18 May 2015

volvo ocean race

nora's class

selfie...

some friends!

learning to be a diver!

with her amazing teacher!

another selfie

on the bus

with her sweet friend

teaching knitting lessons!

i gave nora my old (disabled) phone to use as a camera.  she took 136 pictures on her field trip.  and had a blast!  

13 May 2015

outside!

at the park with this one... on the swing!

this girl wanted to do her homework there...

and the boy wanted an apple and to sit with his sister.  

getting so big- driving his "car"

he had his stuffs with him to play with...  

minecraft and pokemon.

my big girl... enjoying the outdoors!

on a family walk.  

my view for the walk.  i love those toes!!!

carpool....

such a big baby!!!

so grown up and intent on reading!

why buy toys?  seriously??  he empties those cabinets EVERY. DAY.  
but i leave it there because he's so entertained by it all!!!

today was our last MOPS for the year... i can't believe it's over.  a year ago, i wasn't totally positive i was going to do MOPS again, and then i ended up leading the thing!  it was a great year, and so fun to watch God working so much, in my life and in the lives of so many women.  so thankful!



11 May 2015

going to the zoo, zoo, zoo...

this boy...  

with his buddy, p!

eating a snack. 

watching the sea lions!

petting the goats...

loving the goats.

brushing the goats.  
i think he would have moved in with the goats...

this little boy.  he has my heart!

i love watching him sleep... felt a little creepy, but didn't pick him up like in the book!  and really didn't want to wake him!  but, he's so big and yet still so little.  

and then this one...  

he wants to be big!

like, put me in coach!!!

see me dribble???

oh, my children are a joy to my soul.  i am so thankful for them.  

10 May 2015

it's the one i wanted...

this boy insisted he wasn't sleepy...

but it's rough being larry boy all day!

mickey ears!

what happens when i leave my phone unattended!

this was supposed to be a panoramic photo- but they jumped a bit!

best buddies...  in their rocket ship!

playing outside!  yay for nice weather!

this girl's face made contact with her brother.  thankfully, her tooth was already loose...

it's mother's day.  and i know that means i have a lot of friends mourning the loss of either their babies or their own mothers.  and while in some fantasy it might mean no work or sleeping in, i also don't think that's realistic.  i am the mother.  i don't meant that in a "woe is me" way.  

i also know that my husband does an amazing job EVERY DAY, cooking dinner, doing bedtime, making life just generally easy for me!  so it feels kinda selfish to say i want more!!  

i got woken up to breakfast in bed today.  my first ever as a mom!  it was so sweet...  she must have gotten up as soon as she saw a sliver of sun- because it was 5:28 when i got breakfast delivered.  

speaking of sun- it's been staying darker later.  and i want to have a neighborhood meeting- parents, can we get our kids on the same schedule?  i would even be willing to let our kids stay up just a bit later!  but, we keep getting the doorbell rung as we are putting kids to bed, asking if they can play.  and that makes my kids so sad!!!

i think we might adjust bedtime this summer... at least for a bit, and for the older ones.  i mean, it doesn't get dark until 9pm.  but i feel like the grinch saying my kids are in bed every night...

back to moms.  my kids had their flowers from school...  nora brought them home from school on friday and hid them in her room, on her windowsill (so they still got sun) and watered them all weekend.  so they would be a surprise today.  that girl- she blesses my heart so much!  and i cannot believe how grown up she is!

she made breakfast all by herself.  it was so precious!  she broke something special while doing it and was just broken up about it.  God is constantly reminding me to be gentle with her- she has the sweetest spirit!  and is just like me- she wants to please...  and i want to encourage her, not break her!

my most amazing mom.  my biggest cheerleader.  the letters and cards she sends.  the care packages.  for each holiday.  i remember in college getting the best cards and packages.  

and she comes to visit so often.  (let's be honest, more in hawaii and san diego- maybe it's not me she's really visiting!!!)  but i know that's a sacrifice.  to be away from daddy.  to be away from her routine, her house, her friends, her life.  

she's such a great example.  fitness and health are a priority.  she has taught me how to read labels, long before it was cool.  she has taught me that exercising my body is a priority in my day.  and more than that, i remember an open Bible on our table daily.  she has taught me that time with God is the biggest priority.  

i have read lots of notes to moms on different blogs.  and want to copy them all.  because they all fit- she cried and drove me off to OIS when i joined the navy.  she took my friends out to a dinner that being FAR more expensive than i realized it would be.  she was there for OIS graduation.  for drill team performances.  for track meets.  she welcomed my friends in to our homes.  all the time.  and it was always clean and ready to receive any one at any time!  (that might amaze me the most- because i did NOT inherit that trait and wish i did!!!)  

my dad traveled a lot.  but i don't ever remember her complaining.  and that was before people traveled for work.  she just took care of the four of us so well.  she made sure life was fun!  that we did fun vacations.

it wasn't until i became a mom that i realized that there isn't someone to step in when the mom goes down.  she doesn't get a sick day.  she just does.  and she did so well!  i don't ever remember her sick. she doesn't stop on vacation.  she serves.  she cleans, does laundry, and has kid duty!  

if i could be half the mom she is, i would be amazing.  i am so thankful for her and her example.  love you, mom!

06 May 2015

spring break 2015..

spending some time in providence with avaFRIENDS!

ava and me....

riding in cars with boys.  and a girl.

we made it to ohio... left pvd at midnight and only stopped once.  
then got home decently early in the day!

my sweet girl and my sweet niece.  love them and love that they love each other!

trying to stand.

cousin-twins.  due the same day... born a few weeks apart.  and hopefully, the best of friends!

cousins...  i was interrupting their movie.  can you tell how happy they are??

so, chris is calling his boo-boos- "boo-boo-skills".  i love it.  

and b, when you put him in bed, rolls on his tummy and tucks his little legs up underneath him so that he's all snuggled up.  so precious!