Family Pictures

The first weekend of November one of my fellow co-workers took our annual fall family pictures. Kate did a fabulous job capturing our family, and I was very impressed with how many great shots she got of Mac. 18 months isn't the easiest age to do pictures, but she captured his personality and different faces perfectly; I couldn't be happier with how they turned out!

All photos are copy righted Kate Kelser Photography and should not be saved or used in any way without permission.  

Our 2nd Annual Trip to the Pumpkin Patch!

Last weekend we had our annual family trip to the Pumpkin Patch. My parents, sister, and brother in-law came to the city for the day and we all went to the Orr Family Farm. This is an annual activity we started last year, and we plan to continue over the years as a fall tradition.

Mac wasn't feeling 100%, so it wasn't as much fun as we had anticipated. If he would've felt better, he would've had a ball! He did do a few of the activities and picked out a few pumpkins to bring home. It was a good day as we made some good memories!

McGriffey Vacation 2015

We spent the first week of July in Seagrove, FL for our first annual McGriffey Vacation. Who's McGriffey you ask? It's a collaboration of my parents', ours', and my sister & her husband's last names. I came up with the name when we first started planning the vacation as a joke, and well it just kind of stuck! This was our first family vacation since my sister and I have been married, and the previous family vacation we had was when I was in college. It was Mac's first road trip, and his first trip to the beach. My mom had been planning the vacation for close to a year, so we'd been looking forward to it. Now that it's come and gone seems almost crazy!

Our days were very chill, and mostly spent hanging out on the beach. We'd usually come in mid-afternoon for Mac to nap and then we'd shower and head out to an early dinner because if you waited too late the wait was forever. It was over all a relaxing trip. We all had a fantastic time, and so many great memories were made!

Mac's First Christmas

I hope you and yours had a very Merry Christmas! We had a great Christmas. This Christmas was extra special since it was Mac's first Christmas with us. He is at a really fun age, and it was so much fun to watch him interact with all the festivities.

iPhone photo taken at LifeChurch.tv South Tulsa

It's a family tradition for us to go to church on Christmas Eve. This year we went to the 4PM service, and after church we went back to my parents' house for presents and dinner. Mac got lots of new toys; a baby laptop, cell phone, drum, train, race car, and some Mickey Mouse stuff. He got some new cute clothes too, and he'll be the most stylish lil' boy in town. Of course, the paper and bows were the biggest hit for Mac and what he enjoyed the most!

After presents, we had dinner and then it was time for Mac to head to bed. Us adults {Clete & myself, my sister & her husband, and my mom & dad} stayed up to play dominoes which has become a tradition over the years. Santa also came and left Mac some things for Christmas morning!

Mac was up bright and early Christmas morning {just like any other day} so everyone got up to see him with his things from Santa Claus. Santa brought him a jean anywhere chair with his name, a big stuffed Mickey Mouse, Scout the learning dog, and a new Ford Raptor Truck that we can push him around in. He also got some new sippy cups, Desitin, baby lotion, boogie wipes, and puffs in his stocking. He was an extra good boy this year, so Santa brought him lots of goodies!

After Mac checked out all of his goodies, we then had breakfast casseroles and mimosas. After breakfast, we got around and that afternoon my DeeDee came with my brother in-law's mom and grandma to have Christmas dinner. My Dad and Mom prepared a delicious dinner of beef tenderloin, baked potatoes, salad, and rolls. We had a variety of sweet treats for dessert. Mac had potatoes with some of his food after his nap, and then it was time to play some more. He LOVES being pushed around in his new truck! As long as he's being pushed around, he's perfectly content.

The weekend before Christmas, Uncle Thomas and Aunt Kelsey came to stay with us and we did our Christmas with them. Mac got some fun things, and loved having them to play with. We all enjoyed having them at our house for the weekend.

Mac had a great Christmas, and so did we. It brought us pure joy to watch Mac be so excited and happy! We had a wonderful first Christmas with Mac, and we are the most thankful for the best gift of all, our savior who was born on the very first Christmas Day.

Thanksgiving

I know everyone is now in full blown Christmas mode, but I also know if I don't post this I will kick myself for it later. Our Thanksgiving was very low key and different this year. We actually hosted Thanksgiving at our house for the first time! My parents came to our house Wednesday evening, stayed overnight, and we had a very casual dinner Thursday afternoon. Mac had an unusual night that Wednesday, and we were up every hour on the half hour, so this mama was tired Thanksgiving morning. My mom and I did the local Turkey Trot 5K Thursday morning, and then came home to prepare the meal. It was the perfect fit for Mac's first turkey day!

Mac HATED the turkey leg, and wouldn't even pretend to like it for a pic. I don't know what it was, but he pouted up almost instantly when we gave it to him. But he did like the sweet potatoes, green beans, and stuffing. The boy loves his food, and really likes when he can eat what everyone else is eating.

That's our Thanksgiving in a nutshell. I hope you and your loved ones had a great Thanksgiving too!

Our Trip to the Pumpkin Patch!

Last weekend we took Mac on his first trip to the pumpkin patch! On Sunday afternoon we ventured down to the Orr Family Farm and had such a fun day with our little man. I knew going to the pumpkin patch was a new tradition I wanted to start this year with him, and it's something I think we'll continue to do for years to come. Next year, Mac will enjoy it even more because he'll be bigger and able to participate more in all the activities.

My parents, and sister & brother in-law drove down for the day and went with us. Mac had an exciting day and got to do lots of fun things! He had his first merry go'round ride with Queenie, Poppie, and Aunt KK. He went to the petting zoo and Poppie let him pet a goat. Daddy and Mac went down a slide for the first time. We played tick tack toe with tiny pumpkins, and went through a corn maze. Mac had his first hayride, and picked out his first little pumpkin. It was a fun filled day!  

the balance.

When I first decided to start this little space and get back to blogging, I was nearing the end of my maternity leave. We were adjusting (and we still are) to being new parents since Mac was only a couple months old. I had a list of unknowns and questions I found myself asking about how our normal routine would be once I went back to work that I wrote about in this post. I knew at the time of writing the post that "we'd figure it out" as people told me, (ps: thanks for the tough love people) but the unknown is always a little nerve racking.

I've been back at work now for 6 weeks, and I think we're adjusting just fine. Mac is loving daycare, and mommy is enjoying being back in the office. We've found a good balance, but as with anything there's always room for improvement. We're "figuring it out" and it's working well so far! I have to take a moment to brag on my husband because I could not do it without him, and that's a fact. He's my biggest supporter and helper. He helps with our morning routine, and on most days he's the one who picks Mac up from daycare. He also helps in the evenings when it comes to bath and bedtime. Basically whatever needs to be done or where ever he's needed, he's there. He's a very hands-on daddy, and for that I am grateful. Becoming parents has made our relationship grow, and also forced us to communicate better. We've always made a good team, but parenthood has made us even better teammates!

I'm coming up on my one year work anniversary, and I couldn't be more happy with the decision I made to make a career change. Leaving a workplace I was at for 5+ years was not easy but as Pastor Craig preached one weekend last year, "sometimes it's easier to stay when it's better to go." When I was contemplating making the change and feelings of fear would come over me, I would hear that line from his message in the back of my head. Over the past year I have grown not only in my personal life, but also in my career. I've learned new things, conquered new challenges, and have done things I didn't know I was capable of doing. I've advanced far beyond what I ever imagined I'd be able to do in a year. (mind you, 12 weeks of being on maternity leave)  

source

I came to the conclusion while being on maternity leave that staying at home wasn't for me. I cherished every minute I was able to have with Mac during those 12 weeks, but I also looked forward to returning to work. After being back in the office and in the swing of things again, I still feel the same way and I will not ever allow myself to feel guilty for being a working mother. For me, having a career helps me keep life in balance. 

Celebrating 4th of July!

It's tradition for us to spend the 4th of July holiday weekend at the lake, and this year was no different except that we had Mac joining us! We loaded up and headed that way Thursday evening after Clete got of work. It was a great weekend spent with family and friends!

Friday morning Mac woke everyone up and was ready to play at 3AM. It was the first time he had been up during the night in weeks, and I think the 3 hour nap he took on the way Thursday evening was the reasoning for this odd occurrence. After he ate and played a bit, we turned on cartoons and he went back to sleep. We then slept a while and once everyone was up Dad made his usual lake breakfast- eggs, biscuits & gravy, and sausage. After breakfast we got around and headed out to the water. My mom and Mac stayed inside Friday, but Honey spent the day out on the boat with us. She had a blast being "the only child" for the day. Ha.

Late afternoon we headed in to grill burgers and get changed before heading back out for fireworks that evening. Mac went to his first firework show, but passed out right before the big show started. 9PM is bedtime, and staying up past 9:30 to watch fireworks just didn't work out this year. 

Saturday we slept in late, then got up and all headed out to the water. Mac loved the boat, and was a trooper! I think next year we will have a little fish as much as he likes the water and to be outside. 

After dinner Saturday evening, we hit the road to come back home. We wanted to have Sunday at home to get things done since I go back to work this week. 

Tomorrow starts a new chapter. I return to work, and start life as a mom with a career. It's very bittersweet {as I sit here with tears in my eyes}. I am looking forward to getting back into a more normal routine, and also looking forward to being around adults. I work with a great group of people, and I know they'll help me get through the first few days of adjusting. I know this week will be an adjustment period, but I'm certain we will all adjust fine! 

It was a great weekend! No better way to end my maternity leave, lots of family time and soaking up sunshine. I'm closing this short little chapter, and tomorrow begins a new one!