Mamalovesadeal

spilling over

2012-01-03T08:35:00.000-08:00

Phil and I crawled into bed much too late last night. We were both tired and ready. As we lay there recounting a few things from the day, I told him a silly little story of an interaction I had with Gibson. Instead of a random chatter response he said, "You're a great Mom, babe. Seriously our kids are so lucky to have you. You're a really great Mom." I had to let a few, warm tears drop to my cold pillowcase before I could eek out a thank you. It's those little moments, in the quiet darkness, that add up to mean the most.
Thankful.

the latest

2011-12-22T18:01:00.000-08:00

Gibson...
- He just lost tooth number 3 yesterday. In his words, "it just popped right out." He was quite concerned that if he went to bed it would fall out and he would swallow it. He's our lil worrier. Thankfully it came out around dinner time so the child could go to bed in peace.
- His current obsessions? Legos and Mario.
- He is constantly telling me he loves me and that I'm the best Mom ever. That kid and his words of affirmation, I tell ya. It's pretty awesome.
- He is the perfect combination of sweet and funny. Reminds me of his Daddy. Which makes me think he'll be a pretty awesome husband and father some day.
- We recently went to Chicago and he said he wants us to move to the city now. He loved it! Hmm, maybe because the lego store is there?!

Maya...
- So sassy yet so sweet! She has been showing her helper side lately and I love it. Last night at house church she put herself on clean up duty and helped load the dishwasher. She was so excited and proud!
- I had an early morning breakfast with friends one day this week and when I pulled in the drive way I noticed the curtains were open and all of the Christmas lights inside the house were all beautifully lit. I was surprised that Phil would do that since it's usually my thang. I walked in to see a smiling girl who said, "Look mom! I opened up the house and got it all ready for you!" She knows me well and my desire for light in the morning. Oh it just warmed my heart to no end.
- She got some pop beads yesterday and has been a jewelry making factory ever since. Seriously hours and hours.
- She pretty much loves anything fashion related and notices everything. She has taken to complimenting strangers and it's awfully adorable. Out of nowhere we'll be shopping, in a public bathroom, hanging at the library and I'll hear her say, "Excuse me. I really like those boots." or "Excuse me, those earrings are really beautiful." They always leave with a smile on their faces and it's been a good challenge for me to remember to encourage!
- She continues to challenge Mama's sanity many days. She is independent and very sure of her opinions. Which is awesome...as long as we can channel it in the right directions!

Silas...
- He is just as funny as ever and growing like crazy! He seriously has shot up recently. All of his 3T things that were literally hanging off of him and rolled up in the fall are now fitting perfectly. Crazy!
- I took him outside last week to take his 3 year pictures and he was such a ham! I'll have to post a few soon (or if you're a fan of Ciao Bella on facebook you can see them now!) because they came out sooooo cute. I think he loved having me all to himself, too!
- Every morning he lays in his bed and sings. It's adorable. It's also a very, very, very loud way to wake up.
- We recently got a free trial of netflix and the other night I was watching American Pickers while Gibson and Maya played legos. Silas climbed up in my lap and intently watched two episodes with me. Maybe I'll have a junkin' partner in the future!
- I always ask him if he's a baby and he says noooo. Then I ask him if he's a big boy and he usually says yes. Well one morning he said no and I asked what was he then. He proudly pointed to his chest and said, "Eya (I'm a) MAN." I lost it!

31st cuteness

2011-11-01T07:43:00.000-07:00

Halloween was an easy, low-stress affair this year. Silas wore what was once baby Gibson's costume. Silas is the 5th child to wear it, so I'm pretty sure I got my money's worth with that one! Maya wore the same costume as last year. Purple fairy of course! I surprised her by picking up some purple hairspray at the store just an hour before we went out. I'm pretty sure it was the best day of her life. It's the little things! While I was there I also picked up a tiny kit of face pencils because I thought it would be fun. Gibson was still undecided on what he wanted to be as I mentioned, but had it narrowed down to ninja and pirate (apparently the recyclable materials idea went out the door). When he saw the face pencils he was suddenly inspired and wanted to be a vampire. So we turned his ninja shirt inside out, tied the red belt around his neck, and tied one of my black cardigans around for a cape. Thrown together at the last minute, and it was his favorite costume he's ever had. I'm actually not a big fan of scary costumes, but he was harmless. He is like the sweetest kid ever who just happens to love spooky things. It's pretty funny!

Here they are, empty bags ready for loot:

This is the only picture I could get of my wiggly monkey. He ooo ooo and aaa aaa'd all night long. I couldn't get over staring at his poofy belly and bottom. I kept walking behind him on purpose just to catch a glimpse of the cuteness!

The purple fairy:

She's getting so big!

And here he is in all his creepy glory:

He is trying so hard not to smile in this pic and I love it!

Am I the only Mom who almost got teary watching them run around to all of the houses?! I just loved watching them make wonderful memories together, use good manners, and most of all the big smiles that were on their faces all night long.
Now let's eat some candy.

sunday evening meanderings

2011-10-30T19:08:00.000-07:00

– I ate some Pizza Hut pizza tonight for the first time in years. Pretty sure it's burning a hole in my stomach as I type.
- I have missed this place! I keep wanting to blog, yet want to share pictures. However, Ciao Bella work is so crazy I haven't had time to edit my own photos. Soon and very soon I will be done for the season and then I can breathe! That should mean more regular blogging, too.
- I bought new socks and they're cutting off my ankle circulation. I've never in my life been called petite, but I have never had an ankle issue. Especially with a soft, stretchy sock. Geez. I'm totally blaming the sock in this situation.
- My sister-in-law and one of my close friends both find out if they are carrying a boy or a girl tomorrow!!! The big ultrasound is always so exciting! It will be one fun Halloween!
- Speaking of Halloween, the kids are totally stoked of course. Gibson still hasn't decided what he wants to be. He has the option of a ninja or pirate, but he said he may just make something out of "recyclable materials". I don't know where he gets these things. I also let them have a cookie after dinner tonight and he said I probably shouldn't have made that choice. When I asked him why he said because they were already going to be getting a million pieces of candy and that's probably too many sweets to be healthy. He speaks truth, that one.
- I'm about to travel to ITLY tonight via "Only You". I'm pretty excited. Damon Bradley!
- I know everyone is gushing about it, but I really do love pinterest! I have made so many recipes and put many ideas to use. Just plain inspirational. (Please go into it with a content heart though, or you'll find yourself pinning million dollar homes and fancy trips to Bora Bora before you know it.)
- I am obsessed with cardigans and I don't care who knows it! It's pretty much all I wear and I make no apologies.
- I am finding myself itching to put up the Christmas tree and start playing Christmas music. I normally have a no celebrating rule until Thanksgiving is over, but I'm wondering if I'll make it! I buckled and started listening to the music mid November last year. It's just so flippin cozy. It's like the older I get the more sentimentalish I get. Do you like to wait to celebrate or do you throw caution to the wind early?
- Really trying to break in these socks but wondering if I'll find blue feet when I peel them off. Not sure how much longer I can hack it. All of the sudden my 3.99 deal is seeming like too high a price to pay.
- I have 3 loads of laundry on the couch just waiting to be folded. I think they've been here four days. Maybe more. Oh yeah, one load in the dryer too. And the kids' clothes are still overflowing the hamper. I need to get back in the laundry game. Listen I'm all about throwing in the load, switching it over, even putting away. It's the folding I can't get into. Except towels. I don't mind towels.
- The sweet woman next door just brought over three little bags of candy because she will be out of town tomorrow. So sweet! There are pretty much no little children on our street so she is always so nice to ours. However those bags are now taunting me. I have made it thus far with zero candy in my house. You heard me. If it's here I'll eat it so I have passed it up in the Target aisles. I stopped and looked longingly once, but then thought of Joseph literally running from temptation from Potipher's wife. So I scurried on out of there. Like for real ran whilst pushing my cart. Well, maybe it was a light jog. Still.
- I would love to yammer on but my feet are freezing, yet I still have on the socks. I think it's time to restore circulation. See you again soon!

thankful thursday

2011-09-22T14:15:00.000-07:00

Thankful for...

-The warm sun and sweet breeze.

-The smell of baking pumpkin cookies wafting through the house.

-Pandora while I edit.

-Maya playing with her polly pocket's at my feet while I worked this afternoon. Love to hear her story lines.

-A new surgery date for Silas to get new ear tubes and adenoids removed. Brother NEEDS it.

-An encouraging appointment with our neurosurgeon that cleared him for this procedure.

-A Tim Horton's iced capp for breakfast this morning.

-My quad girls texting one another scripture all day. Can't wait to meet with them in the morning.

-Kate coming over just to hang out after my kids are in bed tonight. So excited for uninterrupted conversation!

-The wonderful wedding I was able to capture this past weekend. I had tears behind my lens...and even tears as I edit. Their love for Him and each other is so apparent that it's awesome.

-The Fall decor I broke out last week. Happy little pumpkins.

-Gibson hugging me today and saying, "I wish I could stay right here in this place for the rest of my life." He's going to make a girl VERY happy someday.

she's 5

2011-08-30T11:07:00.000-07:00

My daredevil...

My live life to the fullest...

My try new things even if they're hard...

My independent...

My beautiful eyed...

My sweet, wonderful, and precious girl...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!! You are loved, cherished, and adored. And you always, always will be! You're my best girl in this whole wide world. Momma loves you!

first day

2011-08-23T10:22:00.000-07:00

Here are the babes before we got our first day of school underway yesterday! So proud of these two!!!

horrifying things

2011-08-22T10:25:00.000-07:00

1. My complete and total disdain (aka, freaking out in tears) for mice has been well documented here. I have blissfully lived our married life (9.5 years) without one mouse in our house. Well, that we know of. Our first little place was a bit shady. Anyway, it's been awesome. But it was always in the back of my mind knowing it can happen at any moment. I can't be naive enough to think we will be a mouseless house forever. Well, the streak ended folks. Thankfully they (yes,THEY ) were only in our garage and not our house. And thankfully my husband has dealt with it all and I never had to even see them (yes, THEM). We noticed recently that a trash bag we had set in the garage had been nibbled and it was obvious it was a mouse. What else sneaks in your garage and nibbles?! We still had never seen or heard anything, but Phil set traps for us Thursday night. We caught one the first night. Hooray, it's gone! But then we caught another one the next day. And we have proceeded to now catch 2 mice children. We had a freakin family livin up in here. Uninvited I might add. My sister said I should just hope it's not the Gosselins of mice. Seriously. It's kinda creep city that we've killed a mom, dad, and two children. But at the same time...adios amigos. I must say I've handled it quite well. I think that's mostly because it wasn't in the house and I never saw one. Because if that was the case, I probably would have up and moved by now, let's be honest. So anyway, pray with me that there is never a number 5. I would die a thousand deaths. K?
2. Now onto horrifying thing number dos. I can't believe I'm putting this on here but it's so hilarious I have to. You know the little light colored peach fuzzy hair on the side of your face? Well I was putting on my moisturizer the other day and saw a hair and went to brush it back thinking it was from my head. Oh no folks, it was on my face. And it was like 4 inches long. No lie. It was the thin, peach fuzzy stuff. Yet one had gone wild and grown out of control. I quickly yanked that baby out. But seriously, how long has that been there?! It's like I'm embarrassed for every thing I've done for the past few months (cause come on, that was growing for awhile!) I'm not sure where to go from here. I am not a hairy person generally, so maybe it's an age thing? Either way, I guess inspections are required on the regular from here on out. Yikes.
3. And now for the last horrifying thing...I have a child in first grade and a child in kindergarten. OK, so it's not very horrifying at all. In fact that part is exciting and awesome. I guess just the whole time flies part is horrifying. Did I not just birth these babies?! Parenting is like a whole mess of wonderfulness heaped up, but a little pinch of bittersweet is thrown in there too. Sigh.

OK, that's all I have to scare you with today. Hopefully back soon with some first day of school pics!

Dege

2011-08-13T10:38:00.000-07:00

I just love reading the letters we have gotten from our sponsor children. We just got one today and I cry every time! There is just such a humbleness, sweetness, and simplicity that this girl can learn from. Here's what our 8 year old boy had to say this time:

"How are you doing whom I love? I am fine. Praise God. I am in good health and in peace. I finished this academic year with good result. I learn God's word in the project. I learnt that God loves his children.
It is cold here. How about yours?
Pray for me to love and fear God and to be a smart student.
Bye!"
(Then he drew a beautiful, colorful picture of some flowers and trees)

We love you sweet Dege!

school-tastic

2011-08-10T08:11:00.000-07:00

I've had a lot of people asking me recently what we're doing for school this year. And if we're ready.
Um, can you ever be 100% ready until you just go for it and see what happens? Oh, maybe it's just me then! I kinda always feel like people say it with a foreboding tone, like dun dun dun...are you SURE you want to do this?! It makes me laugh. Do I doubt myself sometimes? Wonder if I can really give my kids a great education? Of course! A lot, actually. But I also believe those are lies. I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength! And I really count it a MASSIVE privilege to be able to experience these young years with my children and teach them in the way they should go. I wouldn't give up witnessing these firsts for anything, folks. Really. Truly. It's a joy! I am not mother of the year, I am not a crazy organized person, I'm not a wild go-getter. But like I said, I believe I can do this because I abide in Him. And He's awesome.
I first started homeschooling when Gibson was 3, so this isn't our first go-round. I know, it was just preschool, but I was lesson planning and we were learning. It was very low key and low pressure. Just the way I think it should be at that age. But he was interested, so we did it. This year he will be starting "first grade" and Maya "kindergarten". I put quotes around them because we'll just be moving as they're ready, and not really just sticking to a grade level. I thought I'd list out our curriculum here, both as a resource for others, and just for us to keep track from year to year. And I also would love people to see that homeschooling can be affordable, so I'll list out the price. Keep in mind this total will be for 2 children.

1. Bible: Daily devotional and some study books that we already have. Free
2. Core (language arts, math, social studies, science): Time 4 Learning. This is an on-line program and is a monthly subscription of 19.95 for your first child, and 14.95 for a second. So roughly $35 a month for both children. We will be schooling 8 months out of the year (roughly), so that's $280 for the year for two kids. I have quite a few reasons for choosing this, but I won't go on and on here. If you would like to talk more about it let me know!
3. Handwriting and Spelling: A Reason For. It was actually cheaper to order it on amazon, so I got a teacher book for spelling, a student book for spelling, and two different levels of handwriting student books for $65 and free shipping.
4. Art: The World's Greatest Artists. The books for this study are available through our library, so the cost for us will be free.
5. PE: Family Time Fitness. It is a one time purchase of $77. It has 365 lessons with it, which will probably last us a good 2 years. And then we can start all over again! So this is a great deal. It has good ideas so you don't have to think it up yourself. Worth it.
6. Spanish: Speekee. It is an online subscription for $7.50 a month. For one school year that works out to be $60 for two kids. We'll eventually do something like Rosetta Stone, but this is a great place to start with young children.

So that is that. We are excited to start and it's less than 2 weeks away! If we start some of these things and just don't love them, I will keep you posted!

um.....

2011-07-28T13:37:00.000-07:00

After just perusing my blog stats, I saw that there were six visits this past week from searching the key words, "I love cleaning up puke in the morning."
Number one, who are the 6 people out there googling that phrase?!
Number two, yikes.

monday mish mash

2011-07-25T11:10:00.000-07:00

- I started off my Sunday morning cleaning up dog puke. Nothing says good morning quite like that. Then we had a lovely gathering at Apex. However on the way home Gibson started complaining of a stomach ache. I thought it was just car sickness since that's a normal thing for him. He laid on the couch when we got home and no sooner did I set my stuff on the kitchen counter before I heard the dreaded sound. Poor buddy. Poor couch. Thankfully he improved the rest of the day and seemed totally fine. We did just a few errands last night and then as we were minutes from home we looked back and saw his face. Phil had nowhere to pull over so...up it came all over the van. Did I mention we just paid to have the van detailed on FRIDAY? We've had 2 other van pukes this Summer and the van was smelling so fresh after the cleaning. It sure was nice for 2 days. Such is life! We came home and I could see by Phil's face that he just couldn't do the clean up this time. You see, he cleaned up the previous 2 van pukes this summer...and they weren't pretty. He didn't say anything, but I knew I should step up. Marriage is all about service right?! After three puke clean-ups under my belt yesterday, I was ready to tap out. Thankfully Gibson seems just fine today!

- We are in the market for new furniture and actually spent a good part of Friday searching, sitting, and talking it out. After what happened on our couch yesterday, I'm ready to go buy a new one TODAY! Pretty sure we have made our choice, so that's exciting!

- Scouted some photo shoot nooks this morning. We have a styled shoot coming up in a few weeks and I can't wait! (We still have spots if anyone is interested!)

- I'm knee deep in wedding editing. I often feel like my eyeballs are going to fall out of their sockets. There's an awesome image for ya.

- We have decided on all of our curriculum for the coming school year and I'm all excited about it! But, also want to soak up these last few weeks of summer. I love, love, love summer.

- My house is a wreck and I have zero desire to clean it. Don't get me wrong, I want to sit and enjoy the cleanliness afterward, just don't want to do the work involved to get it there. I'm so Suzy Homemaker today.

- If you could say some prayers for sweet Silas on Wednesday, I would surely appreciate it. We have some medical tests and an appointment that will hopefully bring some answers.

- I cooked brown sugar bacon green beans for my husband to take into his work's Christmas in July lunch. My house smells AMAZING. I hope there are leftovers...

- This morning I drank coffee from my tea mug. Cause I'm a rebel like that.

funny boys

2011-07-20T08:49:00.000-07:00

Silas is walking around the house right now with a play phone saying, "Huh? What? No. Bye!" And he's all business, baby.
Gibson is playing Lego Star Wars and told me he is checking out his stud totals (um, whatever that means). He said, "I'm gonna see how much I can get for the cheapest amount. You know, just like you do at the store." I feel proud to have passed on my cheapness.

Summer Salsa

2011-07-19T12:16:00.000-07:00

I have nary met a dip I didn't like. I just love to dip things. I also love me some chips and salsa. I love all kinds of salsa, I don't discriminate. Unless it's really bad. Like when we went to our fave mexican place recently and the salsa was apparently prepared by someone who had lost all their senses. It had no cilantro and no onion. No cilantro and no onion. (It beared repeating) Unacceptable.

This brings me to one of my favorites...the Summer Salsa. I found it through melskitchencafe (a fabulous resource!) and it is totally delightful. I may have even blogged about it before, but I'm too lazy to dig through archives. But it just shows that if you still haven't made it, you crazy.

Here you go:

1 (15 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed well
1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained well
½ medium onion finely diced (about 1/3 cup)
½ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 (7 oz.) can salsa verde (I used Herdez brand)
Juice of 1 lime
½ teaspoon cumin
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all of the ingredients together in a medium bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let the salsa marinate for a few hours (or overnight before serving). Drain most of the liquid from the salsa before serving (optional). Serve with tortilla chips.

Here's what it looks like just stirred:

Just a quick taste test...

My batch is crazy flavorful today. My onion was so strong I thought I might never recover from the flowing tears as I chopped. Red onion doesn't usually get me like that, but good gravy I was beside myself today. Also my lime was probably the juiciest I've ever seen. I don't usually drain the liquid before serving, but I might have to this time!
In other news, sister just brought me this:

Adorable. It's hotter than blue blazes out there so we're trying to entertain ourselves indoors if at all possible. I mean, unless you're immersed in water, you can't stand the out of doors. She's learning how to write a lot of words, but it cracks me up how the order doesn't necessarily matter right now. Aren't little kid drawings the best?! Oh, and Maya and her Daddy are not in jail, she just likes the paper to have some pizzazz. So she often asks if you want your background striped, polka dot, or plaid. Love my girl!

Calling all moms!

2011-07-15T20:23:00.000-07:00

If you haven't read this yet, go do it NOW!!!

camp days

2011-07-15T08:59:00.000-07:00

We loved our camp weeks this year! The kids got to go fishing a few times while we were there, but I was usually back at the (air conditioned!) room while The Bubba Baloosh took a much needed nap. The last week we were there it was insanely hot, but they still headed down for some fishing fun.

Phil sent me this pic of Maya catching some frogs:

After seeing that I knew I had to head down to capture some of the action. Gib caught a fish! Love how proud he looks!

Maya wanted to see how it felt of course!

Right after that, Daddy put out his line and about 30 seconds later had a bite.

The kids loved checking out the catfish.

I told you it was hot! Look how pink his lil brown skin is!

My little girly tomboy.

It was time to hit the dusty trail with our red faces and sweaty heads!

Doesn't he look so thrilled that I'm still taking pics despite the extreme heat?

Poor girl! It was like an oven.

This is pretty much all you can do when it's that hot! Plant yourself in front of the COLD AIR.

Independence Day

2011-07-12T10:55:00.000-07:00

We had a fabulous 4th! The two days leading up to it were kind of crazy, so it was just nice to be at my parent's house in Indiana and just relax for awhile. The country? It does the heart good. So does family! And now prepare yourself for a complete onslaught of pictures.

I took Maya outside to snap a patriotic pic. It was SO bright and sunny, this is what we ended up with! I can't help but laugh when I look at it.

The girl will find any dandelion in a 50 mile radius to make a wish on.

Is he now a college boy with his hat pulled down, or what?!

Love the excitement on his face...all from a pop-it!

Apparently girls learn to stand like this at age 4.

This is what I'm dealing with every day people. And I love it.

I mean, she loves to make noise.

He's delicious.

Boxes o' fun.

They kind of look like little bags of contraband, don't they?

My little cheeser.

He looks too big in this picture! I have mixed feelings about it.

Silas' bff Papaw lets him try out whatever he wants, including swinging from branches.

Just look at these two!

Gib is like me. He gets all overheated and whatnot. He just.Couldn't.Go.On.

Love him to pieces.

We sat under the trees and felt the delicious breeze and warm sun.

So inviting.

Silas wanted a closer look at the corn hole action. Here he is spotting us across the way and waving. He's hilarious.

Then it was time for the Can of Crabs to do a big performance for us. They're goin places I tell ya.

I love Maya's face in this picture. She was looking at her Daddy.

Giggle box.

Such beautiful eyes!

What up homeboy.

Fun memories made with cousins!

Fun fun fun fun

2011-07-07T16:45:00.000-07:00

We are at camp this week and havin a ball! A few memorable moments:
-Gibson and Maya are new to showers and they are loving them. After I gave some help this evening Gib wanted to linger so I left. My word, what a priceless moment it was to him start to sing in the shower!
-Maya wants a baby sister so bad she can taste it. What does she want to name the tiny bundle? Jersangela.
-Gibson caught a few fish today and he is so proud! But he would not touch them of course. Dude likes to keep it clean.
-Maya however is all about not being clean. She caught two frogs today, one of which still had a tail! She also has taken to catching and examining bugs. Good for her, but no I would not like to hold it, sister.
-We ventured into town today, which ended in a sweet treat. Phil and I had pie, and the kids shared some ice cream. Maya picked coconut almond fudge chip and I was so proud of her choice. Also one bite of it changed my life. Pretty much the most awesome ice cream I have ever tasted!
-Silas is here too! He has had some medical issues lately, so I am just thrilled to see him acting like himself today. That usually equals singing all the live long day. His top faves? "Hap Birday de Sisas" and "La la la Melmo's Erld".

I am home tomorrow and hopefully back here on the regular. With pictures, too!

proud

2011-06-30T08:16:00.000-07:00

OK, I LOVE my husband. I love him for a lot of reasons, but I have so much respect for his work and the way he provides for our family. Sometimes I forget just how talented he is! He does an amazing job leading the band at Apex. I love that even though he has officially been in this role for 9.5 years, he hasn't gotten stuck just doing things the same way all the time. He has taken some risks in the way he works the bands, and it has paid off in so many ways! He is passionate about identifying leaders, investing in them, challenging them, and developing them into successful leadership roles. And is so encouraging to them in the process! It truly has been a joy to watch.
Each summer he commits to youth camps and does an excellent job. I have LOVED watching him at Crossings this year. He just pours into the young volunteer band. They have grown so much in the last 2 years! I'm so thankful that Crossings is so family friendly and that we get to tag along on every week that he's there! This past week he has been gone at a camp called Velocity. It was so fun talking to him on the phone and hearing his excitement over sharing the gospel with some of the guys. He is passionate about sharing Love, and I love it! I'll be honest, this week every year can be a hard one. He's gone for almost a full week, and we hardly get to talk at all. Some days we don't get to, and others we may only have 15 min or so. I can battle with feeling upset about it, but when I talk to him and hear the ways God is moving, I instantly feel guilty. :) (Every other full time minister's wife knows exactly what I'm talking about it here!) Ultimately he's not mine to keep, and it is a privilege to watch him go forth and serve! But don't get me wrong, I certainly am glad that I'll be able to hug him in just a few short hours!
All of these random words thrown together basically boil down to this:
I'm proud of him.

sharing the love

2011-06-27T11:46:00.000-07:00

- If you've never read a Phil Smouse book, ya needs ta get your hands on one. I actually picked ours up years ago at the dollar store of all places. So glad I scooped those babies up! They have always been some of our faves to read to the kids, and now Gibson has discovered them and has been reading them over and over. They are hilarious. We have: Why Oh Why? Oh Me, Oh My!, I Love Ruthie, Pete, Feet, and Fish to Eat, and A Jonah Day. I saw some on half.com for as low as one red cent. Go buy them!
- If you haven't already, you need to check out www.houseofturquoise.com. Such a good spot for inspiration! I pretty much died right here in my chair when I saw the recent dream home tour that was featured. It's broken up into several days, but here is a link to day one. Every day of the tour I sat here and gasping and sighing. Such a happy house!
- Have some big cardboard boxes and some bored kids? Check out 32 Things to Make Using a Cardboard Box.
- Our lovely little farmer's market starts next week and I'm prepping by gathering some new summery recipes. Here are a few I've gathered so far (via pinterest!)...Avocado Chicken Salad, Mango Quinoa Salad, Guacamole Bruschetta, Oven Fried Zucchini Chips with Basil Dipping Sauce, Spicy Honey Chicken, and Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette . Now I'm hungry.
- I've seen some hilarious posters lately. A few of my personal faves?
"Oh, dear. I really ought to do something. But I'm already in my pajamas." Pretty sure I've rationalized with that one before!
"If you tickle me, I'm not responsible for your injuries." These words have come out of my mouth to my darling husband on more than one occasion. And I usually add, "...and I won't even feel bad! Because I warned you!" I really couldn't be sweeter.
"I try not to laugh at my own jokes, but we all know I'm hilarious." I mean, sometimes I can't get out the words because I'm already laughing at what I'm going to say. Geez.
- I want this garden but I have not the space, nor the green thumb required.
- Like fun, retro stuff that isn't outrageously priced? Check out www.house8810.com! I adore their kitchen linens. It would also be a great place to find a unique gift for a child.
- Our beautiful magnolia tree in our front yard is full of blooms right now. I snipped one a few rainy days ago and brought it in to enjoy. She only lasted two days, but it was beautiful to watch her open and then fill our little house with fragrance. I'll leave you with a few peeks...

summer hairs

2011-06-24T10:24:00.000-07:00

Yesterday it was time. I lined up all 3 and did 3 hair cuts in a row. Thanks to some Inspector Gadget on Netflix, it was no problem at all. They were all getting the sweaty, stinky hair of summer, so we took off some inches.

The before pictures:

And after:

He loves his hair and he told me a girl at VBS told him he was "just too cute". Ha! He said he thought that was weird.

Maya has been clamoring for shorter hair so she got it. It's a little wonky around her face after sleeping on it.

Here's a pic of the back. I wish I could cut the back of my own hair and make it look like this!

And now for the biggest change of all...Silas!

My baby is gone and I'm left with a handsome toddler. It takes me off guard every time I look at him!

bliss

2011-06-22T12:30:00.001-07:00

Finally a chance to throw some vacation pictures out there. I'm actually sick, so this is about the only thing I'm up for right now. Sitting while 20 something pictures upload? I can do that!

We had such a wonderful, wonderful time on our family vacation this year! It was a perfect mix of relaxation and being on the go. Every year I always wish we had at least 2 weeks instead of one! The five of us love having so much time together, and then throw my family in there and it's just pure awesomeness.

OK, I know I went on picture overload here, but I seriously wanted to put up about a hundred. I could just snap pics of my people on the beach forever and a day. I think that's a sign I need to move near a beach...right?

We went on a dolphin cruise this year and it was my favorite thing that we did. We'd never been, but our booking company gave us an amazing coupon and Silas didn't cost a dime. So our total for this 2.5 hour cruise for our entire family? $18! Here are a few dolphins swimming up to our boat:

My Gibson on the beach. He has a blast chillin down by the waterline.

And Lulu? Well she just lays right down in those waves and loves every second. I learn so much about living more freely from this girl!

The Bub was touch and go at first (he HATED the beach last year), but he came around and ended up LOVING it! That's my boy!

My word at the handsomeness. Love this boy!

Silas sat on the balcony every morning singing loudly to the ocean. It was the cutest. You're welcome to the balconies around us. Breakfast and a show.

This was the view from our balcony. You can even see the railing in the foreground. All thanks to our awesome friends who gave us such a great deal!

Gibson directing the waves?

Bubbalicious with Daddy and Papaw, two of his favorite peeps. Last year he was petrified of the waves...you can see by his face how much that has changed!

Good gravy. He does me in!

My Maya. What a beauty!

Doing her best Vanna.

The big boy cousins having a great time together!

Silas+his bff Papaw=happiness.

Lu LOVED writing in the sand this year. "Maya and Mom"

Every girl needs a sparkly headband on the beach to hold back that sandy, windblown hair.

The best shot we could get of the five cousins. Cutie pies each and every one!

Daddy and his babies. Minus me. I'm only in a few of our vacation pics. Darn it.

Jokes on the boardwalk.

This is what he does these days when you say cheese. Oh my.

My best girl with the golden, setting sun and palm trees.

Dear Destin: We will love and miss you until we see you again next year.

Love, the W's

lost???

2011-06-13T08:01:00.000-07:00

I promise I've not fallen off the face of the earth. A few happenings:
-We took a family vacation to Destin in May. We had such an awesome time!!! Perfect weather, beach days, pool time, delicious foods, dolphin cruise...just an all around ba-last.
-Phil does quite a few youth camps during the summer. We're so glad we get to tag along to a few of them! The kids get to do all sorts of fun stuff and are awfully tired at the end of the day. One of the camps is set back away from it all in Kentucky. We love some good time in the country! You'd think it was a nature reserve with all we've spotted so far...deer, wild turkey, a snake (yikes!), fish, vultures, more kinds of moths and butterflies than I've ever seen, and I won't mention the mouse from last year!
-Picture takin' has been so fun lately, but also busy! My partner and I are restructuring the way we do our scheduling and I think it's going to be better for everyone! We are booked for June and July but if you're interested in a late Summer/early Fall shoot we will post details on Ciao Bella when we land on them!
-I just had the pleasure to attend Deeper Still in Louisville with my bible study girls. I just love these ladies and we heard some amazing TRUTH this weekend! Challenged in more ways than one and excited about how He's changing me!

Ok I for real need to pack! Just wanted to pop in because I missed it here. Hope to be back soon with a few vacation pics!!!

Mark 8:34

2011-05-18T18:54:00.000-07:00

Go here to see one adorable video.
Love these two! And their daddy who writes little jingles to help them memorize scripture!

5/10 favorites

2011-05-10T08:05:00.000-07:00

- Waking up to the laughing voices of little ones playing together, and another little one's voice singing sweet melodies.
- White, sheer curtains blowing in the delicious breeze of open windows. LOVE.
- Sunshine streaming through my window!
- A delicious breakfast smoothie of fresh strawberries, peach yogurt, and spinach.
- Playing a ridiculous amount of Words With Friends with my husband (and kicking his tail 90% of the time).
- Some closure brought to someone I love so dearly...and hearing how God perfectly orchestrated it all.
- A brother who will spend hours working on your car at the fraction of the cost of an auto shop.
- Friends who are as passionate as we are about the orphan crisis and are willing to DO and GO. Even if it's not easy. Cause it's not.
- Leaving for vacation in a matter of days. Oh ocean, I'm coming, don't you worry.
- Libraries full of books, ready for the renting.
- A husband who so thoughtfully made my Mother's Day special. I just love him so much.
- Globes. I love staring at the one on our school desk...always with Africa spun to the front.
- The way Maya always says, "each others". Why the s? I don't know, but I like it.
- Jimmy Fallon, who makes me laugh out loud on a regular basis.
- A day full of possibilities ahead!

timely

2011-05-05T13:30:00.000-07:00

Just in time for Mother's Day.

Read this.

"It’s not that you aren’t going to blow it. It is what you do with it, when you do."

tuesday randoms

2011-05-03T08:30:00.001-07:00

- I spent the weekend with Kate, who so graciously cashed in her girl's weekend trip and asked me to come along. We shopped, ate delicious food, watched tv (food network, hgtv, and the like), read books, flipped through magazines, talked...and never got on each other's nerves once. Now that's a good friend!
- I'm getting my hair cut soon and I CAN'T WAIT. It's gonna be short ya'll.
- April showers bring May flowers? Well apparently here in Ohio April showers bring May showers. The rain. It's like it won't end. We're bored. And ready to play in the out of doors.
- I'm reading One Thousand Gifts right now. It's so good and rich. Last year I bought a journal and the plan was to end my day writing down some things I was thankful for. I never did it. The journal was empty. Until last night! The book has inspired me to finally break out that pen and fill some pages.
- Maya is suddenly saying her r's as r's and no longer w's. I wondered when they'd go away, and now that those little w r's are gone, I miss them. I still have her lispy s's though. That girl is going and growing up without my consent!
- We leave for vacation in 10 days. 10 DAYS! I'm excited, and a tad overwhelmed since I have done not one thing to prepare so far. I also booked several photo shoots to help with vacation costs...so this makes for one busy Mama until we leave!
- Silas is saying so many words and it's fun. Also, this makes it much easier to understand what on earth he's shouting about sometimes.
- Remember that linkalicious post I did a few weeks back? Well my friend Jenny was at West Elm recently and picked up that little yellow bowl for me, just because she knew how much I liked it. Such a sweet friend! It makes me so happy every time I see it!
- Gibson continues to be quite the little reader. I got a book at the library yesterday that I thought would be more of a challenge for him. He sat down and read it in one sitting. And then proceeded to read it 2 more times before the day was done. I guess we can step it up even more than I thought! So proud of him and how much he loves to read!
- I'm making this list to avoid going to the library and post office. I have a serious problem with creating a task just to put off doing another.
- My kids let me sleep in a bit this morning and it was glorious! Silas was practically silent in his bed and Gibson and Maya were playing quietly. Except for that little "Hey Maya, I love you" I heard from the other room just as my feet were about to hit the floor. Such a wonderful way to start my day. I mean, right now they're all fighting, so you have to treasure up the good stuff for times like these I guess.
- My husband is my spider killer and I love him for it. I will kill them when I have to, but the one in our bedroom last night was positioned over my head. I really hate to kill them when they're over my head. Creeps me out.
- I had a rainy photo shoot last night that I wasn't super excited about (because of the nasty weather) and ended up leaving blessed to my core. If anyone knows the Shanahan family, you'll know why.

And I think that's enough of a list for now. Have a happy Tuesday!

Easter 2011

2011-04-27T09:15:00.000-07:00

We had a fabulous Easter celebrating our Risen Savior. Since we had gone to a Saturday night gathering at Apex, we had a pretty relaxing Sunday morning. The kids rifled through their Easter baskets while I did a little baking and cleaning. Once Phil got home we headed to Indiana to spend the day with my side of the family. The rest of the day was filled with rain, awesome food, and lots of laughs. I love my family!

Here are all 3 in their Easter best:

Daddy said something to make them laugh...

They add such joy to our family!

My handsome 6-year-old:

Pretty girl...

And this is my only pic of Silas by himself...

Ha! Screaming while covering his own ears. Wish he gave us some notice so we could do the same sometimes. :)

Risen!

2011-04-24T07:22:00.000-07:00

We were sitting down to breakfast this morning and Maya was chosen to do our prayer.
Maya: Dear God, thank you for this yummy food. And thank you that it's Easter because it means you were rising from the death. Amen.
Gibson: Wow, Maya. That was the awesomest prayer I've ever heard.
And I was blessed.
Seriously thankful that Jesus is alive. It means this life isn't hopeless.
You MUST check out this video. I LOVE it!!!

6

2011-04-23T06:21:00.000-07:00

Somehow this sweet, darling little baby went from this:

to this:

And I promise I only blinked my eye.

I'm not sure how it happened so fast, but here we are.

Dear Gibson,

You are seriously THE sweetest human being I've ever known. You love to help, please, and are quick to forgive. You love to see other people smile and laugh, and you know how to make it happen. You're SO funny! Whether you are telling jokes are just making silly faces, you're always the comedian of the party. You are just full of joy! Some of your current loves are Star Wars, Lego Star Wars (and just Legos in general), playing wii (anything will do), reading, learning about Jesus, eating spaghetti and pizza, and putting on shows for us.

I love you my Bear! I hope this year is your best one yet. :)

Love Momma

name dropping

2011-04-20T08:07:00.000-07:00

We are nicknamers around here. Very rarely do our children get called their actual names. Maya on several occasions has said with great conviction that her middle name is Lulu, when it's actually Layne. I should probably work on that. We have all sorts of crazy nicknames that we've made up on our own, but I also realized how many "famous" names we use on a regular basis...changed slightly to get our point across.
For example:
No way Jose Conseco- This is pretty obvious. Why just say "No way Jose" when you could add the Conseco?

Cal Ripskin- Once Phil scratched me and I said, "What the heck Cal Ripskin?" It stuck.

Bratticus Finch- If you're being a little bratty this is your name. A new twist on an old classic.
Punky Brewster- Once again, pretty obvious. But it works so well when someone is just being a punk.

Snotsky and Hutch- This could pretty much be Silas' permanent name because he's forever snotty.

Grumpelstiltskin- Grumpy. Apparently if you have a bad attitude around our house we call you names. In a sweet, jokey way of course.
Yanni, Live at the Acropolis- This one dates back to our dating days. Once when I yawned I said, "I'm so yawny tonight." Phil replied, "Live at the Acropolis?" And I totally got it. We were meant to be. We say it almost every time one of us yawns.

I know there are more that I'm missing but I just can't think of them right now. Does anyone else do this or are we the only weird ones out there?

Photo booth fun at a party. I told you we were weird.

linkalicious

2011-04-09T13:32:00.000-07:00

So, I was sick this week. Like, crazy sick. After it all went down (or came up for that matter), I had a few days of recovery ahead. I was really weak and couldn't really do anything, so I sat on the couch and surfed the internets more than I ever do. I came across some fun finds and thought I would share!

1. I am lovin this striped purse from Target. In person it is much more of a muted yellow. I've never had a yellow purse, and that's a pretty good reason to get it, right? All who know me right now are thinking, "Yeah right cheap skate, you won't cough up the money and you know it." They're probably right. But I do love it!

2. I also saw this navy tank in Target recently and thought it would be super cute layered underneath a cute cardigan. I'm a little ruffle obsessed these days.

3. What is it about melamine that I just adore? I especially have a weakness for plates. Check out these and these and these.

4. I spotted these coasters awhile back and fell hard. But I love them too much to actually use for their purpose. I would frame them in 3 separate vertical frames. Then I would hang them in my kitchen. Yep.

5. Speaking of kitchen stuff, I want to drink out of these cutie pie cups, don't you?

6. I've been to Payless a few times recently, and I always gravitate toward these green shoes (they are a darker green in person). They are amazing, but there is no way I could spend more than ten minutes wearing those babies. Not with my bunion. In case you were wondering, yes, I'm 80.

7. A few years ago I found an awesome wooden chair at Goodwill, and it's still one of my favorite things in my house. It only had a plywood seat, but I found a plain red cushion at Pier1 that fit it perfectly. I saw this chair cushion on their website and thought it would be a fun change up some day. My other one is just regular material, and I like that this one is indoor/outdoor. Hopefully that means I could clean kid gunk off of it a little more easily.

8. I was just browsing West Elm and found myself lovin these bowls. I would love to have a yellow and gray one as little catchalls for our new bedroom. I think even loose change and pocket lint would look good in these beauties.

9. I was looking through some of my favorites on Etsy and came across a great shop I haven't visited in awhile. I really love this number pillow (and lots of other things in their shop!) and thought it would be fun to DIY this and use "23" for our anniversary. I'm all about meaningful decor these days.

10. I haven't seen this in person, but online I adore this crochet trim dress in jurassic green. I would wear it with some sort of cardigan of course, because I'm not a bare arm girl. I need to check out the length and fit in person, but I do have a gift card burning a hole in my pocket!

Have a great weekend!

a first

2011-04-04T06:47:00.000-07:00

It was a big day around here yesterday! Gibson lost his very first tooth. After a days of wiggling, dude bit into a piece of garlic bread at dinner and out it came. We let him pick the celebration, so we were off to the dollar store to choose something and then out for ice cream.

It was a good night with our big boy.

Spring wreath

2011-04-01T05:46:00.000-07:00

I've been part of a Recipe Club for a few years now. It has always been a fun night out once a month, and also a great resource for finding new recipes. We were kind of hitting a wall with Recipe Club, so we decided to change it up to Craft Club every once in a while. Last month we made fabric flowers and this month we decided to create our own Spring wreaths. I left on Tuesday night feeling a bit eh about my creation. There was something about it that just wasn't working. I had wrapped it in white yarn. Then I ran out so finished it with a nubby yellow yarn and decided to make that the focal point for my flowers. I made a variety of different flowers using different methods and alternating between felt and fabric. I liked the separate aspects of it, but just wasn't lovin it as a whole. When I got home I decided to rip some strips of linen and cover up the white yarn. Now I LOVE it!!! It is so much more me and my style. Makes me so happy to look at it! A lil piece of Spring even if we just had snow. But I'm pretending that never happened.

Here she is. I love the separate section of yarn. Such a happy accident!

Frayed, ripped linen.

Love my red, loopy, felt flower.

And my stringy fabric one too.

Like a ray of sunshine I tell ya.

Spring school

2011-03-30T08:59:00.000-07:00

Schooling our children at home this year has been challenging, stretching, and a big ol' blessing. Has it been hard? Yep. Have I struggled with excitement and consistency sometimes (or, um, often)? Most def. But it truly has been such a joy. When I look at how much they've learned this school year, I know it can be chalked up as a success. Even though I feel like a failure sometimes! But He gives more grace. I have counted it a privilege to see the little light bulbs go off in their brains when we learn something new, or when they recall something we talked about months ago.

So far this school year we have used Five in a Row curriculum. It was great and a different approach to learning that has been really fun. We finished our lesson book and instead of starting a new one, I decided to just go ahead and plan out the rest of our school year until we do some summer studies. I'm basically just doing a thematic approach and chose some things I either want to focus on teaching them, or what they are really interested in learning about right now. Last week we did Spring. They had a blast! We took a field trip to my parents house in the country to explore and find signs of Spring, we painted, we read fun books, we planted seeds, we played outside observing little things poking up through the ground and the weather change. A great week all around!

I always try to choose some versatile books that are written in different styles and have different illustration mediums. This one looked like cut paper pieced together to form each picture.

I also always try to choose some multi-cultural action.

This was a book of poems and it had such sweet little illustrations to go along with each one. Very watercolorish and soft.

This book was very simple and had a very graphic look. A good change up.

This one described life on a farm and how a child discovered Spring all around. Loved the pics in this one and how much family life was mixed into the story.

I think their fave activity of the week was planting seeds.

They stared at it multiple times a day waiting to see some growth. This week we have green sprouts all over. They are so excited! Now Mommy just needs to remember to water it...

Friday is always art day around here and one of their favorite days of the week. It's mine too. :) I love art day!

Maya painted a floral masterpiece.

Look at those sweet, tiny hands.

It has been scientifically proven that sticking your tongue out improves concentration and performance. At least it does for Gib.

Adorable in her lil painting apron.

So proud of his creation!

these 3

2011-03-28T12:28:00.000-07:00

Being a Mom can be a tough gig. Sometimes I get frustrated, overwhelmed, angry, tired, impatient...and the list goes on and on. Most of it tied to my own selfishness.
But then I look at those smiling, giggling, silly faces above. My heart is filled with joy, love, thankfulness, pride, laughter...and guess what? That list goes on and on too, only it's longer than the first. And what is it all tied to? One extremely gracious Father.
Life with Him is ALWAYS better.

Loovll

2011-03-11T13:32:00.000-08:00

Yep, that's how the people who live there pronounce it. To the rest of us, it's Louisville. There is much debate of the pronunciation, but who cares what it's called, it was fun! A few weeks ago (ok it's been almost a month) Phil and I took a little weekend away to celebrate our 9 year union. Thanks to a great hotwire deal, we had an awesome stay at the Hyatt Place there and ventured out into the city for two days. Relaxation, shopping, eating amazing food, and just spending time laughing and hanging out together...it was a blast. I could go down a list and rave about all we did, but I'm just going to tell you about one specific restaurant we went to. Mainly because it's literally the only time we took pictures the entire weekend. I know. Lame. Anyway, it's called Lynn's Paradise Cafe and it's a well-known spot that has gotten lots of press over the last few years. After going there we can see why! Check it out:

There are all sorts of fun statues everywhere. Of course I fell in love with the green gorilla back by the dumpsters.

I mean if people are staring at you taking pics in a back alley, why not give them a good show, right?

My main squeeze was looking hot!

People watching while waiting for our food of course.

Such a kitschy, colorful place!

It's full of old dinette sets that have been donated to the restaurant. I wanted to go around and take pics of every chair!

Huge trees in the middle with all sorts of decor.

Love the legs, the bulb lights on the window and one of my fave parts of the restaurant...a vintage lamp on every table.

Hot sauce. Cause my man likes his food spicy.

This makes me thirsty. Hold on while I go get a drink...

K, I'm back. We decided to go for the two famous things on the menu...the two that won Throwdown with Bobby Flay. The first was a delicious spicy omelete with a biscuit and fried green tomatoes on the side. It was seriously amazing.

This loaf o' biscuit? It was incredible. And I'm picky bout ma biscuits.

And well, this was the other one. French toast with strawberries and all other sorts of goodness. It was like having a massive dessert for breakfast. Have you every seen such a thing?! Extremely tasty but very rich.

You can rent this place out. Wouldn't it be such a fun place for a party?!

And this little guy...well I wanted to smuggle his lil eggplant self in my purse. I decided not to exit the joint in handcuffs and left him on the table to make other people smile.

It was the weekend before Valentine's Day, so there were love notes all over the windows.

We loved you Louisville, and can't wait to visit again soon!

over it

2011-03-09T13:18:00.000-08:00

We had a nasty virus visit Mr. Gibson last week. It wasn't pretty. I was so worried I was about to take him to the hospital. I'm not too easily freaked out but this one scared me. After 2-3 days he was completely back to his sweet self. Well, he never lost the sweetness. In fact, when he gets sick he's like the nicest, quietest person in the world. He even vomits quietly. Too much? Well, it's not the first time I've discussed vomit around here.
We were so glad the rest of us had emerged unscathed.
But then Monday rolled around and I felt a little "off". By late afternoon I had a full on fever and some stomach issues. Then the tiredness hit me. OH THE TIREDNESS. Now I know why I was worried about Gib's limp noodle body, because I was now experiencing the extreme limpness. I had to cancel my bible study girls coming over (BOO!!!) and just hunkered down for the night.
Yesterday? Repeat of the same.
Today? Well it's 4pm and I'm definitely making progress. I had to run to the store for a few things this morning and upon my return I thought I might collapse. A quick trip had plum worn me out. Just this afternoon I tried to pick a few things up around the house and ended up dizzy and hot-faced.
Tomorrow? Praying normalcy returns!

(PS just a few more small things and the bedroom will be revealed! remember me talking about that? well, it's been done for almost a month now, but i just want to stick a few more things in before i show it off!)

the sweater

2011-03-02T10:54:00.000-08:00

One day I walked into my bedroom to find my daughter sitting on my bed wearing my favorite sweater.

So I grabbed my camera.

She continued to roll around, all wrapped up in that oatmeal sweater.

Then she put on my reading glasses from my bedside table.

And things got weird.

Really weird.

I think I'll start calling her Martha.

Then she ditched the glasses and found my earrings.

And she hooked them over her ears like she always does.

Then things got weird all over again.

Maybe this is Martha sans dentures?

Yay! Martha gots her teeth back.

Then I squeezed her and kissed her. I mean, what else could I do?

top 3

2011-03-01T12:27:00.000-08:00

I LOVE music down to my bones. Just love, love, love it. And when I find an artist I like I tend to play them to death because I get a tad excited. But it's seriously so hard to find someone you can listen to and not get tired of them after a song or two. I love to see live shows, but that has become a bit harder since the babes came along. Babysitters don't usually like to hang around until 2am. Who knew? BUT, if I got to pick 3 concerts to go to this year, these 3 would be it. It's the best when you find someone who sounds better live than recorded.

1. Adele. She's just AMAZING. If I could sing worth a lick, I'd want it to sound like her. Plus, how many "artists" these days could just stand on a stage with a mic and piano and rock it like this? Not many, I'll tell ya that much friend. And she feels what sings, as you'll see at the end. Made me tear up a bit, too!

2. Ray Lamontagne. Not the first time I've mentioned him, I know. But my lil love affair with his music continues. He's an awesome song writer who also just sings with such emotion. You can tell it's his passion. This video is a bit long, but just let it play while you go about your emailing and blog checkin. You won't be sorry.

3. The Civil Wars. Some of my favorite newer music to come around in a long time. Love their harmonies. This isn't my favorite song of theirs, but it's their most recent release. And no, that's not Johnny Depp, it's John Paul White. :)

easy project alert!

2011-02-25T15:19:00.000-08:00

I still have out my fabric scraps from craft night this week, and just bought some new hair ties. What a lovely coincidence!

Check out this cute headband!

Maya-4.5 edition

2011-02-24T14:43:00.000-08:00

Here are some excerpts from a funny little interview I did with Maya today. Of course for her answers I had to type at lightening speed to get them word for word. She get's a little excited.

What do you think about fashion?
What I think about fashion is that it can be really sparkly. My favorite is sparkly, it doesn't matter what color it is. It could even be black. And here's my other thing: what I loved about mommy's wedding dress is that it was white and sparkly. And I really love a dress I saw on the computer that my mommy loved. It was my favorite. My mommy is really, really beautiful. (She said that all on her own. I promise!)

What do you have to say about being a kid?
Oh great. I love this choice. What I like about being a kid is eating dinner with my family. I really love to have fun with daddy too.

What are some important issues you think about?
I don't really think about important stuff.

What is something you would love to have?
Oh, I really really want my own jewelry box. And another thing is maybe a whole princess room. And I wouldn't let the boys come in.

Do you have a secret?
Yes! My special dream I had. It was the funnest day ever and we went out with Haven and one of our other friends and we went to the children's museum. We saw a new exhibit for girls and you could dress up in this big room. It was the greatest ever. Then I woke up.

If you had a day to do whatever you want, what would you do?
Let's see here...go to the children's museum, hang out with my family, watch 2 movies, and go shopping with you, and hmmm let's see what else...I would love to go to a place to get a special treat like Ele. And the best thing...go to a place we could both dress up together!

And then I ran out of questions. And my fingers were tired. She straight cracks me up!

9

2011-02-23T09:05:00.000-08:00

It was a warm, sunny February day. It was in the 50's and glorious. I was happy, calm, and just plain excited. I was about to marry my best friend.

Putting the final touches on my makeup...

Phil's dad helping him prepare...

My dad walking me down the aisle.

I LOVED my bouquet, full of tulips and snapdragons...

Young and in love...

Husband and wife! Finally!

So glad we went with that striped tie babe. You looked handsome...

The whole party. That blue carpet was pretty sweet, huh?

My girls hanging out at the reception. I just love this shot of everyone happy and smiling. And it's a great shot of their beautiful tulip bouquets...

Surrounded by our favorite friends and family!

We hadn't kissed in a LONG time before our wedding, so we smooched a lot that day. And liked it...

Our beautiful and tasty cake made by the sweetest little 80-year-old lady...

And we're off!

And with the balloons floating off into the distance, we were onto the rest of our lives...

Today we celebrate 9 years together. The years have been full of joy, sorrow, challenge, excitement...life. Nine years and three babies later, I can without question say that I would still choose him.

He makes me laugh like no one else.

His hugs make this world a better place.

He knows me to my core...and then still loves me anyway!

Phil- I love you!!!!!! You're my favorite.

grapes

2011-02-16T17:34:00.000-08:00

Today Gibson took a nap. He NEVER takes a nap anymore, but still enjoys his quiet time each day. He normally plays legos, does school work, etc. But after having some fun time playing outside apparently he gave into the sleepiness. He emerged hot cheeked and rosy, his hair all askew. And what were the first words out of his mouth while he gave me a squeeze?
"Mommy I love you. You're my favorite. You're like those tiny grapes I ate at lunch today. They're the sweetest ones."

I still haven't recovered.

goodness

2011-02-16T12:26:00.001-08:00

Just having a day where I can't stop listening to this song. Love Adele and her singing this song just never gets old to me!

feb14

2011-02-14T14:49:00.000-08:00

We aren't over-the-top Valentiners around here, but we are having a fun day so far! First we kicked the day off with some pancake hearts:

Delicious!

Then we were off for a few errands. Look at these 3 little cutie pies in their vests!

Maya loving her fun gift we got for her when we were out of town this past weekend:

Homemade note from my sugary sweet Gibson. You drive me crazy too baby, in all the best ways!

Maya's Valentine for Daddy:

That little lightening bolt above her name? It's fitting. :)

I think we'll finish the day off with a light dinner and MAYBE a special treat afterward. Phil's meeting was cancelled for tonight so we might just curl up and watch a movie. Cause I doubt he'll watch the Bachelor with me...even if it is Valentine's Day.

sibs

2011-02-04T14:25:00.000-08:00

This was almost 4 years ago...

Excuse me while I go cry.

newness around the house

2011-02-01T08:22:00.000-08:00

A few new things around the house that are making me happy...

I ordered this little poster from this shop on Etsy and it has made my husband happier than possibly any other home decor I've ever purchased. He loves it. It makes me smile.

This is a little banner I made one day while the kids were napping. Right now its hanging in our living room for a little bit of Valentine goodness. Perhaps it will be used for a future Ciao Bella photo shoot?

Nothing fancy, just scrapbook paper and some nubby twine.

That "W" sign was a Christmas gift from my friend Kate. I really need a better no-glare pic of it because I love it! She and her husband have come up with some fabulous designs so I keep telling them to open an Etsy shop already. I'll keep you posted if it happens!

My cutie pie shower curtain is in place and I'm loving the splash of color it gives our very white bathroom.

I had some black and white photos hanging on one of the bathroom walls but the new shower curtain just didn't jive with the prints. I took some ugly old flower pictures that were hanging in our bedroom and had some diy fun. I just painted the frames black and swapped out the pictures for some word art I created on wordle. This little project cost me all of zero dollars and I love the difference it made in our little bathroom!

In other decorating news, our bedroom transformation has begun! Hopefully I can share the finished product in the next few weeks!!!

confessions

2011-01-27T15:57:00.000-08:00

- Do you wax your upper lip even if the hair is not dark? I've never done it but wonder if everyone's looking at me like, "Dude, wax that stache."
- My fave dance on Just Dance 2 is by Ke$ha. I mean, she has a dollar sign in her name. Oh well, I totally rock it.
- I say I won't get sucked into the Bachelor. I do, I really do. Then there I am flipping channels and before I know it I'm wrapped up in tears and drama.
- Sometimes I check certain unnamed sites for the latest celeb news. I know, shame. I'm also planning a Grammy date with my sweet friend Jess. We plan on discussing both the fashion and the bad notes that are hit at great length. Because it's two-fold really, right Jess?
- I consider quitting Facebook at least once a week. "I'm so sick I'm on my death bed and can't move!" No, you're on Facebook. "I'm soooo busy. Doing the dishes, making the beds, and 50 loads of laundry all at once right this very minute." No, you're on Facebook right this very minute. Sigh. Sometimes social media isn't good for my blood pressure.
- Recently after spending an entire day doing load after load of laundry, I got to the bottom of the kids' hamper and found some shorts, tanks, and sun dresses. Embarrassing.
- I'm oddly excited about the new wedding line from Anthropologie coming out soon. Check out a preview here (it launches Feb. 14). I would get married to Phil all over again if I could have a tiny little wedding in the country...all vintagey and anthro-ish. Yes.
- I've never been a super committed fan of American Idol and have only really gotten into a few of the seasons. But I have to say, I'm really enjoying it this year. Who would have thought that the addition of Steven Tyler and JLo would make it more likable?! Jenny from the block I tell ya.
- I had myself convinced this past week that I'm pregnant. I'm not. No, we're not trying nor do we have plans to, it's just funny how you can have yourself so convinced! Seriously had every symptom in the book. I may or may not have a touch of the hypochondria.
- I've lost my homeschooling mojo and need to find it FAST! Consistency, where have you gone?! Probably frozen along with the world outside my window. I. Need. Spring.
- Lastly, I can't stop thinking about GiGi's Cupcakes. One just opened across town and I really think my mind won't be able to rest until I try some of this deliciousness. Just look through the pics and descriptions...you'll be ravenous in no time.

PRAYERS FOR E!!!

2011-01-21T13:12:00.000-08:00

My friend E and her family need some prayers y'all! They got the tough news today after a whirlwind week that they did indeed find cancer during her surgery. Please pray for her, her husband, their lil adorable 3 children, and the rest of their family as they process this news. She will spend about a week in the hospital and begin chemo shortly thereafter. So thankful that we have such a big God and He is certainly not surprised one bit by this. I just want as many people praying for them as possible!
You can check out her blog here.
You can probably keep up to date there how you can be praying for them specifically. You will find out as you also read her previous posts that she is HILARIOUS.

mexican pizza

2011-01-19T07:59:00.000-08:00

I purchased this cookbook quite a long time ago and cooked several things shortly thereafter. Everything I made was good, I just put it in my cook book basket and kind of forgot about it. I find myself often cooking recipes I find online and neglect my dusty books. I finally dragged all of them out 2 weeks ago and did a little scouring. I found a recipe for mexican pizza in this cookbook and it is sooo delish! It's a meatless meal, but you could easily add a little grilled chicken on top if you wish. I just made it for the second time in a week last night and changed up the toppings a bit. The possibilities are endless!

Ingredients:
2 garlic cloves (I always add more because I'm in love w/garlic)
2 T coarsely chopped cilantro (I always add more because I'm also in love w/cilantro)
1 can black beans drained and rinsed
1 t. ground cumin
1 prebaked pizza crust (I used the pillsbury one from the refrigerated section and prebake it, but you could also get one from your fave pizza place)
1/3 c. salsa
1 1/2 c. shredded cheese (monterey jack, cheddar, whatev)
Topping options: olives (gag), chopped red or green pepper, chopped green onion, roasted corn (LOVE this from Trader Joe's), or anything else your lil heart desires.

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425. In a food processor or blender combine the garlic and cilantro and pulse until chopped. Add the beans and cumin and process until pureed. Spread evenly over the crust. Spread salsa over the top. Scatter with cheese and toppings. Bake for 15-20 min, or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Now I'm starving.

alert: extreme cuteness

2011-01-17T09:17:00.000-08:00

So remember my door sweater? Well, there is a lovely shop on Etsy that makes my favorite ones. And now I have discovered she does the same yarn wrapping with letters. Purchase one or tackle the project yourself! I am in love with these babies.
check it:
crannyfoundfavorites

snow day

2011-01-12T09:19:00.000-08:00

We're all snowed in. I'm not really a fan of winter, but the snow outside really is beautiful today! Although I'm pretty sure even my bones are cold.

So on this snowy day we are chillin in our jam jams with crazy bed head...

pointing out the snow drifts...

gazing at the frozen world outside...

jumping on the beds...

until we collapse into a heap...

and then just a bit more gazing.

Oh, and Bubba Baloosh has decided to grow out his hair and see where it takes him.

newness

2011-01-05T13:12:00.000-08:00

Taking down Christmas stuff today. I'm excited for new, clean, fresh. But I'll be honest, I'll miss the late-night glow of the tree and our festive gear in different nooks and crannies around the house. But I guess that's what will make it so fun to pull out next year!

oh 2011

2011-01-04T08:01:00.000-08:00

I'm not sure what to call it...two-thousand-eleven, twenty-eleven, or just plain ole' eleven? Thoughts? Suggestions?
List O Random Thoughts:
-Phil went back to work yesterday for his first full week since before Christmas. I MISS him. Lots.
-We're nursing pink eye, sinus junk, sore throats, and coughs. Just a ball of fun I tell ya!
-Seems our dog has the pukes. Seems I can't help but gag repeatedly while I clean up said puke.
-Nyquil was my best friend last night.
-Coffee was my best friend this morning.
-Ordered my awesome new shower curtain with some birthday money and I CAN'T WAIT for it to arrive.
-I'm not sure I can wait for April to watch the final season of FNL. One half of me is so excited, while the other half is deeply mourning that it will be the LAST season. Tears!
-Way pumped to re-do our bedroom. We've never done a thing to it since we moved in (over 7 years ago!) including the sage green paint. Color scheme hint: gray and white with lots of yellow and turquoise pops!
-Haven't been totally happy with my hair for awhile now. Is it the cut? The color? The untold minutes I waste thinking about it?
-Do you think the kids could just go ahead and make their own meals today?
-Already excited for the warmth of Spring and seeing GREEN again!
-Tad obsessed with Ray Lamontagne right now. In fact, Phil got me all of his albums for Christmas because I've gone on so. I had heard this song and really liked it, but couldn't help feeling iffy about those background singers and horns. Then I heard him do this acoustic version and I'm hooked. Some other songs to maybe check out on youtube: Forever My Friend, Trouble, Jolene, Shelter, Hold You In My Arms, Let It Be Me. And I could go on. See? Obsessed.
-Well now, these dishes aren't going to unload and load themselves are they?
-Didn't even turn on the Christmas tree lights this morning. That means it's WAY past due to put that baby to bed.
-Thinking about Romans 11:6 after reading it earlier. "But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace."

The end.

blueberry yumminess

2010-12-31T08:30:00.000-08:00

So I decided to go out on a limb last week and get all crazy. I made a brand spankin new recipe on Christmas morning. I mean, really, it could have really could have gone either way. Make or break. But let me tell you, the natives were DELIGHTED. It was so delicious and I have been asked to make it on the weekly. But I kind of doubt Mama can do that because it's not the healthiest. And believe it or not, I even made it "healthier" than the original Mrs. Deen recipe. I also changed a few things according to the way things went while I made it. I can never just leave a recipe alone!
So if you're looking for something special to please your crowd, this is a good one!

-1/2 c. packed light brown sugar
-1/2 t. cinnamon
-10 refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
- 3/4 stick of butter, melted
- 1 c. quick cooking oats (you can even use the packets, any flavor you have)
- 1 c. fresh or frozen blueberries
- 1 T. sugar

Preheat oven to 375. Grease 9x13 pan. In a small bowl combine the brown sugar and cinnamon and mix. Separate biscuit dough and cut each one into quarters. Dip each piece into melted butter, then coat with brown sugar mixture. Arrange in a single layer, fitting them together like cobblestones. Sprinkle with 1/2 of your oats. In a small bowl toss blueberries with sugar and then spoon blueberries on top of the biscuits and oats. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 of your oats. Drizzle any remaining butter on top. Bake for 25 min. or until center is cooked through.
Serve warm.
Enjoy each bite.
Lick your lips.
Take a nap.

from us...

2010-12-24T10:49:00.000-08:00

festive pillow

2010-12-23T10:06:00.000-08:00

A few years ago I found an adorable little Christmas fabric. I made my Mom a pillow for Christmas and had enough leftover to make one for myself. Well, my sister has been jealous since. In fact she has threatened bodily harm. Not really, but that does make the story more dramatic. However, I searched for the fabric everywhere and it was nowhere to be found!!! I even searched online to no avail. I mean, you can usually hunt down anything online and I have some mad googling skillz. Lo and behold, a handkerchief of all things was found at Hobby Lobby last year! So this year, I got busy sewing and made my lovely sister a pillow. I really love how it turned out!

The finished product. Mine is just plain but I like how hers turned out with a little layered flower and button:

Linen backed. What is it about linen that is just SO yummy?!

The little sledding children (scarves flying) are my fave. :)

winter wonderland

2010-12-22T18:45:00.000-08:00

a moment caught in time. climbing up to see the dancing snowflakes.

cozy door sweater

2010-12-12T12:37:00.000-08:00

My friend Kate directed me to the cuteness on Etsy (where else?!) that is the door sweater. You can check out some inspiration here and here. Kate made a cute one a few weeks ago and posted it on her blog. I wrapped mine one night several weeks ago and finally got the ruffle done this weekend. It's about time, Christmas is right around the corner! This is so easy and so cute, I just might have to make one for every season. :) There are such awesome, elaborate ones on Etsy, but I decided to go simple for my first go at it. Oh, and mine cost about $7 to make!

Here she is basking in the glow of the winter storm outside:

I propped it in the window for light, but it really hangs on a door. :)

This old wooden button was a last minute addition and I love it:

I left the edges of the ruffle unfinished and imperfect.

Loving my fuzzy, cozy door sweater!

watch...

2010-12-10T10:54:00.000-08:00

If you haven't watched this video...well...you MUST. You won't be sorry you took the time to do so.

3

2010-12-07T20:42:00.000-08:00

Now that I'm caught up with client editing and can take a little break for myself, I wanted to try to get some good portraits of the kids. Since I am so not a fan of artificial studio lights for photos, you have to look for natural light wherever you can find it in the winter! Our kitchen window is pretty wide and gets good light so I set up shop. I mean...these 3...I just can't get enough!

*click on photos to see larger. my bloggity format won't allow me to post them all big and beautiful :)

gib.

2010-12-02T19:01:00.000-08:00

"Mom, sometimes when I'm in my room and I'm singing I sound like Daddy singing. I really think that's pretty special. And then other times I sound like Jimmy Fallon."

occ

2010-11-21T10:13:00.000-08:00

Apex has been collecting Operation Christmas Child boxes for several years now. We set a goal each year, but this year's goal was bigger than ever. I will admit when Rob said our goal was 5200 this year...I doubted a bit on the inside. That was more than we'd ever collected and I just honestly wondered if it was possible. Um, can I tell you this is what just one half of the stage looked like this morning?! OVER 5200 boxes were collected...5625 to be exact!!! Who knew a bunch of shoeboxes could bring you to tears? Each of these boxes will be delivered to a child who will hear all about an amazing Savior who loves them more than they can imagine.

*thanks for the pic rochelle :)

This is why we pack those boxes!!!

goat-1, gibson-0

2010-11-19T16:39:00.000-08:00

I added a pic a few posts ago with Gibson and a goat having a stare down. The funny thing is, I had never even noticed that aspect of the photo, I just liked it because it was Papaw hanging out with the boys. After I noticed (and captioned it), I just can not stop laughing about it. I have no idea why it's amusing me so. It has just undone me! This, paired with the fact that I cried (twice!) today while watching Nanny McPhee Returns, shows me I REALLY need to get out more.

I'm off to laugh myself into oblivion after seeing this cropped version. But seriously, does this goat have a chip on his shoulder or what?!

*go ahead and click on the pic to make it even bigger. you know you want to. no? ok, guess its just me.

link love

2010-11-16T06:00:00.000-08:00

I have absolutely fallen IN LOVE with this site. It's called The Sweetest Occasion and there is just inspiration for days. I just keep clicking through the archives. If anyone wants to plan a fabulous party, let me know and Ciao Bella will come photograph it for you. :)

fall fun

2010-11-15T07:49:00.000-08:00

Since this blog is my little virtual scrapbook, I wanted to catch up on just a few of our Fall happenings. Christmas will be here before we know it!

Back in mid-October we took advantage of a gorgeous day and headed to Indiana to meet up with my family. We had a day of big fun planned: Cracker Barrel for lunch and then the orchard. And well, that's it. You thought I was going to list more things for "big fun", right? Never underestimate my boringness.

After a delicious, chaotic lunch we headed over to the orchard. We planned on riding out to pick apples, go through the petting zoo, *wash hands* and then eat some apple cider donuts. Sounds like a plan to me! We had 5 children in tow, so once we got them calmed from their sensory overload we went to ask about the apple picking. What do you know, they were no longer taking people out to pick. What a bummer! So we got all the sticky fingers off of the apples and candy in the store, and headed over to the petting zoo. They really loved this part and had a good time walking around looking at everything. After the smells we encountered on this little tour I wasn't feeling too hungry. But come on, there's ALWAYS room for a donut. So we headed in for some warm, soft goodness. Lo and behold...they.only.make.them.on.the.weekends. Excuse me, WHAT?! We were a little (a lot) sad so we loaded up and hit the road. So basically we drove to the middle of nowhere to look at a few stinky animals. But the kids had fun so that's all that matters, right? Right. Plus, the girls got to run into Warm Glow and I am enjoying some straight up delicious smelling candles right now. I haven't had one in awhile, and every fall/winter I just need one or two. Or three. A few of my fave scents: Hot Apple Butter, Morning Latte, Banana Nut Bread, Carrot Cake, and Evening Mocha. I like ma candles edible.

Another positive of the day? Snagging some cute pics.

Lil Silasito.

Lashes for days. No Latisse necessary.

Squeezy brothers.

He likes to beatbox in this shirt.

Lulu. Too cute for her own good, isn't she?

Bff's checking out the goats.

Gib and the goat having a stare down. Wonder who won?

On the run...

My darling nephews.

This big ol' thang was just laying out in the sun. The kids couldn't believe he wasn't in a pen! (Neither could I...)

Baby got bangs.

Grammy showing the kids a little wooly worm.

faves

2010-11-11T11:45:00.000-08:00

I KNOW. 2 posts within days of each other. Watch out.
I haven't done this in awhile and like to do it randomly just to look back on one day.
It's favorites interview time with Gibson and Maya (and eventually Silas once he's conversational :))!

Color:
G- black, white, and green. I can't choose!
M- red shiny sparkly

Movie:
G- Incredibles
M- Madeline

Place to go:
G- the movies
M- to get ice cream

Friend:
G- Tyler
M- Ocean

Game to play:
G- Memory
M- Memory

Book:
G- Charlie's Superhero Underpants
M- princesses and Bambi

Food:
G- mexican from El Toro
M- treats

Song:
G- Prisoner (NeedToBreathe)
M- Away in a Manger

Animal:
G- lion
M- pony and unicorn

Toy:
G- lego star wars stuff
M- my ponies

most recent pic of these 2

Silas=2

2010-11-09T00:01:00.000-08:00

I know, I know, I've been gone 5 million years. But I've got good reason to return today! My sweet lil baby is turning 2! In so many ways I can't believe it, but then he gives me that defiant glare and I'm all, oh yeah, he's 2.

Silas,

My sweet darlin you are 2! You are such a joy to our family and you provide endless giggles. I have never wanted to kiss someone so endlessly. There is something about your sweet little chocolatey skin that beckons my lips. You're just so smoochable! You are never allowed to get tired of my kisses, for I fear I may never stop-regardless of your age. Or mine for that matter.

You are so content to just hang out and play, especially if your sister isn't all up in your business. Cars, Melmo (aka Elmo), beads, and balls are a few of your favorite things. You can stare at a rolling matchbox care for 30 min straight! You also sing from morning until night. People stop me in the stores just to ask about this singing baby! You always astound us by knowing the tune to a song you've only heard a few times. Yep, you're one musical little guy.

You have taught me so much about how to be a better momma. This bond, this trust, this love we've been working on? Sometimes it was just plain hard. But baby it was all worth it for where we are today!

We will celebrate you today, eat cupcakes, and open presents. We'll thank Jesus once again that you're forever a part of our family. And I'll think of the sweet woman who carried you, birthed you, and took care of you for your first 6 months of life. She remembered your birthday and was very specific about telling it when she had to sign those papers. I know this day was important to her. So we're going to do it up right! But my heart is also with her as I'm sure she misses you today and wonders how you are. Make no mistake you are LOVED on two continents.

I love you baby boy. I hope your birthday is as happy as can be.

Is he full of personality or what? :)

school

2010-08-31T20:21:00.001-07:00

So...my darling little boy is officially a kindergartener. Last Monday, the 23rd, was our first day. Even though we're schooling at home I thought I might get all emotional up in here, but I didn't at all! I was just as excited to get underway as he was. I thought I was in the clear, so the tears surprised me on Saturday. We were at the evening gathering of our church and they called in all of the school age kids to pray for them and the new year. I saw him march down that aisle with his class and that's when it hit me. I have a school age child. I have tears just thinking about that moment. He looked so big. I was suddenly consumed with pride, happiness, teeny bit of sadness, excitement, remembering his first breath and wanting to run down there and scoop him up, yet seeing him look like a little man...good gracious it's a crazy, jumbled thing being a mama! He is loving EVERY SINGLE SECOND of school and I couldn't be more proud of him. He is learning something new every day and I love that I get to be here to witness it and build within him a love for learning. What a sweet, sweet privilege.

So here he is, day 1:

I just have to squeeze him sometimes!

Daddy with all of his babes:

Of course it was Maya's first day too!

These two are such good buds and it's the cutest. Love this pic:

I had just gotten back from a workout, so be forgiving :). He looks adorable with his little pursed lips though!

And of course little Bubs was there, still decked out in his jam jams. Goodness he's scrumptious!

Here's to a great year!!!

4

2010-08-30T14:09:00.001-07:00

My sweet, sweet baby. How is it that you are 4 today? It's going too fast! You are such an amazing girl. You are sweetness, spunk, beauty, sass, and goofiness all wrapped up in one little body. And I wouldn't want it any other way. You are such a little mama, taking care of everyone around you (and maybe bossing them a little while you're at it). You always have a story to tell and a little giggle waiting. You are full of passion and love. You are my BEST GIRL. I love you Maya. I hope this happy birthday of yours is so special!

*nope, not one picture was "posed". she's just a ham. one delicious little ham.

hairs

2010-08-09T20:45:00.000-07:00

For quite awhile Maya asked to cut her hair short so we cut it shoulder length (I just typed link instead of length and had to change it. Shoulder link. I'm insane.) and she was happy for a whole week about it. Then I started hearing a constant pleading for shorter shorter shorter. So I took her to a little walk-in place and they all ooh'd and aah'd over her and she loved every single minute. However, we left with it sort of looking bowlish and I just wasn't feelin it. I kept trying to talk myself into it though but later that night Phil said, "So...not sure how I feel about the hair," and I knew for sure something had to be done. So I got out my scissors and cut some layers in the back. It added some volume and just broke up the bowl a bit. Now we love it and she looks adorable!

And now she wants to grow it long. She is my daughter after all.

a stupidly long story about mice

2010-07-30T21:27:00.000-07:00

So I'm not sure if it's every properly been documented here...but I'm afraid of mice. Like, I'll totally cry about them I hate them so much. I'm not sure why, and I can't really find the root of this fear, yet there she is. The thing is I grew up in the country in Indiana, surrounded by fields, therefore field mice were commonplace. Every winter we'd have a mouse (or a family sometimes, lucky us!) so you think I'd be just fine seeing the lil' creatures run about. Nope.

I think it all resurfaced in college when I had a few unfortunate run-ins. We had a mouse that winter in our unit. You know, a unit of 8 girls? And you can imagine our horror when one of our slightly (OK really) eccentric suite mates built a trap out of a piece of cardboard, peanut butter, and a bucket. Her theory was that the mouse would desire the peanut butter so much that he'd walk the plank, fall into the bucket, and drown. Awesome. I get shivers just thinking about it. Well, I don't really remember how we got rid of him but I do know he taunted us for quite sometime. Especially because my roommate wasn't exactly the cleanest person ever.

The next summer a friend and I got our first apartment. We were so excited about this place, and looking back, good gravy it was awful. We thought it had "potential". Ah, stars in our eyes I tell ya. My Mom came to visit and later told me she cried on the way home. Partly because it was so terrible and partly because it was sad how excited we were about it. Well, one day when I was all alone a nasty little rat (mouse) ran out from our bedroom. Our bedroom! (Well we didn't sleep in there, it just housed our clothes, we slept on the couches. I have no idea.) Of course I screamed. And called my Mommy. I know she thought I was being murdered with the way I was screaming and crying. Scratch that, I was sobbing. At first my screams scared the mouse and he'd run away. But after a few times, he just got bolder and kept on coming closer despite my screams. Those people who tell you mice are more afraid of you than you are of them are liars. LIARS. Mice do not discriminate, they will come at you! So I did what any sane person does, I left and drove an hour and a half home to stay at my parents house and then called my roommate to tell her to stay away from our apartment because we were infested with mice. Thankfully she had a brave friend who came and set a trap for us. Lucky us he was a dumb mouse and when we came home that night he was in the trap and no longer twitching. But then there we were, 1am, what were we going to do with him? I wasn't going to touch him and neither was she. But we had nowhere else to go and we both had to go to work really early. I mean we couldn't just go to sleep staring at it though. So we tossed a paper plate, frisbee style, until we had it covered just right. It took a few tries, but we were successful at last. We were also delusional. And once again a man friend came to our rescue the next day to dispose of him.

So if you are still reading this I'm now on to the part of the story I intended to tell in the first place. The mouse stories-they could go on forever. Phil has been leading music at a lot of youth camps this summer and thankfully the kids and I have been able to tag along. This past Sunday we arrived and headed over to where they had us staying. It was a nice trailer tucked away from everything and suited us just fine. On Tuesday night we had just put the kids to bed really late and were sitting at the kitchen table. That's when it happened. I saw my husbands eyes looking directly behind me. And then I saw them get really big. And then I knew. He didn't have to say a word. After confirming there was indeed a mouse behind me, I said, "Well, we're just going to have to leave." And I was serious. It was nearly 11pm and we were a little over 2 hours away from home but I was packing up my babies and hittin the dusty trail. I tried to reason with myself for a second but quickly came to the conclusion that there was no way I could go to bed knowing this thing could be crawling across one of our faces in the night (it happened to my brother-in-law, so I know it can go down!). Poor Phil. I know he had no idea what to think. There I sat with tears in my eyes telling him I was leaving. So he helped me pack up and we were on the road by 11:20. Seriously. I hated leaving him behind (the kids and I were leaving the next day anyway!) but I have to say I'd still make the same choice today. He still thinks I'm crazy, but I still stand by my decision. I was protecting my babies, right? You know the ones who asked Daddy to find the mouse so they could see how cute he was? The ones who asked me over and over why I was afraid of a mouse, a harmless mouse? Yeah.

I thought about posting a mouse picture to really drive home the story here, but I just can't bring myself to do it. Those beady eyes, that smooshy body, and that rat tail, ugh. Can't do it.

Am I the only mouse hater in the building? Please tell me I'm not alone!

my darlins

2010-07-21T08:01:00.000-07:00

Oh, you know, just having one of those days where I just feel so thankful to be Momma to these 3 loves of mine.

Heavens to Betsy I love those faces!!!

drama

2010-07-08T10:23:00.001-07:00

One day on vacation we had to run a few errands. We were in the van waiting on Daddy and I thought Maya was looking particularly cute that day. Of course I pulled out the camera!

"Oh no, the camera! I bite my beads in anger!"

"This is the worst day of my life!"

"Maybe if I hide she'll leave me alone."

"Is she gone yet?!"

"Fine, I'll pose. Now leave me alone!"

In other news, Sister got a hair cut. Photos will come soon.

relaxation is a comin'

2010-07-06T05:57:00.000-07:00

Summer if FLY-ING by. Is it seriously July? I love me some summer so I'm just a tad sad that it's moving so quickly. Ours has been particularly crazy though. Between the months of June and July Phil is leading a band at 5 weeks of camp! Yep, that's a lot. We aren't too far from being done, only 2 weeks of being gone left! It has worked out that he's been gone every other week, but thankfully we've been able to tag a long here and there. One of the camps (you can check them out here, they are awesome!!!) is only a little over 2 hours away and they have great accommodations for our whole family. Let me tell you, the big kids have had an absolute BLAST. Gibson says he wants to work there someday so he can have a walkie talkie and drive a golf cart like the guys in charge. Of course! I mean, who wouldn't? Maya has loved it because the girl counselors painted her nails, and well, that's the key to sister's heart. I'm pretty sure Silas liked it for the 3 yummy meals a day the cafeteria served. Boy can eat. But in all of this back and forth I am finding myself just missing my husband. What I would give for a wonderful date night...I'm thinking Thai 9 and a movie. Mmm it sounds so delightful. Don't feel too sorry for me yet though, because in just a little over a week, I am taking a vacation. With my husband. Alone. We seriously have not done that since our honeymoon 8 1/2 years ago! Sure, we've had an overnighter here and there for anniversaries and such, but nothing like this. We will be away for 4 days and 3 nights! I know I'm gonna miss the babes somethin fierce, but when I think of multiple days alone with my husband I am crazy excited! And the fun part is he has NO idea where we're going or what we're doing when we get there. I'm planning it all for his 30th and he loves to be surprised. (I on the other hand am not a fan of being surprised, but that's a story for another day. Also, it literally pains me to keep a secret this long!) Obviously he already knew we're going on a trip or I wouldn't have posted it on the worldwide web, but he knows no other details. I am very busy arranging babysitters, dogsitters, mail holds, and other trip details (shhh!). Oh, and counting down the days!!!!!!!

Vacation 2010

2010-06-29T10:06:00.001-07:00

We went on vacation a little over a month ago and had a great time. Vacation for us is such a relaxing and bonding time as a family. We never get that much uninterrupted (a relative term with 3 children!) as a family so it's always a great week to recharge. Silas had issues about being in a new place and I think it stirred up some trust issues. It was definitely a challenge at times, but overall we had a fabulous time. Once we were back we worked really hard and focused on attachment with him and he's doing awesome now! So anyway, what you really want to see is a few pictures! I say "few" because I took...A LOT. So I just decided to post a couple beachy pictures. Maybe I'll post some others at another time!

Silas right after stepping on the sand our first evening there. He didn't totally hate it...yet. 5 minutes later was another story!

Maya checking out the powerful waves

Gibson doing a little happy dance

The look we got from him when we took them to the beach the next day. Ha!

Little Lulu looking out on the water

Gibson "kung-fu-ing" the ocean

Lil' bub snuggling Daddy

Fun in the sun and waves!

Yes, I was there. Although I think I only have 3 pics to document that fact!

By the end of the week we had him sitting in the sand and splashing in a bucket. He still didn't like the sand or waves, but we were thrilled with the progress!

father's day!

2010-06-20T19:08:00.000-07:00

You are the best. The one and only for me. My forever love. The only one I want. My baby daddy. I'd still choose you.

Happy Father's Day!!!

(ps-you look hot in this picture)

one year...

2010-06-05T06:00:00.000-07:00

One year ago we received a call that would change our family forever. It was a crazy day full of chaos, excitement, and many tears of joy. We opened the pictures our agency sent and saw little Yigermal for the first time. Yigermal in Amharic means, "it's astonishing", or "incredible". It really was incredible and astonishing the way God had worked to bring him into our family.

Here he is as a malnourished (less than 11 pounds) 7 month old, compared to a now healthy 19 month old:

The void in his eyes before makes my heart hurt, but I now see eyes full of joy and life every day!

The past year has certainly not been easy, but it has been MORE than worth it. We're so blessed by this sweet boy! We love you Silas Yigermal! What a difference a year makes...

Gibson is 5

2010-05-06T12:57:00.000-07:00

My sweet, sweet Gibson. I love you so much Bear and I can't believe that you are now 5!

Whether you are just standing around looking adorable,

making silly faces,

thinking deeply,

playing air guitar,

feeling the beat,

or just being downright precious,

I will forever love you!

Gibson turned 5 on April 23rd. We had a fun little park party planned but then the forecast showed rain headed straight for us, the skies darkened, and the winds blew. So we cancelled the party. And then it rained 5 drops. Oh well, we still had our family come over to celebrate. We went out to eat at one of his favorite spots, City BBQ, and then headed home to hang out with his cousins, open presents, and eat cupcakes. He had a great day and now he's already talking about turning 6. My goodness the time flies!

my other job...

2010-04-12T19:38:00.000-07:00

My friend and I recently launched our photography business. Check us out and follow us at www.ciaobelladayton.blogspot.com!

jokes

2010-04-07T06:37:00.000-07:00

My kids LOVE telling jokes. In fact, we plan on getting Gibson a joke book for his birthday (shh!) because he just tells jokes all day long. He has a few good ones, and the others he makes up. And well, they pretty much never make sense. Maya has taken up the joke-telling as well. This was their interaction this morning:

M: Knock, knock.

G: Who's there?

M: Lemon.

G: Lemon who?

M: Aren't you glad I didn't say spit?!

Rolling laughter followed. At least they get each other's jokes. :)

He's Alive!

2010-04-03T19:54:00.000-07:00

Then Jesus shouted out in a loud voice, "It is finished!" And it was. He had done it. Jesus had rescued the whole world.

Tomorrow is Easter and we will celebrate our Savior's resurrection. The Spirit definitely used a gathering at Apex last night and some amazing words spoken to renew my heart this year. I just feel so thankful for my sweet, sweet Savior! There is truly no one anywhere like Him!

Tonight we made these with our kids and it was a HUGE hit. They were simple, easy, and delicious. They loved them and it definitely spurred on more conversations. Next we read through the garden, cross, and resurrection stories in our Jesus Storybook Bible. I sat there with tears welling in my eyes watching my husband read these life-changing words to our children. What's amazing is how much they get it. They just really get it this year. Gibson even told us that he wants Jesus to take his dirty heart away and give him a new one. After talking through things further, he definitely understands it all, but it didn't seem like tonight was "the" night for him. The questions he asks are so deep and amazing. The Spirit is absolutely working on his heart and it's so humbling to be able to watch it all happen!

Just then Mary heard someone else in the garden. Perhaps it's the gardener, she thought. He'll know where Jesus' body is.

"I don't know where Jesus is!" Mary said urgently. "I can't find Him."

But it was all right. Jesus knew where she was. And He had found her.

"Mary!"

Only one person said her name like that. She could hear her heart thumping. She turned around. She could just make out a figure. She shaded her eyes to see...and thought she was dreaming.

She wasn't dreaming. She was seeing.

"Jesus!"

Mary fell to the ground. Sudden tears filled her eyes and great sobs shook her whole body, and all she wanted in that moment was to cling to Jesus and never let Him go.
"You'll be able to hold on to me later, Mary," Jesus said gently, "and always be close to me. But now, go and tell the others that I'm alive!"

*all excerpts from the Jesus Storybook Bible

artistic genius

2010-03-23T11:18:00.001-07:00

Gibson made a kite a few weeks ago when he was at Tuesday School. He has been SO excited to bring it home that he cried last week when they didn't have it ready for him to take home. Now I see why he loves it so much. Cause it's awesome.

His word for word description: "This is me dancing with a sheep under a fire in the morning." Oh I love this boy!!!

5

2010-03-12T17:51:00.000-08:00

I am embarrassed to say that these are our first pictures we have with all 5 of us in the same picture! One of my greatest friends, Emily, came over to snap a few for us. It is so tough to get 3 squirmy kids to sit still! These pictures aren't what most people would think are perfect family photos, but I love them. Because we aren't perfect. This is us.

the look

2010-03-03T14:09:00.000-08:00

If you tell Silas to "do the look", get ready. Cause this is what you're gonna get...

buds

2010-03-01T08:10:00.000-08:00

(the pic I wanted to include with yesterday's post but I was having technical difficulties. so just pretend this was there, k?)

neighbors?

2010-02-28T10:12:00.000-08:00

Normally the only TV that the kids are allowed to watch is PBS and the occasional America's Funniest Home Videos. However, with the Olympics on we have let them watch some of it and they've loved it! Gibson has proclaimed that he now wants to be a snowboarder or a ski jumper. In other ways I'm ready for it to be over because those folks in advertising? Yeah, they're good at their jobs. Just an hour ago Gibson told me that we should get DirectTV. After I nicely told him that's not gonna happen he told me that when he grows up he's buying DirectTV because if a movie comes on and he misses the beginning he can just record it and then watch it whenever he wants. About 5 minutes later I saw the commercial and it was practically word for word! After he got done with his pitch Maya came over and told me that she can't wait to grow up because she's going to buy some of that stuff to clean her sink drains. Hilarious, but I'm ready for them to be back to PBS!

Here is a funny conversation that happened between the two of them during lunch today.

G: When I grow up and get married I'm going to have 5 kids! Their names are gonna be John, Mikey, Elliot, Johnny (not to be confused with his brother John apparently), and Lily.

M: Well my kids are gonna be Lily and Jessica!

G: I'm going to live somewhere where it snows all the time so I can be a snowboarder.

M: But Gibson you'll be so cold there!

G: No I won't, I'll wear a special suit to protect me from the wind. But I'm not gonna wear that helmet! (what does he have against cranial safety?)

M: But you can't live far away, I wanted to live with you!

G: OK, where are you gonna live?

M: Ummmmm, California. (maybe they've inherited my love of the ocean and, well...warmth)

G: Actually I changed my mind and I'm gonna be a race car driver and live in Florida because they have race tracks there.

M: (practically in tears) But you said you'd be my neighbor!!!

G: OK, I guess they maybe have race tracks in California too. I'll live there.

M: Then you can come see me all the time whenever you want to!

G: OK. I'll bring a movie.

Oh these two crack me up and I love it. They are either best friends or hitting and screaming. Just as a brother and sister should be, right?

Papaw

2010-02-22T12:25:00.000-08:00

Silas has a best friend. His name is Papaw. He seriously has such an attachment to my Dad! If he is around, he wants no one else. It is so cute to see them interact together. Papaw and Silas, BFF.

A little table drumming...

bike riding...

happiness. :)

YEP

2010-02-16T09:08:00.001-08:00

http://itsalmostnaptime.blogspot.com/2010/02/i-dont-want-my-children-to-be-happy.html

say what?

2010-02-12T12:12:00.000-08:00

Well our baby boy (who is now 15 months old!!!) is on another antibiotic once again. Can I just say it's definitely getting old?! I also get really concerned about the fact that he has been on an antibiotic of some kind for almost 6 months straight, with only a few days of break in between each cycle. Most of all I just can't wait for him to feel completely healthy. I'm not sure he knows what that feels like at all and that makes me sad! I'm praying this one kicks it for good!

The other thing that gets really crazy with all of this medical stuff is the fact that his name is not legally changed yet. So even though he goes by Silas, all of his medical things need to be done under Yigermal for insurance purposes. I had to spell his name about 10 different times today for doctors, nurses, or pharmacies. You should see the looks I get from people when I say his name. "Um, WHAT did you say?!" Listen, I know it sounds strange and very un-American, but I'm so proud of his heritage and his name that it makes me a little angry after awhile. Once we get our acts together and do our re-adoption here in Ohio his name will officially be Silas Yigermal Wing. Yigermal will always and forever be a part of his name and who he is, and that makes me very happy. :)

I wish I had a photo of him to post with this but I have been severely lacking in taking pics of my children lately! I have had some other photo shoots recently that I've been working on so that always makes me a little lazy with my camera here at home. Pics will be coming soon though, promise! :)

that's my girl

2010-01-31T19:46:00.000-08:00

Maya announced quite proudly today that when she grows up she wants to be a dirt bike rider...as long as she can wear a pink helmet. That sums up my sweet girl right there...a mix of brave daredevil and frilly princess.

little happies

2010-01-25T20:16:00.001-08:00

Here are a few things recently added to our comfy home that just make me happy every time I look at them:

I bought these cuties over the weekend. What are they? Salt and pepper shakers! I have been on the lookout for some unique ones (and can't seem to get my sister's awesome ones out of my mind), and my search is finally over. Don't they look so happy snuggled up next to each other? I feel like I will just have to smile every time I use them, especially knowing that I only paid $3 for the pair. Little darlings.

My sister got me this Anthro spice jar for Christmas. She got me the "5" since we have 5 people in our family right now. Also because when I was young every story started with, "When I was 5...". Thanks B, I love it. The white jar, the black number, and the cork. Perfection.

My Mom got me this large white pitcher for Christmas. I love it and it makes me feel loved knowing that she can pick the perfect gift for me! It looks so yummy up on my shelf. Don't you just want to pour something?

I also picked up this small monogrammed plate over the weekend. I love it nestled into the shelf in our living room. Kate, thanks for being my voice of reason and saying, "Buy it, it's a DOLLAR". I'm a little cheap. :) So glad I scraped up that dollar, I'm loving it.

My Mom also got me this white crock for Christmas. I initially thought I'd use it in the kitchen but then plopped this plant into it one day and loved the way it looked. I'm sure this baby will move all around my house at some point. For now, I like it on this little table. If you are a clean freak ignore the dust. Also feel free to never come to my house.

I love making our house feel like a home!

blame facebook

2010-01-07T20:40:00.000-08:00

Every single day, sometimes multiple times a day, I think about sitting down and writing a blog post. And it just doesn't happen. It's not for lack of things to say, but rather that there is so much to catch up on that I don't even know where to start. I like to blame facebook. I write little snippets about our day and funny things the kids say, and upload a lot of our photos there. Then I come to this little corner of the web and feel like I'm repeating myself! I want to do better though.

I'd love to catch you up on our Christmas happenings, but it just feels too far gone now.

So, here's to getting back in the swing of things! But don't hold me to it, I can't take that kind of pressure. :)

Some photos of the oldest 2 from a few days ago...

I finally got a few good shots of her eyes. She has the most gorgeous hazel eyes. The iris has a dark blue rim, then a wide circle of beautiful green with golden flecks and then brown surrounding the pupil. Oh, and eyelashes to die for.

I just love these pictures of Gib. They capture his joyful, silly disposition perfectly. He is simply wonderful.

from us

2009-12-17T09:56:00.001-08:00

Silas at one

2009-12-09T06:37:00.000-08:00

I'm so behind in the blogging arena but wanted to post a few of the little mini-shoot I did with Silas right after his birthday last month.

In his traditional Ethiopian gear. He was NOT cooperating when we were doing this so this was the best shot I managed.

It was a warm November day!

These eyes of his are amazing!

He's just so squeezable!

"I'm SO BIG!"

Serious face.

He loves to point and say, "Dat?"

Country livin baby.

just a quick rant-sorry

2009-12-07T10:34:00.000-08:00

Oh Kroger...I love you and I hate you. The Kroger near our house has been under renovation for 4 months or longer. It has been chaos, with everything in a different place every time you visit. I seriously would have rather them shut it completely down for 2 weeks and just get it done. Apparently the grand re-opening is tomorrow because they were hanging the flags when I pulled in the parking lot. My first thought was why on earth is it so crowded on a Monday morning? It was more crowded today than it was when I lost my mind a few weeks ago and went the day before Thanksgiving. It was also packed with extra workers getting ready for tomorrow's big celebration (not sure it will be, but they sure acted like it). Almost every aisle was blocked for stocking and did I mention is was more crowded than the day before Thanksgiving? Not only could you not get through but people were being downright rude! Christmas spirit people-find some.

The two oldest came with me today (Silas was at the dr with Daddy, but that's another story). I have recently been so proud of Gibson and Maya because they have been just wonderful in stores, listening, being polite, etc. Well apparently they decided they'd rather not behave today. They argued, pushed and shoved each other, and sang loud for all to hear. I had to stop quite a few times to reprimand in the midst of my coupon flipping.

I finally got up to the check out so I could get the heck outta dodge. My back was screaming at me (I injured it really badly last weekend and I've been going stir-crazy sitting at home) and I needed to go! We checked out, I paid, and I was pushing us away from the register. Just then one of my worst fears was again realized...the girl behind me propelled her cart forward nailing me right in the heel. I could have punched her. Of course I did not, I politely told her, "Oh it's OK!". Yeah, not OK. After limping to the van I loaded the groceries and buckled the kids in. I was backed out of our space and just getting ready to hit the road running when I looked over and saw a car backing up and they were headed straight for us! I laid on the horn and they seriously missed us by an inch. At this point I really wondered if I'd make it home alive.

We pulled in the drive way...home at last! I opened the back hatch to unload and down came crashing one of my bags. Yep, you guessed it, it was the one with the eggs in it. As it was falling I dropped my purse in an effort to rescue the falling bag. It was like slow motion. Well, I missed and in the process my phone fell out of my purse and into pieces on the pavement. I almost sat down criss-cross applesauce to cry right there in my driveway. Thankfully my sweet husband was home and finished unloading for me. By the way we miraculously only lost two eggs in the tragedy.

So here I sit, icing my back, eating my lunch. I am no longer stir-crazy, in fact I might not leave the house ever again!

**edited to add: how could I have forgotten the lady who hit my cart, causing me to drop my coupon holder only to have them scatter all over the floor?! And she just kept walking with no apology. Phew. Ok, now that I have it all out I can move on.

Water for Christmas

2009-11-13T06:20:00.001-08:00

Water for Christmas is a wonderful charity that helps provide people in Africa with clean water. Today they are doing a special campaign. I pray that you will consider donating even just $10 today...it will provide clean water for one person for 10 years! 100% of your donation goes toward these fresh water wells. PLEASE check it out here!!!

one

2009-11-10T07:37:00.000-08:00

Silas,

Yesterday you turned ONE! You are such a special part of our family. As I laid you down for your nap I looked down at you and all I could think of is that you are a GIFT. A true and precious gift. God did miraculous things to bring you into our family, and I couldn't be more grateful.

-Your smile can truly make ANYONE smile.

-You're a little comedian already!

-You are my little snuggle bug, and I think you would snuggle all day long if you could. I love it!

-You LOVE to eat and we've hardly found a thing on this Earth that you don't think is tasty.

-You are on the move, crawling faster every day, pulling up onto your knees, and loving to stand! You've come such a long way sweetheart.

I could just keep on bragging on you! But most of all I just want to let you know that you are a JOY. I am so blessed to be your Mama. I hope you had a very happy birthday.

We love you sweet, sweet boy!!!

2009-11-02T09:24:00.000-08:00

All of the kids (including Silas!) love Electric Company. They sit just fascinated by the words and music. They have seen this song on a few times and they think it's the best thing ever. And now I'll be singing it the rest of the day...