seven is awesome

Today was Lucas' 7th birthday and rather low key but yesterday we 

had a little birthday bash.  Just a couple friends, but a rowdy water balloon

fight that included getting me wet.

The weather was perfect...sweltering actually.  It felt good to get wet and have a nice cold glass of lemonade.  We rarely have birthday parties that extend outside of our family, but this year when he mentioned having a water balloon fight I decided that every good water balloon fight should include some friends.  Even though it took me 2 hours to fill the balloons and less than 10 minutes (or maybe even 5) to pop all of them it was worth the effort.

Love this picture of him!  Not so much of me, but it's not too often 

I get to appear in pictures too so I'll take it!

Lucas,

You are a sweetheart!  Your toothless grin melts my heart.  It is a sweet sign that you are indeed growing up.  I'm so grateful that you still love to give and receive hugs and kisses.  So, I'll give you as many as I can now.  You are starting to be a big help with your brother and I love how you desire to be daddy's right handyman.  You are so inquisitive.  Your mind goes 1,000 miles a minute, but that definitely makes you who you are.  You amaze me almost everyday with some fact, usually math, that you share with us.  It's a gift from God.  It certainly isn't anything we have done.

 He has given you a mind that easily grasps certain concepts and I can't wait to see how the

Lord uses that in your life.  You thrive on being silly and you have the most awesome dance moves!

I love you, buddy, with all my being.  I am blessed to be your momma.

Happy Birthday, Big Guy!

A Perfectly Good Weekend

I figured it was about time for an update.  It's been rather busy here the past few months with work, homeschooling and a very curious little boy.  We now have a freakishly talented climber in our family (see evidence of such cutie below).  I'm about to invest in some repelling equipment so he can safely lower himself from the precarious situations he puts himself in.  I've also been picking up some extra hours to help out during a slow period for Brian's business, so that eats up any extra free time I may have been able to eek out of a day... and that's OK most days.  You do what you have to do to make it as a family.

But, this week was fabulous.  I only worked one day and the weather was superb.  This weekend alone was so much fun.  We spent a lot of time playing.  Speaking of playing, I'm a bit obsessed with Instagram the past few days, as evidenced by all my pictures in this post.  It's been fun capturing everyday events with a fun little twist using my phone.  I don't always have my camera nearby, but I always have my phone in my pocket. 

Well, enough of that rabbit trail.  Without further ado, here are a few pictures capturing our fun weekend:

Practicing some climbing skills

Swinging a bunch and playing at least 30 games of Hi Ho Cheerio!  (Complete with princess attire.)

Enjoying the beautiful Irises and Poppies.

A lovely Sunday picnic lunch.

 

 

A hike at a local wetlands

Just like big brother

Taking a rest on the walkway

And to top it off we stopped for ice cream to cool us down afterward.  I just cherish these sweet moments with my family.  I feel completely and utterly blessed tonight.

Hope your weekend was full of wonderful too!

Ten Years

(photo courtesy of Sycamore Lane Photography)

One decade since we said yes.
Yes to whatever may come.
Yes to the good. Yes to the bad.
Yes to never calling it quits.

Ten years have given us more than we could have ever imagined.
Good and bad.
I would never change a thing.
We are who we are because of the path our hearts
have traveled together.

I love you.

The Best Part of Waking Up...

There's nothing like starting your morning with a mouthful of old coffee grounds.
Could it be there is someone in the family who loves
coffee more than me?

Still Here

Hello there! Yes, I'm still here. I'm just having major writer's block...not that I write a whole lot anyway :). A quick update of random stuff:

• We're back to homeschooling. One of the fun things we've been able to do is coincide our study of seeds with a sprout kit Aunt Katie gave the kids for Christmas. The kids have loved watching the changes occur.
• This mild winter weather has allowed for a lot of muddy, outdoor play.
  
• I have a few sewing projects I've been finishing up. Pictures to come eventually.
• As far as new goals for the year, I have a few areas I'm working on, but I've been contemplating them since early December so we don't have to call them "resolutions" do we? :)
• We have been feeding the birds this winter and it's been so nice to see the cheerful red of the cardinal, the sweet black cap of the chickadee, the adorable eyes of the tufted titmouse and the climbing antics of the nuthatch. They make me happy.
• I've been very introspective lately. It makes me quiet. Thoughtful. It's like I can't think about much else until I resolve things in my mind. I'm not sure that's a good quality for those around me, but it leads me to the Lord for his leading and direction. Time spent pondering with Him is a good thing.

Here's hoping your winter is off to a good start... resolutions or not! :)

"one"derful!

Today marks a year when in the wee hours of the morning our sweet boy was born. He was laid in my arms and for the third time in my life I thought I'd never seen anything more precious. To think, after our miscarriages we decided to try just once more. And look at what God's gracious hand gave us. We know he is a gift. He belongs to God, as do our other kids. He is not ours to selfishly hold on to, but it raise up to bring glory to Him. I'm just so incredibly grateful that He chose us, in His perfect plan, to have such precious gift. Thank you, Lord.

Ethan, you are:

• My sweet rascal. You are laid back, yet determined. I don't know how those two character traits coexist, but you pull it off! Curious should be your middle name.
  
• You are a jokster. You tease me already in your own little way.
  
• I love it when you smile and crinkle your nose. Oh, it warms my heart!
• You love the outdoors more than any other place! Absolute glee exudes from you when we step outside to play.
  
• You are quite the conversationalist. I love your jibber-jabber.
• I cherish our snuggle time. Your silky hair on my cheek is good medicine.
• ...and your laugh is music.

Happiest of birthdays to you! We love you!

11 Months...And So It Begins.

It really all started yesterday. First, two separate attemps at four steps each, then nine. He still prefers crawling, but occasionally I catch him taking a few careful steps on his own. I'm excited, proud... and maybe just a tiny bit sad. How can my baby be almost a year old? I'm so grateful for him. What a sweet addition to our family!