Five on Friday - Cutest Shorts, Hunter for Target, and Plant Update

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Another week is gone and we are now officially one week away from the kids getting out of school for summer!  I can’t even believe it!  I’ve tackled a lot of projects this week – I cleaned out a couple more cabinets, I cleaned out our downstairs bathroom, I tackled a few projects that have been on my to-do list for a while, and most importantly I have gotten a good deal ahead for my summer blog posting. 

The closer we get to school getting out the more and more excited I’m getting about summer!  Here are a few favorites for you on this Friday…

O N E – The Cutest Shorts

I have been searching high and low for a good pair of red shorts to wear to Georgia games for years.  I never have issues finding light red, dark red, or even rust colored shorts, but I have yet to find any that are true red.  And when you’re a Georgia fan, you NEED true red.  Crimson just won’t do.  ;o)  When I came upon these from J. Crew Factory I was so excited because they are exactly what I’ve been wanting forever!  And look at that scalloped hem!!  Such a fun extra touch!  If you’re not a red wearer, no worries, they do have them in five other solid colors plus three patterns including a black and white gingham and they are all so cute! 

These are true to size (although they run slightly larger than Target’s Merona shorts) and the fit is perfect!  They are a linen/cotton blend so they can easily be dressed up with a cute top and wedges or dressed down with a comfy tee and flats.  Most importantly I love the length.  They aren’t super short, but they aren’t too long either.  They’re just right!  And the very best part is that they’re only $24.50 right now!

T W O – Hunter for Target

Remember how Hunter collaborated with Target, released all of their products minus the boots due to a quality issue, and then nobody ever heard anything about it again?  Well, I just happened to be on Target’s website the other day and I noticed that the women’s tall gloss rain boots are now available!  I have no clue how long they’ve been available but they are now there in three colors – red, black, and gray – and they appear to have stock in all sizes of all three colors.  They are only $39.99 so if you’ve been wanting Hunter boots, now is your chance to get them at a small fraction of the usual cost!  I would grab ‘em fast, though, because I would think these would go quickly once everyone realizes that they’re there!  Did anybody else know these were available now??  Am I behind?

T H R E E – This Top

Brian got this work out top for me in white last year for one of the holidays… or maybe my birthday?  Anyway, I have professed my love for it many times on the blog because it’s my very favorite workout top of all time.  Well, B and the kids gave me a few gift cards for Mother’s Day, one of which was for Athleta, and I immediately spent that one because I knew exactly what to get – another one of these workout shirts!  They are typically $64.00 (which is why I don’t just buy them outright), but they are currently on sale for just $27.99!!!!  You bet your hiney I snatched one up as quickly as I could!!!!  These are my absolute favorite because they are long enough to cover your whole front and your whole booty (my kids would just love this… booty is one of their favorite words these days <eye roll>) which is so important to me when wearing leggings!  I’m 5’5” and I wear a small and even the small is long enough to cover everything!  I often find myself buying mediums and even larges in other tops just to have the length, but these are long without having to size up!  Definitely has Lindsay’s stamp of approval!  ;o)

Since I still had money leftover on my gift card I also finally grabbed one of these sports bras that I’ve been wanting for almost a year.  One thing I’ve always splurged on is bras because you truly do get what you pay for when it comes to bras.  I obviously haven’t ever tried this one on yet, but I will report back once it arrives.  Fingers crossed for maximum comfort because sports bras usually drive me nuts.

F O U R – Plant Lady Update

You may have already seen this on the ‘Gram, but my plant that my grandmother gave me almost a year ago is still alive and thriving!  You may remember this story about how my grandmother gave me a clipping of her 50+ year old plant?  Well, I have managed to keep it alive despite my huge lack of having a green thumb! 

It has grown a lot this past year, though, and it was getting too large for the tiny little pot in which my grandmother originally planted it, so I repotted it this week.  This is the first time I have ever repotted a plant in my entire life (thank goodness for Google and online tutorials – LOL) so I’m praying it survives.  Once it gets a little larger I would love to take some clippings from it and start more pots all over the house – one in the living room, one in my office, and one in our bedroom.  I think it would be really neat to have such a special plant present everywhere in our house.  I’m also thinking that if this one survives the repotting that I might try my hand at some other indoor plants as well… slowly but surely I’m going to teach myself to be a plant lady.  :o)

F I V E – Baby Gate

Something monumental happened in our house last weekend… after 6+ years of having a baby gate at the bottom of the stairs (we installed it when Jacob became mobile) the time has finally come to take it down.  Insert all the sad faces here.  And the happy ones.  I just can’t decide if I’m sadder than I am happy or happier than I am sad.  Haha.  That thing has been an eyesore for the majority of the time that we’ve lived in this house and I remember thinking to myself when we put it up, “The time cannot come fast enough when we can finally take this ugly thing down.”  Well friends, that time has come – and all too quickly, might I add – and I’m just as sad as I am happy because, well, it’s the end of an era.  It’s just one more reminder that we’re out of the baby business and my babies are growing up.  :o(

We have had one at the top of the stairs this whole time as well, and we actually decided to leave that one up for now (I like to close it at night in case the kids wake up and come out of their rooms… my brothers used to sleep walk when they were little so I’m paranoid that one of our babies are going to sleep walk and fall down the stairs), so at least that one still stands!

S I X – Backstreet’s Back, Alright!!!!

Did you guys see?!?!  Backstreet Boys released a new song yesterday!!!!  WHAT?!  My 16-year old 1998 heart is bursting!!!!  And yes, I downloaded it immediately, and yes, it is really good!

S E V E N – Mau Mau

And a bonus sixth today – our sweet girl got her summer hair cut this week and she looks like a new doggie!  Oh, how I just love that sweet little first baby of ours!

Happy weekend, y’all!

*Linking up with A Liz Adventures and Carolina Charm for Five on Friday, A Little Bit of Everything for Friday Favorites, Meet @ the Barre for Friday Favorites, and Cup of Tea for High Five for Friday.

Five Defining Moments on My Journey through Motherhood

I’ve been extra sentimental this week.  I don’t know if it’s because Jacob has been so sweet and lovey or if it’s because I came to the realization last night that Olivia’s legs no longer look like those of a baby (they’re especially long and lean these past few days), or maybe it’s because of Jacob’s impending preschool graduation… I don’t know, but I’ve already teared up on more than one occasion this week.  My mind has been swirling with lots of memories, some old and some new, and since Mother’s Day is this Sunday I thought it would be nice to share a few of the defining moments in my life as a mother.

O N E – The First Positive Pregnancy Test

I knew from a very young age that I wanted two things in life – to be a wife and to be a mother.  I always dreamed of having two kids – a boy first, and then a girl… you know, so the big brother could protect his little sister.  Well, I found my husband and then married him at the age of 25, and shortly after our second wedding anniversary, we decided that we were ready to try for a baby. 

Now, I know that people have babies all the time.  All the time.  But even though it’s so commonplace, I was still completely awestruck when I saw those two faint pink lines on that pregnancy test.  I felt the enormity of it all and I couldn’t believe that it was happening to me.  I had always known deep down that I would have kids, but the fact that it was actually happening just seemed so crazily and impossibly wonderful.  We created something from practically nothing.  Something – someone – who was completely ours.  In that moment, my life changed forever.  In that moment, I knew that anything was possible.  

T W O – A Miscarriage

Eight short weeks later I was completely and utterly robbed of my elation when the good Lord decided that He needed another angel.  We don’t know how or why it happened to us, but it nearly destroyed me.  All of my newfound belief that anything was possible was instantaneously replaced with uncertainty and doubt.  I was entirely convinced that my body couldn’t and wouldn’t produce a child, that we would never have children, that I would never be a mother.  It felt hopeless at times and I trudged through life sad and scared for that next stretch of months.  That period in my life taught me a lot of things, though, and it prepared me even more for motherhood than I could have ever prepared myself otherwise.    

T H R E E – The Birth of Jacob

Contractions, sweat, tears, laboring for a total of 18 hours which included 2.5 hours of pushing.  It was the hardest thing physically that I have ever done – and will ever do – but when it was over I was blessed with the most perfect gift.  Mentally, I had been a mother since receiving that sweet news of my first pregnancy, since hearing the heartbeat of our first angel, since losing it all.  But in that moment when Jacob was born, I was physically a mother.  I had finally been blessed with the gift for whom I had prayed every single day for months.  Years.  He was finally in my arms.  And he was safe and sound.

F O U R – The Birth of Olivia

A baby girl, swaddled in pink, all perfect and dainty and absolutely stunning.  I didn’t have to labor for her, yet she was in my arms and she was all mine.  All of my dreams of tutus and necklaces, dress-up clothes and manicures came true that day.  I know you’re not supposed to want a specific gender… that you’re only supposed to want healthy babies, but the heart wants what it wants.  From the tiniest age I always longed for a little girl, a tiny little version of myself, and there she was.  All perfect and staring up at me like we had known each other forever.

F I V E – Jacob’s Croup Scare

I’ve never blogged about this before, and someday I may tell the whole story here on the blog, but it’s a moment that is unfortunately seared into my mind forever, and it’s a part of the scary side of motherhood. 

Just a few days shy of Jacob’s second birthday Brian and I awoke to the sound of Jacob crying.  By the time we got to his room he was making odd noises and seemed to be gasping for air.  His throat was almost completely closing due to a severe bout of croup, and he couldn’t breathe.  We had no idea at the time what was happening, so we had no idea what to do.  Brian held him and tried to calm him as I called 911, and after that all we could do was pray and wait for help.

During those few minutes before the ambulance arrived, Jacob grew lethargic and I was terrified that he was dying.  In that moment, I would have done anything – anything – to help him breathe, but we were completely helpless.  It was the worst feeling I’ve ever felt in my entire life.  Fortunately the ambulance arrived in time and they were able to get him stabilized on the way to the hospital even though his oxygen level was dangerously low. 

During those next hours and days I didn’t care about anything else in the world but getting him well.  My job wasn’t important.  Money wasn’t important.  Having beautiful, shiny things wasn’t important.  All that mattered was that my baby was going to get better and live to be old and grey.  I’m telling you, there’s something about having a very sick child that will make you get your priorities straight real fast.  Not that mine were terribly out of whack to begin with, but it definitely opened my eyes, that’s for sure. 

I now try to cherish every single second with them.  I try to make each day count.  I try to do the things that I love and enjoy as much of life as I can.  Sure there are plenty of days where both of them drive me absolutely nuts and I want to send them to the zoo, but without them, I wouldn’t have the most rewarding job that I will ever have – a mother.

So to those who have one child and to those who have eight, to those who are raising babies from other mothers and to those who are who are grieving the losses of their own, to those who are still patiently (and not so patiently) waiting to hold their own babies in their arms and to those who are still young and dreaming of what life will be like when they are old enough to be mothers... Happy Mother’s Day.

*Linking up with A Liz Adventures and Carolina Charm for Five on Friday, A Little Bit of Everything for Friday Favorites, Living for Naptime for BFF Friday Link-up Party,  September Farm and The Farmer's Wife for Oh Hey, Friday, and Meet @ the Barre for Friday Favorites!