No Time For Pretty Feet

This one

and especially this one

Are taking busy to a whole new level...

So until time allows, I choose to be thankful for the business of them, b/c one day not to far from now, I'll have plenty of time for getting a pedicure.
Note to self...
I choose joy over frustration,
I choose patience over anger,
I choose sleep over a long post with lots of pictures :)

Grace and Peace
xoxo

Libby and Maggie's Never Ending Summer

I made myself buy pumpkins this week.  I also bought a pumpkin spice latte, two cans of Libbie's  pumpkin, and the makings for cheeseburger soup...I did all these things to try and help me move on from the glorious summer we've had.  I decided that as long as I'm not pregnant, summer is my favorite season.  I'm sad to see it go.
We kissed our summer goodbye with a  bang and spent a fantastically, relaxing week at the beach with  friends.

I really like this family photo, but why, oh why didn't someone encourage me to do something to tame my hair down.

I wanted to stay.
I didn't want to leave.

In lieu of me not wanting to leave and wanting to move into our little cottage at the beach this post will contain millions pictures of our time there and the stories in between.
For our first story I bring you Maggie and the sea gull

She squealled at him passionately then turned to the crowd and encouraged us to clap for him

Or maybe she wanted us to clap for her? Whatever the reason, we all clapped and she felt like her work for the day was done.

 Next Story
See Libs

See Libs run.

See Libs at the beach.

See Libs laugh.

See Libs run and laugh at the beach.
The End.

Much to the delight of my husband, we were sandwich between 2 tropical systems during our stay.  This meant that everyday he and his long lost girlfriend got to go out and play together.

And everyday, I carried the girls to the water's edge so that they could catch a glimpse of the boy their Daddy used to be. Really beneath that strong, provider exterior, he still is that boy.

Before Kev met me, he used to travel to wonderful places to go surfing, so when he gets a chance to go, even if the waves are small, it makes me so happy for him...I harbor some guilt that b/c of me his favortie past time is on the back burner.

This is Maggie's beach hair.
It is luscious and I couldn't help but run my fingers through it all day long.
That's all I have to say about that.

One of my girlfriends once described Libby as a little fairy that the boys can't help but follow.  It is kind of true, but not in a falling over their feet in love kind of way, in a Pied Piper sort of way....She just kind of leads them into mischief and they follow.


This is her and Maggie and all the boys.  My girls are heavily out numbered for now.  Libs loves them all...when we got home she kept saying "Mommy, where are da boys?"


This is Charlie, and while she doesn't show open favoritism, I do believe there is a  twinkle in her eye when she talks about this one ;)

There always has been,
but please don't mention this to Caleb, or Aiden, or Robbie :)

And b/c I have no story to go with these, and I surely haven't include enough pictures yet, here are a few more

Seriously, someone just hand me a pony tail holder, a scarf, a visor, anything to tame my lioness-like main

These pictures are of Libby searching for shells...just so you know, it's late as usual and my creative writing skill are running low.

Keep the one on the right, chuck the one on the left.

Show this one to Maggie, "ya see it Mags?  Iss- a shell, iss beau-ful!"

"Look Daddy, look at my shells!  Can I keep um?"   
Please don't pass by this picture until you examine the sheer bounty that is my Littlest's thigh!
It's fabulous.

And these pictures are of Maggie being 8 months old.

How did that happen?  Did I say that last month?  I really mean it this month, b/c the day past by and I didn't even realize it!
For the record.
8 months old=4 teeth, napping shockingly bad, cruising, loves Mommy but lights up when she sees Daddy, laughs uncontrollably at Libby and interacts with her regularly, loves green beans and blueberries.  Still makes a funny little noise when she sees Trouble and cries at loud noises including but not limited to Gus's bark.  Still nuzzles her head in my chest and still smiles with her whole body, still makes my heart melt when I see her.

One day our children rebelled against us when we tried to lay them down for naps, so we carried them to the beach and laid them in the sand. 

We covered them with beach towels and the crashing  waves lulled them to sleep.
I looked over at Kev and told him "this, is perfect." 

While the stars didn't aline like this every day, that moment on the beach with my family was my favorite of the whole week, and maybe of the whole summer.

Goodnight summer...

Hello fall.
Grace and peace
xxx

Profound

“Young boys (or girls) should never be sent to bed. They always wake up a day older.”

― J.M. Barrie

I thought about this quote tonight while I was feeding Maggie.  I asked Kev if he would finish putting her down so that I could read to my two year old one more time.  I had this fleeting and somewhat insane thought that maybe if I read to her, I could drag it out and she could stay little just a bit longer.  As it was, she never even made it through the first book, Violet the cat was still stuck up a tree, and my Little was fast asleep on my shoulder.

As I pulled her quilt up around her shoulders Kev tip-toed in and said "when she wakes up tomorrow she'll be a three year old." I wanted to stamp my foot on the ground and say something ridiculous like, "not if I can help it!" But I didn't, I just turned off the light and thought about how much I love her.

There is this one moment that I remember like it was yesterday. We had been home for two days with our new baby...the house was asleep except for me and my Little.  I picked up a book and read to her for the first time and then through teary eyes, I starred at her for the rest of the night. Just me and her alone in her room.  I was overwhelmed with my feeling for this tiny person..they were profound to say the least.

I swear that night happened just yesterday, but today she stood in the living room with her hands on her hips and declared "Mommy, I do not want to watch the Today Show, I want to watch a movie."  Then she changed her clothes 3 times, had a conversation with a rather large spider, and forced Maggie into a family hug.  How is it she can walk, and talk, and run, and do oh so many other things..so profound.

Every year, around this time, I am reminded of the one truth in mothering that no other mother could have advised me on...in mothering your child you LOVE, and you LOVE till it hurts...Once the ache begins you are certain that if it ever stopped you would surely fall apart because you love them that much...Love soooo profound.

I am fairly certain that the Father uses parenting as way to draw us closer to Him.  Not only in the sheer miracle that is growing a baby inside of you, but in loving them also.  I'm sure that in loving her, with that deep, deep love, I catch  just a glimmer of how He loves me, His child.  Love...so profound.

Everyday, every tantrum, every tap on my shoulder before the sun is up wanting to crawl into my bed, every moment with this wild thing,  I cherish.  I tell myself that one day I'm going to miss every minute of this beautiful simple and uncomplicated stage of life...

My girl is pure delight.  I tell her every night that she is my precious girl.  The other night when I told her this she grabbed my chin and said "no Mommy, you're my precious girl."

So tomorrow she will dance into her third year of life, on tip toes most likely, living out the name we gave her when they placed her in our arms....Liberty Rose, our little freedom flower.

So here's to my precious, precious girl...may she always be as lovely as she is today, on her third birthday (sigh...the clock has ticked past twelve meaning that she truly is 3...how profound ;)
I love that Little girl.
xoxo