How to Get Started with Clean-Eating: Clean-Eating Made Easy!

How can I HELP Louisiana Flood Victims?

Driving through Lousiana on our way home from Destin earlier this week was just... pretty unbelievable.  The flooding devastation is BIG TIME and intense and WIDESPREAD.  I have felt that SURELY there is something more I can do than just donate some money... but what I have found in researching how to BEST provide for the greatest needs in Louisiana is this:  MONETARY donations are actually preferred (to avoid the labor & expense of transporting/sorting/packing/distributing.) Here are a few organizations accepting donations to directly aid the THOUSANDS of flood victims:

 

To donate money to United Way of Louisiana, you can text LAFLOOD to 313131 or visit cauw.org.
  

To donate to the Red Cross, visit redcross.org, or call 1-800-RED CROSS or text the word LAFLOODS to 90999 to make a $10 donation.
  

Second Harvest Food Bank says they will distribute thousands of pounds of food, water, and supplies to flood victims, and are asking supporters to donate here.
  

The Gulf Coast Floods Children’s Relief Fund aims to provide support to specifically help children and families with emergency assistance. Donate here.
  

The Associated Professional Educators of Louisiana has established a relief fund to assist teachers with classroom supplies, which you can donate to here.

RealLife with RoxyB: Momlife. The REALlife version.

As school is beginning and the CRAZY is hitting the FAN... I hope you find this to be an encouragement... and permission to just... do ya thang!
 
This is ‪#‎momlife‬. (And ‪#‎dadlife‬ too😉💗👨‍👩‍👧‍👦).

Whether you have 1 kid or 12.
Whether you're trying to take a photo on the beach or getting everyone to sit still enough for a prayer before dinner.
Sometimes we're on POINT.
Sometimes we're a hot mess.

And that's okay!  I think one of the coolest things I've learned through motherhood is that we each get to paint our own picture of what "successful" parenting looks like. The fundamentals are the same... Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.   I'm sure we could throw a few others in there too...

But that looks different on all of us!  We have parts of that we're AWESOME at.  And then there are areas we kiiind of struggle.  I'm definitely weaker in some areas than others.  Husband is the strong one in the areas I fall a little shorter. And my kids? Well.  From one day to the next you JUST never know.   But!  Jesus closes the gap between our imperfection and that standard we all seem to strive for that NO ONE will ever reach. There is just SO MUCH PEACE... and LIFE... in the knowledge that we get to wake up every morning with a fresh dose of grace and mercy and forgiveness. A clean slate to make life that day as full and fruitful as possible. 

Some days that means DOing a lot. 
Some days that means a whole lot of REST. 
And some days... It's just a crapshoot haha. 

But that is the beauty of ‪#‎REALLIFE‬, my friends. 

I hope we can ALL know (but really EXPERIENCE) the truth of that every day!😊💗🙌 

Subscribe to RoxyB for more musings on #momlife, healthy living, and finding joy in ALL the things of life!

Back in Action...

So it's been a LONG time since I posted an update on this here little webspot.  We've had a LOT going on over the last year.  And let me just say that it has been HAPPY!  Sure, like always, we've had our frustrations and our challenges and our tough days and our trials... but we are loving this life we get to share together.  I mean.  Really.

I'm gonna be back in action around here.  And I'll be posting REGULARLY.  I haven't quite figured out what my blogging sched will be... but I'll post a couple/few times a week... EVERY week.  I need it back in my life!  I miss being to able to read through our memories and hilarity that challenges that are life.  I miss being able to re-read little bits of wisdom and truth that God gives me during the NORMALITY of my days.  I miss seeing a bunch of pics of my little tiny humans and my sweet best bud of a husband and my fun times with loved people ALL in one place! 

And so.  Here we are.  Back to the blog.  Back to the memories.  Back to the oversharing.  But that's just who I am, and that ain't gonna change ;) 

So... here's to re-establishing some fun little online community with people I've never met but still love!  And here's to a virtual journal/diary all over again!

Loves.
ANd happy Thursday!

Aves Kinder Chronicles: Day 7 {Walk The Walk}

So I always said my dream was to live right across the street from our elementary school and wave to my kids from my front porch as they walk across and head to class each morning!  Pleasantville much?  That dream obviously did NOT come to fruition...but I'd say I'm 100% satisfied with the cards life has dealt my fam and me thus far!

Well with this whole drop-off-drama situation, I thought that walking might put a little pep in Aves' step as she heads into school on the daily... and we're testing it out this week!  The walk from the Drop off Line to the front door of the school quickly became the WALK OF DEATH to little Averton... so I'm looking to rewrite The Walk's story a little bit :).

This morning all 3 of my #bradfordbabes strolled from the park over to the school TOGETHER.  Aves loved it.  We found about 875 caterpillars and turned a 5 minute walk into a 15 minute one!  She stopped dead in her tracks once we reached the path that leads into the front doors, but with a little coaxing, I got her to step inside (hand in mine) and then with the help of a front office lady and one of BWE's sweet little teachers, we pried her fingers away from mine and off she went...tear free!  Was there whining?  Yes.  Was there hesistancy?  Absolutely.  Was there a waterfall of distraught tears?  No sir!!!  PROGRESS to the max.  Proud of my girl!

Camo's first day of PreK was today too!  More on my 2nd big girl later.  Proud of my growing baby-nuggets!!
 

Aves' Kinder Chronicles: Week 1

Well.... this is something I've gotta keep track of in a place where I can keep it FOREVER.  It's proving to be QUITE the transition for my sweet girl and thus, for the whole Bradford crew!

Day 4:
Aves was 100% OVER THE MOON that she finally got to go to the library.  She couldn't stop mentioning it while we were on our ice cream date after school.

Speaking of the ice cream date... This morning's drop off was the most traumatic yet.  Sweet girl just... Freaked.  She jumped onto the back of the passenger seat and gripped with ALL of her strength.  She was aBAWLING and yelling "no no NO-o-ooo mommy!  Mommmmyyyyyyy I don't WANNA go.  I wanna stay with youuuu. Mommyyyheeeeeheeeee. Nooooo. No No No NO! {insert shrill scream here}"

The 2 POOR souls who tried to excavate her from the vehicle had no luck, so I was forced to park and walk her in.  And of course I chose this morning to let Camo & Palmer sleep in a little and just put them straight in the car wearing Pjs.  Or... half PJs.  haha... t shirts and pantees/diaper.  Cameron looked SUPER presh but SLIGHTLy inapprop.  And I wasn't wearing a bra.  Hahahaha.  BUT.. I DID THOROUGHLY enjoy getting to actually hug and kiss my little nugget before they tag-teamed peeling her off of me and taking her inside. 

For the record, Aves LOVED her day, and said she always stops crying before she gets to her classroom.  So that's encouraging.  But this drop off meltdown thing is HARD on a momma's heart.  ANywho... I decided that since Brian happened to be home early today (Thanks, God, for the hookup!!,) Aves and I needed a little super focused 1-on-1 time together.  And of course she wanted ice cream.  So off to Mickey D's we went.  She ordered ice cream.  I broke my FIX and got a big old DELICIOUS iced vanilla coffee.  We sat on twirly chairs. I chased her around the place trying to tickle her (because she was begging me to).  We chatted about her day and just random things going on around us.  It was just.  AWESOME.  I rarely get uniterrupted time to be COMPLETELY present with my daughters, and I can't put into words how much I ADORE times like today.  I got to hug on her and love on her and chat with her and LISTEN to her and just.  BE.  BE WITH my GIRL.  

I prayed over her and WITH her a WHOLE bunch today and tonight.  Even while both Aves AND Camo were laying in bed screaming as if posessed by demons because they are exhausted and thrown off their game and just... still babies trying to adjust to a big change.  But.  I'm happy to report that an hour and 7 minutes after getting "to bed," girlfriends are sleeping DEEPLY, awaiting the ugly kindergarten alarm they WILL grow to love ;) 

 

Proud of my Aves and my Cam-Cam and even my little Palmer-bug too <3 br="" nbsp="">

  

Woods Edge... and finally STARTING to settle in!!

So B-Riz and I were CRUSHED to leave LOTS of things in Frisco/McKinney (OF COURSE our friends, mostly but also...) OUR CHURCH!!!  Hope Fellowship was our HOME.  It's where we found our best friends (aka-framily), where we found a place to be FED by a SUPER great and gifted preacher, Mr. John McKinzie.  MAN we miss him.  And them. 

BUT!  I'm pumped to say that we have found a church home here in Spring (well..actually our church is the BACCKKKK of the Woodlands...minor details...).  Woods Edge is a VERY cool place.  A different approach kind of.  Or maybe I should say a different focus?  Different style?  They are BIG on PRAYER.  They are BIG on making Houston a CITY OF GOD (which is so so so so cool).  They are a part of the One Mission, which I think is pretty darn amazing.  They do major work in Israel and CONNECT with the people there.  The preacha-man is a humble, middle-aged, quirky, emotional, wonderful dude.  The more time we spend there, the more at home we are beginning to feel. 

AND!!  They FINALLY have a setup for connecting people to small groups.  They've struggled with that part of things for years (like most churches, i think!) but recently hired a new dude to take that role...the "connections pastor" i think is what they're calling him.  And... he sure as heck is gonna help us CONNECT!  We are SO ready.  We are cravvvving some intimate relationships.  B-Rizzle needs some man-time.  We need some bible study action with other people. 

I did my first women's bible study this summer and met some cool chicas.  Like I said... kind of a different vibe than I'm accustomed to, but I ALWAYS love for God to open my eyes and my heart to new aspects of WHO HE is and what He's calling us/me to.  YAY GOD!

Here's to new beginnings (that take over a year to actually start progressing, ha!)
ANd HERE'S to a church home!! :) 

On depression. And celebrity death. And ISIS...

Well I'm heartbroken to hear of another celeb taking his own life as an end to a long battle with depression.  Depression ALWAYS makes me sad because for some reason, someone decided that it's a shameful thing, and you shouldn't talk about it.  I can't stand that.  It makes me angry and it makes me want to just HUG every person battling depression.  Like... everyday.  800 times a day.  And tell them they're loved.  And LISTEN to them talk.  And spill their feelings and their heart and whatever is going on inside.  I can't imagine feeling so hopeless AND feeling like a fool for feeling that way.  I believe it's a clinical illness, but I also believe it's an instrument of Satan.  One that he knows is powerful and brings along with it so many other complications like guilt and shame.

Celebrities carry SO much weight in this country.  Because we watch them every day.  We hear about them.  Their voice & INFLUENCE are heard on politics, fashion, religion, lifestyle.... EVERYTHING!  It's silly, but it's the truth.  Whether we like it or not, they carry some MAJOR weight when it comes to impacting the lives of the people in this country.  And so... a celebrity suicide is a big deal.  It's a PUBLIC example of a person who, despite "having it all" according to cultural standards, lost ALL HOPE.  Completely and totally felt worthless and hopeless enough to end life.  That's  a BIG deal.  And it's a SAD deal.  Because it's a soul who did not know that there IS HOPE in CHRIST.  I believe that as a follower and lover of Jesus Christ, i SHOULD be bothered and UPSET by that. 

Am I bothered by ISIS and all of the terrible things happening in that part of the world?  ABSOLUTELY rips at my heart and my gut.  I THANK God that their souls are HIS.  I thank God that whatever TERRIBLE death might await those people who are hiding out in the mountains, trying to avoid being murdered or raped or torchered, they will be in eternity with Him when their time here ends.  I PRAY and BEG that He will rescue them from the horrific stuff I've been hearing about.  But again, I am ENCOURAGED by their faith.  That they are taking their belief in our God with them to the ends of the earth at ALL costs.  I am humbled and destroyed by it. 

So with all that's happening in this lovely world we live in, I will say this:  Nothing surprises me, but the reality of suicide, of religious genocide, of people being torchered by other humans OR by Satan himself... will NEVER stop breaking my heart.  I accept that it's a "fallen world" but my heart will ache for the peace of His Kingdom come ALWAYS.  In the meantime, I will pray for the celebrity battling depression, for the innocent child being torchered because he happens to live in a country where Christianity is unacceptable, for the homeless guy I drive by every week, for the orphaned children ALL over the world who are INNOCENT, for my neighbor who is struggling in her marriage... there is no struggle undeserving of compassion and prayer and no tragedy unworthy of attention and tears.  Not in my book.  Because as I understand it, that's how it is in God's book.

Our Father in Heaven, HALLOWED be Your name.  Your Kingdom come, Your Will be done on Earth just as it is in Heaven! Thine is the KINGDOM and the POWER and the GLORY forever!!!!  Have mercy on Your people, God.