happy new year!!!!

Can't believe 2013 lurks around the corner....just a little over 7 hours away.  I have to say that I am somewhat grateful for a new year.  This is been a bit of a blah year for me. Yes, we have been blessed beyond measure, but there is just some bit of dissatisfaction with the way things have gone.  It has been a hard year!!!  But honestly, I know the discontent is with in my self and I will search out the Father's heart for what this year holds.  That is what I intend to do...I will not spend another month or year in this funk.  My brain is churning with all the things I would like to change fix revamp consider polish rethink...don't even know the word that best fits.

I had pretty much quit blogging because I just simply didn't make the time. As looked back through all the posts, I see what a story it tells of my precious family. So blog I will continue to do...they are growing ever so quickly and I want to document each moment to love and cherish for later years.

happy.new.year my friends...may 2013 be the best of our lives.  may God open doors in our lives that allow us to experience His fullness.  may we enjoy each breath that He has given.  my prayer is that we each treasure every second with our precious families this year.

many blessings from our family to your family....we are blessed to have each of you in our lives.

ordinary days

For the past few months, I have been thinking how I needed to get back to blogging, but just simply didn't sit down long enough to do it, or I really didn't feel I had anything to say.  Mostly because nothing really exciting goes on in our day to day lives.  Nothing many others would surely care much about anyway.  But, this week I watched a YouTube video about ordinary days, and realized I should be so grateful for ordinary days of cereal for breakfast, uneventful school days, kids not wanting to do homework, chores, cooking dinner, baths, and finally tucking them all in bed before I fall into bed myself.




So, as I woke this morning, I try to appreciate the gift of an ordinary day.  It may be wild, crazy, and try my patience from beginning to end.  But I love being the mom of this crazy crew!!!

For now, I will try to do better to share our ordinary days.  Blessings!!!

just sitting here

Curled up in our comfy, old, blue recliner with coffee in hand....thinking.  My house is really quiet this morning.  The kids are all still asleep so it gives me a chance to sit and think.  Scary, right!!!

What am I thinking....

I have a precious cousin that is just about a month away from having a baby.  We are having a shower soon to lavish her with "Mommy Survival" gifts.  What will I include?  It hasn't been all that long ago that I was in her shoes and I still remember those first few weeks in survival mode.  What items were indispensable in those days?

How I miss blogging.  Blogging has definitely been a sporadic thing for many months now.  Sometimes I just felt like I had nothing worthy to say.  But then again, my amazing family and blogging friends I have made have missed seeing my family growing for several months.  That was really the whole point of this blog anyway.

I hear "Ready Mom" from the upstairs.  That is Cydney's call that she is ready to get up.  I guess that means my "thinking" is over for now.

wild olive tee winner

Thanks to all of you that left a comment on my blog to get entered in the drawing.  There were 11 of you that commented.  I chose the winner by going to Random.org...entering the number of entries and it randomly chooses the winner number.  I see this method used on many of the blogs that I read, and I feel this is the most fair ways of choosing a winner.   Especially when I know and love so many of you, and I want you all to win.  But sorry, I can't afford to buy you all a shirt...wish I could!!

So....on with the show.  Comment #11 was my sweet sister Ansley.  Ansley didn't choose a design that she liked, so I guess I get to decide which design she will get.  Yeah, for me.  I know exactly which one I am going to get her.  I guess she will have to wait and see what I choose.  

Thanks again for all of you that left a comment.  This was such fun.  I will have to do it again.  Wonder what we could celebrate next???  I will be thinking.

Have a blessed Monday!!!

did you notice...

...I changed the font????  I have read several “how-to” blog posts to change the font for each post.  Frankly, I just don’t get it.  I am not that HTML savvy to do all that tweaking without messing something up seriously.  While blog browsing Tuesday night, I noticed one of my blog friends (she is also another of my real life friends) had changed the font in her posts.  I had to find out how!!!  

And it was quit simple.  Imagine that!!!  I love simple.  I just typed my blog post into a word document, set it to size 16 font, chose the font I want published (papyrus is one of my favs), copy and paste....VOILA!!!  It is that simple.

And I do love that little extra that it gives each post.  I could even change each post if I wanted.  Just thought I would share my new knowledge.  Thanks Jennifer!!!

one year ago....

***Contest Closed****

...I began sharing the good, the bad, and the ugly of the Kirkland Klan.  What a fun year it has been.  There have been many memorable moments...some I would relive, others I think I will not.  I can't believe how my kids have grown and changed in a years times.  I wish I could slow down the clock and keep them this age for a while.  They are such fun!!!

In celebrating this one year anniversary, I am going to give one lucky person a brand new shirt from one of my favorite places.  You guessed it....Wild Olive Tees.  I once was a winner of a Wild Olive Tee in one of their contests. I absolutely L.O.V.E.  the shirt I chose...one of my favorite scriptures.  I have since purchased these shirts as gifts for some of my favorite people.  To get your name in the drawing...visit the Wild Olive website.  Leave a comment below this post and tell me which Wild Olive tee you would choose if you are the winner.  I will accept comments/entries until Sunday at 8pm CST.  I will then randomly choose a winner from all entries.  So don't delay...get those entries in soon!!!

As I lay here on the bed tonight, I don't really have much to say.  We just got in from one of my niece's birthday party.  We cooked out...it was a perfect day here in the Texas Panhandle for cooking out.  Tomorrow the wind is supposed to show it's nasty head again.  Makes us appreciate these beautiful days when we have them.

Calleigh is taking her reading TAKS test tomorrow.  For those of you out of state, it is our state assessment.  I fully expect her to do well, but I would appreciate your prayers for peace of mind as she works through the test.  My 7th graders will also be TAKS testing, and I would so much love your prayers for them as well.

My house is super quiet...all are tucked in their beds.  I believe I will take that as my cue to jump in my own.  I hope your Wednesday is wonderful...many blessings

Oh...and don't forget to leave a comment to win your very own Wild Olive tee by Sunday!!

I am not being compensated in any way by Wild Olive Tees.

Hear Ye!! Hear Ye!!!

An exciting change for "The Kirkland's" blog ...

Since the birth of our blog, I have sent an email to all of our sweet friends each time I added a new post. Most of the time I would remember, sometimes I would forget. After searching log and hard, I found a way that I could get a feedburner (nevermind the terminology!!) to do it for me. I am soooo excited!

Here is how it works...

After you read this post, scroll down past the pictures of the kids, past my favorite blogs, a little further beyond the buttons of some of my favorite items, and even past the blog archives. When you see "Follow Me"...STOP!! When you see "Subscribe to the Kirkland's by email"...CLICK IT!!! Enter your email address and follow the on screen prompts.

One last step...you must confirm this through your email before you will receive updates. Check your email and click on the link to confirm.

VOILA!!! You did it!! BRAVO!! From this day forward, you will receive an email each time I update the blog. Hope your as excited as I am.

i got it!!!

I finally figured our an easy way yo blog from my phone. Of course...now that all my vacations are over. Oh well!! I am so pumped because now I can take all you (my sweet friends) right along with me wher' ever I go. Lucky you. Better buckle up and hold on tight. This may just be the ride of your life.

Just a quick picture of our dentist visits yesterday. Cydney got her first toothbrush for her ONE tooth.






It doesn't take long to brush her one tooth so she thought Carson needed a little extra help.






Cydney also had her ONE year check up with our pediatrician. She is weighing in at 24lbs. 14oz. She is a big girl. She had to have three shots...heartbreaking...for her (and all of watching!). But our precious nurse brought in a sucker. Immediately life was good!!





Blessings to you all~
@m¥

--Post From My iPhone