Annual Family Strawberry Day Photo Dump

1. It was hot. 

2. The kids were perfect. 

3. Ezra stole my ice cream cone. =) 

4. The strawberry fields smelled heavenly. 

5. We had a great day with Granny, Pop, Aunt Micayla and the cousins!

Puddle Jumpers

The other day we went on a three park marathon adventure because Mommy locked us out of the house. Duh. HA! Oh well, we still had a great day. I have so much fun with the two littles--they love going for long walks and playing at different parks. We had a lovely time and I know I will always remember these days home with them with a very happy, and very full heart! Love my precious babies!

This week is going so quickly--I can't believe how close summer is! I'm so excited!!

We tried to usher in a little summer by getting out the baby pool for the kids this afternoon but it's still a bit cool for that. Ezra turned into a little blue icicle in about 10 minutes. Ha! This morning we met up with friends for some bike/scooter riding at the park. The kids had a great time and found a puddle to splash in as well which is always a big hit. 

Yesterday we took a trip to the zoo--we had a good time but it was definitely a work out! We had many small children--5 in the under two set and they were running around like crazy guys. HA! I only had time to snap a few pictures of our morning:

 We actually ended up getting to the zoo early (traffic was good in Philly-weird) and a train went by and the kids lost their minds with excitement!

That's it for now--the kids are crazy and it's nearly time for bed. Happy Wednesday!

It's a rainy day here and promising to be a rainy week. I'm a bit bummed because we had SUCH a WONDERFUL time last week with lots of park dates with friends and lots of long walks just the three of us--it was really perfect. 
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I went for a rainy run this morning and started to feel like I'm gaining momentum! It's been so tedious the last month with slow runs and feeling like I'm not all there--but today, for a little bit, I wasn't just running--I was FLYING. I mean--it was technically downhill but still, progress is good. =) 
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One of the advantages to my early morning runs is that I get first pick of the trash before the trash trucks come along. I've found a lot of great stuff and dragged it back ON my back or run faster home so I have time to grab the van, do a pick up and speed away before the 7am trash men come. =) 

About two weeks ago I found a large hutch! I was excited because the side table we have in our kitchen is falling apart and literally held together with hot glue. For real. =) The large upper part of the hutch wouldn't work in our kitchen because I just don't have much wall space but the bottom is the perfect sideboard and the top will be an awesome shelf for Ezra's big boy room (whenever I get around to putting that together =). 

I had spray paint left over from another project that I sprayed the old brass pulls with, leftover primer and brushes and just got a quart of paint to match our kitchen. A super inexpensive project! I even found some cool new knobs on Anthropologie (favorite) on clearance! They were even cheaper than plain old knobs at Home Depot!

And the neatest thing of all? I was just beyond blessed when I figured out I had room to hide my giant box of coupons in here instead of in the middle of my counter!! I just think it's so neat when things like that happen--I mean, I found someone else's trash that is just what I needed for my house with the extra special blessing of storage and coupon-hide-a-bility. Seriously, it felt like a great big hug from God.

I believe with all my heart that God cares about the details of our lives. How could a Creator who made such an amazing world NOT care?! He just does and today putting together my little trash find I really felt loved like a child. Thank you Lord!

So thankful for all of the little and big blessings today. Happy Monday!

We've been keeping super busy this week. Lots of outdoor time and park dates with friends--it was just what the doctor ordered!!! I am so thankful to have people to meet up and hang out with and for little kiddos for my children to play with--it makes my heart happy! 

We went to a park today and I spent most of the time tailing Ezra who wanted to ride the scooter onto the other end of the very large park. Luckily Maeve is very self sufficient and I could watch her from afar biking around with her favorite little gal-pal. 

Not much else is going on--just counting down the days until summmmmerrrr is here! I love having all three of my kiddos home and the fact that my husband's schedule is MUCH lighter (as are our wallets le sigh...). Amelie just about loses her mind every time she hears of our adventures so it will be very good to share them with her! 

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 In other news: enjoy this completely gratuitous picture of the flowers I was gifted at my husband's concert. Beautiful

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In completely other other news, I've decided to start keeping track of what I eat this week. And give up soda. Gah. It's stupid. But I can use the Fitness Pal App on my Ipad so it's almost like a game. Almost. It hasn't been too painful so far--I've only ever watched what I ate once. And it lasted about 4 days...so we'll see. I have officially tied that record so far. Ha! That's it. Happy Thursday!

These two sweet girls gave me some happy Mother's day gifts (although, really, *they* are the true gift! everyday!!)

Maeve painted a flower pot and wrote about mama (apparently I'm ten years old. =) haha she's so funny). And when I woke up on Sunday Amelie presented me with the "gift bags" she worked all night on. She is such a special girl!

Ezra didn't give me anything, except a *hard time* when I wanted to get a picture with my kiddos. Le sigh. Oh well, he's extra cute so I guess I'll keep him!

I enjoyed spending Mother's day with my Jersey family and friends (girls night out! woot!) and can't believe that somehow it's Monday already again! Gah! =)

We've had a busy week--but it's been good--much better than last week! I was nearly ready to turn in my Mommy Card. We've been going for lots of walks and playing at the park and enjoying the sunshine. I caught a glimpse of my future when Ezra skipped his nap one day and I did not like it. =) He's back to normal though--thank goodness! 

The kids have been a little obsessed with blowing bubbles...

And watching their new-old-favorite Elmo in Grouchland.

That's about it though! My husband already directed one concert this week and has another one tonight--I'm excited to go and also excited that this is one more thing we can check off of the busy end of the year list! Happy Thursday!

Amelie looks and usually acts like a very grown up girl. I just. can't. believe. it. She is so lovely and sweet and funny almost always. 

She is a peacemaker

A game-planner 

crafty crafter 

dance-y dancer 

high singy-singer 

piano player 

cuddly cuddler 

sporty spotsgirl 

 serious reader 

and so much more.

I love her so...and even though she's getting big I'll always think of her as my

 teeny tiny

 non-night-sleeping 

5 pound 

dark haired

wide eyed

baby 

My Mom is here visiting this weekend! I can't believe how quickly her visits always go. Amelie is already crying that she has to go home tomorrow. Oy. Today I got to sneak out with Mom a bit and we went to see Mirror Mirror. 

I wasn't sure what to expect but it was really cute and 99.9% clean. I think Amelie and Maeve and I will have to have a movie night when it hits dvd. The girls also got to bake cookies with Granny and had lots of fun blowing bubbles with the bubble machines she brought them. =) Granny and the Girls! Ezra was not game for pictures.

A few pictures of Bubble Boy:

 And giving Granny a kiss!

Can't believe it's already Sunday night! Where did the weekend go?

Yesterday....

Yesterday was plain awful! 

The children were grumpy-sauce all. day. long.

And then, as the day went on, so. was. I. 

I think, a lot of the times, that they are grumpy I'm not sacrificing my own wants & focusing on them enough. I wanted to make a really nice dinner so I spent a lot of time working on homemade soups and bread instead of just sitting them them and getting out books and puzzles.

I don't know. Can't win 'em all--but I can definitely pray for a better attitude!

I'm so thankful for these guys--
...Even when they are super naughty. =) HA! 
Today we are looking forward to an outing with friends and Amelie is singing a solo in the Gifts & Talents Chapel at school. I am always soooo nervous for her--but she doesn't seem to get nervous so I keep it to myself. I'm sure she'll do well--especially since Daddy is there to play piano for her! We have spent many years sacrificing so that my husband can continue to teach in a Christian school--and it pretty much feels like the best decision ever now that Amelie is in school with him and he can check up on her and support her. Love. it. 
That's it for now! Happy Thursday--these days sure do go fast!!

As I type this *the* most delicious breeze is blowing through my back door-feels like a little bit of Heaven! I just finished giving the girls their baths (Mr. Wonderful is out taking a walk with the little man) and painting their fingers and toes hot pink. 

I built a bunny fortress around the garden last night (baby pool + bricks + broom = bunny proof). Success. Woot. 

Had our friends over today for a little birthday celebrating and hair-cutting extravaganza. It didn't seem like my clippers were cutting PJ's super thick and beautiful hair so I set the clippers 1 notch shorter and then....his hair was SHORT. He looks soooo handsome and grown up but I feel like I scalped him. Ahhhhh--good thing his hair grows fast!  =)

Before, During, After

 I forgot to post these pictures of the kids that I took before church on Sunday:

 In other news Ezra has been glasses-obsessed lately so he was rocking a pair of pink shades from his sister on Sunday. Little Elton!

 

We had a happy day! I hope you did too!

It's been a long few days with lots packed in--I am thankful, even for Monday, for life to relax its pace and for things to calm down. 

I can't even remember the last thing I blogged about but we've had--

*the last day of Bible study for the spring. sadness.

*a bunny make its nest in my beautiful-new-growing-garden. now it's a beautiful new-growing-garden with a giant bunny butt print. gah. i don't know how to solve this problem. 

*my husband's friend was here for the weekend so we had a full house and i was a third wheel. he was an excellent house guest though and it was good to see my husband enjoy his friend and relive his youth. =)

*we had a ladies brunch on Saturday and it was so lovely to spend some time with dear friends and listen to the speaker (whose job I took over teaching art before Maeve was born--it was good to see her too!).

*before that I was able to go to the coffee shop with my friend Brie. with NO children. it was kind of amazing. i forget what it's like to not be correcting, chasing, consoling, feeding etc... in public. 

*my husband's music team ran the service at church sunday and that was super enjoyable--great music and my dear in-laws came and treated us to lunch after. what a treat. love them!

*and now...it's monday--we were able to spend some time at the park with friends and took long naps. i don't understand why more people don't nap--it makes me so happy! 

* i cut ezra's hair today-it doesn't grow long it grows FLUFFY hahaha-before fluff/after sleek:

 anyways...not much else is happening. i have been faithfully running for the last three weeks and did a little over 2 miles saturday and 2 miles this morning--making slow but sure progress!

hope you had a happy monday!

Amelie Says:

As a bug buzzed by her ear outside.."Ahhh! Was that a quesadilla? The bugs that make loud noises with their wings?" (quesadilla = cicada)

 Maeve Says:

"I'm going to go to bed and have some dream adventures!"

"I'm so tired. I burned up all my energy." 

 Ezra's starting to speak in more and more sentences but mostly only Mama can understand him. =)

I've been trying to write a new blog all day but I'm not smart enough to figure out Blogger's new format. =) Anyway....I just sent my husband off to Ohio. His Pop-pop passed away and the funeral is tomorrow morning. I'm sad that I can't go myself but very happy that he can go! Although, he's only been gone for an hour and I miss him so much!!! 

Love that husband of mine!!! 

It's been a hard week for me emotionally getting Steve set to leave-I have massive anxiety about traveling in general....and that's really thrown me for a loop. So I had to work my anxiety out through cleaning and scrubbed my house top to bottom and felt marginally better. That's it though--I'll just be holding my breath until my husband gets back and trying to enjoy every moment with my most precious children. =)

I have some videos to post if I ever figure out this new blogging format too! Ha! 

Happy Friday--squeeze your loved ones extra tight!