Thursday Things
Today I am sharing a few things making me smile lately… I haven’t done one of these posts in awhile, but they are always fun to compile and brighten my spirits when I look back on them.
Jacob’s First Snow
Jacob FINALLY got to have his first snow day! We have been so bummed to miss out on snow here in Charlotte the last few years. My thoughtful best friend has passed on at least 3 snow suits to us that we have never been able to use. When I saw the forecast early last week, I tried on the last one she gave us and it was too small (of course). I decided to go ahead and order a size 3T suit, gloves and boots to make sure we had what we needed just in case. Luckily, we were able to use them! Even though Jacob initially hated putting on all that gear, the purchases definitely pulled through with keeping him warm and cozy in those frigid temperatures and he needed a warm coat anyways (The boots I got at Target and the snowsuit/gloves were amazon purchases).
We had a slow morning (he slept until 6:30am which truly never happens) and enjoyed our coffee with the pretty view of snow falling. Around 8:30am we decided it was time to get him out there. And like many things with toddlers, it did not go as we had envisioned. He absolutely hated it… every picture & video was him crying. It made for funny memories but was a total bummer. We came in after about 15 minutes of trying to show him how fun the snow could be.
After a good nap, we got him out for round 2 and the whole experience was so much better. He gladly put on his ridiculous layers of coziness and had some fun sledding around the yard. I am sure his next experience will be even more fun, but we were so glad to get some smiles from our little guy on his first snow day.
Vanilla Chocolate Chip Granola
It doesn’t take much to make me happy lol! I love the purely elizabeth brand, but I only buy it when there is a good sale. I took advantage of the buy one get one free sale at publix this week and snagged this new (to me) flavor. It is the best granola I have ever had!! I love adding it to my yogurt and will have a hard time not eating this stuff straight out of the bag.
Preschool
Jacob started attending preschool three mornings/week back in September. We were thrilled to get him into a church program where all of his cousins have attended. They offer a 1’s class (which is much needed since he has an October birthday) and it has felt like the social interaction he needs in this pandemic life. The transition was not an easy one for him and he has missed many days just from getting sick, but we have finally hit our groove. His teacher is absolutely amazing and he has really started to bloom. She shares daily pictures for parents and there are a lot more happy Jacob moments captured than there were a few months ago! He is a very busy boy and coming up with safe pandemic activities can honestly be exhausting. This has been a great fit for us and we look forward to continuing at the same school for the next 3 years.
Date Night
A few weeks ago, Jacob went to spend the night with Grammy & Grampy so we could have a date night. We made plans with our friends (Chad & Alyssa) that we haven’t caught up with in way too long. Joey and I haven’t had a date ourselves in months, so it was much needed. We ventured out to Southend for dinner (a big deal for us) and we were home by 9:30- just how we like it! It was great to break our traditional Friday night pizza routine and actually get dressed up. I think we will be planning more date nights like this because that slow Saturday morning with coffee in bed was pretty amazing.
Morning Routine
Part of my New Year goals has included staying off my phone until 7am. I haven’t been perfect at this, but I have definitely stopped the scrolling. Like I mentioned in my post, I have adjusted my expectation of what mornings look like at this stage. Jacob joins me most mornings by 5:30am, but I have committed to giving myself at least 5 minutes to jot down my gratitudes and goals for the day. Sometimes that happens alone at 4:15am and other days it happens after Jacob’s breakfast. Either way, I notice a difference by taking a minute to set my intentions for the day. I am going to keep working at this one- phones are a hard habit to break!
Toasted Graham Coffee
There are two things I will never be giving up in life- caffeine and coffee. I look forward so much to my first cup of coffee every morning! We are a little coffee crazy over here so we have both a Keurig and an espresso machine to make americanos at home (and spend less money at Starbucks). I have tried a few flavored coffees and the Starbucks toasted graham is hands down my favorite. You can find it at most stores, but it is definitely the cheapest at Walmart. I couldn’t find any before the snow storm (supply chain issues I guess), but we are back in business this morning.
Ozark
January is when you plan vacations for the year, wait for snow, and watch good TV! There are not a lot of shows out there that both Joey and I love, but Ozark is one of them. As a girl that mostly loves shows like Selling Sunset, this one is a lot darker than I would normally enjoy watching… but after that first episode we couldn’t stop! The next season comes out tomorrow and I am sure we will squeeze in at least 2 episodes this weekend after Jacob goes to bed.
Uplifting Instagram Accounts
Social media can be a great place if you let it… isn’t it the best when you come across an inspiring quote that resonates with you or makes you stop and think?! Mel Robbins and Adam Grant are two of my favorite accounts to follow- it’s hard not to share everything on their page! Another reminder to fill your feed with what makes you happy.
Age 2
Despite what they say about the “terrible two’s” (believe me- we have our moments), I am in love with this age! Jacob is so much fun to play with right now and the sound of his giggle makes my heart burst. He is so affectionate- always giving the sweetest kisses and I could just die when he wraps his little arms around my neck for a hug. He is saying new things all the time and the sound of his precious little voice melts me. Our little snuggle bug truly makes life so much sweeter!
I would love to hear in the comments- what’s one thing making you smile this week?!