The Ragan's... Family of Five: September 2011

Have you seen that movie? {How Does She Do It? starring Sarah Jessica Parker} I haven't, because who has time to go see a movie, but I am thinking, just from seeing the previews, it might be about me... and I even have more kids than her!! Ha!

This will be a very "jump around" style post, because I have literally fried my brain in the last week or so - too much on my mind and not enough hours in the day!

Things I want to tell you before I forget:
*Go to our local theater and watch the movie "Courageous". I plan to do this, this coming weekend. It is a priority. It is a Christian film by the creators of Fireproof. Supposed to be life changing.
*I want to invite you to our revival "Life Summit Ministries" at our church - First Baptist Church of Sulphur Springs. October 2 - 12. 6pm. I expect it to be life changing, as well.

Hmmmm... so three days a week I am working PRN for my same job - HealthSouth Plano Rehab Hospital - marketing for them to develop a new, untouched territory. I have been working hard, with positive response, and look forward to the referrals to start coming soon... I do, however, prefer instant gratification, and in this situation, that is usually not the result. Patience, my dear!

Another three days a week, I am running at 5am with a special group of friends, training for my first half marathon. 13.? miles. Yes, I am going to attempt to run 13.? miles. Sunday, December 4, in Dallas, at White Rock Lake. Prayers please :) I have faith, but it seems a little overwhelming with only 10 more weeks to train. We are running our farthest distance so far on Friday, and that will be five full miles... So far we run atleast 3 miles every time and sometimes 4. I never thought I would even make it to that.

Speaking of running, I am putting together Hopkins County's first ever - annual Turkey Trot 5k Run/Walk in Sulphur Springs on Thanksgiving morning. It will help raise money for great causes - a portion will go to Mother's Culture Club, which gives to local children's charities. The rest will go to Hope4Harper. This is a causes near and dear to my heart - a foundation set up in honor of my cousin's baby girl Harper. Please read her story at http://www.hope4harper.com/. There will be a story in the local newspaper, posters everywhere, billboard advertising, online registration... I mean - we are going ALL out :) AND hopefully, since it will become an annual event, we can raise money to donate to great people every year! Be watching for more details to come within the next week... My brain is going ninety-to-nothing with ideas/plans/to-do lists, so forgive me for being so brief... It is all scribbled down somewhere, and you will see it all soon :) A special thank you to all of my helpers - especially my great friend and running partner, KK... Her creativity is going to make it all the more special, and she has poured her heart into it as well.

The girls... the girls are fabulous! We are going all the time - from school, to babysitters, to soccer games, to church, to hometown football games... and it's a blast. But do you want to hear the best part?? We are LOVING our new home. Several nights we have just played outside, ridden horses (yes! they are finally at the same location as us!), put out hay, {I even learned to drive the tractor!!} worked in the yard, stayed home and cooked dinner simply because there is no where else we would rather be... just life's uncomplicated pleasures... and we are in total LOVE. We even got to sit in our rockers on the front porch and watch the SINGLE storm that has happened since we moved in. The land, the cattle, the trees, the thunder - with my family - Perfection!

Reese is doing fabulous in Kindergarten - she loves Water Oak, loves her teacher, loves the staff, loves to read... she is reading on a second grade level. Tanner and I still can't believe each time she reads to us. It's amazing, and she has a passion for it - so do I, so I am really excited to see her love it so much. She is doing excellent on her soccer team (minus her sassy attitude, which quite frequently gets her in trouble by the coach -her daddy). The difference watching her this year compared to last year is night and day. For those of you with little ones in their first year - hang on - next year will be better :) She scored four goals the first game.

Ramsey - bless her heart - has been sick. She has had everything under the sun, from runny nose to hand/footh/mouth disease, which is spreading like wildfire around our town, to all of the childcare and church nurseries. However, the last few days, she has began to feel better. I would like to see her back to her little singing self... have I mentioned that the 19 month old child can probably sing 30+ songs? This is nursery rhymes to popular songs on the radio, to church songs. She can have a complete conversation with you. Everyone we come in contact with can not believe how well she can talk. Including her pediatrician. She is so much fun right now, and constantly keeps us on our toes. She is crazy about her sisters, which makes my heart swell with joy too :)

Ryan! She is almost six months old!! Where does the time go?! I don't want her to grow up at all - I snuggle and cradle her all that I can, but she is much happier standing in my lap and bouncing - a familiar action she also loves to do in her doorway jumper. She is the happiest baby I have ever seen. She actually sat through the entire homecoming football game last week without so much as a whimper. The last 8 minutes of the fourth quarter, I guess she got tired of smiling, took her paci and passed smooth out. She is a pleasure to have, and is completely entertained watching her big sisters. She is almost sitting up, rolling over one way and almost the other, eating cereal and about to start baby food. I will cry when she crosses all of these lines, because right now she is still my baby. I love every minute of her! And the three combined makes my heart melt - such fun ages, all of them. I wish they could stay just like they are forever.

Tanner - chipper as ever ;) - especially now that football season is in full swing. I wonder sometimes which one of us he loves the most - me or football - but I guess I win... I can tell by how hard he works to provide for our family. He is still selling all of the cattle right out of Texas, where it continues to be as dry as a bone. Saturday, he did manage to get home at 10pm, which was a true gift from God. But most days continue to be as busy and long as usual. Still praying for rain. I love my husband, have I mentioned that?!

The house... the house is DONE! We have come so far. Right after we moved in, as VP of MCC this year, I committed to hosting our first official meeting at my new home (tradition in mother's club for the vice president). Anyhow, I thought it would be a great deadline for Tann and I to have our project completed... And it came way too fast. But through blood, sweat, and tears [and money!], we finished, and the meeting was a success - I hosted 35 women in my new home! And when it was over, I got a chiropractic adjustment and a massage. I think the chiropractor pulled my neck out of my shoulders 3 inches - that is how tense and stresssed I had been! Glad to have it behind me, but mostly glad to have my house completed! Sure, there are a few small weekend projects to tackle - nothing major at all, just cutesy ideas ~ some Pinterest inspired ~ but they will come much later. For now I am just sitting back and enjoying my new home with my babies and husband.

Okay - have I missed anything?? Oh, yes... Pictures. Here they are... and I will see you again sooner than later!

Reese's room... Bought bed for $35 at Goodwill... (brand new mattress) Painter's painted it white along with the rest of her existing furniture... Splurge on the bedding from Pottery Barn, and signature touch - canvas painted by my mom over the bed = Success!