Written by: Callie, Brenna, and Kenzie

So, we kind of dropped the ball on our first life update in January 2021. That just means we have more to say this time around! We’ve been super busy as you probably could have guessed, but we’re ready to share how 2021 is treating us so far.

Callie

Honestly, I don’t remember much of January. Oops. I know there was a lot of cleaning the house and getting it ready for photos and showings. Also a lot of not being at the house and driving around or waiting in parking lots down the street while people walked through the house. Not super fun stuff.

February was a lot of the same. We did get an offer on our house in Fort Worth and then had an appraisal scare but after Jason’s sister/our realtor worked some magic it wasn’t as low as we were thinking and now we close on our house on March 9th. Luckily we are leasing it back until April 20th though because we still have no where to go in Conroe! We put an offer in on a house that we both loved but we didn’t get it. The houses are going so fast (literally they are listed and the next day they have 5 offers) so it’s hard for us to find anything. It was also a hard month because I kept thinking about how much I’m going to miss our house here. I love it and even though I want to be closer to family I am so going to miss living here. Like a lot. So I’m trying real hard to find a house in Conroe that we love just as much so that Jason and I aren’t so sad.

And of course the other major thing that happened in February was the snow storm. It was fun for a day or two and then it wasn’t. We got out of it much better than other people did with no broken pipes. We’re super thankful for that especially because we’re selling the house!

And then it was my birthday at the end of the month! We went back to Conroe and hung out with all my friends. Rachael, the one that teaches abroad, is back in the states for a few months and I’m so excited to hang out with her as much as I can while she’s here! Then Natalie visited for a bit. And of course we hung out with Brenna, and even got her big gallery wall hung up in her house which was fun! Them and the family made me feel very loved this year and I’m excited to be back closer to them all.

Overall this month wasn’t the best. I feel like I’ve cried more in the last 28 days than I have in a long time. I just let the stress of selling the house and moving get to me. That and the whole not having a steady job thing (Local Pines isn’t pulling through as a full time job for me yet) since I quit at the end of December to get the house nonsense situated. It all just piled up I guess. I’m hoping that March turns out better. If we could just find an amazing house to buy I think most of my issues would be resolved! But until then I guess I’m going to have to deal with it the best I can. Which is mostly by reading books. I’ve read more books in the last two months than I have in the last two years combined.

Y’all sorry if my section was a bit of a downer. I don’t even have any photos to share. Hopefully Brenna and Kenzie can pick y’all back up with their updates!

Brenna

I don’t even know where to begin! Let’s go back to November so I can bring you up to speed. JT and I found a house that was a friend of a friends and well long story short, it’s ours now. The old owners were renting it back from us until the end of January. SURPRISE. We moved in literally the weekend Texas froze half to death which was totally a God thing because our apartment lost power for FOUR dang days. Like literally our building was the only one without power. Makes no sense, but I’m so happy we are out and never have to go back to that place where the lady with two of the most annoying dogs EVER lives. That’s a story for another day. It was nice being off for a week to get this place situated and organized. I wish I could say I have it completely decorated but it’s not done yet and I don’t anticipate sharing all the deets until like Summer. I FIRMLY believe you can’t rush a good decorating job and I fully intend on taking my time finding neat pieces and really making this house feel like a home.

The weekend of Callie’s birthday, they came over and helped my hang up the gallery wall I had laying out on the floor for like a week which I’m so grateful for because we tweaked it even more and now it’s just perfect! I’ve got one more spot I want to fill in with something neat, I just haven’t found the perfect piece. I’m honestly thinking about pulling one of Pop’s old football pictures out and framing that. He has some neat pictures and I love having those memories around the house for JT.

Okay but other than the whole low key getting a house I have no other updates other than that. School is still going great, and y’all know I could talk about all the things that make my heart burst every single day but I don’t want to bore you. Lemme tell you what thought, I have stepped up my game and put together a fidget box and guys I kid you not, those kids will WORK for a chance to play with those. Also Shelby and I came up with a punch card system for the kids to earn treats with and we are literally WINNING with those two incentive plans. #Proud #survivalmode I’m sure you dying to know if I’m still hustling at Orangetheory and I am of course. I have no plans of quitting any time soon even though my body is tired as well but I’m working hard on resting more and not having FOMO. Which is extremely hard, but I’m staying strong. Oh! I have managed to shed off my Covid+snacking pounds and plus some. Don’t know how other than stress but hey, whatever works? Jk. Okay not really.

I am literally counting down the hours until Spring Break because it will be so nice to not be going 90mph all day every day! Also, I will be so happy to not have to repeat myself 54312969 times a day. However I will miss my little sugars! Here’s a photo dump of what little things I have to report on. Enjoy!

Kenzie

The new year came in as usual - watching the ball drop on the couch with mom and getting into bed by 12:05. But then we spent a weekend at Callie and Jason’s and it snowed! Like a lot which was really cool until Mom and I had to drive home in it. Back at home, I finally got my room all finished up and I love it! Everything is up on the walls and everything.

Things at work are largely the same as always. I really enjoy when I get to bake things and pretty much put up with everything else. Really wanting to bake more at home so if anyone wants to order literally any kind of pastry, holler at your girl.

A team of really great people came out and filmed at Galavants for two whole days. Yasir and Cindy have been photographers and videographers for the corporate world in Houston and are wanting to branch out into more creative work and they filmed our whole process and an entire interview with Brad and I and we are so stoked to see the finished product! They’re going to put together a couple of different videos for us and once they have a name for their business I’ll for sure give it a shoutout with the final product.

Also, as I’m sure you know, Texas just about froze to death so that was interesting. my work was shut down for a week due to the water being shut off which was actually a really nice break and thank the Lord we didn’t lose power. A pipe did burst so we were out of water but just for a bit. Other than that, we played in the snow and ice and got lots of good puppy cuddles.
Callie’s birthday was at the end of the month so we had a small shindig complete with a cookie cake (believe it or not she prefers that to my amazing baking skills ;)). Also, everyone pray for her and Jason to find an amazing house nearby so I’ll get to hang out with them even more!!