Printable Super Bowl 50 Pool

Oh, hello there! I know it's been a while... Like 1/2 a year, but we're just going to carry on like nothing's happened.

Basically, I love football. It is definitely my favorite sport to watch. I grew up rooting for the 49ers, and have been slowly molded into a Bills fan since marrying my Bills-fanatic husband 11 years ago. Actually, we just had a Buffalo Bills themed first birthday party for Braxton. Maybe I'll write a blog post in my spare time...

 

I am SUPER competitive. Whether it's Scrabble or Fantasy Football- I'm in it to win it! If you've spent anytime with my four-year-old, Grace, you will quickly realize she gets her competitive spirit from her mama! (Last year I was the Fantasy Football champion, and this year I ended up the runner up to my brother in law. GRRRR! You're going down next year, Brandon!)

In preparation for the big game, I'm putting on my Younique game face! If you want to join in on the fun (and score some big deals), message me to be added to my VIP Younique Boutique Facebook Group. 

Sadly, neither the Bills nor the 49ers are in this year's Super Bowl showdown, but I'll still be watching. In fact, we recently moved to Charlotte, so it's fun to be in a city with a winning team! #KeepPounding!

One tradition my family has is a friendly Super Bowl Pool. (We play for money, but you don't have to!) This keeps things interesting if the game is a dud...plus there's always the commercials to keep us entertained and nachos to be eaten.

Here's a blank printable for you to engage in some friendly competition with your friends, family, co-workers, neighbors, strangers at the bar...

SUPER BOWL 50

Denver Broncos vs. Carolina Panthers

Stay safe, don't drink and drive! It's nice to be back. Hopefully I can find some time to post a few more times this year! 

Summer Loving & Leaving

Who needs a vacation when you can spend your summer doing this...

Ok, ok, maybe we were on a permanent vacation, but it's back to reality for me after spending the majority of the summer galavanting across the country. Grace, Braxton and I got to spend some amazing time with my parents in northern California.

Grace and Grandad found each other at the airport

Braxton met his Grandad for the first time. 

Grammy and Grandad with their favorite grandson!

 

We visited family. 

GG, or "Grandma Buddy" as Grace calls her

Great Grandma Elsie and Braxton

Lots of fun times playing games and snuggling!

We rode trains.

Western Pacific Railroad Museum

Went to the Alexander Family Reunion Campout at the DeForest Ranch.  

Dog race followed by the kids race

Grace wants to ask Santa for one of these for Christmas! 

Grace took swim lessons.

3 weeks of lesson in Portola. Grace loved the instructors and gained so much confidence in the water. 

Braxton learned how to sit up, scream and Army crawl. 

"It's on, Mama!"

We ate like we were on vacation!

 

Went hiking, biking and kayaking. 

  

We missed Daddy a lot, but we were reunited for a fun trip to South Lake Tahoe at the end of the month. We got to enjoy to the view (and the cooler weather), and let loose a little with some good friends.

See the resemblance? ;)

My handsome date! SO happy to be reunited with my other half. 

The boys pre-wedding. 

Congratulations, April and Ryan! We had a blast celebrating with you guys!

I'm still not exactly sure how we ended up living so far away from my family, but I am so grateful for this fun-filled time we got to spend with them this summer. How lucky was I to wake up to fresh brewed coffee and the occasional bakery delight? We went on evening walks and enjoyed the bounty at the weekly Farmer's Market. We saw wildlife ranging from packs of bucks, to a bear trotting across the rode. We laughed, joked and made cherished memories.

Bike ride and donuts- a perfect combo!

This mug was handmade by a potter selling his wares at the Beckwourth Farmer's Market. I'm pretty sure it can house 3 cups of coffee! (Perfect for mornings when you're dragging...)

We were sad to leave our west coast friends and family, but had to head home and resume "real life." The flight home was pretty good not quite horrible. We decided on a red-eye non-stop flight from Sacramento to Charlotte. Our hope was that B + G would sleep (you know, since it's the middle of the night?!). The hard part was getting to the airport well past their bedtime and negotiating ticket counters, security checkpoints and gate areas with two delirious children. Braxton slept the entire flight home (thanks to the all-you-can-eat-breastfeeding-buffet) and Grace finally got comfortable a fell asleep.

You know, just hanging at the airport trying to maintain our sanity. 

Now that we're home, we're getting in some more family camping trips and prepping Grace for her return to preschool. She will be attending three days a week, and can't wait to go!

Braxton is moving and grooving and basically a menace. He can maneuver his way using an army crawl all the way across the living room, into the kitchen (or to the dog food bowl). He is still not sleeping through the night and has started eating pretending to eat, but mostly just spitting it all out.

Family life is keeping us busy, and we are looking forward to the shift to fall in the coming months. Bring on the football, celebrations, pumpkins and changing leaves!!!

 Write a blog post inspired by: Who needs a vacation when you can spend your summer doing this...

Choose Your Own Adventure

A few weeks ago I was sitting in a new house, in a new city with a new(ish)born. The three year old was running in circles pulling a stuffed dog toy around by a leash shouting out random lines from the Octonauts. Griffin (the real dog) was growling in his usual grouchy way and there were cardboard boxes all around us.

Grace's look for unpacking- swim suits and snow hats

These two are the sweetest siblings. Grace loves making her little brother smile.

It's CRA-ZY to think that this time last year-like this exact time- we were moving into the townhouse in Murfreesboro. Fast forward one year ahead and we are now a family of four. Cole survived one year on the night shift, which let me just tell you, takes its toll on you physically and mentally and on the family as a whole. We decided to take the leap and accepted a great job offer in Charlotte in order to be closer to family and other opportunities. All of this meant another dreaded move- probably like the 12th one as a married couple!

Not only are we still recovering from the chaos of moving, we're also recovering from the stress of selling our house (which was burglarized). Even with an offer at our very first showing, the whole real estate process has left me with a lot to be desired. I've also lost a little faith in humanity and can't shake the feeling of being violated. Stealing is wrong, peopleI'm trying my best to find the silver lining in the situation, and at least, at the end of the day we found a buyer fast, we are moved into a house that has a little more space (a playroom!) (a yard!), and we had insurance to cover the theft and damage. 

We are missing some wonderful friends that we left behind in Tennessee, but we plan to visit soon when Auntie Jen has a place for us to stay. Until then, we are looking forward to getting settled and doing some exploring in Charlotte. Grace is already inviting kids in the Chick-Fil-A play place over to play, so I think she'll have no problem making new friends. We're also excited to be nearby some family here in Charlotte.

Great grandparents visiting NC and meeting Brax

We've even already had our first visitor! Grandma came to visit for her Spring Break, and we hung pictures, went to see Cinderella at the movie theaters and took a day trip to IKEA. How lucky am I to have such a wonderful mom?

Braxton loves selfies (ha!)

#mymomismyfairygodmothertoo

Our Life Lately

The only thing certain is that everything is uncertain- and death and taxes, so I'm told. Right now there's a lot of big things happening for our little family, but before I get ahead of myself here's a brief update on what we've been up to lately:

My 3 favorites!

Watching: House of Cards and Call the Midwife (thanks, for the recommendation, Ashley!)

Sweating to: Bodyrock- I just finished a 30 day challenge, and I'm happy to report I can still do push-ups and still hate burpees!

Obsessing Over: This Easter dress for Grace

Looking forward to: Seeing my sister and Mom!

Thankful for: My new shiny pretty things.

Dust and Daffodils (By my talented friend, Amy)
This year my resolution was to 'Choose Joy,' so this is oh so perfect! 

Held In Your Hands Design (from my thoughtful friend, Courtney!)

So over: Snow days that aren't really snow days, but they cancel school anyways!

Reading: Wild by Cheryl Strayed. Now, I have to wait until the movie comes out on DVD...

Freaking out about: The dead horse I saw getting eaten by vultures. Seriously. I saw it, and I can't un-see it.

Really need to: Wash and clean out my car.

Eating: Strawberry Avocado Spinach Salad with Bacon Poppyseed Dressing (like this recipe, but with spinach). We seriously ate it 5 times last week.

Baking: Banana Bread (recipe). Three-year-olds are great at mashing bananas.

Kind of delirious from: Nighttime feeding dates with my little man, but thankful that he goes right back to sleep. I know the days (and nights) are long, but the years are short, so I'm trying to relish the time. Holding his little tiny body reminds me that soon he will be much too big for my arms and uninterested in snuggles from his mama. *sniff sniff*

Planning: A move north... and east...

Proud Mama because: Grace can recite the Pledge of Allegiance and is learning something new everyday!

Contemplating: Training for a half marathon... time to bust out the Double BOB!

Laughing about: Spilling blueberries all over the supermarket while Grace loudly throws me under the bus. "MAMA, you spilled the blueberries. THEY"RE EVERYWHERE! Mama, you dropped them!!!" (It made me miss the days she couldn't talk, and I could have blamed it on her!)

Also laughing about: Being featured and recognized by friends on the Army Medical poster.

So, tell me, what are you up to? What's something you've been obsessing over? Do you have any good recipes, shows or books to recommend?