Lovin' Summer!

What a gorgeous June we've had! I'm so sad to see it go....I LOVE summer, and while I love every season (well, except that yucky winter muck that seems to drag on through March), summer defintely takes the cake! We've had so much fun seeing friends and family, lazing around by the pool (er, rather, tirelessly chasing the kids around the pool ;), going on long walks, enjoying sunsets at our new favorite winery, and breathing in that warm summer air! Below are some pictures from June with some of our most favorite people!!!

One of my longest and dearest friends, Maria has been in town quite a bit with her two gorgeous girls, Claire and baby Eleanor. We've had so much fun catching up with them. It's been so much fun to get to see them so much!!! Yay!





Tommy's brother and family came in from Texas, and his sister and family came in from Charlotte, and we had such a wonderful time with everyone. The kids love getting to play with all of their cousins--this side of the family can't have a party without a heated game of "something" taking place. So, true to form, an old-fashioned game of baseball occurred, spanning an entire late afternoon/evening...what's a little healthy competition between siblings/mothers/daughters/fathers/sons....Ha! ;)



The kids have so much fun at Mimi and Grandpa's house digging for worms, etc. Mimi even made Connor a "worm garden" (in part so he stays out of all her flower beds and REAL gardens--ha!). They were playing with a slug!!! :)

BFF'S! :)

Sadie, daughter of my dear friend Steph, is two weeks older than Brookie. They are sooo funny together. Here they are "playing" today. Well, really, Sadie was sitting nicely at the table, eating her dinner quietly, while Brookie climbed all over her left-overs and demanded her poor little friend's attention! Ha! I'm excited these two will grow up together, and I'm sure this is only the first of many crazy pics we'll post of the two of them! :)

Picture Time!

Trying to get one of my flowers outside... ;)




Showing off the Buddah Belly to the whole 'hood! :)

Again, they can sleep anywhere! ;)

Reflecting....

I've been frustrated lately. Tommy has been working a lot, the kids have been more difficult than usual, Connor is turning into a B-O-Y through and through, and is testing my patience, pushing my buttons, driving me crazy--I'm sure most of you can relate! ;) Most of all, though, I've been frustrated with myself. Before I was a mother I never knew what it felt like to want to scream into a pillow as loud as humanly possible, while maybe even banging your head into the wall! I never knew I could yell--never really did until my kiddos came along! I never knew what a HIGH PRESSURE job raising children really was. I always pictured motherhood filled with days of playing on the swings at the park, walking to story-time at the library hand-in-hand, tickling, playing silly games, kissing boo boo's, and accepting wet sloppy kisses and hugs all day long. Well, I've come to find out that motherhood IS all of these things. The joys of being a mom have FAR surpassed my high expectations!! However, so have the stresses and the frustrations.

I take my job as a parent very seriously, as do most of the wonderful parents I know. And no other job that we do has so much at stake! At the end of the day, WE are totally, 100% responsible for bringing up these little ones to be all that they can be, teach them right from wrong, instill our values, faith, beliefs, teach them the ways of the world, shelter them from hurt and fears, and keep them safe, healthy, and happy! What a gift this is--and I truly, truly believe that! It's so hard when we get caught up in the little frustrations of the day (which sometimes seem like HUGE frustrations) and see the BIG picture! I love my babies more than life itself, and nothing makes me happier than to see them smile, hear them belly-laugh, watch them discover something new, or most of all, accept one of their wet, slobbery kisses! I'm praying that I can see that BIG picture, and not get so caught up in why the kitchen floor is never clean, why I can never get a load of laundry folded, or why my life sometimes seems to resemble the screen-play from the movie "Groundhog Day"! :)

I discovered something today. My journal from when I was pregnant with Connor. I got teary-eyed just thinking back to that precious time in my life. I spent a great deal of time living in fear that something would go wrong with the pregnancy, but oh, how I wanted that precious baby with every fiber of my being. I decided I would keep this journal handy so that when I find myself in a particularly frustrating situation I can look back on it. I'll share an entry with you now (if you've stayed with me this far--Ha!!! ;)

January 16, 2005
....I am so blessed with this pregnancy! It's such a true miracle of life and no matter what, I know that the Lord created this little one and that He is in complete control over it's little life--even as new as it is! I pray for the day that I hear this baby's heart beat, and then, when FINALLY I get to hold that BABY in my arms...a little less than nine months now (Lord willing)! :)

Oh what a true "miracle of life" these little ones are, and I'm sooo thankful for the gift of motherhood. I pray that I would be the mother that God has called me to be, and remember how blessed I really am!!!! Mommy loves you dearly, Connor and Brookie, and I'm so sorry for all of the times I get frustrated with you for silly things....I'm working on it (or rather, God's working on ME)!!!! ;)

SHOUT OUT TO MS. HARTMAN'S SECOND GRADE CLASS!!!!

My dear, sweet, friend Teah (also known as Ms. Hartman) told me that she has been sharing our silly blog with her second grade class!!!!! I hear about these wonderful kiddos all the time from Teah...(excuse me, I mean MS. HARTMAN :), and It's an honor and a joy to hear about your class and all of your splendid progress and adventures you've had this year!!!! And to think, you're just about ready to graduate to the THIRD GRADE!!!! WOW!! I am so proud of Ms. Hartman and her amazingly AWESOME second graders!!! Here is a picture of those baby birds (who will fly any day now), just for you!!! ;)

Yeah, that's me in the Mini....

So, we did it. We bit the bullet, took the proverbial "plunge", crossed over to the "dark side" (as one friend so eloquently put it), and bought a MINI VAN. Something we swore we'd never, ever do. When Tommy and I were younger, living the high life and kidless, we looked at families we knew who were buying vans and swore, up and down, that we'd never go there. Never cross that line. We were NOT going to be "those" people. We would find a way around buying a van and continue to drive in style.

Well, we made it work for 3 1/2 years in a truck and an SUV, pretty well, I might add. But then, it happened. Tommy's older brother was visiting a few weeks ago, and they drove down in high style--cruisin' in a mini. Tommy laughed about the van, until his brother showed him the inside, and walked us through all of the little perks and features that a minivan now possesses. DVD, Navigation, lazy susan in the floor boards, all of the latches and tethers to insure that the carseats will be as snug and secure as possible...yada, yada, yada...and most of all, ROOM. Room to store things, move around, and space between the kiddos so they aren't always poking each other (that was starting to happen in the SUV). I was swayed. Pushed over the edge. Enough to go home and search Craig's List for Odyssey's.

We found one, and now, I am a driver of a minivan. I've joined the club of soccer mom's and taxi drivers. I have to say, it's not sexy...but I like it. I really like it. I like the features, and I like the space, and I like the safety. I like that I can pop a DVD in and totally entertain Mr. Connor in the car. It's nice. I'm old. Whatev...it is what it is! :) And, Connor LOOOOOVES it! He plays in it, wants to stay in it after we pull into the garage, and was very nervous parking it uptown the other day while we were running errands. He kept saying, "but I need to see MY minivan..." So funny! I'd tell you to honk if you see me driving, but really, I think you might pass at least 15 other silvery-green colored Honda Odysseys on the highway in one 10 mile trip! ;)

Vacate the Nest, Yo!!!!

Okay, so the baby birds were cute....eggs are beatiful. I love bird's eggs, and have always had a minor obsession with nests and eggs. Eggs are so fragile and delicate, while also being beautiful and vibrant. They are such an awesome reminder of new life and rebirth, and how God creates even the tiniest of creatures mysteriously and carefully. I always think of Matthew 10:29-31, which says "Not even a sparrow, worth only half a penny, can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to Him than a whole flock of sparrows."

That being said, I am soooooooo ready for these baby birds to grow some feathers and take their flight!!!!! I guess once Mama bird had a chance to really bond with her babies her protective instincts took over, and she went from chirping from a near-by tree, to now dive-bombing and attacking the "enemy" (which happens to be us). Well, me being protective of MY babies, who would like to be able to go out in the backyard on a gorgeous sunny day such as today, yells loudly at her while she dive-bombs my head, and we kind of battle it out for ownership of the swingset. Today, after making Brookie cry (Mama dive-bombed her at the same time as I yelled), we threw the towel in, and came back inside. It's beautiful out--narry a cloud in the sky, mid-60's and brilliant, and we can't be anywhere in the backyard without fear of attack!

I'll admit it--although I do adore birds eggs, nests, and cute little hatchlings, birds that come flying at my head (or my children's heads, for that matter)scare the living heck out of me. I surrender to the Mama, but ask that her prized baby birds hurry up and grow, so that we can have OUR yard back! Wouldn't ya know, a barn swallow has chosen the eve of our FRONT porch to build her nest in. Sigh. Maybe we'll be able to go outside again come June...

New Tenants....

New tenants moved into the kiddos playset a few weeks ago! It's been so much fun watching our mama robin make her nest, lay her eggs, and meeting her new baby birds! :) Tommy and Connor just happened to check out the nest just as birdie #1 was poking his little beak through his beautiful blue egg! Wow! We came back to document quickly after his emergence...but didn't want to disturb the nest too much, or mama bird for that matter! Poor thing....the kids really like to swing...she's forever chirping at us!

Pretty Floors!

Daddy rocks...with the help of our WONDERFUL Dads and AWESOME friends (i.e. Hartman's :), we have brand new hardwood floors! We've been talking about this since we moved in three years ago, but decided to let the kids destroy the old floors as much as possible, first! :) They put down a LOT of flooring in just 3 short days...Daddy was worn out but, it's sooo worth it! The kids and I were vagabonds last weekend, floating from house to house, and camping out at Mimi and Grandpa's...we were all glad when our house was liveable again! We decided the kitchen tile project will happen when the kids and I are in Michigan without Tommy this summer!

Visit from My Ladies!

Auntie Teah, Auntie Lyndsay, and Baby Benjamin were here last week! Oh my goodness, it was soooo wonderful to see them! We got to spend a lot of time together, which was so awesome. The kids played so well together, and we're pretty sure Brookie is in love with darling Benjamin (me, too :)! We love you guys, and miss you already!

"I Sleep in a Drawer"

Remember that quote by little Ralph from "The Simpsons"....well, it might be true for Brookie! ;)

For Auntie Anna....

Auntie Anna sent me a text last night, asking if Brookie still has the "Hillbilly Smile". Well Annabelle, I'm happy to say that top right front tooth has finally broken through, however, she'll still look like our toothless wonder for a few weeks, I'm sure. Case in point....lol!!! ;)

Special Delivery...

Sooo, Brookie's new carseat was delivered the other day. Man, I never thought a carseat could allow for so much entertainment....especially, the box! ;)

Birthday Girl....

My Little Girl is ONE...How is this Possible???

Oh my little Brookie Pie, where oh where has the last year gone? I can hardly believe that we have left the baby stage behind, that you're now a perfect little toddler/monkey (we're not entirely sure which :), gaining more and more independence every day.
The night before your birthday Daddy and I were reflecting on what we were doing one short year ago. Even though I was scheduled to be induced on Wednesday, the Tuesday before I was having contractions all day. I remember playing outside with Connor trying to wrap my brain around the fact that this was the last day he and I would spend together without you in the picture. Surreal, really! Daddy came home from work early, as I wasn't sure I would make it through the day. But, since we had everything set up for our induction the next morning, we hoped and prayed that you would stay put for one more night, and that you did!
Early Wednesday morning (like at 3:15am) we woke up, called L&D to make sure there was a bed, showered, and headed to the hospital. Mimi came to stay with Connor, and Daddy and I were on our way. Oh my goodness, I was elated. I COULD NOT WAIT to meet my little girl. Your birth was INCREDIBLE. It was beautiful, and wonderful, and our perfect scenario for bringing you into the world. When I think back on that day, March 26th, 2008, I still get giddy...I don't remember pain, or agony, I remember the most wonderful, light-filled, glorious day! When you came into this world, the first thing you did was latch right on and start nursing. It was such an amazing bonding moment, and I've felt bonded to you ever since.

Oh, my darling girl, I cannot picture life without you, nor imagine a day living without your sunny presence. You have the ability to light up a room with your smile (hillbilly as it may be at age one, with the top left front tooth missing--ha! :) You are so affectionate and loving, and Daddy and I are in pure bliss when you throw your chubby arms around our necks, lay your head on our shoulders, pat our backs, and say, ahhhhhhh! ;) I know your grandparents would agree with this whole-heartedly, and even Connor would, most days! ;)

We love you, precious Brooke. You are truly a gift from the Lord above. My prayer for you is that you know how much He loves you, and that Jesus will be your best friend, each and every day of your life. Happy birthday, sweet girl!

Happy Birthday, Brookie Pie! :)

Quick post...more about her little celebration after it happens tomorrow, and her letter from Mommy to follow! :)

Just had to show off her snaggle-tooth, and new outfit from Auntie Anna! :)

Oh, and also Connor's "Charles Penzone" haircut...Auntie Anna, Brad, Mimi and Grandpa took him...you don't even want to know what a kid's cut at Penzone's costs...I think they were all pretty floored as well! Lol....at least he got to sip pink lemonade while he waited for his "stylist" to come get him. Seriously...

Kentucky Weekend!

We had a fabulous weekend in KY with John, Deidre, and their kiddos! It was so wonderful to see them and play, play, play! Deidre cooked meals fit for royalty, and the kids had sooo much fun together, and did soooo well--amazingly well! We were all good and worn out upon our return last evening, but wonderfully fulfilled after spending time with awesome friends! Thank you for your hospitality John, Deidre, Carys and Evelyn...can't wait to see you guys again soon...and we're grilling steaks for you (which still won't touch Deidre's cooking..lol! ;)


John and gorgeous Evelyn..



John and the kiddos!



Testament to Deidre's amazing skilz..


Two babies in the tub...


The boys gave the babies a bath...with beers in tow, as well as music hooked up in the bathroom. :)


Brookie and Deidre!


Brookie loooooves Evelyn!!


Deidre and the baby girls!

Deidre and Evelyn


He was so worn out from playing he fell asleep doing a breathing treatment! ;) On John and Deidre's bed, might I add! Then Carys laid down next to him to do hers, and she crashed as well...ha!


Connor and Carys!


Beautiful Evelyn!!