new things...

two new teeth.  behind her baby teeth!

a date with my boy. 

he was happy.  i promise!

this kid.  don't look too close, or you will see that he had a blowout and it was dripping down his legs.  

at a command (work) picnic.  

beautiful view!

on the way to maine.  only 10,000 "are we there yets" (before we got off our little island), and a crying baby.  fun times!

toes.  a free toy!

tired baby!

laughs with daddy!

reading with grammie!

love this view!

a happy man...

his biggest fish!

(he thinks it's going to hang on our wall....)

this kid.  

a tired boy at the end of the weekend.

one of the benefits of living in new england is the easy accessibility to the camp in maine.  we headed back up for one last family trip this summer.  it was a blast.  i had a bunch of quiet time, which was heavenly.  i got stuff organized for our moms group this year and had time with my Jesus!  

the kids swam like it was their job.  and then swam some more.  

d fished.  

and we loved being with family!!!

today.

a view of downstairs from the stairs...

my kids at the pool.

this girl on her phone.  and reading.  and the way she holds her feet.

she went and grew up on me.  

and then this...

playing a game.  

oh hello toes...

playing outside...

slip n slide...

nora's friend party...

trying to light the candle.  love her face!

and her "shy" pose.

we had fun with some hawaiian friends and some san diego friends all transplanted to newport.  it was fun to celebrate nora this way.  and to see friends all in one place!  

this place is really feeling like home.  and yet new still.  it's a weird feeling.  i am so involved at church, yet am really still new.  it's been an interesting feeling.  

i have loved the moments we have had this week with the kids.  cherishing them.

more surprise...

these two (three)...

keeping it real!

another surprise...

love her expressions!

her bike!

more of the real.  a tired momma!

but, still a smile!

another one.  i forget who had my camera.  

getting ready for pictures. 

trying to get one of mom-mom and the grandkids.  fun times!

today started with a phone call.  a friend was in labor and she needed me to take her toddler.  we didn't have much planned, and what was planned was easy to put off.  we had an extra kid for the day.  after having been blessed by so many when david was gone or i had my babies, it was so wonderful to be a blessing!  

it meant the house was a little messier than i wanted (although, i got a bunch of laundry done and floors mopped!), and i can barely walk in the boys' room (the one with all the toys), but it was a good day.  i made bracelets with nora.  and tried to play legos with james.   

parties...

a random picture of b and his toes!  his new, favorite thing to do!!

getting ready for nora's surprise party!

writing on the party hats!!

this kid. 

this little niece!!!

sisters...

consulting.

waiting.

this girl.  so surprised!

i love her expressions!

getting excited. 

mom-mom might have been the most excited!

her new drink.

eating her red velvet cake (her request).

trying to make sure he gets his...

sneaking hers.

and his.  

so, i have been reading about this woman who has cancer.  such a beautiful, sad story.  today, nora told me she didn't want me to join her and grandparents at the park.  mostly cause she wanted grammie time.  but also because i "only sit the whole time".  and that's true.  partly because i am sometimes feeding the baby.  or we are meeting other moms at the park so we chat while the kids play.  or sometimes, because i just do.  

and i have cried over that tonight.  cried for this mom who may not see her kids grow up.  and for the fear that it could be me.  and for the fact that i CAN be running with my kids and i don't.  

i have been trying to take extra time with nora recently.  she is staying up a little later than the boys (she lobbied for it on her birthday!).  i try to give her the time she needs.  and it's so much fun.  i am working on saying "yes" more.  to putting in curlers because it's saturday.  or letting her dress up in my clothes (she was wearing them to fight bad guys the other day!).  and not get upset about mundane things.  

but, my mom heart hurts tonight.  i have failed my kid.  and i raised my voice at the boys when the got out of bed for the millionth time tonight.  because they wanted to tell me they loved me.  where is the balance between grace and discipline?  drawing the line that they have to obey and loving hearing their sweet voices say it just one more time?  

b is getting SO BIG!  i think he grew a ton this weekend.  and i just want to bottle up little c.  the things he says and the crazy way he says them.  he's hysterical!  he wants to be a big kid SO BADLY!  he runs after them and just wants to be included.  j is a middle child.  who wants more attention than 1 of 4 gets.  but, he's my only brown eyed child.  and he has his daddy's brown eyes.  they are so precious.  i love them.  and i love that he loves to kiss and hug me.  that he has this amazing, huge, tender, sweet heart.  it's just underneath his middle child, attention seeking exterior.  and when i dig for it, and finally get it, it makes it all the more worthwhile!  n.  oh my.  we will have a run for our money with her.  she's the princess, the only girl.  and a little mother to her brothers.  i see so much of me in her.  and that's a beautiful, scary thing!  the qualities i love and the ones i never wanted to pass on to my kids!  but she is so beautiful- inside and out.  she has such a sweet, fun little personality.  and she's so grown up.  i remember thinking i was so grown up.  i love the little lady she is and can't wait to see who she becomes!