Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Signs of Life

How about a new series here?  Guaranteed to have at least one installment!  :)

Our house is a crazy place.  In case you've thought that about us and wondered if we knew we were crazy, the answer is, we are well aware!  :)  On any given day our kid count can change and from one day to the next we can never be sure who will be here.

More and more, I'm learning to embrace the insanity.  And the messes.  Because someday my house will be clean, quiet and empty and I'll wish there was someone around to leave their sneakers right in the middle of the kitchen floor or their cape slung over the couch.

Instead of seeing imperfections as thorns in my decorating flesh, I want to open my eyes and see them as signs of life.  These messes all stem from gifts in my life.  I still clean the mud off shoes (or make my boys do it), but I also know that if a neighbor walked in and saw a trail of mud, I wouldn't need to be embarrassed.  Its just proof of lives being lived, and houses are for living.  My home is a reflection of our life, and life's messes can be gloriously beautiful. ~The Nesting Place

And so, I'm learning to look for and enjoy the evidence that a child has been here.....signs of life!


 

















Sunday, June 22, 2014

Project 365, Week 25

Happy Summer!!  We were driving last night and it was nearly 10 PM before it was completely dark...the shortest night of the year.  We intend to enjoy this season fully....we got a good start this week.

June 15
Father's Day!  We celebrated with a family day at home.  R and I made breakfast, Shaun and the kids put together a model airplane, we launched a rocket, bought a new grill and cooked on it, watched the Sox game and Shaun and I ended with a movie for two.

So thankful for this guy who takes good care of us and is purposeful and wise in all his ways.



 Avery found this idea on Pinterest and then followed a Youtube tutorial on how to make it, all on her own.




 June 16
My dad and I got some time together, too.  He is an avid bicyclist so we did a bike path in the area on a gorgeous late spring morning.  This little swamp was quite active with wildlife.
 Busy kids.

 June 17
This week we did the final push at the old house in preparation for our tenants moving in the end of the week.  Shaun and Aiden stopped work for a squirt gun fight.
 Sarah stopped by and we got to snuggle with this little munchkin, who is too sweet.  And now with heart-melting grins, too.

 Work late into the evening, with some more water action.
 June 18
FINALLY!  I've had a countdown to school out since the 100th day of school and finally one last school morning!

 The old house, ready for someone else to live in it and hopefully love it.
 Noon dismissal.  YAY for summer!!
 Somewhere in there, we were able to throw a few things in duffel bags and head out on vacation to Maine.  Hmm...where to put the dumb dog??
 June 19
First morning on the lake!
 June 20
Cousins!  Love this crew so much!
 June 21
Beauty.

Many pictures of Maine to follow!  Hope your week is great as we finish this first half of the year!

Sunday, June 15, 2014

Project 365, Week 24

Happy Father's Day!  So thankful for my husband, the dad of our house.  Watching him love and train our kids fills me with joy and as I watch him father the fatherless, I am inspired to be a better person.  He has a huge heart full of compassion, generosity, grace....a gift to our family.  Love you, Shaun.

June 8
Sunday was a nice, quiet day at home.  R built a bike stand to help organize the kids bikes.
 Amanda spotted Avery and I sweeping and thought the way we were doing it in the same motion was picture worthy.  I love that my kids are taking snapshots in their minds!
 And that they are still little enough to find great enjoyment from the kiddie pool.

 June 9
Great-grandpa's mind is so sharp still but sadly his hearing is awful.  Somehow he's always able to hear, Great-grandpa, may we please have some cookies?

This day I had a flashback to when Avery was just little, and every visit Great-Grandpa would slyly suggest a cookie to her, just to enjoy her reaction.  As you might imagine, it didn't take long to train her, and the other kids that followed.

This day I wondered how many of his cookies the kids have consumed and couldn't help but be so grateful for the time together that they represent.
 Girls game.

 June 10
Two of three blossoms that happened this year out of three plants.  Better luck next year!
 The night before, Aiden stayed up late with Shaun watching a "war commercial", aka WWII documentary.  He was FULL of stories for me the next day, all day.

Out in the yard, he was telling me that grenades are real and he was showing me how the soldiers would hide in the tall grass and then run and take cover behind a tree.

My before-I-was-a-parent ideals did not include guns or swords or a fascination with war.

 June 11
My camera, my baby!  Earlier in the week I was downstairs doing laundry and I heard a crash.  When I walked into the kitchen the kids said Aiden had been swinging the jump rope and it had pulled my camera right off the kitchen table onto the floor.

Aiden was no where to be found.  Apparently Amanda had advised him to flee the scene and go outside.  :)

I was surprisingly calm about the whole thing.

This day Aiden and I drove the hour to drop it off at the repair shop, where it will be for the next two weeks.
 These three were walking shoulder to shoulder and I thought, gosh...it won't be long until Aiden has a backpack strapped to him, too.

 Avery could not have been more excited to discover her Amazon shipment had arrived...she had carefully shopped for and ordered four books with her own money.  The Space Encyclopedia was her early favorite.
 June 12
Sweet nappy boy.
 June 13
Though we have three more half days to finish up, this was the last day of uniforms.
 There's a little more knee showing than there was in September.
 End-of-the-season pizza party.  The girls had such a positive first-time experience playing softball.  They had four great coaches and made a lot of progress while having fun with some other sweet girls.
 June 14
Last day of T-ball.  I hope he always send a wave and a smile to his momma on the sidelines.
 3U!


 From the field, the girls and I went to Madison and Trevor's dance recital.  SUCH a great show and especially fun because Madison is in about every third dance and is a standout.  She has such a gift!  The cousins were SO happy to be together, too.