Moonlight and Lemonade

Did I just make a 2 year old folder in my picture file?  What just happened? Didn't I just cry when I pulled in the drive way with her for the first time?  I  can't believe that we just had her second birthday party...

What a fun time we had... I thought of the theme a few months back, swore to myself that it would be simple to do, made a short guest list, and an easy breezy menu that I could just pull it together no problem at all!

Weeks of planning and money spent and it all sort of snow balled from there, as these things often do.  I found myself asking Kev how hard it would be to whip together a lemonade stand for Libs party.... Yes, he made it, whipped it up all in one evening,  I made the awning and banners.

Hmmmm.....Saturday night we kissed summer goodbye with our first coolish night since the beginning of May, all  while we celebrated the Little's 2nd year of life with our friends and family.

 I loved wandering through our house and seeing people who we have come to know and love in this place, laughing and talking  with armfuls of babies and food...I had the distinct feeling that more days are supposed to be like this.

Here are some of the details...
These are one of the party favors...I made corked bottles of Libby's Lemonade mix for each guest to pucker up their kisser with when they got home!

We also sent our guest home with a bag full of candy...I'm sure all the other moms love me, but who can resist lemon drops and pink and yellow gum balls...Not me!

I didn't actually make a cake b/c I love cupcakes.  These are pink lemonade cup cakes with lemon cream cheese frosting.  They were sugary and sweet, and a bit tart, just like my Little.

Here is the food lay out, it was bbq pork with loads of sides.

I covered the tables with pink gingham and yellow polka dot ribbon, then topped it with a Mason jar and candle b/c even though it never did get dark while our guest were there, it was a "Moonlight and Lemonade" party, so I thought that candles  were needed!

Months ago I found these hot pink striped straws that I thought would be perfect for sipping our lemonade...unfortunately I guess most people thought they were a decoration b/c I still have a ton left, even after I walked around and stuck them in people's drinks.

My favorite idea were these "fill in" thank you cards.  I am the world's worst card writer, thank you, or any other.  If I don't do it immediately I forget and just don't do it at all.  Making these made me excited to share a picture from the party with our guests and get a special thank you to them also.

Despite Libs having more days than not of the "terrible 2's,"on her party day she was almost a perfect hostess.

When her bff Katie arrived Libs walked up to her and said "KK, cute dress."  I seriously wish I would have had my video camera on, it was priceless.

She also kept walking up to her other bff, Robbie, who by the way is just barely 3 months old, and saying "Roddy, balloons, see um?'  She was so excited that all her friends were at her house.  She kept trying to hold everyone's hand! 

Sunday morning, I asked her what was the best part of her party, she whispered to me "the cake, and  singing," not making it up, it was as sweet as it sounds.

That's all I've got from here friends...
I don't think I'll ever get tired of celebrating this curious and wonderful life God gave us two years ago.  It is amazing to me that He knew before I ever even thought of her that she would be this sweet sassy thing  that we hold so dear.

Here's to birthday parties, may they always be filled with cake and love.
Grace and Peace

PS Maggie Bell was out in full form...look how she's growing!

Free Pony Rides

Okay, okay....
So it wasn't that big of a deal, but to quote my good friend, "hey Carly, I thought you weren't going to over do it this year."
Here's a sneak peak of my Little's SECOND...are you kidding me, SECOND birthday party!  It was so much fun, but I have been over doing it for I don't know, about 2 weeks now and am in big trouble with mister, so I have to hit the sac asap!

These were taken pre-party fun!
Can't wait to share the rest...
Grace and Peace
~CJ

For What It's Worth

Please don't ever get  the idea that Libs and I spend our days laying in fields of wild flowers,  while I teach her valuable lesson of life- that she fully understands at age two, right before I promptly lay her down for an afternoon rest, then get hard to work on dinner for the family- made entirely of food I cooked from scratch, from the garden we grew out back, all done in my spotlessly clean house...
 
Oh wait, that was that other blog you read, written by the perfect wife and mother, with the perfect children.
On my blog you read about embarrassing trips to Target, and the Post Office, and being told off by your pediatrician every time you go for a visit.

Life is less than perfect for sure, and while things do go awry sometimes we  seem to follow a loosely structured schedule that I would rather not throw a wrench into.  When Kev told me that he had to work in Va Beach this week, and would be away for most of it, a wrench was thrown in my schedule and I found myself very frustrated.  When he asked me to  come down for a couple of days...honestly all I could think was why?  So I can pack up the car, the baby, and the dog by myself, to sit in a hotel room with Libs by myself, then haul all of the necessities down to the beach for the day to sit there ...by our selves!
My attitude was poor, I admit it.  My attitude has been poor about a lot of things lately.  I'm blaming it on pregnancy hormones raging out of control throughout my body, so that I don't have to take full responsibility for them, but "poor" none the less.
By a happy accident, I may have been complaining to a friend about my situation and she told me she and another friend and their families would be at the beach this week and invited Libs and I to join them should I decide to come down.  She told me that it would be worth it...
To my surprise it was...worth every minute of spending time away from home, away from our schedule, my need to "feel" like we are productive everyday (which generally turns to being unproductive), away from the walls that sometimes close in on me and make me feel like I'm doing everything by myself (I know I'm not by myself really...that would be the hormones talking).
Back to our trip...
So I did it, I pack up everything, on my own, begrudgingly, chanting to myself...."it's worth it, it's worth it, it's worth it.  I sped down I-64's two lanes of holiday makers sure that our adventure would be a complete bust.
When Kev met us at the hotel, his eyes lit up like they do right before we take a big trip or do something excting...all b/c we came to see him... and in that moment it was worth it.

He took us out to dinner in a fancy section of town and we sat outside under street lights,watching sun kissed diners in beachy colored shirts stroll by us, all while the Little, dare I say, enchanted all those around with her angelic ways...and I'm not being facetious.  It was worth it.

The next morning, Libs and I had breakfast at Starbucks.  We sat at a bistro table together, sharing a bowl of oatmeal, sipped our drinks, and I realized that in a few months moments like this between she and I would be fleeting. 

She quietly sang "...I know you I walked with you once a upon a dream..." leaned over, kiss me right on the mouth, and in that moment it was worth it.

We arrived at the beach around lunch and stayed until 7 that night.  Our friends had literally set up camp for the day and made it easy for us to want to linger as long as possible...

The air was warm, but there was a balmy sea breeze for most of the day.  We played, we walked, we skipped nap time all together...


She ran up and down the shore line on tip toes avoiding the crashing waves...giggling with every step...
She made it through the whole day with no baby drop  downs, very little screaming, and was almost acting like she understood my lengthy, sure to be confusing talks, during time-outs....
it was worth it.  
When the sun began to set behind us and most of the beach goers packed up for the day, I slipped her into a little white dress that my mom brought her from India.  She sat down quietly in the sand and examined the ruffles, like she knew it was something special. She even let me brush her hair... and even that little moment to me,  was worth it. 

At the end of the day, when our friends drove away, I washed the layers of sand from every crevice that I could, slipped her into her pj's, and tucked her in her car seat ready to watch Sleeping Beauty for the 12th time since the day before.

As I glanced over my shoulder before pulling off the parking lot, her eyes were already closed,  her little fingers were clenched tightly around Bernie...and in that moment it was worth it.

Here's hoping you don't miss out on those moments.  They really are, you know, worth it...

Grace and Peace
xxx

Cultivating

While organizing my room , I realized that the house was disturbingly quiet...this is what I found.

She had been right next to me trying on shoes and jewelry from my closest, just moments before.

I thought it was out of her reach, the corn starch that is. When I entered her room she was sitting in her top drawer dumping it into her socks.  Neat.

There  has to be more words that I can attach to this post to make it more interesting, but coming off last week's high, it is kind of hard to beat.  I have had some really great moments realizing all we have to look forward to in welcoming little Maggie.  I have also had some, "I don't think I can do this" moments. 

Like, when after an hour of sku-reaming (screaming) during nap time, silence finally filled the house again, until I heard a sweet little voice at the bottom of the stairs say "Mommy."  Somehow she got out of her crib with out making a thud.  She cried when I put her back in. I looked at the corn-starch dusted carpet (still there from the day before), closed the door behind me, and went out on the porch so that the screams of entrapment would be muffled and I could steal just a few minutes that I could call my own.  I took a deep breath of steamy August air, shot up a half- hearted prayer that I wouldn't lose my mind, and went back in to find that she had finally drifted off to sleep. 

Sometimes I wonder how I am cultivating(I heard that word at church :) my world...sometimes everyday, at home, in my ripped jeans and scraggly pony tail doesn't feel like I'm making that big of an impact.  However, just as doubt started to creep in, and tell me that  my life had become dirty dishes and laundry, a voice whispered to me in a quiet and encouraging way that I am cultivating my world.  Teaching her, disciplining her, loving her, it is making an impact on who she will be...And even if she never becomes a high powered something or other, or a missionary in some far off place, or a doctor, or anything like that...Even if one day she finds herself taking deep breaths of steamy August air, while she asks for Grace in raising her children... If it is Grace she asking for, and she is petitioning her heavenly Father, then maybe, just maybe, cultivation happened here in our world. (By the way, thanks for that Mom...you know, cultivating the world around you).
Just a thought.

Just my prayer.

Here's hoping...
Grace and peace

"Life Is A Box Of Chocolates..."~Mrs. Gump

Mark my words.
I did tell Laura and Kevo, the day I found out I was pregnant months ago, about that feeling I had.  That feeling, that very soon I would be meeting Maggie, Maggie Bell Jones, in case your were wondering.
Now... going into our appointment today, I was sure she was going to tell me that it was a boy, and all of your hard work in helping us find a name would be put to good use.

Life is full of surprises though, and as she slowly showed us every detail of our baby, the head, the hands, the heart, she said "are you interested in knowing the sex...what are your names?
"Maggie," I said "or Will..."
Then she stopped clicked a picture and said, "well, I think you'll be meeting Maggie"

My heart filled up as fast as my eyes...another girl.
Pink.
Bows.
Tea parties.
Sisters.

I could write and ramble about every detail of our very long appointment today, but I will just tell you that I am not worthy of this life HE has blessed us with...
But HE, our Father, has trusted me...
Me to be their mother and I am overwhelmed, I am humbled, I am not worthy.

I have been so disconnected from this pregnancy until today.
Even now, she flutters ever so gently, and I know that it is her, I can feel her, we are connected.
After today, I can tell you that my heart is full.  Full of love for their father, full of love for her sister, and full of love for my Littlest..Maggie Bell

Grace and peace...my cup runneth over.

xoxo

The View From Here

Lately, my view of her, especially when I'm trying to take her picture, is like this and if it's not of her back, it's just a blur of a little girl playing...I took these of her today at the park with my cell phone

Here she is running away from me,

and again  

She finally slowed down enough for me to get the front side of her, when we stopped so that Gus could get a drink from a stream.. 

  She  was happy to sit there, I don't know why she looks so cross in the first picture. 

Here's the view  of the Littlest today.  I really like baby bumps, this one in particular, b/c it's home for my baby.

I'm pretty sure that while I have been typing these frivolous words, my little person has been enjoying the clicks of the keys, because I have felt some very distinct flutters that could only be the work of my sweetling.  While we're on the subject of the Littlest, we find out how things are going with them next week. We'll also find out if we in fact have another little girl or a little boy.
Out of curiosity,
off the top of your head,
what do you think it is?
If you think it's a boy, do you mind suggesting a name so that we don't call him "hey boy" for the rest of his life.  We have a girl name that we love, and if one day we had another girl, then another 5 after that, I don't think we would have any trouble naming them, but we struggle to agree, or even come up with boy names that we like.
When we thought of the name "Liberty Rose", it was like the heavens opened up, and birds began to chirp, and I think I heard the  distant sound of a  choir singing, and I just knew that one day we would know and love Liberty Rose Jones... Ironically, about 3 days before I found out  I was pregnant this time, I had that same distinct feeling about our new girl name (which I 'll tell you next week if it's a girl, I mean I'll tell you anyway, but you'll have to wait).  However, now that I have lived through a very different pregnancy, more sickness, bigger belly, and slower baby heart rate, I'm leaning more towards thinking it's a boy...
So what do you think?
Here's to lots of great suggestions, cause we've got nothing!
Grace and peace