Singin' in the Rain...

Today...this very day...we played in the rain. Two times. Well, C&B played in the rain, as I looked on happily from under the cover of Mimi's garage, or our front porch roof. But man, it doesn't take much! They were so excited..stomping around in their rain boots, dancing, twirling. I've decided that we're going to play in the rain more often...maybe I'll even join in next time!!! ;)

My Sweet Kiddos..

SPRING...

I LOOOOVE Spring!!! Here are a few photos to document this gorgeous time of year!





Also, I've started another blog, in case you're interested, oh faithful readers! ;) Dedicated to my old and new creative ventures, helping me navigate my way through motherhood. You can go here, if you want to check it out!

HAPPY SPRING to ALL!!!! ;)

Coloring Eggs....(Sort of) :)

First, all was fine and well, as the eggs were nicely bathing in the dye-filled water....



Connor was really concentrating on coloring on his, and getting his egg to that perfect shade of green...

And, then, Connor laughed himself SILLY!!







And this is why! :) Brooke was coloring more of herself, than the eggs! ;)



And, voila...the finished..."product" :)


Happy Easter, and remember John 3:16, "For God so loved the world, He gave His only son, that who so ever would believe in Him, should not perish but should have ever-lasting life."

And then she was.....TWO!

Oh Brooke, my sweet, happy, vibrant, singing, dancing, energetic, inquisitive, and highly-affectionate baby girl. How Mommy adores you! I can barely remember what life was like without you (though I think it may have involved a teensy-tiny bit more relaxation--but who needs relaxation, anyway? ;) You are the sunshine of our lives, and nothing makes my day more than when you run up to me, wrap your sweet, chubby little two-year old arms around the neck, and shower me with kisses! Sigh... You are wise beyond your years, and keep all of us on our toes, as your curiousity can sometimes get the better of you! Brookie, it's been two whole years since your sweet, shiny, PINK presence burst into this world, and we are soooooo very blessed because of this. Mommy, Daddy, and Connor love you dearly (as do your grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends).
There isn't a day that goes by that I don't thank the Lord for the gift of having a daughter...and especially because that sweet daughter is YOU. May the Lord bless you, keep you, make His face shine upon you, and give you peace.....today, and always. Oh how I love you, sweet girl.

Sweet....

Doing the "Green" Thing...

St. Patrick's Day was yesterday, and we celebrated with our dear friends...not only St. Paddy's Day, but also the combined birthdays of Ms. Sadie, and Ms. Brookie..both who have turned (Sadie) or will be turning (Brookie) two this month. Steph and I were pregnant together, and watched as our bellies grew (mine MUCH more than hers, even though she spent 20+ weeks of her pregnancy on strict bedrest), and grew. We got together each week at her house for a Bible Study, and had such a special bond as we prayed together for the health and safety of our little ones, and leaned on each other for strength and support. Which is why Brookie and Sadie have been friends from day one!!!! We have had so much fun watching these precious little ladies grow, laughing at their wild antics, comparing notes, and wondering what the future will hold! I hope and pray that they will be wonderful friends for years and years to come.....Happy birthday month Sadie and Brookie!!! We love you!!

Best of Friends...though Sadie looks a little afraid of Brooke's affections in the first pic! ;)


We had chocolate cupcakes to celebrate...Sadie was seriously cracking us up with hers..she really liked it, and really liked showing us how much she liked it! ;)


Sophie got to wear her mommy's dress that her Grammy made her Mommy, circa 1970...something! ;)

All the kiddos together...

A Few More Pics from the Sunny South....

Salt Water, Sunshine, and the LOooooong Plane Ride Home!

Last week, we ventured down to Naples, Florida to enjoy some southern sunshine, and some of our most fabulous family members who reside there (and some who were visiting, like us...a.k.a. Mimi and Gramps). Fun, fun, fun, in the sun, sun, sun...(and the rain, rain, rain, two of the five days)! The rain allowed for us to do some fun trips, though..we went to the local zoo (formerly "Jungle Larry's" for those of you who know Naples), shopped at Tin City, had dinner at the Riverwalk Cafe, and meandered down 5th Avenue...some of my most favorite things to do!






We drank a lot of these.... ;)



And we did a lot of this (albeit the horrible sunscreen rashes both kids got...FYI, if you're looking to buy sunscreen for this awesome spring weather that is finally here, avoid the aveeno baby..eeeks!)






And loved seeing Aunt Marce, Uncle Ross, Tim, Andy, and last but not least, the matriarch and patriarch of the family, Nana and Papa! ;)




The flight home was pretty much...awful. As you can imagine, my child who doesn't like to sit for two minutes, had a pretty horrific time trying to sit still for over two hours. She literally CLIMBED me, pulled my hair, yelled, kicked, and made the flight oh, so NOT enjoyable. Can you believe I actually brought a BOOK in our carry-on bag? The poor guy sitting next to us...ugh! I told Daddy that next year we're ALL going down (he stayed home and continued our "hardwood floor" project and worked..)! We had a blast, though, and miss our Naples family so much, already!!!

Let the Sun Shine!

It's amazing what a little bit of warm sunshine on your face can do for a weary spirit! It's been such a long time since we were able to get outside and play, and run around, comfortably, without snowpants, coats, hats, mittens, and the whole winter get-up! Today was gorgeous--high 50's and pure sunshine. The kids and I put on our boots (as the snow is still melting, so it's muuuuddy out there ;) and went "exploring" in the wooded area behind our house. They thought it was the.greatest.thing.ever...seriously. They were so excited! We found a little stream that we had never really explored before and that was the icing on the cake! So much fun...I was giddy right along with them!
We needed this. We lost one of my mom's very dear friends to breast cancer last week, and it's been a little emotionally taxing. She was an incredible woman, self-less, and with abounding faith. Her service was amazing, but really pulled heart-strings that I wasn't quite ready to have pulled. Gretchen battled cancer for 13 years, and was diagnosed right after the birth of her third child. She did it with such dignity and grace, and the impact she had on everyone around her was so evident, especially at her time of passing, and it was yet another reminder of how much we need to savour every moment, and make the most of each second we are given on this earth!
So, the sunshine was good, and we made the most of it! The kids have had a rough couple of weeks due to bronchitis, and an ear infection. We had a week or so of redemption, and they seem to have been hit again. I just spent 20 minutes in Connor's room while he sweated in my arms, having night terrors. Too much medication, I am sure! The poor baby's lungs are the recipients of each and every cold virus that comes along, and he wheezes, and coughs something painful....meaning sleep doesn't come easily, to any of us! Tonight will probably not be very restful being that I had to give him benedryl, xopenex, and pulmicort before bed. I hate it, and I hate that he suffers. It's so hard to watch his little body struggling to breathe. It's at these times that I am reminded of the fact that we HAVE medicine to give our children, as well as doctors to over-see their care. As horrible as it is to watch your child in pain, at least we know that we have remedies for their ailments. I cannot imagine having to sit and watch as your child suffers, and not be able to get the medicine that they need. I just finished reading McMama's blog before I heard Connor's cries. She and her husband are visiting Kenya with Compassion International. Wow....puts things in perspective, that's for sure.

Anyway...I apologize for the rambling...I think I'm ready for bed, so I'm just "streaming" right now! ;) The kids and I leave for Florida this week, and we're really excited!! Just hoping and praying that the sickies are left behind when we board the plane (and that no other sick germs attack while we fly--should I make them wear masks? :)

Have a blessed week!!! More from the sunny south!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just about 22 hours of heaven....

Wow....getting away was...incredible. Isn't it amazing how you don't realize how much you NEED to get away until it happens. Sometimes it seems like too much effort/money/production/etc., but it's so worth it, and necessary. I feel like I need to step back at times from my role as mommy, teacher, house cleaner, and all of the tasks that go along with each of these roles, and just....be.

Tommy and I left one sick kiddo, and one, hmmmmm...."extra-energetic" kiddo with my parents on Thursday...well, actually, with Tommy's parents at first, they were then picked up by my mom later that afternoon--gotta love having two sets of grandparents near by! ;) We drove about an hour until we reached our gorgeous destination. Nestled into the hills and trees, among 120 acres of incredible landscape, we checked into the charming Scottish Inn. There is something about the feeling of not having to rush to do anything, be anywhere, or tend to someone else's needs that allows one to completely relax. We arrived at 3:00pm, and the cocktail hour before dinner wasn't until 6:30. My first thought was to take a nap (of course), but instead we decided to take advantage of the beautiful setting and get outside.




One of the foundations of Tommy and my relationship is exploring the terrain together--doing physical things, and being outside. In the summer, we love to go for long walks together. When we vacation on the beach, one of our most favorite things to do is walk the beach all day long. Some of the things we used to do all of the time are no longer regular occurrances due to the kiddos. Don't get me wrong--we do get outside together as a family quite a bit. But to be together, just the two of us, amidst the most beautiful backdrop I have witnessed in quite some time was divine. Ahhhhhhhhh.......I felt like I was myself. Just me....a glimpse of who I used to be in my earlier years! ;) And together, we felt so young and carefree!!! It was invigorating and romantic just the same! It made me realize just how important it is to take time out in your marriage to do the things you adore doing as a couple. So often we do things by ourselves, or with the kids, or with our respective friends....but neglect to do things as a couple. This was so good for us, and made us appreciate each other so much!




Can you believe the size of the icicles in the gorge? Amazing!





Here's Tommy hanging out next to them, for reference of their size!



Remember when I posted about getting new boots? My old UGGS have had it, and it's time for some new ones. Well....still never got them. Soooo, it was a little treacherous, hiking through the snowy trails in boots with no traction what-so-ever. I did slip and fall quite a few times. So, when Tommy decided to go down into the gorge, I stayed at the top and looked on. He disappeared down at the bottom, exploring and galavanting through the caves. I enjoyed the quiet. It was breath-taking. Sooooo quiet you could hear a pin drop. The only sounds were that of my breath, and the occassional rustle of the wind through the trees causing a gentle mist of snow to cascade from their sheilding branches. God's creation at it's finest. Glorious.


After hiking, it was nice to return to our cozy room, turn on the fire, and get ready for dinner. Six courses. Divine. Dinner was served by candlelight, and as we ate, we watched the flicker of the candle reflect in the window next to our table, illuminating the dripping icicles hanging along the roof line. The main course was filet mignon...usually one of our favorites. Unfortunately, the chef prepared it in a soy sauce making it a little too salty for our liking, but it was still amazing, and we were soooo full from the previous four courses, that it didn't really matter, anyway.



We were able to get out and hike again the next morning after a delightful breakfast, which consisted of the most wonderful homescones and Scottish oatmeal I've ever tasted.

So refreshing, renewing, and nice to be together. 22 hours of heaven...that's what it was!