A Spring Concert

We went over to the Nelson's house for a BBQ, and boy was I in for a pleasant surprise with the entertainment! We were treated to a concert from Trevor and Drew (think ABC song, Happy Birthday, Old McDonald- really all the hits) while Lizzy and Paige, decked out in their matching Snow White dresses, danced around. The kids had a great time! I love watching the games they create and how they play together. Lizzy and Paige are becoming very special friends, and they loved dancing and laughing together. Where was Peter during the concert? Well, he's not much for singing or dancing yet, so he entertained himself by rolling around on the grass with a giant ball. I caught him playing peek-a-boo in the playhouse window too. That guy loves to be a part of the action, but also likes to observe the fun too.

Let's Play!

As my kids get older, I absolutely love watching them play together. I love when they call out to one another to play, when they laugh at a shared joke, and when they work together on a game or project. Honestly, there is nothing better than watching the people you most love, love each other. The patience they have for one another really impresses me, as does the joy they find in their shared company.

Thumbs Up!

This is Peter giving the "thumbs up" sign. I don't exactly know why, but it cracks me up every time. I remember Lizzy did "thumbs up" the same way when she was a baby- must be a developmental thing. I love it because it's another sign of how much they want to be part of the crowd, how hard they work to fit in, but they've still got a lot to learn. I remember feeling sad when Lizzy figured out the real "thumbs up" because then it meant she was bigger, smarter, more tuned in. I guess I love Peter's "thumbs up" so much because it's one of the fleeting signs that he's still a little guy. There aren't too many of those left- he's getting so big!

Storytime

"Here, Peter! Come and sit on my lap!" That's the best way to listen to a story at storytime I think!

Rainbow Girl

Lizzy got to celebrate her friend Riley's birthday party at a very fun gym. She had a great time! I loved watching her jump into the ball pit, with a giant smile on her face, and I loved all those bright colors- bright dress, bright balls, bright smile:)

Tree Time

Our church is really great. It has a wonderful children's service, and I believe we've already mentioned the donuts. But what's really fun about our church is that our friends Trevor and Connor go there. Whenever Peter sees Trevor at church he runs right up to him with a big smile on his face and says, "Trevor!" (okay, he can't really say Trevor, but we know that's what he means) and gives him a big hug/tackle. Lizzy and Trevor like to play in the garden after church. They chase monsters and solve mysteries and sometimes even get to climb trees. What a cool church!

Caroline's 4th Birthday Party

Well, believe it or not, Caroline turned four! I cannot believe what a big girl she is! Isn't she still supposed to be a baby?! We were so excited to get to share in her special Teddy Bear Picnic party. Of course Elizabeth had spent so much time making it a darling celebration. The girls (and Peter and Patrick) had a special picnic with their teddy bears complete with bear shaped sandwiches. After lunch, Elizabeth gathered them all in a little circle to play a hide-the-bear game, that all the girls really enjoyed. Peter wasn't too much for the games, but he sure loved playing ball with Papa! We loved getting to watch Caroline blow out her candles (and see cute Patrick behind her- he loves birthdays!). What a special day, and we feel so thankful when we get to spend the day with our favorite people!

Lizzy's Special School Birthday Celebration

If you have a summer birthday, then you know it's kind of a bummer that it's summer vacation when it's your birthday, so you may not be able to celebrate with your friends in school. We got to celebrate Lizzy's birthday a little early, and I was so lucky to be volunteering in class so I could share in the festivities. When you are the birthday girl at school, you get to open the special mailbox at snack time. Inside is a teddy bear candle holder, and you get to pick which candle you want to put inside. You get to turn the handle on the music box that plays "Happy Birthday" while everyone listens, and you get to have a special birthday card, just for you. When Teacher Sue sings you "Happy Birthday," she waves a special silvery wand over your head. Plus, you get to bring the special birthday snack, which in Lizzy's case was her favorite chocolate chip cookies and bananas. It's a pretty special day for sure!

Happy Hollow

I've had many great lessons lately on the importance of enjoying every day. We happened to have an open Wednesday, and although I had plenty of chores to keep myself occupied, we decided to play hookie and visit one of our favorite spots: the newly renovated Happy Hollow. Our friend Charlie and his darling mom Kelly were able to keep us company, so it was a truly fun day. One of the great things about Happy Hollow is that there are tons of wonderful spots to explore, climb, and play. Lizzy loved climbing on all the really neat climbing structures, and Peter was so excited he was big enough to enjoy some of the rides. Peter and Charlie loved the car ride! Peter kept pointing and yelling, "Car! Car!" While both boys really wanted to steer, they managed to work it out and have fun. A great surprise of the day was Lizzy and Peter's bravery to try the "Frog Hopper." Peter just made the height requirement, and I thought for sure Lizzy would chicken out when it came down to it. Boy was I surprised that they were eager to try it, and once it got going, they loved it- laughing and squealing with delight. Now don't get me wrong, I know I have to pay attention to my responsibilities most days, but it really is fantastic to enjoy the day with my kids having a great time playing.

Tree Hugger

Lizzy loves to "climb" the lemon tree in front of Charlie's house. Any chance she gets, she runs right up to it and climbs away. This is the perfect little tree because it is big enough to climb and it's low branches give the illusion of really "climbing" up a tree. Lizzy loves to be a monkey and climb up anything she can. I love her proud smile, and the enchantment that climbing trees can have. I loved to climb trees as a little girl, and felt very mysterious, almost transported to a hidden, wonderful place, sitting in the tree in my front yard. An added benefit to Charlie's tree is the lemons! After climbing maybe we can make some lemonade- yum!

New Ride

Peter has been eyeing our neighbors old "cozy car" for quite a while now, and they took pity on him during our neighborhood garage sale (okay, maybe I asked if they wanted it anymore which was a little forward, but their kids are big so that's okay, right?!) and passed this beloved toy on to him. He's quite proud of himself in his new ride, and he loves to ride it around the backyard. I guess there's something to be said for the freedom of the open road...

Gardening

A great new feature of our new backyard is this wonderful herb garden that our landlady planted for us. She took cuttings from her own garden, and even took the time to label them- very sweet! Knowing our legendary black thumb, it is pretty amazing we have not killed anything yet (but let's not get too excited- it's only been a few weeks)! Elizabeth loves the garden! She loves to water the plants and dig in the dirt, and a new favorite is to pull out the weeds. Yesterday our first strawberries were ripe, and there was something so wonderful about picking them right off the stem and enjoying them on the spot. I remember having strawberry plants in my own backyard when I was a little girl, and being so amazed how the strawberries grew from flowers to yummy berries, seemingly right before my eyes. Hopefully we'll have many more treats to enjoy soon!

New House, Same Stuff

On Wednesday we moved into our new house! It was very exciting to see the big truck, and watch all the stuff being packed up. We loved our old house, and have many, many wonderful memories there, especially bringing Peter home! We are very excited to have a new home, in our same great neighborhood, with a little more space that we can make new fantastic memories in. The great thing about Lizzy and Peter is they go with the flow and love adventure. They are already settled in and enjoying the "newness" of their new home, and exploring all around. The "play-room" is a great new feature of the new house. We bought a little table and already the kids are back to their old "color-mania" habits. I guess where ever we go, our kids will be happy as long as we have crayons and coloring books:)

Slam Dunk!

We were at a neighbor's birthday party over the weekend, and Peter could not get enough of basketball! It was so darling to see the excitement on his face when he would do a slam-dunk. He loved bouncing and throwing the ball, and really loved making baskets. Clearly we have a future basketball star on our hands!

Happy Mother's Day

I feel so lucky that I get to spend time with my mother and sister, and share so much of my life with them. Once you become a mother and experience the incredible depth of love for your child, it is instantly clear how much your own mother has loved you, how much she has sacrificed for you, and how she has dedicated so much of her heart for your well-being and happiness. I am beyond blessed to have two amazing "mother" role-models. My mother has spent her life loving me and treasuring my spirit. She has cared for my needs, but also made me feel so special and valued by being present in the moments of my life. I love to sit in my sister's backyard, watch her four beautiful children playing with each other, and see all the love that comes from nurturing a family, from dedicating your heart to the well-being of your children, and allowing them to develop into the amazing individuals they are. Thank God for mothers and all the blessings they bring into our lives, and thank God for my own mother and sister, who I have the privilege of sharing this journey with!

New Clothes?

"Peter, you HAVE to take your dress off so you can take a bath!" Words I never expected to say to my son...

The Farm

Could there be anything more darling than spending the morning with a class of three and four year olds at the farm? For me, probably not. I was so excited that I got to be one of the chaperones for Lizzy's first field trip. I drove Lizzy and Sophie, and it was so darling to hear them chatting in the back seat, wondering what we might see, and getting so excited for the farm. We had a lovely time wandering around the farm and seeing all the animals. We saw sheep and goats. We got "pig kisses" on our palms, and Elizabeth swears a sheep kissed her arm. We looked for eggs in the hen-house, and even got to touch the (relatively) new baby chicks. I loved getting to walk around the gorgeous grounds, explore some of the back trails, and feel like we were so "back to nature." The kids saw tadpoles in a small pond, and even walked over a wishing-bridge and made their own wishes to send over the bridge. I had so many flashbacks of when I was a little girl, playing outside, feeling so far-away and adventurous, enjoying the breathtaking "green-ness" of the world around me. I loved getting to spend the morning with just Elizabeth, to feel her tiny hand grabbing mine as we walked along the trails, and to see the excitement in her eyes as she visited the different animals. What a treat to enjoy the beautiful farm with my special girl.

That Little Face

There is something truly miraculous that happens to your heart when you become a mother. Surely, every woman, every person for that matter, has known love and joy, but once you are a mother, you can feel your heart growing just by looking at your child. Sometimes, and it's often at the most random of times, no specific event or important interaction, I can literally feel joy coursing through me, and I'm humbled by the wonder of this little person before me. It's the curve of their face, their chubby cheeks and soft, soft skin. The shape of their eyes and gorgeous bow of their mouths. The way the light strikes their hair, and the little wisps that blow in the wind. The dimples in their fingers, and the way their legs just look so dang cute in shorts. It's their wonder at the simplest of things: leaves blowing in trees, or dandelions growing in a field, or a train rushing by. It's nothing particular, and at the same time every fiber of them. A mother's love is all-encompassing, almost addicting in it's infectious joy. If you are fortunate enough in your life to feel that love, you know to treasure it and be humbled by it because in the true circular nature of life, you are the giver and recipient of that rarest of loves. The gift of our children reveals it's magnitude.

Great Books!

I love this picture because it totally captures what's so awesome about books! It's wonderful to see children so absorbed in a book, and I love how Elizabeth is so seriously looking through her book, and Peter is full of "oohs" and "awes" over his book. Wonderful!