partners in crime...

"Nap" time...





Waiting (ever so patiently) for Grace to be done in the bath...


Anyone notice who the common denominator is in these pictures?

Imprompteu 1st Day of School...

I woke up this morning and thought, TODAY would be a good day to start school. I had been thinking about starting next week, when the traditional schools start- but then it dawned on me- I'm certainly not a traditionalist when it comes to schooling- so why not just start right now? Today was as good a day as next week would be and early this week I had finally finished up getting my lesson plans all ready to go.

No "traditional' backpack and pigtail pictures here... just a couple of crazy kiddos sitting on the stairs..


A little bit of "before school" chumming around.














Here we go- getting down to business with a little "Math-U-See" (we love this!)



See... it's fun!



































Little Ariana doing her "school work" ;)

Wordless Wednesday

from bad, to worse.... to Better and BLESSED

Pheww...

Okay, lest you all think I went off the deep end, I wanted to assure you that I am all better from my post last night. Then again, it is only 7:30 in the morning, so we haven't had much of an opportunity to let this day bomb, yet.

Unfortunately, last night only went from bad to worse. After the excruciating "dinner time" experience with my son, I figured it might be a good idea to take everyone to the park. Well, I thought wrong. That time, it was my daughter's time to have a meltdown. And, in true tantrum fashion, she literally cry/screamed (is there a word for that?) the entire way home from the park, insisting that "I DIDN'T GET TO PLAY! I WANT TO GO BACK!" And, unfortunately for me, the entire neighborhood was outside last night, and either on their way to or from the park, so everyone got a taste of how "well-behaved" my kids truly are. I just continued to walk home and began to laugh. Really LAUGH. So, if you didn't think I was insane before, perhaps you do now. But, trust me- last night if I didn't laugh, I'd cry.

I don't know- my wonderful girlfriend with five children of her own- gave me the helpful advice that I need some progesterone. Hmm. I may have to look into that. Not the cream kind that you rub on your arm, that's like 20 milligrams... the kind you get a Rx for and stick under your lip... it's like 200 milligrams. Apparently it's the "chill you out" wonder "drug??" - do you even call it that? Supplement?? Who knows- it's probably yet another thing I can't take because I'm nursing. For 6 years, I've been able to take virtually nothing... for anything... because I've either been pregnant and/or nursing. And, yes, before you try to do the math in your head- my "baby" is almost 2. And I'm not apologizing.

Well, regardless, there is one place I can turn... literally, and figuratively. One place I can look for help to get me through my day. As I type, I am reminded of the instruction in Hebrews to "Let us look only to Jesus, the One who began our faith and who makes it perfect. He suffered death on the cross. But he accepted the shame as if it were nothing because of the joy that God put before him. And now he is sitting at the right side of God's throne." Hebrews 2:12

Wow- one of the most powerful paragraphs in the scriptures. Well, there are many. But this passage, in 4 sentences, puts ALL of life ALL back into perspective. No matter how "bad" I think my day is going, "Let me look only to Jesus" ... no matter how frustrated or overwhelmed I may feel, "the One who began our faith and who makes it perfect." Because of the incomprehensible fact that "He suffered death on the cross," (for ME, a grumbling, impatient, fearful, forgetful, failing mortal human being). But he accepted the shame as if it were nothing because of the joy that God put before him. And now he is sitting at the right hand of God's throne."

That is unbelievably mighty and powerful and humbling. And the power of that truth TRUMPS my measly daily frustrations ANY TIME. When I fix my eyes upon Jesus. And I fix my eyes upon what He did. And when I fix my eyes on the prize... the true POINT of this entire journey on earth (so that we may live in JOY with Christ... eternally), I am grateful, and humbled and reminded of my priorities in life, and so very thankful that "Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." - Lam 3:22-23

"Stop! Just STOP!" .... 'stop! just stop!"

Is there an echo in here? Or am I just going insane. From the noise. From the nagging. From the constant disobeying.

Even as I type this, I have constant nagging in my ear- my son is picking, picking, picking at me, telling me how he doesn't like his dinner and he doesn't like me for a Mommy. Wow- last week it's Grace telling me she sometimes thinks I'm a "butt" and now my son apparantly doesn't want me for a Mommy.

Excuse me while I go drop him off in his room to let him talk to himself about how he doesn't like me for a Mommy....

Okay- that's better. Now the yelling sound is only muffled coming from the upstairs- it's not a constant buzzing in my ear.

Oh- and why was he eating dinner at the counter while I'm on my laptop? Well, because we all (meaning, myself and the other kids- husband is away on business) finished dinner quite a while ago. He was removed and placed at the counter because he just couldn't resist saying the words "Poop" and "Butt" at the table.

Is there something in the air? What is going on today??? I can't seem to find a single, solitary moment of silence!!

.... OH! How appropriate. As I am tying this, yet another interruption. The doorbell. Apparantly, the 13 year old dance student who just rang my doorbell asking me to support her in dancing by buying some wrapping paper couldn't read the NO SOLICITING sign directly under my doorbell.

And yes, of course I bought some dumb wrapping paper that I didn't need....

So, anyway- here we are back at the counter. Oh, and here's my son. Back down from his room to finish eating his dinner. Except he's not. He's nagging me and asking me questions over and over again, "am I done? did I do good? Mom? Mommy? did I do good? Mommy??"

Seriously- I think my head is going to explode.

I am now locked in my husbands office. I can still hear him asking me if he "did good" from the other room.

Oh, my dear husband of mine- come back soon!

K- gotta go... more screams floating up from the basement (where I sent Ariana and Grace a few moments ago)...

Gee, thanks... I think.

After soccer practice tonight, my little Gracie girl came running up to me and hugged me with ALL her might.

"Oh, Mommy- I love you, so, so, so much! You are the best Mommy in the whole world!"...

and just when I was reveling in that marvelous display of affection from my oldest daughter, she had to add...

"Sometimes, like today when you put Vinegar in my mouth for hitting Alex, I whisper under my breath, 'Mom's a butt' - but not now, Mommy- cause I love you so much."

Hmmm. I could have done without the admission of the "mom's a butt" thing- and although it put a bit of a damper on my feelings of elation at the hugs and declaration of love- I am glad to know that even though she occasionally thinks I'm a "butt"- she still thinks I'm the best mommy in the whole world.

Go figure.

To the salesman following me around the furniture store today...

Hi There! Yep, having a good day, Thanks!
Nope, you can't help me with anything. I'm really just looking. Sure! I'll let you know if I have any questions...




Hey there, nope, no question yet... just browsing.




.... Oh, hello- I didn't see you there! No, really- just looking still.




Hi. I can see you peeking at me from behind the fake ficus. And, no- really- I'm just looking.




Whoa! Fancy meeting you around the corner here... I didn't realize you could "clip" someone around the corner in a furniture store, given that there are LOTS of other places to be and corners for you to be around in this 10,000 foot show room.





Wow! Are you a super hero? How did you get from the 1st floor to the 4th floor in the time it took me to say, "I'm Just Looking...." last time I told you??





Bye! Thanks again! You have just reminded me WHY it is that my husband REFUSES to come furniture shopping with me.

Happy Birthday to our Son!

Happy Birthday to my Big 4 year old! You have grown so much over the last 4 years, but I suppose, since you are my only son, you will always be a bit of my "baby boy." You are such a funny kid. You think of the most clever, funny things to say and questions to ask. And although you really want to fit in with the "big boys" (Daddy & Braden) you are still my little snuggle bug and you still have time for cuddles and kisses before bed.

Here you are! The moment you were born! (Grandma had the camera handy).

August 17th, 12:17 a.m.

8 lbs. 9 oz. .... WOW!

I have a son... a SON!

Meeting your big sister Gracie for the first time...

Here you are a few weeks old. Happy and alert and even then our calm, sweet little boy...

And here you are today! Our big boy. I am so proud of you, son. I love you so much. Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday my little Gracie Girl...

Six years ago this very night, my life changed and was never again the same. I don't think I've had another moment in my life filled with more excitement, surprise and joy than when they announced, "It's a GIRL!" My firstborn. My little girl. My dream come true!

Here we are a few hours after you were born...



One day old...


Our smiley happy baby...



And six years later, here you are! My beautiful, smart, funny, inquisitive, compassionate, outgoing six year old. You have brought me more joy than I can put into words and Mommy loves you as high as the sky and as deep as the ocean. Happy Birthday, Sweetheart.

We're HOME!

Okay, we've actually been home for 2 days now. BUT- I've been trying to catch up on things like, you know... sleep!

The trip back went well. We left Vail at 6:15 a.m. and we arrived home at 12:30 a.m..... the whole trip, including stopping times, took 17 hours (we "lost an hour" on the way home).

My favorite part of the trip...

And no- I didn't Photoshop that together. They were really all sleeping at the same time... and for a couple hours!

When we pulled out of the Condo driveway in Vail, I reset the Odometer gauge. And when we pulled into our driveway at 12:30 a.m., we had officially driven- exactly...

We had SO much fun- but I am glad to be HOME!

The best for last... Day 7 1/2: Vail Mountain

This last day of our trip to Colorado was undoubtedly my favorite. After it stopped storming in the afternoon, a beautiful partly cloudy with patches of blue sky rolled in. We walked around Vail Village and Lionshead and took the Eagle Bahn gondola up to the top of Vail Mountain. The kids had a blast riding in the gondola! And, I have to admit- it was one of the highlights of the trip for me, as well. The views at the top of the mountain were breathtaking!

Grace showing a mixture of a little excitement mixed with a tad bit of nervousness going up the gondola...

We saw the most beautiful rainbow while we traveled up the mountain.

Mommy's boy...

The boys...

I loved this picture of our little guy...

Here we are! The top of the world!!

Amazing!!

Braden at the top of the mountain...

Ariana stopping, as she typically does, to smell the flowers and look for bugs...

Pretending, for 12 seconds, that it was just hubby and I on vacation. Ahhhhh..... peace and quiet

After the gondola ride, we walked around Lionshead Village which is just beautiful! They have really built up this fancy, neat area in the last couple of years.

Another view of Lionshead Village

Day 7: Hiking in Vail

Vail has an endless number of cool places to hike. Because of the little ones, we weren't able to take advantage of some of the more adventurous hikes, but nonetheless, we were able to see some beautiful sites and hike some unforgettable trails. Everywhere you look in Vail, beauty surrounds.

At one point, we came across this cool Tee Pee. The kids and I had fun talking about what it must have been like to live as a Native American in those days without all the luxuries of easy living that we enjoy today. The kids really, REALLY, couldn't get over the "no t.v." concept... they just couldn't believe it ;)

Inside the Vail Nature Center, they have a collection of "stuffed" animals that we all found fascinating.... especially the bears!

Here we are exploring a creek along our hike...

Ariana picking a flower for Daddy to smell...


This may go down as one of my favorite pictures of all time. It speaks volumes, without any words...

My little Gracie girl checking out the flowing river beneath the bridge...

Colorado has some of the most amazing and beautiful wildflowers I have ever seen. Simply breathtaking!

Because it stormed later in the afternoon, we haded over to Imagination Station where there are tons of hands-on kids activities- like playing dress-up, their favorite!