Car Review - Chevrolet Tahoe

It's been a while since my last car review!  Months actually!  And this one is a bit overdue, as I was able to drive this puppy around the weekend after Thanksgiving.  But between the constant vomming that was my first trimester, and the hustle and bustle of the holidays, time got away from me!  So here it is sweet friends.  My weekend with a Tahoe...

2015 Chevrolet Tahoe

Type of car: Large SUV

Price Range of car: The average paid for this car is $40,000 - $60,000 and that is according to US News.   So this is a bit on the higher end range for sure. 

How does it drive: Spoiler alert!  I.  Love.  This.  Car.  It drives smooth and I love feeling “big” on the road.  It was easy to navigate and had blind spot protection.  Truthfully I was afraid I would hate driving the Tahoe because it is so big, but it was so easy to handle that I could still whip around town, despite the size.   

Safety Review:   This car is so safe and it feels so safe.  It has all the airbags you could ever want, while also having traction for the rain.  I would pack up my entire family in this and drive for days. 

Interior Review:   The interior is so comfy y’all.  It is spacious and feels luxurious while also being practical.  Being that Matt is 6’4’’ his comfort is always key when driving cars and, as you can imagine, he felt right at home.  I love the DVD option in the back so that when G can watch a shower or movie on long car rides.  The dashboard is amazing - so many features that make driving easier and safer.  And as you can see by the fingerprints on the photo, I had quite the time figuring them all out!  The steering wheel and speedometers were easy to read and easy to follow. This may sound basic but in my current SUV, I have the speedometer set to digital because I just cannot read the circle part!  So no, in the Tahoe, that is not an issue at all J

Trunk/Back Compartment Review:  The back compartment is roomy for sure and has a third seat option which is nice.  There is plenty of room to pack a family, some luggage and then some.

Exterior Review:  I mean y'all can see for yourself.  I think Tahoes are so classic.  And classy.  And just plain ole’ nice looking!  I love the sleek design on the newer models and my favorite color in a car is black so I was smitten with this one.    

Specials:  And as always Jeff Gordon offers the service guarantee that comes standard with cars purchased or leased that are an eligible, new 2014 Chevrolet, Buick or GMC car, truck or crossover in the U.S.   The car is covered by a new maintenance program that includes certain scheduled services for two years or 24,000 miles, whichever occurs first.  Here’s the link to all the jazz for your further reading J   http://www.chevrolet.com/comprehensive-coverage.html

From me to you:  I mean I love this car.  If money were no object than Matt and I would snatch this bad boy up in a second.  Shoot, we’d get two! It is a bit on the pricier side for cars, but it is a great car.  I can promise that if you take the plunge you won’t regret it.  

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georgia hearts santa

Ok so I know these two photos are like 6 weeks late, but I came across them last night as I was editing some other photos for a post next week.  And I had to share.  A few weeks before Christmas, we took G to a brunch with Santa at our club.  Needless to say she wouldn't get near him!  Maybe next time?  And don't worry, we immediately took her to the arts and crafts room next so she cheered up!

Merry Merry a little late :)

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on making big picture goals

she's recently requested bows and it makes this mama's heart SO HAPPY!

this was a sick morning and one where she did not sleep great the night before.  so we had cinnamon bread for breakfast and that made her pretty happy!

and this is how miss gigi feels about doctor's visits

cuddles with mommy are the. best!

no mom really, let me where your Uggs

The above pictures are just a highlight real of my IPhone lately ha!  Truth be told, my whole fam is recovering from a yucky cold.  G and I are on the uphill, while dada over here is still working on it.  But hey!  It's been 60 degree weather and well that makes us super happy.  And I'm dead set on enjoying this weekend and nursing my wholeeeeee fam back to 100% health by Saturday morning.  So water, OJ and chicken noodle soup it is!  And lots of washing... everything.  I mean everything.  I think I've washed Georgia's stuffed animals and our sheets 3 times this week already.  GO AWAY COLD!  We're done with ya!  I digress...

So this year when I set out to make goals I was overwhelmed.  I hadn't made a single goal and yet I already felt overwhelmed.  Anyone else relate?  I made some personal goals, picked my one word and while those didn't seem as overwhelming, I knew I had some goals with regards to our home.  We need to live with less.  Our home has overwhelmed me for quite some time now.  Everyone's closets are bursting at the seams, each kitchen cabinet is full (with who knows what!) and everywhere I look all I see is stuff!  And more stuff!  And it's like I don't even know where to begin with organizing.  With that, I decided to take the entire year, work my way through our home and simplify.  By that I mean, purge, purge, purge, de-clutter and organize.  I play the words of William Morris in my head all day it seems, "Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful."  That is my new mantra.  But how was I going to do this?  I have a wild and free toddler running around my house at all times and a new babe cooking in my belly.  Cue the anxiety again.  So I decided to make big goals - month-by-month goals.  Goals that would seem silly to some but make everything more manageable to me.  So in January, you know what I'm focusing on?  The pantry and making sure my Christmas decorations are away and organized.  That's it.  I do a little each weekend on the pantry, throwing away and organizing so we can actually use what we have and not run to the grocery store for black beans when we, in fact, have 3 cans that are just miserably stuffed in the back!  So pantry and Christmas is on the docket for the month.  Next month?  Georgia's closet and the guest bedroom closet (which holds boxes I haven't touched since we moved here 2 years ago! shameful...).  So there's my brilliant plan ladies and gents.  And I encourage you to do the same.  If you have some huge goal you want to attain, or some big picture, make small goals and make them manageable.  Too many times have I added to my To Do List all the while knowing it will be impossible to complete everything on it.  Just stop!  Done is better than perfect friends and you have to start somewhere.  

Speaking of my big picture goal, any of you have tips for organizing and purging a home?  Much appreciated!  xox

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Georgia's Big Girl Room Inspiration

With visions of another nursery running through my head (as we patiently wait 3 more weeks to find out if baby #2 is a boy or a girl!), I am trying to sort through Georgia's "Big Girl Room" as well!  AKA her toddler room.  We will definitely keep her crib in there for a while but the way our house is designed we are planning to move her into a bigger room across the hall before the baby comes.  We will probably do this late Spring, so she has time before the baby comes to adjust.  But gosh I just don't know where I want to go with this.  We will most likely do a daybed that she will transition into between 2. and 3 years old.  I just love the look and feel of daybeds and I grew up with one so it has some sentimental value as well.  And I love that it can roll out a trundle for a friend!  So daybed it is, But other than that I have one million ideas!  I know I want it to be fun.  I know I want her to be able to grow into the room and I know I want it to feel more grown up without feeling too old.  So here are some of my inspirations all found on my Pinterest Board here.  Which are yalls favorites?  Any tips for this mama?

love the fabric headboard  //  image found here

this rug makes me happy  //  image found here

loving the walls in this room.  and our walls are already a similar color so all we'd have to do is add stripes!  //  image found here

love the color palate in here!  mint + coral  //  image found here

and again the fabric headboard on a daybed.  love so much!  //  image found here

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our schedule as of late

*all photos taken by my amazingly talented best friend, meredith miller, during our christmas party.

these days the little lady has a wild mind of her own, and frankly a schedule of her own too.  so our days look slightly different than the last but that's ok.  truthfully, i've never been good about keeping a schedule, but as georgia has gotten older i have attempted to make it more of a priority.  ultimately she does better with a schedule.  so i've been using the Moms on Call App to keep me straight!  We are also in the process of dropping her morning nap AND experiencing a bit of the 18 month sleep regression, so let's just say things are interesting these days.  but nonetheless they are fun.  so fun!  so here is what most of our days look like:

7-7:30 - wake up.  let me just pause here and say this is ideal.  this is what matt and i silently pray for as we lay georgia down at night.  and we get this a few mornings a week.  but a few mornings a week we also get the 5:45 wake-up.  so when that happens we deal.  

7:30 - breakfast.  g is on an egg kick these days.

7:30-9:30/10 - play play play!  we try to get lots of wiggles out here.

9:30 or 10 - snack time! usually applesauce and a granola bar, or some yogurt

10-12 - play some more!  this is a hard time of day for us.  georgia is usually exhausted because she hasn't adjusted to one nap a day just yet so it's super important for me to keep her occupied.  i bring out the play dough or we go for walks.  i try to avoid the car during this time so she doesn't nod off for a quick cat nap.

12 - lunch time.  because she is so sleepy by this time, this is her "worst" meal of the day in terms of how much she eats + her attention span.  so i save her favorites for lunch - things she can't turn down (yogurt, guacamole, mac n cheese, turkey/cranberry/cheese sandwich, kiwi, strawberries and veggie soup are all on rotation during lunch)

12:30ish - naptime!  she usually sleeps anywhere from 2-3 hours during this time.  when she wakes up we play play play until snack.

3:30 - snack time.  usually some hummus, cheddar bunnies, a smoothie and/or apple slices

5:30/6 - dinner time!  matt and i don't eat at this time because he isn't home from work yet so she usually eats whatever we had the night before, or what we are having that night just a little early.

7 - bath time.  this is a serious struggle lately and i'm not sure what gives.  she used to love bathtime!  any suggestions mamas?

7:30/8 - night night as georgia says.  and then mom and day pray for 12 hours of sleep.

wala!  that is how we roll.  what do you other mamas do for a schedule?  any tips?

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2015 // more jesus please

print by Morning Sunshine Shop

i love this quote so much.  they lose nothing (including sleep!) who gain christ.  i want to hang it all over my house.  or maybe just by my alarm clock.

in 2015 i'm saying yes to all of this

I mentioned one of my main goals for this year in a previous post, so I thought I'd talk about another one of my goals - getting up before Georgia. For the past few months, G has been getting up suuuuuuuper early so this is nearly impossible. She's been waking up at 5:45 on occasion yall! But she also sleeps until 7 a few mornings a week.  One of my goals is to set my alarm for 6 am every. single. morning.  Some mornings I may already be up with Georgia and if that's the case, then so be it.  But other mornings she may sleep a little later and by getting up at 6 I can allow myself to wake-up, spend some time with Jesus and prepare for my day.  This is actually a combined goal for both Matt and me.  We both want some "me" time in the morning to get our minds right if you will.  So every morning our alarms go off at 6.  I also want the first thing that enters my mind to be from Jesus - not Instagram or my emails.  He is what is important, and glorifying Him is my purpose here (side note: during 2014 a lot of time was spent in prayer asking, "God what is my purpose?  What do you want me to do while I'm here?"  And well, He has clearly answered me over and over and over - "Know Me, love others and glorify me in whatever way you possibly can."  I could really write a whole post on this... maybe I will!)  And I know I cannot do that without making time with Him a priority.  So that is what I will do.  I go to bed early every night so there is truly no excuse!

What are some of yall's goals for 2015?  I'd love to hear!

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2015 // our best year yet

christmas 2013

christmas 2014

a blank slate.  that is exactly what this year is.  excited?  most definitely.  a little scary?  that too.  as i alluded to in my last post, the past 6 or so weeks have left me with so much to ponder - one of those things being this here space.  when i started this blog almost 3 years ago i wanted it to be a place of encouragement.  a place where someone, having a not-so-bright day, could come and find hope and be pointed to jesus.  i also love the mama community i have found and plan to continue to share throughout this pregnancy as well.  but most importantly, i want this place to be a reflection of my heart.  and my heart is not consumed with stuff.  so over the next year i will attempt to write with more purpose.  intention and purpose.  in her amazing book that all y'all should read, Jen Wilkin said, "Every good endeavor should be done with purpose" and that is what I hope for this space as well.  i want to share what's on my heart - whether that be what God is teaching me at the moment, how I'm struggling with the latest parenting task, or what must-have's I am hoping for as I prepare for baby number 2.  whatever it is, there will be a purpose with my posts, that I can promise you.  

i spent about 2 good hours yesterday making new year's resolutions and goals and choosing my one word.  while i will slowly share the rest over the next few posts, one of those goals is to truly enjoy the present.  leading up the the beginning of this year i felt kinda hazy.  it's almost as if i wanted to rush through it.  i get to meet my youngest baby in july and well, i didn't really want to wait on that.  but my heart has changed and i am slowly realizing the value of the now.  i don't want to miss this pregnancy and what it feels like, even if that's not so great!  i don't want to miss the next 6 months of georgia growing and changing, even if that involves some MAJOR temper tantrums and still a bit of a sleep struggle.  matt and i always see older kids out and about with their parents and we look at each other and say wow, that will be us one day.  one day georgia will sit quietly in a restaurant for an hour.  one day she will know all of the words she needs to tell me how she feels.  but that one day is not now, and for that i am so thankful.  i want to enjoy every single second of parenting, even the hard bits, and there's a lot of those y'all.  but there are so many million more good bits.  i don't want to miss lazy sundays with my family or bike rides that burn my legs in the first 2 minutes :)  i don't want to miss any of it.  so i'm choosing not to.  wherever i am, i want to be all there.

so cheers to the here and now.  more on my other goals to come.  have y'all made any resolutions or goals for the new year?  you can see my pinterest board for 2015 here!

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