Photo Friday!

Happy Friday to everyone, and Happy Birthday to Karli Marie!! ❤

This = the first time we hung out outside of Lifegroup - May 21, 2011 - Jimmy John's with Chet, Bobbi, Michael, and Amanda!

We became FB friends the next day, so yay for a "522" friendiversary! ;-)

Important updates:  JoBug is recovering well and feeling better today, set to be released from the hospital tomorrow afternoon - thankful for that!  Kristen is staying strong spiritually and feeling determined to choose life in every way she can - we had a mutually encouraging talk on Wednesday night.  Praying for a strong and healthy mind, body, soul, and spirit for both of them! ❤

Our Thursday fam dinner was also a graduation party for Jace! =)

Mom got him an expensive Transformer and we made him a wood panel of his Facetime call with Paul Cuffaro - he was pretty thrilled about both! lol

Triston and I had a good talk whilst J&K swam... this = Kyndal "surfing" on Jace's back! lol

I cannot even with this "smoking smarties" trend. lol  I looked over to say something to Rach and saw this out of the corner of my eye, then had to make a gif photo.

Jace:  "YES, I look like Snoop Dogg - I just need sunglasses and braids!" lolol

Cute new table Rach painted for Mom - nice and subtle, as per usual for us. ;-)

When Rach came out to her car, Jace had buckled Optimus in for their ride home. lolol "Safety first!"

He FaceTimed me later that night to show me how he'd set up the Transformers and the Paul pic in his room... here, he's diving dramatically to demonstrate the Transformers scene he's planning to recreate with his toys. lol Mess.  He's a funny one!!

The Jesus flag made me happy during my morning worship-walk today!

I had an encouraging interview at 9:30 with Integrated Therapy Solutions - loved the vibe, very flexible in all the right ways - I'm likely to start my candidacy working nights and weekends there!  HUZZAH!!

Then I had a meet and greet tour of the Federal courthouse in Muskogee... and everything I learned there was also encouraging and promising, so yay God and yay hope - good things are in store, and we shall see which doors He chooses to open!

Resume suggestions from Rach! lol

After all that, I swung by the Peach Barn for some baked pies, then went to the Wilsons for a tiny minute to bring a table for the flower bar tomorrow... here they are making me a Block Party t-shirt - fun!! =)

And my final stop for the day was CHA Graduation from 6:30-8:45ish!  Long ceremony, but I was happy to see Abby and give her the monogram necklace and card!

This made me laugh harder than it should have. lol

Last pic for today = Alan, Dad, Bill W, and Rick at a golf tournament last week... love it!!

It's been a long but productive and happy Friday!  I hope the same is true for you, and hope you have a great Memorial Day weekend ahead!!

❤ ❤ ❤

A Belle Birthday!

Miss Parker Elizabeth (age 4) at her Belle Birthday party! ❤

Impressive dining room decor!

And an awesome balloon garland by Karli Marie!

Present time... Mom wrapped mine and Parker clapped for the bow before even seeing the present! lol

Pic with Ellie, Jeffrey, and Henry before they left!

Yay, pizza!!

True story - "the gray stuff" was cookies and cream icing by Karli - really good!!  Also, "Be Our Guest" is one of my fav songs from Beauty and the Beast, a movie with an exceptional soundtrack to which I know every word!!

Photo by the birthday girl (being held by Bill, so it was from a better high angle - yay).  They had all these fun photo props, but we never took pics of the kids wearing them, so I decided to remedy that before I left! lol

Yum!!  And what a cute Chip cupcake holder! =)  I'm sad Chettles missed out on these with his #sadgflife, but I sincerely applaud his commitment to getting healthier!! 

Healthy snacks and awesome silverware chandeliers by Karli!!

Presents (thanks again to Mom for wrapping mine!)  Parker has the perfect reactionary personality for this part of a party - so much genuine joy and excitement over every fun gift and card! =)

Wilson fam - she was much happier through this whole party than last year's! lol

Legit ice cream cake with an Oreo ganache middle layer by Karli!!

❤❤

The freeze-dance party was entertaining and fun, and a good way to pass the time before the Domino's Pizza arrived!  Here's JEM and Chettles at their best entertaining all the kids! lol

FREEZE... then hop!! lol

I got one pic where I laughed about Chet's side-eye expression, then I made this collage of him and 3-year-old Parker with all the suspicion!! lol

It was raining as I was leaving, and this cute lil' bunny (Tate named him "Muffin") was taking shelter under their van, so of course I snapped a pic of that!! ❤

All in all, I think Parker Elizabeth had a very fun 4th birthday party with pizza, dancing, ice cream cake, and lots of fun friends and presents!
Post-party crash -- cuteness!

I got her a cute doll bed and an Our Generation doll (basically a cheaper and more modern version of American Girl dolls) named Emily... I laughed out loud at these texts from Chet:

Preshface.

❤❤❤

That's all for today, I believe.  It's super rainy and dreary here, but I finally got a really good night's sleep last night, and it has made a world. of. difference. in how I feel physically and emotionally today!! #yaysleep  I sent two important emails this morning, and I feel good about both.  So I'm grateful now for hitting my limit yesterday - I was very tired and *very* sore and feeling mad and sad about lots of things I don't really need to get into here, but I needed to cry and do the work to process it all, so I'm thankful for that overwhelm and the power of extra rest, for a very timely Mel Robbins podcast on trusting yourself and making hard decisions, for a lighthearted night of spaghetti and Scattergories with the fam, for good talks and genuine support lately from Chet Lee and Mom and Kristin, and for feeling a bit of relief and greater clarity about what I want moving forward long-term!  In the near future, I'm currently looking forward to fun dinner plans with Kristin tonight, Kyndal's final 11s club tournament in Tulsa this weekend, and my CCU graduation ceremony next Friday!! #almosthere #getexcited ❤

Four Years of Sunshine

Happy 4th Birthday to my Mini-BFF, Princess Parker!! ❤

"Though she be but little, she is fierce."  ~Shakespeare

Today marks four whole years of sparkles, strong opinions, Disney princess movies, the cutest laugh, and the one-of-a-kind magic that is Miss Parker Elizabeth! ❤

Her mom and dad didn't find out the gender ahead of time, so getting the bow pic was a memorable and happy surprise that called for lots of pink hearts! lol  From the moment she arrived earlier than expected, this tiny preshface has brought color and joy to every room she enters -- the world is truly brighter with her in it!! ❤

As a close friend of the Wilson fam, I have loved watching her grow and seeing her personality develop!  Lately, it makes my day when her eyes light up with excitement and she screams "Lindsey!!" running to hug me when I come over!  Her laugh is contagious and her energy is magnetic, and she does everything wholeheartedly - including her sweet hugs!

Parker is a wonderful combo of playful and silly, opinionated and passionate, sensitive and bold.  She feels things deeply and freely, and (much like her dad) her face is very expressive about those feelings, which means you rarely have to wonder what’s on her heart!

I love that she knows what she wants and how to speak up for it, and she can be entertainingly sassy and strong willed -- not easily swayed into changing her mind!  She also has a kind and caring heart - it's the whole recipe for a wonderful leader down the road!!

She has two incredible parents who have poured love and guidance into her life, along with exceptional grandparents who delight in her and a big brother who is already her protector and sidekick.  With that kind of supportive crew behind her, there's no limit to where she’ll go!
#worldscutestshootingstar

Parker Elizabeth, thanks for being my friend and Facetime buddie and honorary niece, and thanks for posing for so many pics with and for me!  You are a sparkling ray of sunshine in a world that needs more light - keep shining!  You are beautiful inside and out, and I'm grateful for all the pure JOY you bring to the world!  I love and adore you, and I'm here to cheer for and support you however I can as you continue to grow. ❤

God made you very special, and I hope you always get super excited about your birthday, because YOU are worth celebrating big!  I hope this birthday and your much-anticipated Belle party this weekend are all you've been dreaming of -- full of chocolate, candy, ice cream cake, mo-mos (tomatoes), Ranch dressing, bouncy houses, Disney princesses, heels and hair crowns, laughter, fun presents, great friends and family, and everything you love most!!  (And honestly, I hope you continue to feel the safety and freedom to be sad and cry and side-eye the cake if you need to, even at your very own amazing party.)  You are a delight, and I'm excited to see the good things God has in store for you!

Happy 4th Birthday, Mini-Miss!

❤ Love Always,

Your Forever Fan and Honorary Aunt Lindsey

"Let her sleep, for when she wakes,
she will move mountains."

“She is clothed with strength and dignity;

she can laugh at the days to come.”

~Proverbs 31:25

Okay, last but not least, here's a fun slideshow to end this very-extra birthday tribute post! lol

❤ ❤ ❤