True Love

I love it so.

Photo by: Steve Garfield

For My Girls

What an awesome reminder.
I do love my girls.
It's awesome not to have to wander the land of motherhood alone!

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Craving

I'm pregnant -
or maybe I'm just always hungry and/or thirsty.
I would love to have all of the following -
right now:

Photo by: Scott Beale / Laughing Squid

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Photo by: David Blaikie
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Random & weird - I know.
It is what it is.

I Love Winning

I won! I won! I won!

I never win giveaways.
Ever.

I love to enter them -
never win them.

I enjoy the thought of winning them -
but I never do.

This time, I did -
and I'm VERY happy!

When I saw this giveaway, I entered right away.
Lindsey is super sweet with an equally adorable family.
I love reading her blog when I get a chance.

How excited was I when I saw this???

I just got my coffee cozy prize in the mail
the other day from Meagan -
who sent such a charming note with it, I couldn't help but smile.
Besides coffee, Bill, my children, babies, and chocolate -
I love Etsy,
and I'm a huge fan of supporting small businesses.

The particular cozy I chose (Patchwork Flowers) isn't for sale anymore (obviously),
but look how fun this one is:

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I recommend you check out Lindsey's blog and Meagan's shop
when you get a chance.
What hot beverage would your cozy hold?

I Heart Bill

I have a few moments of quiet while the little ones nap.
There's laundry to be folded,
dinner to be prepped,
cookies to be baked.

I just wanted to sit down
and take a few minutes -
to sit on a comfy chair,
check a few emails,
and maybe catch up on some blogs that I read.

I found this awesome post.

The Husband's pretty fantastic,
most of the time.
We're all perfectly imperfect,
aren't we?
We've been married for almost nine years,
and he keeps getting better and better at this.

I'm super blessed.

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White Out

Text I received from The Husband last night while I was out:

Your daughter got into the white out.

Awesome.

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Intense with a Capital I

This morning was ridiculous to say the least.
I won't go into the gory details,
but I've made amends with my second born -
who graciously accepted my apology.
I've also avoided getting into an accident -
at least three times.

I hate to admit it,
but I might be a very strong
Type A sort of personality.

At times like these, it's always nice to come across posts like this.
For all my momma friends who might share my love of:

crossing of ToDos
being in the middle of one million projects
and
scheduling every moment of each day
(among other things)

read on...

Photo by: Alfie

Poison Tree

I'm loving this song more and more every time I listen to it:

Isn't it awesome?
(Thank you, Husband!)

Conversationalist

Gianna loves to talk
and ask questions -
lots of them.

I got this all in the span of a few minutes:
how do you spell cinderella
how do you spell cindy
how do you spell regan
what's regan's middle name
how do you spell cody
how do you spell daddy
no, daddy's name
how do you spell mommy
what's regan's last name
that's a funny name
can i call her that
what's cody's last name
what's cody's middle name
what's their dog's name
what's his middle name
what's his last name
do they have a girl with glasses in their family
what's her name
what's her middle name
that's a funny name
what's cody's middle name
that's a funny name
where's Lola
i want to talk to Lola
are you done yet
can you draw me a heart
do you want to play this with me
why do you have to fold laundry
where's isabella
what's another word for fall
(whistling)
what's another word for monkey
what's another word for gorilla
do you want to color with me
(singing):
here comes the bride crayon here comes the bride crayon

Photo by:D Sharon Pruitt

Caught in the Act

Gianna just caught her mom and dad kissing.
She giggled and ran away.
I saw you!!!!
Hopefully she thought it was funny,
and it didn't traumatize her for life.

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Boys Versus Girls

And so it begins...

I found a sign reading:

BOYS KEEP OUT
hanging on the girls' bunk beds the other day.
I've also heard them chanting:
Girls rule, and boys don't!
Gianna even came up with this winner:
Girls pee in the toilet, and boys poop their pants.

Nice.


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Bike Rider

Espy learned how to ride her bike the other day.
I told The Husband to just let her go.
He was hesitant.
The oldest is a sensitive soul -
I could understand his being cautious.
She got it - first try. It was so amazing and exhilarating watching her.
Who knew how proud a mom could get over
her daughter riding a bike?
Cheesy, I know.
I think I might have been more excited than she was.
I love my girls!

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Storytime

Gianna reading her "Bible story" before bed:

Joseph and me went to City Center & he kissed me, the bride.

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Fanciful Fall

I love the fresh breeze of fall through our home.

Photo by: Skunkworks Photographic

Photo by: Markus Spring

Photo by: Tiffa Day

If You Were Mine

This song reminds me of Bill and our dating days.
Love it.
Love him.

When my heart is troubled and I am weighed down,
Then I like to think of how this lonesome world would be
If I could see your face, or hold you in my arms
If you were mine, if you were mine.

If you had a bad dream I would jump inside it,
And I would fight for you with all the strength that I could find.
I would lead you home by your tiny hand
If you were mine, if you were mine.

I would sing of love on the blackest night.
I would sing of God, and how His goodness fills our loves.
I would sing to you, til the morning light
If you were mine, if you were mine.
Fernando Ortega

Photo by: D. Sharon Pruitt

Hallelujah

Awesome song.
Great cover.
Love good music suggested by friends.

(Thanks, Cindy!)

Little Whistler

It's supercute watching Gianna walk around the house whistling.
Have you ever tried to teach someone how to whistle -
let alone a four year old?
I still don't know how because she taught herself.

Any tips on how I can help the six year old out
with her whistling skills?

Photo by: D. Sharon Pruitt

All About Love

Awesome awesome
awesome post.
Thanks for letting me share, Derek!

Photo by: D. Sharon Pruitt

Lifetime of Learning

The forever nerd in me loves this post. 
Read on fellow nerds,
and be encouraged to pursue a lifetime of learning.

Photo by: D. Sharon Pruitt

My Addiction

Photo by: D. Sharon Pruitt
These, among other things, will be the death of my waistline.

33,712

Why I Love The Husband
Reason #33,712

folding laundry while watching The Husband and The Girls
play living room football

Photo Source: Fernanda Prestes

Great Quote

Children do not accidentally become righteous leaders or emotionally healthy and productive adults - any more than seeds thrown randomly to the wind grow to be part of a thriving garden.
.::.
Someone needs to take responsibility for their nurture, protection, nourishment, intellectual development, manners, recreation, personal needs, and spiritual development. Someone needs to commit time and energy into staying close to them as they grow, encouraging and correcting and teaching.
Sally Clarkson
Agreed.

Photo Source: D. Sharon Pruitt

Sweet Disposition

Please listen to this with your morning coffee,
because I can't
(have morning coffee, or at least I shouldn't).

Or if you prefer the acoustic version:

Great song.
(Thanks, Meme!)

Yummyness

Who would like to make these for me?

Photo Source: Ree Drummond
Thank you!

Good Stuff

Awesome song.

Great blog.

Lunchbox Lovelies

How cute are these?

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And these?

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I think they're adorable.
Go ahead lunch-packing mommies -
put one in your little one's lunch box.
Happy First Day of School to those of you
who haven't started already!
I can't believe I have a preschooler AND a first grader.
Sigh.

Lightning May Strike

Little boy who kicked my daughter, pulled her dress, and said, "I don't like girls" - we might have words next time we see each other.
You have been warned.

Photo Source: Erik N. Larsen

I Heart Blueberries

I just had some of this for breakfast
because I'm forever in love with these.

Photo by: D. Sharon Pruitt
Please wake up, go here, and make this blueberry snack cake.
I had some with a glass of milk,
but I would rather have had a cup of coffee,
but I don't want our fourth daughter
to be as hyper as our other three,
but I think that's probably more genetic than caffeine related.
I digress.
Have a fantastic Saturday!

Nighttime Madness

See the beautiful, comfy bed below?
That was NOT our bed last night.
Why?
Because our older two girls (ages four and six) decided to regress to newborn status by getting up every hour or so.
They tried to get in our bed.
No.
They tried sleeping together in the top bunk.
No.
It was a very. long. night.
NOTE TO SELF:
The Husband is not allowed to pick movie night movies
for the girls without my approval.
SECOND NOTE TO SELF:
Don't be grumpy with the girls. This will be our lives in a few months with a for real newborn in the house! She is DEFINITELY allowed to get up whenever she wants. The four and six year old - not so much.

Photo by: D. Sharon Pruitt

"I'm Not Perfect" - Agreed

My husband introduced me to a new blog the other day.
(Thanks, babe!)
Check out today's post.
Happy I'm not alone on this mommy journey.

Photo by: D. Sharon Pruitt

Quick Fix

I made these for dinner the other night.
The girls were not huge fans,
but I'm definitely making them again.
They'll learn to love them as much as me -
I'm sure of it.
Fast and delicious - my kind of meal.

Photo by: Worapol Sittiphaet

High Hopes

The family went out to lunch on Sunday.
After getting out of her daddy's truck,
Espy saw something that caught her eye.

The Husband says that this is the car Espy wants when she's sixteen.
In her dad's words, ...at least she's got good taste.

68,348

Why I Love The Husband
Reason #68,348

log splitting sessions with our big girls

Photo by: Erich Ferdinand

Hello, Friend

My new best friend.

I love it so.

Happy Birthday Isabella!

SO big.

SO tired.
SO ready to have a baby.

This is how I usually feel towards the end of my pregnancies -
big and tired.
Don't get me wrong - I've been very fortunate with my girls.
No complications and nothing more to complain about than tiredness,
but towards the end -
it just gets exhausting carrying around another person in your body.
Know what I mean?

It was a Saturday night, and I was feeling like my typical
end-of-pregnancy self.
Bill and I were asleep, and then it happened.
Contraction.
That one kind of hurt, I thought.
It's probably a Braxton Hicks.
I went back to sleep and was woken up by another contraction.
That one hurt, too.
I still wasn't convinced that it was the real deal.
I didn't want to pull another Gianna (that post is coming).
So because I'm such an expert at birthing (totally teasing),
I went back to sleep.
Contraction.
Ok, I wasn't asleep very long before that last one.
Maybe I should start timing them?
So I started timing them,
and
they started getting closer and closer together.
Well, it might really be time.

I sat up in bed and waited for another contraction.
Ouch.
There it was.
I can't remember what time it was, but it was definitely "middle of the night"-ish. Bill was still sleeping, and it was dark outside - that's my definition of "middle of the night."

I need to take a shower before we go to the hospital.
It's just one of those things.
I like to shower (don't we all??),
and I just need to have one more non-rushed, middle of the night shower before we brought a newborn home - just one.
I don't take middle of the night showers very often.
I guess my point is I wanted to shower before going to the hospital.

I'll let Bill sleep.
I know! I'm such a nice wife, right?
Don't let me fool you.
My husband is super awesome - I'm really blessed!

Before I showered, I called my parents to see if they could come over to watch the girls. That was Step One in my Birth Plan that I had all typed up when I first found out I was pregnant.
Ok, I had no such thing.

I AM one of those freakish people who likes lists, makes the bed in the morning, and can't go to sleep (easily) unless the house is "clean." I'm not as hardcore as I was earlier in our marriage, but I can definitely tell when things are unraveling
- then I go on a cleaning craze.
I digress.

I did talk to my mom and dad about watching the girls whenever I went into labor. My parents,
being the awesome people they are, agreed.

Parents called.
Check.
Shower.
Check.

Now I can wake Bill up.

GRACE
Bill, it's time.
BILL
Are you sure?
GRACE
Yes, Bill - wake up. My parents are coming over.

Silence.

GRACE
Bill? Bill!
BILL
Ok, I'm getting up.

My husband is not a morning person.
At all.
Or a wake up in the middle of the night to drive the pregnant wife to the hospital to deliver the third daughter
type of person - he's not one of those either.

By the time, Bill gets out of the shower (he's like me!)
- the contractions are starting to get uncomfortable. That's a nice way of saying they're starting to hurt really bad,
and we need to get going.

My parents get here, and as I'm talking
- I have to stop during contractions. Yeah. I know.
We get into the van and start driving to the hospital. Bill calls his parents to let them know that we're on our way. This is the point where I start disliking Bill because he has no idea what these contractions feel like. He says he does, but he doesn't. He DOESN'T.
I love him love him love him, but I don't like him when we're on our way to the hospital.
I just don't.

We made it to the hospital and got checked into the pre-delivery room, you know, the little room they put you in to "make sure" it's time. Well, they checked and agreed - it was time.
They quickly got me into our delivery room and did all those things you're supposed to do before you have a baby. All I know is I had an epidural and lots of ice chips, and I was a happy girl.

It was almost eight in the morning and a few pushes later,
there she was -
our sweet, sweet Isabella Simone.
In Hebrew, Isabella means God is my vow.
Simone comes from my dad's name, Simon.
We like to call her Isa (ee-sa), BellaBoo, and a variety of other things
- but mostly we just call her Isabella.She is our wild child.
Our climber.
Our fearless explorer.
It's hard to believe she's two years old already.
We couldn't imagine our lives without her.

Simply Amazing

Please read this book.

And follow this blog.
And this one, too.
Be humbled and amazed.
Be inspired to love the way He loves.

Sister Love

Gianna had a doctor's appointment today. Not a happy time.

On the way to the office...

GIANNA
Espy, will you hold my hand while I take my shots?
ESPY
Sure.
GIANNA
Thanks.

Precious.

Love Me

Amazing.

Early Riser

To my mom friends...

because I'm a fan of waking up

before all the Little Ones, even the Big One,

AND

because I'm not a fan of getting all upset if I don't.

Photo by: Martin Fisch

At The Moment

.:READING:.
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
Like my friend told me,
Don't watch the trailer until you've finished reading the book.
My advice is the same.
SUCH a good book.
Thanks for letting me borrow it, Derek!

Also,
Radical by David Platt
I just started reading this one (suggested by The Husband).
Has anyone read it yet?

.:KEEPING:.
Isabella from falling off anything & everything.
The child loves to climb and has no fear.
Not a good combination.

.:BAKING:.
I LOVE BLUEBERRIES.
Please make these.
So simple, but so good.

Photo by: Wanda

.:WATCHING:.
Brothers
Not for the faint of heart.

.:TRYING:.
new cloth diapers soon.
I'm excited!

.:MAKING:.
plans for the fall.
The Husband & The Girls keep things busy!

.:CONGRATULATING:.
a friend on being a superstar.

What are you up to these days?
Leave your thoughts, I'd love to know!

Say Hey (I Love You)

Go ahead and turn it up.
You can dance, too.
You know you want to.

Daddy's Girl II

Last night, Espy & Gianna were having some jello at the kitchen table together:

GIANNA
Do you like it Espy?
ESPY
Yeah, what kind is it?
GIANNA
Cherry.
ESPY
It's good.
GIANNA
Me and my daddy maked it.

Con Te Partiro

Simply beautiful.

Daddy's Girl

Espy was playing Barbies the other day,

and we had one of those fantastic summer thunderstorms.

ESPY
Oh no, Daddy! Hurry up!
ME
What's wrong, Espy?
ESPY
I want Daddy to come home. I don't want him to get sick.

Beach Baby

I love this picture.

I will love it forever and ever and always.It's just one of those pictures.
Don't you agree?