#HutchersonFamilyPharm Week 1

Today is Week 2, Day 2 of stay-at-home/work-from-home mom life. Confession: it's been a little crazier than I anticipated. Not that I didn't think it would be hard; I was positive of that. I guess I just underestimated the energy drain that these little humans can be. Big props to all you moms out there who make it look so easy.

I promised to give you some insight into this experience along with me, and I haven't done a great job so far. Between trying to keep my phone away around the kids, spend meaningful time with hubs after the kids go to bed, and getting enough sleep to pass for a decent human being, I've found myself spending less time on social media than I did when I was working. (Goodbye pump breaks, lunch breaks, kid-free car time for podcasts, etc.!)


Here's a peek into the past week at the #HutchersonFamilyPharm (thanks Amber):

We met Mater and Lightning McQueen. JR was excited, just not $20 worth excited. (Mom's a sucker and it went to a good cause.)

Mom and Dad got a DATE NIGHT!! Grandparents rock! Seriously.

We took our 4-month pictures a month late. Supermom here.

We spent a lot of time at the doctor with Nan, where the boys won the hearts of all the nurses and patients, Nan got bruised up on my watch, and we learned she prefers the company in the back seat to the front (and I don't blame her one bit). :)

We wrestled a lot, struggled with nap time, and decided we're ready for potty training, because, well, why not?!

And last, but not least, we got to spend some quality time with the not-so-little girl who helped me discover my love for children when she was a baby. She's an amazing young woman now and I'm so excited to see what her future holds. S/o to Mama Mel for letting me have her for a weekend!

We've been shown repeatedly over the last 6 months that time invested in those we love is what matters most. I hope that we're able to instill that in our boys as well. Even if the circumstances haven't been ideal, I'm so thankful that I've been able to say yes to being with my people. They have my heart.

5 Years Wed

Hey all, it's been a while...

I'm sitting here in the first 5 minutes of quiet I've had all week (hello, back to work!), rocking my baby and thinking back on the past 5 years.

5 years ago today, I promised to spend the rest of my life supporting, loving, and being there for my best friend. I'd be lying if I said it's been easy, but man has it been worth it. In the spirit of making marriages last, I thought I'd share the top things I've learned through this journey. These are the things I would be sure to tell myself on this day 5 years ago:

First, pray. Pray for your marriage, pray for your partner, pray for yourself. At the times when our marriage has been tested the most, turning to Jesus has helped these two imperfect people continue to love each other.

Second, have fun. Don't forget what attracted you to your partner in the beginning. 😉🤠🔥 Don't get so caught up in the day-to-day that you forget to enjoy the person you're sharing it with. Even when both kids are screaming, there's poop everywhere, and you're both running on 4 hours of sleep. ESPECIALLY then. Phew, that's giving me flashbacks! 💩🤣

Third, prioritize each other. It's so easy to put kids, jobs, or a million other *urgent* things in front of the important ones. Robb and I agreed before we got married that our relationship would always come first. We believe that the best gift we can give our kids is showing them a healthy marriage. So bye kids, have fun at Grandma's! 👋🏼

Fourth, go out of your way to do thoughtful things for each other. Robb never goes and picks up pizza without bringing my home ice cream. I never miss an opportunity to take the boys to see him at work. Make an effort to find out what brings your partner joy and DO it! (The 5 love languages book helped us with this...even though it doesn't list food or chocolate as a love language 🤔).

Lastly, Robb has always joked that he wanted to marry me 'because we have good conversation.' We talk about EVERYTHING! I've heard more than I ever dreamed about cows, tractors, rebuilding trucks, construction, chickens...the list goes on. Now I only tell Robb the important stuff, like how many ounces I pumped today and how hungry I am. 😂 We know each other's dreams and can support each other in chasing them! Plus, who knows when I'll have to change the spindle on a truck one day?! 🚜🌾🐃

What would you add to the list? What advice would you give your younger self or your kids about making marriage work? I'd love to hear it all! ❤️💍

Baby Things

Hey Y'all,

I'm a little leery of posting baby pictures online after some scary articles I've recently read about some of the crazies out there, but, here's our newest family pic for those of you who haven't seen it:

And here's another one of our cutie, just for good measure!

One of the things I spent a LOT of time doing while waiting for Baby H to make his appearance was research baby stuff! I went through website after website preparing my baby registry to try to find the highest ranked item in every category (that any new mom had to have). After a few months of attempting to figure out this whole parenting thing, here are just a few of my absolute favorite things that I would actually recommend to fellow new moms.

Baby K'tan - baby carrier

I registered and received a couple of different wraps to try baby-wearing. This one has turned out to be my favorite! It comes in various sizes, so the one we have only fits me. Unlike traditional wraps, this one has two loops that you put around your neck, pop the baby in one, and pull the second up over him. Super easy! It has been very convenient for trips to the store when I don't want to take the carseat in as well as taking Baby H to any public places where a carseat isn't convenient and I want to be able to use my arms. It has been an absolute lifesaver, however, when I need to cook dinner and Baby H won't let me put him down AND basically just anytime we just get super fussy. I just pop Baby H in the K'tan, walk to the mailbox or around the house, and -voila- happy baby!

http://www.babyktan.com/gallery.html

Aden & Anais Swaddle Blankets

Wow! These have been amazing! Soooooo soft! (Those of you who know my hubby know how important texture is in our house). They are extremely versatile too - whether as a blanket, swaddle, burp cloth, nursing cover, or just snuggling - they have been very useful! We LOVE them! (If you couldn't tell by all the !!!!!!!! in this one)

http://www.amazon.com/aden-anais-bamboo-swaddle-moonlight/dp/B00925WM28/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1430963921&sr=8-7&keywords=aden+and+anais+blanket

NoseFrida Nasal Aspirator aka The Snotsucker

Warning - this is pretty gross (Papa Bear won't go near it) but it works! You can see what you're getting out of baby's nose and it is much easier to operate and clean (!) than the bulbs you get at the hospital. Also, you can't really tell from pictures online but there's a little sponge that prevents any snot from getting to you. As in, not possible at all for you to get snot in your mouth. Promise.

http://www.fridababy.com/shop/nosefrida/

Keekaroo Peanut - Changing Pad

Yet another item we are constantly singing the praises of! This little thing has been so nice to have in the nursery. It's especially useful during those hectic diaper changes when you get showered, then get a new diaper *almost* on when you have to start all over and then... (Trying not to be too graphic here, but...you get my drift, right?) I'd imagine this happens more often with baby boys, but who knows. Either way, after you clean up yourself and the baby, all you have to do is wipe down the changing pad. No laundry, no changing covers, pads, nothing. Very low-maintenance and perfect for a laundry-overwhelmed new mom :)

http://www.amazon.com/Keekaroo-0130009KR-0001-Peanut-Changer-Vanilla/dp/B00KSW970Y/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1430965069&sr=8-1&keywords=keekaroo+peanut

Reflections

Tonight was one of those nights that really makes you think about what is important in life. I think catching up with old friends or family you haven't seen in a while has a tendency to do that. It's easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of life, especially during the holidays, and especially with a growing family. Often in these busy seasons we devote our time to things that take up little space in our hearts. As Christmas rapidly approaches, I encourage you to pause every once in a while, take a breath, and remember who and what matter most to you. Do the people you love know how you feel? Is there anyone out there waiting for your forgiveness? 

Tonight I'm thankful for family and friends, near and far, who already love our little boy so much it's unreal. 

Sorry bout the sap in this post (but hey, tis the season!)

Merry Christmas!

Long Time, No Blog

Well, we have been some busy bees since the last time I logged on. Between starting then settling into new jobs, becoming homeowners (!) and now soon-to-be-parents (!!!), we've hardly had a chance to breathe. I figured this might be the easiest way to keep my long-distance family and friends updated on the goings-on of us and Baby H when he arrives, so bear with me as I make my second attempt at becoming a regular blogger...

Here's what you've missed over the last year:

Just call me Katniss...

Sniffing out the neighbors

1st Anniversary

Trying out my NW Ga green thumb

Sugarland Reunion

Go Dawgs!

Loving the country

Birthday Time!

Reunions with old friends

Always warms the heart!

Family Pics

UGA v. UK

Ain't nothin finer...

Auntie Em and her Georgie 

Hubs right at home with Mickey

Xmas Celebration at The Happiest Place on Earth

We always love visits from Megatron

What a view!

Winter Wonderland!

Sledding fun with the pups

Nashvegas Reunion!

It's the little things...

Just some George Strait

Can you tell we were excited?!

Spring Flowers

Loved our beach trip! 

Drumroll.....we're gonna have a little one!

Football season again!

Go dawgsin' with the hubs!

...And there's the bump!

It's a boy, ya'll!

Auntie Em loves Baby H!

Well, that's all folks! Thanks for visiting!