update on us in pictures...

Bake Sale Day!

Some great friends of ours planned and baked their hearts out to prepare a bake sale to benefit Zambia. The kids worked hard to raise money for fresh and clean water...well minus all the goodies they ate on their own :)

Brody took a break from all the work to pose for some cute photos...

shopping at the garage sale

how could you pass up these cuties??

bryce said "buy some stuff!!...or else!!"

brody, the professional sign holder

cutest kids in town!

so so so proud of these guys!

we got the chance to run over to the river house for the day

and brody was just too cool for school!!

brody fishing

aunt debbie got out the hammock and bryce hopped right on!

bryce and dylan on our marathon playdate with the carletinni's

ms. mindy's fun game for the kiddos!

my little fisherman braxton

brody got new boots!!! (thanks sam fickey!)

baby shower #2 of the month

congrats leeanne

God's Plan for my calendar...

so lately i have been ON-THE-GO! which is VERY much the norm for this mama...but while browsing at my calendar the other day...i really started to think. we are jam packed. playdates, mops stuff, dr. appts, therapy appts, meetings, training sessions, preschool stuff, visitors, lunches and the list goes on and on and on. what concerns me is that while we are super busy and stimulated and "un-bored"...and at the same time spending googles of time at the church and with loved ones...am I doing what God is calling me to do...or am I just doing what I want to do? am i pursuing the friendships that he is sticking in my face (i think i am getting WAY better at this...i have been listening recently and it feels so so so great). am i helping others in the way that i am called to do in this season...am i just doing whats convenient? my time is very very precious. the kids lives are going by just too quickly for me to say aloud..and part of me wants to stop and smell the roses...but the other part of me wants to continue to fulfill our lives with all the cheerfulness and chaotic-ness that we mcelhannons have mastered (well sort of)! we make new friends everyday, the kids are so deliciously and giggly happy, we never sit around and wonder "what now", we dont have time to get dragged down by silly gossip or drama or nonsense like that (which...hello...who really does have time for that...BUT we literally just DONT have time for it) we pray together, laugh together, cry together, do our best to be kind to one another and most of all have FUN together!! but am i doing it all the way that God has planned for me to? am i REALLY listening to Him? i just don't know. i am just so controlling (GASP.) that sometimes i have a hard time remembering to shut up and sit in the passenger seat. i want to wake up in 15 years with no regrets (not ENTIRELY impossible??) i want to fulfill my life more and more each day...i want to enrich my children and husband...i want to teach the kids to give God all the glory...i want to cherish the moments...i want to stop and praise more often (bryce does this a LOT lol)...i want to raise Godly men...i want to stand back and let justin be the spiritual leader...i want to be the woman He created me to be.

hmmm...do i need to clear my calendar to accomplish these things? for now i am thinking no...who needs to sleep??

now that that is all settled... i better decide to find the time to finish sewing brody's napmat and paint bryce's shelf :) OH...and love on my preciously sad teething baby :(

blogeroo

the ol' blog got a makeover today...i heart naptime!

the picture is just a "temp" while we plan our family portrait. we have not had that done since bryce was one....and lots of things have changed since then. so look for an update there soon.

i am currently sewing brody's napmat! i cannot wait to post pics of the final product! i found the most adorable fabric to use (well he found it when he pulled the whole row of fabric down at joanns). i have finished the 5 week cleanse (no carb) part of my diet plan and lost 15 lbs. i am slowly (very slowly) integrating healthy carbs back into my diet and am continuing my workout program. Only 5 more lbs to go and I will be back to a weight that I have not seen since many diaper changes ago! The hard work is paying off (pats self on back) and I feel better than EVER. More energy is the biggest blessing.

Sidenote - Brody has been asking for a kitty. Seriously. Someone restrain Justin...because he does not know how to say no to Brody!!!

just a little saturday night smile...

we took the boys to chuck e cheese for our good friend abby's 3rd birthday!

braxton had a good time

brody found a slide! (his fave)

ben and bryce got some yummy cupcakes!

bryce and justin played this game for EVER!

useless info

1. i cannot wait to see ramona and beezus...LOVED those books!

2. what is the point of music videos? who gets to see them?

3. next sewing project = brody's nap mat! cannot wait for him to have a big boy nap in ms. kathys class!

4. Vacation Bible School was a success! We painted bandanas, glittered lots of stuff, made a handprint fire, water colored horses, dot painted boots, lasso painted, finger painted wild flowers, colored, stickered and learned about the Lord! I am worn out!

5. i love living in a place where you can go to the post office, the grocery store, target and old navy all in one hour (and see forty three people you know)....traffic is a sad pastime

6. yesterday i caught myself looking for a "good" parking spot at the gym....AHEM LAZY!

7. i have recently realized that table etiquette is important to me.

8. singing praise music at the top of my lungs can change ANY mood to good

9. i hate when i see a preview for a movie i love but it does not come out for like 75 months

10. i really want to tie dye something...everything actually

another picture post

so...my posts lately have just been filled with pictures. not much "meat". BUT we have been so super busy lately and there is just never a chance to get on here and sort my thoughts out. so...here are some more pics! enjoy!

i took the boys on a walk this afternoon...this little stinker had so much fun! i dont think he could have smiled any bigger if he tried!

two shirtless cuties

an action shot....crawling like a naughty little boy

my chubby buddy!

fun friends at sushi night

baby shower things

lori, sara, heidi and me hosting christi's baby shower!

used a mops centerpiece from a previous meeting (thanks kelly) to make a very special little prayer tree for guests to hang a prayer for baby hannah on

my first ever diaper wreath!

another glimpse of the tree and you can also see my very first pleats on the table runner i made

crummy pic, but i made a precious flower ball to hang over the other table runner i made and the cute craft! we had the guests decorate bibs for baby hannah!

i love little tins...i always find an excuse to buy them at the target dollar spot

pennant flag with baby's initials...

you cant tell in this pic, but i glued little butterflied in between

another look at the cutie little tins

nana suggested i take a picture of all my stuff before we put it out...i decided this was a good idea in case i ever get super lazy and do not feel like doing crafty things, i can always look back and remember that once upon a time i made time for craftiness :)

Independence Day!

What a great day! We had a great family work-out followed by an amazing service at church. PRAYER. How simple. But, OH.SO.IMPORTANT. God answers them...God waits for them...God listens to them. Speaking of answered prayers....my dad come to church with us! Thanks Pop Pop!

We also had an amazing 4th of July celebration with some very wonderful friends! Thank you Bourgeois Family for another awesome holiday!!!

obviously i do not have a fancy camera...but here is a picture of the amazing view we get when we hang out on the bourgeois patio!!!

bryce's first roman candle!!!

sparklers!

the first firework of the night

bryce riding logans bike

Pop Pop with his Pop Pops!!!

love this guy

best baby on the block

stinkin cute!

this little man was ready to party!!

things and more things

we were so blessed to be able to spend the day on friday at my aunt and uncles river house. that is without a doubt our family's fave spot! the simmons crew came with us and we just absolutely had a blast.

some new things that are a happenin'

1. braxton is crawling.

2. i have not eaten carbs in two weeks and have lost 10 lbs.

3. brody has learned some AMAZING dance moves.

4. we FINALLY were able to rent toy story 2 and now have it on repeat.

5. sugar free jello is my new favorite thing (see #2)

6. my dad is on a fishing trip in alaska...how cool is that?

7. i am sewing some super cute table runners for a baby shower i am throwing. (pics of that soon)

8. justin is trying to talk me into a minivan. seriously. its the coziest car in the world and so so so so so so convenient with the doors that open on their own...more cargo space than my yukon..but its a minivan. he is still working on me and let me just say that he is a FABULOUS salesman!

here is a pic from the ever talented mustard seed photography...

we also had the very exciting pleasure of taking bryce to the missions game this week. our super cool friend randy was in a serious race with a taco....excuse me...i mean a puffy taco.

here are some pics...

bryce and his buddy ben wearing the super awesome shirts i made them to support randy

randy racing the taco...except sadly you can't see the taco in my crummy pic

cutie ben holding a sign up for his daddy!

ben and abby sportin' their shirts

and one last little tid bit...they boys had a little slumber party last night with the simmons boys!! there was a karate chop party, a wrestle mania match, a front flip contest, a makeshift pirate ship out of bryce's bunk beds and lots of junk food. pics from that event...

front flip contest

either leap frog or wrestle mania...can't remember

buddies

several things

part 1

Father's Day was spectacular. I did not get to see my super awesomely cool one of a kind cowboy pop pop of a Daddy :( But we did get to talk to him and have plans of hanging with him ASAP when he gets back from his special fishing trip (to Alaska!!).

We DID however love on our very own in house daddy-o all day! 7 years ago I would have never thought that this super cute boy I met at the pool would later become this super cute husband and daddy. He gave me the three most precious things in the galaxy and I am so thankful for him. He works his tail off in work and school....all for us. We love you Justin!

part 2

6 months ago today I was pacing around my living room...up to my eyeballs in contractions. I had been dilated to 5 for days and it was time for this baby to come OUT...I just knew it. We called our friend Chris to come keep an eye on the kids (they were already asleep) and we headed to the hospital. The minute I got there (around midnight) they said lets get this gal a-going! Kelly showed up around 3am (seriously...she must really like me) and then Dena came around 10 after she had already been to my house to relieve Chris and wait for my Dad to get there. After about what seems like 100 hours of the today show (you thought i was going to say contractions or labor lol...thank you jesus for the epidural) my precious hubby and two of my best pals watched braxton lee come into this world! What a guy.

Today he is one day short of 6 months old. He is a chub. A BIG CHUB. I love it...I have never really had a fat baby. He smiles constantly, is starting to crawl, got his first TOOTH, loves bath time, has the most hilarious and contagious belly laugh, loves the jumpy horse, wants to stand up, is super duper ticklish, HATES having his nose cleaned and is just about the most delicious thing I can think of at this moment. I love him so much and it breaks my heart that he is growing so fast.

part 3

things i like a lot right now

1. groupon/livingsocial

2. getting to watch toy story (the original one) everyday with bryce

3. sarah-janes.com cutest oilcloth and minkee on the block

4. the new wee world resale store

5. decorating my new classroom!

6. watching brody WALK

7. union28

8. dancing to stan wayne with my handsome handsome hubby at the grill on saturday nights

9. target diapers

10. the pool at lifetime...our new daily savior!

part 4

pictures

my sweet boys watching toy story. please notice that brody has stolen braxton's bumbo seat (which he is obviously too big for)

my man braxton lee laughing

sweet babies playing together

my adorable 6 month old little man brax

summer lovin

things i am loving about summertime...

1. swimming in the pool

2. grilling out

3. less obligations

4. backyard time with the kids

5. more daylight when justin gets home (well sometimes)

6. water vacations (beach, river, lake)

7. fun memories of my mom

8. flying l playdates

9. popsicles

10. little white bootys...and cute little tan bodies running around

11. slip and sliding

12. horseshoe tournaments with bryce

13. free summer movies

14. a big giant tea

15. remembering how i fell head over heels with the love of my life during summer time 7 years ago...thinking about it makes me fall right back in love with all over again

here are a few pics of one of our most recent summer adventures...

two cuties

my sweet baby that is getting so big :(

silly bryce

my little river rat brody...bandages on the head and ready to raft!

things

things are just a trucking along around here....

- brody got his stitches out this past monday. he was very brave and looks just as cute as a button. he was up ready to party the very next morning after it happened and has not slowed down since!

- braxton started sitting up on his own last week and is now getting up on his knees...he thinks he is going to start crawling. however, i am about to tape him to the floor because i am not ready for that! he is loving his baby food and is seriously the chubbiest and smiliest little guy there ever was.

- bryce and i had a date on wednesday. he took me to the movies to see shrek (he paid AND opened the door for me AND let me pick out my own candy). it was so fun to just spend some time with him all alone. plus it gave me a chance to teach him how to be a gentleman when he takes out a lady :)

- i had a great planning retreat for boerne mops leadership, followed by a fun and relaxing weekend at the river with the bourgeois family

i noticed recently that you cannot even read our calendar...it has been packed for months. i am ready to stop and smell the roses. dont get me wrong...being busy is my "thing" its what i do best. BUT we need to take the next couple of weeks and slow it down a notch. my kids are growing up before my eyes. i had this moment today...and i just wanted to press the pause button on it. braxty was giggling and bryce was talk talk talking and here comes brody around the corner with the biggest smile on his face ready to play peek a boo with a sock. its so fun living at my house....chaotic...but beautifully fun.