was without a doubt the cutest.thing.ever.

We got it all on video of course [for future blackmail and also to sit down and watch with his prom date].

Nash has had his own personal milestone recently as well...

HE WENT POTTY ON HIS LITTLE POTTY ALL BY HIMSELF!

I'm not the least bit excited...if you didn't notice. I just pray that this is the start of a wonderful relationship between him and the potty. He has also been learning a bunch of new words as well...what's his favorite so far you ask?

Cheese

Which he says every time he sees me grab my phone along with his super cheesey grin that just melts my heart.

Happy November!

Happy November!

'Tis the month to be thankful and boy are we feeling thankful in this house!

So far it has been just as crazy as I thought moving an entire house, two kids, one dog and a husband 2,600 miles across the United States could be! Luckily though we have managed to find a moving company to come pack up our home and move it across the country [score one for me, not having to pack up this house myself] and we have found a house that we have absolutely fallen in love with...still waiting to hear back from the realtor, so keeping our fingers crossed that it will be ours!

Not gonna sugar coat it, this has definitely been a stressful last two weeks and I am extremely anxious to get out there, settled and find a job. But I have also been getting more and more excited, especially when I start looking into all the great things we'll be able to do with the boys out there! 

But even with all this going on life is still moving here for us and last weekend was no exception! Mason had his very first baseball banquet where he was presented with his trophy for the season! It was a great turn out and the kids had such a great time! Mason also got to experience his very first ever sleepover at a friend's house...and of course he did awesome!

We are also coming to the season end of soccer and will have a little bit of a break before we leave for Oregon which will be nice considering the closer we get to leaving the busier we are going to be! Just looking at his sports pictures...sigh...I can't believe how much he has grown this year!

Nash has been non-stop so far this month as well! Learning all kinds of new words and crazy facial expressions to add to it! His little personality is so goofy and he really is going to be the class clown for sure!

We also had an awesome Halloween! Mason was a "rancher" a character from one of his favorite books and the rest of us were lumberman in honor of us moving to Oregon! Needless to say Nash will his little beard was seriously the.cutest.thing.ever.

My handsome man!

Hope you all had a great Halloween!

Now...let's get ready for some turkey!

Oregon or BUST!

We have some BIG news in the Harris household [and no I'm not pregnant but still trying of course] we are moving to OREGON!

Vince was offered a fire chief position for the town of Scio, which is about an hour and twenty minutes from Portland and about an hour from the coast! We are so excited and really believe that this is the best possible decision for our family. We have been working on a move for some time, though we originally thought it would be to Florida but we believe that god has a plan for us and we are game to find out where this new adventure leads us! I am so proud of my husband, he was the only candidate during the hiring process that had no chief experience but between his innovative ideas, schooling he's received and the dedication that he has for his profession they chose him over thirteen other guys! 

But no worries about me people...

I also have some interviews lined up too! 

Our plan is to be in Oregon by the end of the year as Vince starts on January 2nd! I will definitely continue blogging so to all my followers...I will just have even more to blog about! 

Of course the question now is...

where the hell am I going to find the time to pack up this house in less than two months!

Oregon or bust...here we come!

Our Trip to Helen & The Birthday Post [Dirty Thirty...]

After living in Georgia for the last eight years I finally got to see Helen...and during Octoberfest too! It was a quick weekend trip with the boys...I swear we do so many trips sometimes I feel like we are never home. But the boys love it so it is totally worth it to us!

They are just the best of friends!

They even got to mine for gems! Mas is now officially obsessed with the idea of mining!

So, with that trip behind us it was time to move on to what else...
MY BIRTHDAY!

This Friday I will be celebrating my 30th BIRTHDAY [and yes I know I'm still young "says" those who are in there 40's and yes I know that I am getting old "says" those in there early 20's].

As I look back on my late 20's and forward to my 30's I am beginning to notice some major differences.

So, here's my list...

1. Eating Taco Bell at two in the morning in your early 20's = mmmm...craving satisfied

Eating Taco Bell at two in the morning in your late 20's = three solid days of pure hell [until your body finally evicts all reminisce of this demon seed also known as the chalupa beef supreme].

2. Spending a day at the beach in your early 20's = putting on your most revealing bikini, stopping by the liquor store for a six pack and throwing a beach towel in your purse is all you need.

Spending a day at the beach in your late 20's [plus one husband and two kids] = putting on a bathing suit that resembles more of a full length robe than a bikini, two fully stocked coolers, six towels [two for each], one gallon of sun screen, three fully inflated floating devices, two full size umbrellas [all strapped on my back like a bloated pack mule].

3."Clubbin'" in your early 20's = slipping into the tallest stiletto's you own, squeezing into the shortest black dress and heading out at 11:30p [because getting there any earlier than 11p is too early] and ending the night or morning that is with a huge slice of greasy pizza.

"Clubbin'" in your late 20's = Ha. [my bedtime is 10:30, my hair is a knotted mess atop my head and I'm probably wearing a four size too big t-shirt with more holes in it than is socially acceptable]. --> But I'm married so it is totally okay.

4. Slang in your early 20's = Fucking awesome and totally wicked in every way used...
Slang in your late 20's = Don't. Just don't. When I try to speak slang now I just feel like a complete idiot and the look on my face while "trying" to "rap the lingo" is probably not helping my case.

5. Heartburn.
[nuff' said]

6. Grocery shopping in your early 20's = Ramon Noodles, Pepsi, Brownies, Bread, Cheese, Ice Cream and Fruit Snacks [ya know cuz you gotta have fruit in your diet].
Grocery shopping in your late 20's = Wheat Bread, Wheat Pasta, more wheat...more wheat...throw in some fiber...more wheat...

There is no doubt the differences but by far some of the best things have got to be..

1. My kids.

2. Not having to move every year [or every six month if you are blessed with a bat shit crazy room mate].

3.Actually having money in your savings account.

4. Having a conversation with someone in there 40's or older and actually feeling like they are taking you seriously and not looking at you like you have no idea what you are speaking about.

5.Ramon Noddles are still the shit...and yes. I still eat them for dinner at least one night a week [don't judge, I need to hang onto something from my youth].

"Back in the day" as they say...oh all the things I thought I knew at 22...

I may be turning 30...[and I may now sing along with the songs while shopping at Walgreens] but damn it I'm still cool, right? Do the whipper snappers still say "cool"?
Whatever. My kids think I'm awesome...for now anyways...

Free Time...What's That?!?!

Wow! Has it really been almost a month since I've blogged? We have been so busy these last few weeks it has honestly felt like a world wind! We love to be busy...there is no doubt about that but it will be nice when things slow down...just a bit! So what's been keeping me on my toes over these past weeks?

Well, it started when I thought it would be an awesome idea to sign up as acting "team mom" for Mason's baseball season...while also starting a new job [I may not have really thought that one through] but

I was committed. 

Between my new job [which I absolutely LOVE] plus two soccer practices a week and then at least two baseball games a week through October...well yeah. My head has been spinning, Vince has been feeling the same way since he is currently in the middle of a semester working on his master's degree and he signed up to be the assistant coach for baseball [why do we do this to ourselves]?!

But in the end it is all worth it, Mas thinks it's just the coolest thing since sliced bread that his dad is his coach too! At the end of the day when your completely exhausted, can't tell whether your coming or going and haven't had more than a three sentence conversation with your husband in almost a week it is totally worth it to see Mason so excited and really enjoying himself!

So because of all the impending craziness that was about to occur I took the opportunity...or I should say my always sweet and loving husband took over the craziness for me so that I could sneak down to Florida for a short weekend trip and of course one of my favorite things to do...CONCERT! It was so awesome, not only did I get to spend some kid free quality time with my best friend since high school but I FINALLY got to see Depeche Mode in concert [and yes it is the same Depeche Mode from the 80's and yes they still are a kick ass band]. It was definitely one of the concerts on my bucket list! Added bonus Bate for Lashes opened for them...who I am now currently obsessed with!

I did take Nash with me so that Mas and Vince could have a "boys weekend" and Nash was well over due for some playtime with his cousin Wesley who lives in Florida too...so it was a win/win for everyone!

Double Trouble

While we were away the boys definitely had a weekend...this was the photo I received from my husband...him and Mas were at a Silverbacks game in Atlanta...

My kid looks absolutely CRAZY in this picture...but man does he love going to those soccer games and chanting with the other hooligans!

In other news on the home front...

Nash is officially sleeping in a "big boy" bed...the doctor told us at his 18 month check up that it was time and surprisingly it was really easy! I thought he was going to fight us on it but all it took was for Mas to lay down in the bed once to show him and then he was all about it! 

Maybe we will be able to apply this same principle to potty training...have Mas show him once and then hope he tries to copy his brother with that too!

Ha! I'm sure I won't get that lucky twice!

Our Mas is turning 5 years old!

I cannot believe we are celebrating Mason's 5th birthday...

I mean, realistically we've been celebrating his birthDAY for about the past TWO WEEKS [but hey, your only 5 once, right?]! We begin the birthday of all birthday celebrations with our trip to Charleston, South Carolina. Mas is very much as you can tell from my last post into anything armed forces related, whether it's the army, navy, green beret...you name it. So, we thought that he would think it was just the coolest thing ever to be able to walk around and explore a REAL aircraft carrier, battleship and submarine. It was a quick and exhausting trip [mainly because Nash is just starting to hit the terrible two's and can be a little bit of a beast here lately] but it was totally worth it to see how excited Mas was to get to see everything! He not only got to explore the ships, he also got to experience a flight simulator, climb in and all over different fighter jets and got to check out what a green beret base camp looks like. 

In his words "This is the best day of my life"

He was so excited!

Nash right by his Bubba's side like always

My handsome little sailor!

We were only there for two days so we tried to make the most of the time we had, we spent pretty much the first day at Patriots Point and then after catching a quick nap headed over to the Noisy Oyster for dinner [my husband cannot be within five miles of the ocean and not crave oysters]. The next morning, we did a little walking to just sight see and let Mas play in the water fountain in downtown Charleston which he enjoyed before we headed to lunch over at Justine's [if you remember my last post about Charleston, we ate here and it was the SHIT <---in a totally good way. So, we HAD to go back for seconds]. After filling our bellies with sweet tea, fried chicken, mac-n-cheese, mashed potatoes, shrimp and grits...

You get the point. It's a miracle we didn't fall into a food coma.

Next stop, the aquarium!

Lucky for us the aquarium was free that day ((SCORE)) and parking was only a buck [you really can't beat that. Not even with a stick, it is such a good deal] Only thing was everyone else knew it was free that day too, so we had to contend with the long lines and large crowds, but Mas seemed to enjoy it so it was worth it in the end. Nash on the only hand, spent the entire time we were there like this...

First trip to the aquarium...fail.

Sadly, by the time we finished up at the aquarium it was time to head back home. But we will definitely be going back, it is just such a fun city!

Since we've been home it has quieted down just a bit with Mas getting back into the routine of soccer practice twice a week and of course kindergarten [I am still coming to the realization that I now have a child in elementary school]. But it didn't stay calm for very long...

We also took Mas to a Braves game on his actual birthday in hopes to getting him on the jumbo...and you know we did! Check out his awesome sign that he held up for everyone in the park to see!

What a way to end a fun-filled Birthday week but as spending time as a family doing something that we all enjoy so much! Love these boys with all I have!