Through the years
June 22, 2012 by
Every year since Landon was a wee baern, I have taken him to the same section of beach for photos – usually around the same time of year – June/July. Last year was a little different with the move, but I did manage to grab at least one shot of him on “our” beach.
This morning, I took him back while the rest of the kids enjoyed VBS. Landon was supposed to be at VBS, but he decided it was too “babyish” for him, because my four year old has no concept for how to socialize with children his own age.
And he happens to be a big Mama’s boy. When I look at him, I find myself wanting to quote Monica Gellar – “I’m gonna love you so much that no woman will ever be good enough for you!” I don’t say that, but I think it.
*sigh*
Preschool will be good for him…as long as he meets another little boy who lives, eats and breathes baseball, basketball and football. If he’s stuck with a bunch of kids that love The Wiggles and Cars we’re in for a long year.
I present you: Landon through the years:
2008
2009
2010
- A non-beach 2010 picture because Sweet Mercy those EYES!
2011
2012
Is he giving me the bird?
Go, Go Gadget Arms. Geez...
Happy Friday to you all!
The winners and other stuff
June 14, 2012 by
Once upon a time I threw the biggest birthday party known to mankind. That’s only barely an exaggeration. When Sloan turned five, I threw a fire fighter birthday party and fell prey to fear, which led to me inviting every single person we knew and their entire families.
I have deep seeded people-pleaser issues.
I was so afraid of someone feeling left out that I just invited everyone I could think of assuming that with it being summertime many would be out of town and unable to attend, but at least they would know I thought of them, right?
Almost every single person RSVP’ed. Twenty-nine (or more, I lost track) kids, 16 adults and a sprinkler. I have never done that again.
All that to say, I can’t choose just one winner from the Name that Photo contest. I don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings and plus you guys flipping made me laugh so hard. I wouldn’t know how to start. I laughed out loud (I did NOT LOL…ugh) so much, then I went and reread the comments and laughed again. Out. Loud.
My readers are funny...and apparently know me too well.
Sloan mooning us? Nutella locked in the van? Draining noodles? Timmy trapped in a well? Fat tourists in thongs? 1-800-CONTACTS? Smokey Bones? Oh heavens…you guys are the best. So funny.
Well done all of you. VIRTUAL HIGH FIVE’S ALL AROUND. Hold your hand up…wait just a sec…
There! High five. BOOM!
And here’s your side hug.
Now the super-duper feelings of awesomeness and glory will take a few days to get to you. You should all receive those by Monday at the latest. Be on the lookout…
In other news…
– Today I am guest posting at Bohemian Bowmans on the impact Tanzania has had on my writing. Hop on by and check out the Bohemian blog – they’re Canadians now, dontcha know…
– In order to retain my Mom-Blogger card, I am required to post a recipe now and again. Otherwise my membership may be revoked and then I’ll be relegated to writing about, I dunno, politics or something.
*shudder*
I’ve made these eggs twice this week and both times my first born, he who gags like he’s dying when I serve him eggs, has gobbled them up. So what’s in this magic eggs concoction?
– 1 leek, thinly sliced (leeks are like big, fat green onions – I had no idea…I’m not what you’d call a cook.) Sautee the leek in 2 T of butter and add one garlic clove chopped.
– 4 cups of Kale. Add the Kale to the Pan and pour in 3 T of white wine (you read that right), cover and let simmer until Kale is melted. Salt and Pepper to taste.
– Crack four eggs on top of the greens, put a lid on the pot and let cook on low until eggs have hardened and set. Serve hot and watch in amazement as your kids eat so much good stuff without complaining.
*This is not an original recipe. I got it out of Men’s Health magazine, which, naturally, I was only reading for the recipes… *nervous laugh*
– I want to Hulk Smash the alarm system in our house. I hate it. Every time the power trips, the alarm goes off. Last night the power tripped three times. When that alarm goes off in the middle of the night I wake up prepared to kill. It explains why today I am drinking this, which I only drink in the most dire of situations.
My hands are trembling uncontrollably right now.
– I downloaded all three Ingrid Michaelson albums today. I’ve loved her since “The Way I Am” came out, but lately we have been listening to the Over the Rhine station on Pandora and every time she popped up on the screen I got goosebumps. She’s freaky good.
– I signed all three kids up this week for gymnastics camp. I’ve had about three hours a day to myself. At home. ALONE. I had kind of forgotten what this felt like. It’s a little boring at times, but for the most part it has been entirely enjoyable.
Empty Minivans are HAWT!
Okay, I’ve talked enough. Now it’s your turn. Tell me something funny, or sad, or happy. What are you doing this weekend. Do you have a vacation coming up? Did your kid say something funny to you this week?
Who’s gonna make me laugh? Come on, help a sister out. I didn’t sleep much last night and you guys demonstrated yesterday that you are plenty funny so lay it on me.
Happy Thursday, friends.
Dear 5:00 AM…
April 9, 2012 by
I set my alarm for 5:00 AM this morning. Go ahead. You can laugh. It’s funny.
I really thought I could handle it. I even went to bed at 9:45 last night. I felt very responsible when I turned the lamp off before the 10:00 hour. How grown up of me, right? But what seemed like mere moments after closing my eyes, the alarm on my phone start screaming in my ear.
5:00 AM?!
I don’t know what I was thinking.
Incidentally, I spent a lot of time trying to find the perfect alarm sound to wake me up. I listened to every option provided on my phone and I painstakingly chose the sound that was least offensive. It sounded like little fairies ringing bells, gentle and serene. When I chose it, I pictured myself leaping out of bed in song. Like a musical.
Good Mornin’. Good Moooornin’.
In this vision I tap danced through the house, happy and free as a lark. I don’t know how to tap dance, although I did take lessons a few years ago and had the time of my life. I should do that again…
But, oddly enough, when my alarm went off this morning, it didn’t sound like fairies ringing bells any more. IT SOUNDED LIKE THE DEVIL HIMSELF CLANGING SYMBOLS IN MY EAR.
It was angry and harsh and I wanted to punch someone, not sing.
Then I got back in bed.
“Is that your alarm to get up and work?” Lee asked. He wasn’t really interested in the answer so much as he just wanted to acknowledge the offensiveness of being awakened by evil bells at 5 in the morning.
I grunted in reply and promptly closed my eyes. For the next 37 minutes, my brain and my body warred against the morning. It went down something like this:
BRAIN: “Get up. You have a lot to do this week. If you don’t get up now you won’t have time to get anything done this morning.”
BODY: “Shut up.”
BRAIN: “Seriously, just get up. You will be fine if you get up and move around. You can have coffee. You won’t regret it, but you will regret staying in bed and not getting anything done.”
BODY: “Shut. Up.”
BRAIN: “Alright that’s it you lazy BEEP. Get up! Get up! GET! UP!”
BODY: *sitting up at squinting at the clock that reads 5:24* “Ten more minutes. Now shut up.”
BRAIN: “Check the clock. I think it’s been ten minutes. Check the clock. Seriously. Your window of peace and productivity is shrinking exponentially. Check the clock. CHECK IT!”
5:37.
Sighing, I rolled out of bed and landed with a thud on the floor. Stumbling to the kitchen, I noticed how beautiful and serene the house felt. Dark and quiet, patiently waiting for the hustle of energy to roar to life. I liked it. The peace of the moment made me happy.
It did not make me feel like singing, though. Or dancing.
If any of you need me later, I’ll be on the couch taking a nap…
While I’ve got you all captivated here with my amazing and deep words of wisdom and grace, I might as well show you a few pictures from our Easter weekend, don’t you think? Wouldn’t that make your day? You’re welcome.
We spent the weekend with my cousin, Sean (whose book I hope you all purchased and are impatiently awaiting its arrival) and his wife, Addie, and their two cuties. The huge waves at the beach Friday made for three hours of crazy fun for the kids.
Glow in the Dark Easter Egg Hunt. Too much fun.
Sloan and his pet fox...I mean, dog.
I hope you all had a Happy and Blessed Easter filled with love, laughter and lots of chocolate.
The swell of spring and new life awaits
March 30, 2012 by
Florida spring is beautiful. Crisp mornings give way to hot days signaling summer’s swift descent. But as we await the sweltering days, I’m struck by the new life springing up around us. Even in Florida, when nothing goes dormant, spring brings a pleasant crop of welcome change.
Spring also means that swimming season is upon us.
Speaking of new life, my cousin Summer brought home her two sons from Ethiopia just five months ago and in a few short weeks she will welcome a daughter into the world. The ladies of the family gathered together to celebrate this much prayed for baby girl last week.
May your weekend be filled with sunshine, flowers and the welcome relief of a warm breeze.
I’m the Cruelest Mom Ever but Look at the Awesome Pics I Took of this Caterpillar, Yo!
March 14, 2012 by
Sometimes coming up with clever titles is just too much, you know?
It’s spring break ’round these parts. Well – it’s spring break for the public schools. My kids, however, are being forced to do school this week because I relish in torturing them.
Muahahahahahahaha…
Seriously. you’d think I was standing over them with a bowl of cold gruel and a whip barking “What’s the sum of 5+7!” They are in the dungeon of learning, folks. You should feel sorry for them.
In a lame attempt to garner a few meager cool points, I’m offering a lot of breaks and we’re starting an hour later than usualy each morning. This gives them ample opporunity to enjoy the awesome that is Florida spring weather and hunt lizards and caterpillars to their little hearts content.
And speaking of caterpillars, check out these photos we got today of the creeper we affectionately (and completely unoriginally) named “Spikey.”
So, in celebration of my lack of awesome, please tell me – what did you do today that was awesome?
So dainty and girly and…
February 29, 2012 by
The table was set to girly precision. Purples, pinks, greens and blues lit the room and danced around the table.
There is no greater thrill for the six year old girl than glass bowls, wrapped in ribbon and filled with candy.
The guests arrived all dressed to the nines. Skirts, dresses, hair bows and even a bit of glitter.
They smiled shyly as they each took a seat around the frilly table.
And at the head? The Birthday girl in a purple shirt, ribbon pinned proudly to her chest.
Image courtesy of Avodah Images
Cake was served immediately and each girl picked up her fork delicately.
The chatter was quiet and endlessly interrupted by delighted giggles.
And after the cake came the ice cream.
Of course.
You can’t have a decent ice cream party without it.
Image courtesy of Avodah Images
Colorful goblets filled with ice cream and topped with more sugar than should be legally allowed raised the decibel level of the room to a new level. High pitched voices joined in a cacophony of silly laughter and girlish banter.
Image courtesy of Avodah Images
They ate with gusto. Tiny mouths lined in chocolate, fingers sticky, eyes glazed in a sugary daze.
And yet, there they sat so prim, each in her seat with a grin on her face.
When the ice cream was served, the room quieted again as young ones concentrated on eating their delights.
Image couresy of Avodah Images
Then one spoke, breaking the silence.
“I need to go to the bathroom,” she said with a grin. “Or I’m gonna fart.”
Image courtesy of Avodah Images
Cue uncontrollable laughter. Hands clasped over mouths and feet kicking.
And the potty talk commenced as each enjoyed tossing in her own gem of a quote.
Little girls.
They’re so dainty and girly and…
**********************
I only got a few pictures of the awesome and girly ice cream party, but my friend Jenni graciously offered to photograph the whole event for me and she got some amazing shots.
I think you should check them out.
Then check out the rest of her site at Avodah Images because she is a spectacular photographer. I’ve heard her say more than once that when she’s looking through a lens she sees God Himself as the world comes into focus. I love her heart and her pictures.
You’ll love her too.
If you’re ever in Florida and want family pictures made, Jenni is definitely your girl. She knows how to capture that one special moment and forever immortalize it for you. What a gift.
Image courtesy of Avodah Images
The perfect blendship
February 20, 2012 by
It’s amazing what happens when you move away. Friendships change. It’s inevitable, of course. Not seeing someone every day or every week is bound to altar the dynamics of any relationship, but I’ve found in the times I’ve moved that I’m always surprised at the way the meaning of a friendship can change shape.
I’ve also found moving to be an amazing barometer of the significance that friendships play in your life. The people you miss the most are not always the ones you thought you’d miss the most. The people who reach out and make the effort to maintain a relationship take you by surprise because, sometimes, they aren’t the people you thought would reach out.
And then there are times when you have a friendship so deep that you know, without a shadow of a doubt, that that friendship will withstand the miles that grow between you.
I am blessed by such friends. So very, very blessed. And this past weekend we basked in the love of friendships so deep that the momentary pause between our face to face interactions didn’t even cause a hiccup. It was as though we hadn’t been apart. I have precious few friendships like that and I give praise for each one.
(If you’re a Broadway nerd like me, you’re going to want to listen to this song while viewing the following pictures….)
- My dear and precious friend.
A weekend of playing with our friends at the beach, the aquarium and even a Russian birthday party solidified in my heart this lasting relationship. How grateful I am for this precious family.
So what about you? Have you hugged a friend today?
I Believe
October 28, 2011 by
I’ve got the memory of our amazing trip to Europe on my mind today. The beauty of God’s creation leaves me breathless and in awe. I can’t help but rejoice.
The song is Creation Calls by Brian Doerkson (yes that’s me singing it acapella. I love the song…). The images are all from our trip. Have a blessed weekend everyone.
Oh, and one more thing…GO CARDS!
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