Hall Pumpkin Farm 20

We had so much fun again this year at Hall Pumpkin Farm. You can see our time there last year HERE. The babies weren't even walking last year so it was amazing to see how much they have changed. They loved it and it was great soaking in our favorite season. 

Curb Appeal Progress: Phase 1

Curb Appeal. Our house NEEDED it!!!! It is still a major work in progress but the first photo was taken just 7 months ago. For whatever reason, we had ZERO landscaping. Our house was a foreclosure, so it was just a bit neglected. We still have LOTS of work to do. We painted our front door which you can see here and added some simple landscaping. All our plants are still very immature which is sad, but time will grow them and make things look much fuller. I would like to add carriage door hardware to our garage door and we are getting ready to hire a lawn company to treat our ugly grass. We are big time DIYers since we have limited budgets but our grass needs some professional help! We don't have an irrigation system, which in Kentucky is a luxury, but we are finding out down here in the Texas heat, it is pretty essential. We are thinking of saving up for one! 

I encourage you all to take progress pictures of whatever you are working on to give you encouragement. Sometimes I feel like there is so much work to do, but when I look at how far we have come, I am motivated to keep moving! This isn't before and after but rather progress...

Catching up: May iphone pics

They have changed so much since May! 

Twins start preschool...

One of the many great benefits of Luke working at our church is that we get to attend the churches preschool at no cost. It is like THE preschool in the area, the waiting list is CRAZY and I can't speak highly enough of all that it has to offer. The twins attend the 2 year class 3 days a week and they are in the same class which is just precious. It lets out at 2 and they nap there at school. So when I pick them up, they are ALL mine the rest of the day :) They are sleeping 2-3 hours here at home, so I just consider that time I am away from them anyway, so it doesn't seem as hard being away from them during the day. We were going to only put them in twice a week, but Luke is off on Fridays and that is the third day of the three day program and we couldn't turn down getting to do weekly dates with out having to pay for a sitter. 

They have SO many fun activities planned. Like seriously, it's amazing all that they do at this pre-school and each week they focus on a scripture. They will be learning so much about Jesus and growing socially, emotionally and will be overall so well disciplined with all the great structure and fun activities. 

BUT with all that being said, it will be hard on this momma. 

Don't get me wrong. I am looking forward to running errands by myself, getting more time to clean the house uninterrupted and be able to do things quicker and easier with out two sweet little ones needing me. I am looking forward to being able to spend more QUALITY time with them, not being pulled in many directions, but it was much harder than I imagined to drop them off this morning.

I was doing pretty well, until last night I was getting their lunch packed and all their supplies ready and it started to hit me. I have stayed at home with them their whole lives, it has just been the three of us all day everyday. Those days and years have been SO precious. They go to the nursery at church all the time and go to babysitters when we on a date, but this is different. This is scheduled time away from me and that is hard to adjust to. As we walked into the building this morning I immediately lost it and was tearful the entire day. Those are my precious ones who are always under my care and in my "bubble." I won't be able to always protect them and last week at meet the teacher, one of their class mates was rather physical with Hadley. It upset her (and me) and it made me realize they are about to enter a "real world" type setting. Letting go is hard, even if it is to a Christian preschool for two year olds. I can't imagine what college will feel like!

Despite all of that, they of course LOVED it, as I knew they would. They had so much fun and I can't wait to see how much they will grow all around this year. 

Parenting is bittersweet. It's hard to see them grow, but it is beautiful to see them grow and that is what makes it so emotional and sometimes painful.

I am so thankful for two healthy children that get the amazing opportunity to experience such an amazing preschool and for me to be able to be home with them all the rest of the time. I am so blessed and pray that this is one of many steps that will lead them closer to knowing Jesus. Another milestone under our belts. I have two preschoolers!