We squeezed 25 people into 1,600 square feet...

...and I may actually be stretching it a little to say our house is 1,600 square feet. Perhaps it is if you count the garage!

Vaught turned two on Sunday, and we had such an amazing time celebrating him!

Sliding into 2 like...

Last year, we rented a pavilion at our city park for his birthday party. Although the party was fantastic, I didn't want to have his birthday party at separate venue we had to decorate and tear down and go through all the trouble of getting decorations and party supplies (my in-laws were an enormous help for both his birthday parties, as they took care of most of this for us).

I don't mind messes, but this year I decided that if I was going to clean up a mess, I'd much rather it be in my own house. I wanted to have the option to leave it be a few days if I didn't feel like cleaning up right after the party (I did though, and I'm glad I got it out of the way)!

What do two-year-olds love more than a giant bounce house?! Aside from an empty cardboard box, nothing! We rented a bounce house from iBounce Rentals in Memphis. They brought the bounce house to us that morning and set it up in under ten minutes; they are fast!

Our guests began arriving around 1, though the party didn't officially start until 2. We had family and friends (mostly family!) come from all over to celebrate Vaught. His great-grandparents from Meridian were there, and we had a couple of friends who drove over an hour to party with us.

L-R: Grandmommy, Buck (Eric's dad), Vaught, and Eric

I'm not exactly sure if Vaught knew what was going on, but that boy had a blast! He could have played in the bounce house all day. Like me, his little face turns blood-red if he's outside for too long, so we did have to take a few cool-down breaks. I believe the temperature hit ninety-six during the birthday party. It was HOT.

My nephew, Rylan, and my brother, Joe Keith

We did presents and cake around three o'clock then played some more in the bounce house. Some of us grownups got in the bouncey castle too, but we could only hang for a few minutes. I miss that about being a kid--the heat never bothers them!

Vaught and Darby are besties when they see one another!

Friends don't let friends open presents alone!

Hanging out in his new recliner!

We had a blast at his party this year, and I'm so thankful for our family and friends who came from near and far to celebrate! Thank you for squeezing into our tiny house and for helping us slide into two years old!

We love and appreciate all of you!

26 Things I Learned While Being 25

Technically, I just completed my 26th year of living and am now working to complete my 27th, so don't let this post confuse you (yes, I'm 26 years old).
In no particular order, here are 26 things I learned in my 26th year.

1. Playing with fire gets you burned.
2. There is never a "right time.." For anything.
3. You absolutely must put your family first.
4. Being selfish is okay too.
5. If you hate what you're doing every day, it's imperative that you do something different.
6. People love to talk about what they don't know about.
7. If most people are really skeptical about it, it's probably a good idea.
8. You don't have to agree with everyone, but listen to what they have to say.
9. In America, you can make a career out of being offended.
10. You cannot do the same thing over and over and expect different results.
11. People treat you how they feel about you; listen to them.
12. It is okay to be angry; it is never okay to be cruel.
13. Always have a backup plan.
14. Goals are important. Don't throw them around, and don't let anyone make you feel bad about them. Get a few. Share them. Make them known.
15. Some people just plain suck.
16. Helping others is an amazing way to spend your time.
17. You don't really need the burger and the fries. You'll be just as satisfied with a salad or veggies.
18. Milkshakes make even the worst days a little better.
19. You absolutely have to pay your bills on time.
20. I don't really care who uses what bathroom at Target. I'm going to shop there anyway.
21. We're all a little broken, really.
22. Compassion is a quality in only the best people.
23. You'll never regret that workout you really don't feel like doing.
24. Don't skip your mortgage to buy the bag... Don't do it, Kate.
25. I can handle anything.
26. I'm much stronger than I thought at 25 or 24 or 16.