So, it's a beautiful Wednesday morning. I love Wednesdays... HUMP day. It is one of the first chilly panhandle mornings of fall and the mornings stay dark till almost noon... okay, not really, but 11:30 or so.=) We are on the faaaaaaar edge of the central time zone so we enjoy it saying light in the evenings longer and staying very dark in the mornings. I grew up in Tennessee on the other edge of the central time zone where it turns night at noon... ok maybe 12:30 =)... That is one thing that I can say without a doubt I like better about living in West Texas. It makes for cozy mornings and more time to enjoy the outdoors in the evenings.... WOW.... I totally just digressed.  

So, this lovely chilly snuggly Hump Day morning has me thinking about SNOW and hot chocolate. A bunch of life's wonderful little things kept popping into my mind. So, I figure it's time to do my ever so often list of "Holly's Favorite Things"! I know... the excitement is just too much. Do not roll your eyes at me... you know you love it. =) Or maybe you don't but just read it anyway. =)

One of my most favoritest recipes for fall is Pioneer Woman's Tortilla Soup. Y'all it is awesome. It's husband and child approved... even the left overs and that right there is a true success... we tend to HATE leftovers here in the McNeely home. It's totally yummy and filling. Go here and check out the lovely-ness! 

One of my favorite books EVER is called The Giver. I read it back a few centuries ago when I was attending the beautiful Kingston Springs Elementary School. It was sooooo good and I remember just wanting to read more and more. Then a couple years ago the big Hunger Games phenomenon came about. I love those books as well, but thought the whole time that it was just the newer version of The Giver. I nearly did a triple luxe double back flip yesterday when I heard that they are making a movie of the book. It will be interesting to see how the movie comes together... it could be a total flop, but I have hope it will be awesome just like the book. There are some pretty impressive actors set to be in the movie including Meryl Streep and Jeff Bridges.... I am stoked for this one.

One of my other new found favorite things is this new liquid eye liner. I am not sure why I have always been scared to use the liquid, but it always freaked me out since I do not have a steady hand. I finally bit the bullet and got some after my pencil liner kept smudging all over the place. It's Maybelline Master Duo. Try it out.

I have a couple of Pinterest finds that I absolutely love. I do not own these things, but I reallllllly hope to one day. They are just full of awesomeness! First is this adorable sweatshirt. 

How cute is that.... I would love to have it. It talks about my favorite person and it is my favorite piece of clothing ever... a pullover. Ahhhh. It is meant to be. =) 

Then this little gem of a shirt... It speaks for it's self. Just need a different color, because yellow and me do not work.

Next is probably my most favorite of my favorite things. It's The Message Bible/ the remix. It's translated by Eugene H. Peterson. Here is the description from the website, "Translator Eugene Peterson worked from the original Greek and Hebrew texts to create The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language. Written in American-English, the words we use in our daily conversations at home and in the workplace, The Message has sold over 16 million copies and influenced the lives of people around the world."  I love reading through The Message along with my KJV Bible to help me understand and relate better to the words. You should check it out.... and guess what? They have it in neon pink! =) Here is what my copy looks like.

Last but not least on my list of favorite things.

FALL.

I do miss my Tennessee Fall.... nothing like the beauty of the changing seasons.

 Pumpkins!!!

Coffee

I hope your day is filled with all of your favorite things and lots and lots of love and laughter. 

-Holly

Tuesday Ramblings

• The wind is blowing... like blowing hard enough you need to hold onto your hats, wigs, and small children when walking outside.  It hasn't rained in a long while. The sky is so dirty from the dried cow poo and freshly plowed dirt from the neighboring fields. I should be used to this from living in the Texas Panhandle for over eight years now, but I guess you never really get used to a sky filled with flying cow matter!

• My Nannie had surgery this morning to fix her blocked carotid artery. Things seemed to have gone smoothly!!! Our God is wonderFULL! 

• I am in the process of giving up lots of my PTO responsibilities. I am a stay at home mom, because I want to stay at home with my kids. Being this is Ari's last year before he starts kindergarten I have decided to step back from the school and spend more uninterrupted time with my sweet boy! I will still volunteer my time and head up events, just not be present as much! 

• The new show called "The Black List" is awesome. It is one of those sit on the edge of your seat shows. It's my favorite show since 24! I can't wait for that one to come back on in 2014.

• My little boy just randomly says "I love you" all throughout his day. He will make an amazing husband one day with his loving nature and hardworking personality. His favorite activity is to make everyone else laugh! He is good at it too! 

• My little angel girl is brilliant. Her smarts impress me! Her teacher gives spelling words based on ability. So not all students in the class are on the same spelling words. Anika is on the hardest level and still only missed one on her first run through of the words. Her reading level is way above 2nd grade and she is very good in math! I am so proud of her hard work ethic. She is always well behaved and is always on the best color. I am super proud of that little tootie bear.

• I can tell I am getting old, because I am beyond excited about getting a new front door. =) Never knew that things like that would excite me so much.

• Every person you meet today probably has something going on in life that is not perfect. It may be a different challenge than the one you are facing. It may seem petty and small, but it could be huge to them. So, if a person is a little off or grumpy, don't assume they are just jerks. You never know what's going on with them in secret. 

• My brother is awesome! He would do anything for me. He often tormented me as a kid, but as far as grown ups go he is one of the best around.

• I have lost 4 pounds since starting to workout again. May not seem like a TON, but to me it's a lot. Each pound is like prying my Ari off of his John Deere Tractor to go to bed... stubborn and unwilling to just go...

• Ari has learned 10 letter sounds in his beginning reading book. He can read 15 or so words now and is just chugging along. 

• Anika is progressing in piano very well. She doesn't love to practice, but she loves to play and make up "her own" songs. She is currently playing Mickey Mouse Song, Jingle Bells, Brady Bunch, and The Bubble Gum Song. It's amusing to watch her play. She bops her head right along with the beat. 

• I am am still reading Soul Detox. I am reading through it slowly to really let it all sink in. It is very very good and soul stirring. You should pick up a copy.

• I am also reading Made to Crave. A book about a woman's weight loss journey and how she finally succeeded with replacing her food craving with cravings for God. It seems pretty good and a real so far. I will keep you up to date. 

• Miley Cyrus is one lost girl, but I really wish she could figure out Hollywood life and get her life back on track. She is very talented and I love her voice, but she needs some major Jesus in her life! 

• The Civil Wars are my musical loves this week.

• Mary Magdalene was a great example to all of us Woman. She shows you that even Woman can do things for Jesus! 

• I wanna go on a cruise sooooooo bad. Anyone wanna take me?

• Volunteers are next to impossible to find. I am seriously forlorn about how to get more volunteers to help with school PTO. No one wants to help and the ones that want too can't won't find the time to give a few hours once a month.

• All people have tendencies that can cause harm to their souls. Addictions and addictive personalities can be past down in genes. Tendencies are just that though... We all have the power to overcome our addictions, because we have a friend called Jesus and an amazing God who can overcome the darkest of circumstances! Sexual promiscuity, alcohol, prescription drugs, food.... whatever it might be. We do not have to act on these tendencies. 

• It's the season for pumpkin everything.... and I love it!

• I am done rambling. =) Have a great day and if you made it all the way to the end of this ever long list of nothingness.... you are a rock star! 

-Holly

Crazy-ness and the oh goodness NO's!

What a week. It has been a busy hectic one to say the least, and what is funny is that I thought it would be a slow week. I should know by now that I shouldn't think things are gonna be smooth sailing... I always get proved wrong. I enjoy my hectic life, but I admit that this week proved a little challenging... and what really takes the cake are the comments such as, " oh how nice to be able to sit at home and be a stay at home mom." To that I said.... nothing. Because momma always told me if I don't have anything nice to say then don't say anything at all!" I wish there were days that I could sit at home and do nothing, but yeah... that's not gonna happen. I am a wife.... I take that role seriously.  I try and provide a loving and relaxing home atmosphere for my hard working husband. Always trying to be positive and trying to be a cheerleader in my man's life. Yes, I am a momma of two wonderful children. YES, I believe it is my calling in life. I am raising two of the future's adults. Praying they become useful to society and more importantly soldiers for our God! I spend 3 days of my week volunteering for my children's school running our Parent Teacher Organization and numerous extra hours at home preparing for events, shopping for our school store, ordering shirts, and planning canned food drives... FOR free. I also am homeschooling my youngest in K-4 four days a week instead of putting him in a regular daycare/preschool. I coach 10 beautiful 2nd graders in volleyball and devote time and love to them each week. Along with helping teachers prepare things for their classrooms. Yeah... all the sitting on the couch eating bon bons is really fun. =) HA. 

This week along with all my usual obligatory chauffeuring, chef, PTO, Momma, teacher's helper, after school play date maker, coach, tutor, teacher, lover, kisser of boo boos, and wifey duties I had to add another hat to my collection.... an exterminator hat. I hate that hat!!! With a passion. That hat means that I am a MOUSE catcher. I hate mice. Like, hate them a lot. Not as much as I loathe snakes, but close. They are gross and fast and INVADING my HOME. Yuckola. My little boy and I have chased and caught and smashed 3 mice INSIDE and we have caught 7 in traps out in the garage. We live out in the country on the corner of a crop circle in the midst of fields.... lots and lots of fields. Our whole yard is surrounded by fields which are now being harvested. I know the little critters are being driven out of their homes, but it is not okay to come join me and my family. Oh GOODNESS these creatures are giving me a run for my money. Every movement and every sound freaks me out, because I am just sure it is another mouse. It's not good. It's stressing me out y'all. I even went and got a new Momma cat to help with the "Killing at the McNeely's"! 

So, yeah I have been busy. No, I have NOT been watching Soap Opera's while eating chicken salad on croissants, getting mani/pedis all the while shopping with my fully loaded credit card while I whisk my kids off to school and the local mother's day out. It's not like that. So quit assuming. 

Why are mother's so judgmental of each other. Aren't most of us trying to do the best we can. I do not know a single mother who wants the "worst" for their child. We all do things differently, or course, but different doesn't always mean AWFUL. Some mother's work. They work hard for their children to give them a good life and they do the best they can to juggle all that life throws at them. Some mother's raise their kids by themselves. Maybe their spouse died or left them to fend for themselves. They have to bust their booties for their children. Then there are the part time working moms who work the night shift to spend days with their kids. The Helicopter moms. The Tiger Moms. The homeschool moms. The "Let the Child Choose" moms.  The stay at home mom. The "Super mom". The "let them cry it out moms". The "never let them cry moms". The "Shelterer". The "Give'm Space" mom. There are a million ways to parent. Guidance and suggestions can sometimes be helpful, but my goodness lets not be so mean and judgmental.  Most mom's are probably trying their very best to be the very best for their kids. So lets give each other a break and be gentle with one another. The world is cruel enough without the mommas guilt tripping each other. So working mommas QUIT dumbing down the stay at home moms. Stay at home moms quit guilt tripping the working moms. We are all on the same team. The team that is building tomorrow's grown ups... So, let's teach our daughters that each of us may mother differently, but it's okay. Teach them to pray for guidance for their "calling" in life. Whether they may be the next CEO or the next PTO president, my hope is that they can respect others and work hard where ever their lives may lead them. 

-Holly