5 on Friday

I actually started this post last week...and am just now finishing!  Oh well, thank goodness you can do 5 on Friday ANY Friday!

O     N     E

We are headed back down South one week from tomorrow!

We are going to be gone a little over 3 weeks total (but that includes about 6 travel days), and we are all pretty excited!  We will stop in Nashville for a day on our way down to see friends (and my goddaughter!), spend some time with Bech's family, go to the beach with my family, go to a friend's wedding, then spend some time with my grandparents.  Finally, we will stop in Memphis and Canton, Ohio, on the way home.

As usual, I am planning on some snow cones and sonic drinks, plus a good margarita or two.

And maybe a tan?

T     W     O

I mentioned a couple of weeks ago how we are spending every waking moment outside.  We have been keeping that up!

Last week, we headed to one of Bech's professor's houses for a pizza night.  Liz has been so sweet to us the past two years.  She has fed us multiple times in her home and she always has something fun for Jack to play with or borrow.  Bech, Eric (the other second year MFA student), and I decided to do something nice for her.  So we cooked homemade pizza for her in her bread oven.

By the way, when we talk about what our dream home will look like and have, this is always near the top of Bech's list.  Bech wants a wood fired bread and pizza oven so badly!

Liz let Jack chop some wood for the fire.

Here is Eric working on a pizza at our makeshift table.

The weather was perfect and we had a wonderful time!

Since then, we have played outside, celebrated Memorial Day with a cookout, and visited the city pool.  We gotta soak up this warm, beautiful weather while we can!!!

T     H     R     E     E

As Gil gets old, it is so fun to see these two little boys of mine become friends.  Gil absolutely ADORES his big brother.  He thinks Jack is hilarious (which he usually is).  And Jack is (most of the time) pretty darn sweet to Gil.

I love Gil's face in this picture.  He's not so sure about a big brother kiss.

Jack loves when the two boys get to wear matching outfits.

A couple of months ago, Gil started taking baths with Jack at night.  It is just way easier to only get one bath ready.  They both love it, even though Gil can't play that much yet.

This relationships helps so much with them sharing a room.  Jack thinks it is so cool that Gil is in his room.  Just this morning, I heard noises from their room at 6:30 and walked in to find Jack in Gil's crib talking and laughing with him.  I love my sweet little boys!

F     O     U     R

I've been reading Big Mama and Boo Mama's blogs for YEARS now.  I think I started reading their blogs when we were living in Malawi.  I have even read a couple of the books that they have written.  I just love these two writers.  They are sweet and funny and very Southern.

They've been doing a podcast, Big Boo Cast, for years now, but I've never listened to them.  Podcasts used to terrify me because I had no idea how people accessed them.  But two Christmases ago, my friend showed me how to get the podcast app and then subscribe to podcasts.  So when the bloggers referenced their latest podcast, I decided to try it out.  

Y'all, I am hooked.  It is hilarious.

If you are wanting something serious, this podcast is not for you.  But if you would like to basically listen in to a phone conversation between two Southern women while they discuss their skin care regime, how boot cut jeans are coming back in style, and their shared love for Amy Grant, this, my friend, is the podcast for you.  

F     I     V     E

We are currently in the midst of night training Jackie boy.  Ohmylanta, this is not fun.  I liked regular old potty training better, when I didn't set my alarm for all times of the night.  Why, oh why didn't I do this before Gil started sleeping better?  I could have killed two birds with one stone!

So here's what we are doing:  I cut him off from liquids about an hour before bed.  He goes to the bathroom right before bed (7 pm).  I wake him up to go to the bathroom when I do Gil's dream feed (10:15ish), then again at 2 am then again at 5 am.  It worked last night and we had dry sheets.  But I'm exhausted.  How long do I need to keep doing this before I stop waking him up and he does it on his own?  Any and all advice would be helpful!