the uncluttering gift.

my sister-in-law and i both love flylady (the book... not the website).
so when i was thinking of a gift for her birthday this year,
i knew to steer clear of things that would clutter up her home.

when i saw this great tutorial, i knew exactly
what i wanted to bless her with.



so instead of cluttering up her house, these will just clutter up her walls!
happy, happy birthday, MK!

i knew i'd miss having hers around...
so i made some of our own.
it's too simple not to do it.

51. visits from Miss Laura and Aunt WW
52. butterflies fluttering in our backyard
53. swim dates with the cousins
54. birthday celebrations
55. being together as a family

spinning, spinning, spinning.

this weekend, i found myself
totally and completely
outnumbered by lots and lots (well, just 3) of little children.
B was gone on a quick golf trip (even if it didn't feel very quick to me).
soon, the children took over the entire house.

which, of course, included my bed.

so, i decided that we had to get out of the house.
and fast.

to the library we headed.

K picked some great books.
she also may have picked her nose.
but, we're working on limiting that to the bathroom only.

next stop:
ice cream, of course!

we all had fun picking out something special to eat.

K doesn't like ice cream for some strange reason.
so she got m&m's instead.

L simply enjoyed watching the fans spin
around
and
around
and
around.
he even started signing "fan" at the ice cream store.
see, there are benefits to taking your kids out for a mid-afternoon sugar fix.

and my little sweetness who dances
e v e r y w h e r e
found a great spot to dance while we waited for the elevator.
the excess sugar in her system probably aided some of her dance moves.

and this little man even sported a sweet 'stache.

after an eventful and exhausting day, it's nice to sit down at dinner to find this:
even if you were the one who set the table.
(thanks for the plate, Gram!)

Two are better than one,
because they have a good return for their work:
If one falls down,
his friend can help him up.
But pity the man who falls
and has no one to help him up!
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

46. stillness
47. husbands returning home
48. a glass of wine at the end of the day
49. receiving lots of hugs
50. new signs

i scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream.

babydoll had to be washed,
and she was hot out of the dryer when K needed to go to bed.
so what's a mother to do?


that's right... i put her right in the freezer for a quick cool-off.
worked like a charm.
and yes, i love.
love.
love.
ice cream.
a lot.
when i'm at home, my favorite is vanilla with chocolate sauce and cut up bananas.

they are ready for this summer!
get ready, Miss Laura!

my little fishy, fishy.

day 5 of {embrace the camera} challenge.

D and me.

along with emily, i'm going continue the {embrace the camera} challenge every single week.
it's so nice to actually be in photos with my children!

kissy kissy.

L has the wildest bangs.

his hair actually grows in two directions which forms this wave of wispy hair,
right on the very top of his head.
it was kind of cute for a while
but then it started to look like he was trying to
win a competition for the biggest bangs from the eighties.
they were totally curling over and everything.

see what i mean?

so, i finally broke down and gave him his first real haircut.
(although, when he was in the PICU in december,
they had to shave a small patch of his head
for the IV-- but i refuse to count that as his first haircut.)


the cut hair.

the new hair.
see how happy he is!

day 4 of {embrace the camera} challenge.

kissy kissy.
i am happy to report that i am
the.
only.
one.
that L will kiss.

other than that, we've just been hanging out on the floor.

41. chocolaty desserts in the afternoon
42. well-napped children
43. fun, full weekend plans
44. the end of the day
45. taking photos

take me out to the old ball game.

we did something spontaneous.
i don't usually like that word.
actually, i abhor that word.
the mere thought of doing something spontaneous makes my palms sweat.
i am a planner through and through.
i like to be prepared and with that comes
lots of thought,
and planning,
and perfect timing.
but, since B is very spontaneous, i went with it.
and you know what?
it wasn't so bad.
it was actually very, very good.
but do you think i'll be spontaneous again anytime soon?
not if i have anything to do with it.

we took the kids to our local college's last baseball game of the year.
we couldn't beat the price of the $2 tickets.

K, our most athletic in the bunch thus far.

all eyes on the game.

she sat in
every.
single.
seat.
(i missed the photo op in seat #7)
i suppose it was to make sure she had the very best possible view.

day 3 of {embrace the camera} challenge.

my girl and me.

36. finding action figures in a certain little boy's bed
37. starting a project
38. finishing that same project
39. waking up to the sound of a baby laughing... in his sleep
40. spontaneity

message received.

i think D's sending me a message.

okay, you don't like crust!
i'm hearing you loud and clear.

day 2 of {embrace the camera} challenge.

our lunchtime picnic outside.

hope your day is filled with more sandwich and less crust.

31. listening to birds chirping
32. K deciding the cloud looks like a rainbow
33. the promise of a delicious dessert
34. encouraging words
35. a dirty kitchen floor (which means that outside fun has occurred)

um, yeah... that's ours.

things you don't often see at the dry cleaners...


no wonder they called to let us know that Lambie was ready to be picked up.

also, in honor of
{embrace the camera} challenge
here's our shot of the day.
which includes me.
a tired
non-showered.
makeup free.
me.


L adores D
so.
very.
much.
it completely melts my heart.
i can't wait for their relationship to
grow.
and grow.
and grow.
and, i hope that they don't fight like D and K do.
they probably will though.

Sons are a heritage from the LORD,
children a reward from him.
Psalm 127:3

healing laughter.

after a teensy more rest (okay, not really)
but we are praying that L's sleep throughout the night improves
and his 5am wake-ups are just a
very.
short.
phase.
this week ended on a much better note than the post i left you with on thursday.

okay, now this is just weird. the kids and i were scooting home from an errand and i spotted a familiar figure at the bus stop right near our house. i pulled over, flipped on my emergency flashers and hopped out. the moment i saw her face, i broke down. she was the nurse who took such incredible care of our L in the PICU in december. we hugged and she told me that she was headed back to the PICU to bless some other family's life. we haven't run into anyone outside of the hospital who had cared for L until now it's been two in one week? wild.

the weekend was spent celebrating with friends.
both of whom we have
prayed
and prayed
and prayed for.

on saturday, B and (with L) headed down to san diego for a baby shower. it was nearly a date. we had hours upon hours upon hours of uninterrupted time to talk while on the road. sounds like a nightmare to most men, right?
it probably was to B, too. but, on an average day it is nearly impossible to communicate a single word to each other unless all three children are sound asleep.
i only wish i was joking.
anyway, our sweet friends are due with their first child (unless of course you count three dogs as children... which my sister might). we were thrilled to celebrate such a happy occasion with them.

the next event was a first birthday party for the daughter of some dear friends.
after a long while of praying that they would be blessed with a baby, this little girl
(with some of the most beautiful eyes i have ever seen) was born with a hole in her heart.
she had surgery to close it when she was four months old.
this girl already has quite the story to tell.

i've been laughing a lot lately.
at my children.
to the point of crying.
it's been wonderful.

one story is just too complicated and (a bit embarrassing) to share.
it involved D, a pair of my underwear and his bad short-term memory.
you'll just have to take my word for it. it was absolutely hysterical.
i am giggling now just thinking about it.

another story is best shared with this photo:
K asked if she could fill up the water table, so B gave her the hose (always a dangerous move) and i stood at the back door laughing so hard at her attempt to fill up the table. she was patient and didn't seem to be bothered that nearly zero water was actually getting into the table.

K singing one of her unique and beautiful songs.

L deciding my iphone was a good teether.
i don't think so.

K washing her feet.
i suppose that's one way to do it.

i best fold laundry tonight, or i know it will not get done this week
(until my parents come to visit on friday).

26. the blessing of dropping off two children at their grandparents' house and leaving thirty seconds later
27. family time
28. quiet car rides (really, just without noisy, noisy children)
29. birthday cupcakes with some insane chocolate frosting
30. a brand new week

not awarded mother of the year.

i am sure glad that i wasn't trying to win a mother-of-the-year contest.
i would have been disqualified, today.
my hope is that tomorrow will
be new.
and fresh.
and different.
and nice.
is that too much to ask?
probably.
i'll be sure to let you know.

but after a day like today, it's so great to remind your children that
we are all sinners and that we all so desperately need Christ.
even mommy.

"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God"
Romans 3:23

we haven't been up to too much around here other than me being L's personal teether while he nurses...

yeah, it's been fun. real fun.
and yes, he does smile like that every single time he bites down.
he can cross those little teeth off of his Christmas list.

L is very particular.
and by very particular, i mean that he only wants me.
all.
the.
time.
if B feeds him his solids, it always takes forever. and, after blaming him on numerous occasions, i've now realized that it isn't B's fault. i've witnessed it and he does everything the same way i do. the other morning i (selfishly) took a shower and this is what i found when i got out...

and yes, L was still eating slowly.

really, anytime i am not holding him, this is the face that i see.
what a pout.

my little heart breaker.

and just so you know, we have plenty of gross stuff happening around here.
but, you're going to just have to take my word for it.
never, and i repeat, never in those moments do i have an extra hand available to take photos, nor would anyone, and i repeat, anyone ever want to see such photos.

but, there are those moments that don't need immediate assistance
(i.e. there aren't any bodily fluids involved).

D said that this was my special surprise.
he hooked every hanger he could get his hands on to another hanger. every mom's dream, right?
he was having such a good rest time, he didn't even come out early once.
he said that he thought i would smile. he's just lucky i decided to turn this into a photo moment and not get upset with him. next on the to-do list,
show D what a good surprise is.

fyi, when your child is upset over who-knows-what and won't stop crying,
taking a photo of them doesn't settle them down.
just in case you were wondering.
she must have known i would post this on my blog.

at two and a half, K has obviously perfected the whine.
the new thing that L has been working on in the speech category is perfecting his own whine.
oh well, i'll take whatever i can get in regards to speech development.

and after mastering the back-to-tummy roll-over last week,

he is now a sitter!

B picked me up some of the most beautiful flowers i have ever seen.
peonies.
apparently, they're really hard to find on the west coast.
i was amazed over and over again at the rate in which they bloomed.
they nearly became my favorite flower
(just like you, Annie O).
but then... they started to stink.
please tell me that that terrible smell is not normal with peonies.
please, please, please.

she's still a toddler. doesn't this photo just give it away?

my baby girl has grown up (just a little) today.
K got her very first haircut.
i had to get rid of the long hairs in the back
that were making her look a little mullety.
plus, there's no business to this little gal. she's only interested in partying.
she was afraid that the haircut would hurt so i asked D if haircuts hurt.
his reply: "yep."
not helpful.
so, while she was filling up a bucket at the water table, i brushed her hair and
snuck in the cutting element of the haircut. when i was finished she had had no idea.
and, the fact that her hair is curly is totally on my side
because you will never know that it's not straight.

doesn't she just look a little more grown up?

21. K's curly hair
22. a husband that doesn't care that the house is in complete disrepair.
too often.
23. my weekly retreat tomorrow morning
24. Auntie B, who when asked if she wants to stay for dinner - doesn't bat an eyelash when she ends up making the entire thing.
and yes, everyone needs their own Auntie B.
25. another great report from a doc (the endocrinologist this time)

seven years and counting.

it's been seven years.
i honestly can't believe it.
when i thought about my wedding this morning,
i had butterflies all over again.

i know that B is the man that God made especially for me.
he is the perfect match for me.
he is simply incredible.
his strengths are all of my weaknesses.
he turns my seat warmer on in the car
before i can even think that my tushy will be cold.
he can sense the moments when i am overwhelmed before i can.
he is a great listener.
he solves problems.
he is hysterical.
he cherishes me.
he leads me to Christ.

we have been through so much (especially in this last year).
sickness and health.
richness and poverty.
sadness and joy.
but most importantly, Jesus has become more vivid in our lives.
we have grown closer to Him through it all.
there's no way that seven years ago
i would have imagined our life as we have it now.
life has changed so drastically since our wedding day.
we often think about our life, pre-kids.
the ease of doing whatever we wanted.
whenever we wanted.
the sleep.
oh, the sleep.
the peace and quiet.
but even though life was oh-so good back then,
i would never change it back.
life is oh-so good now.
and it's much, much, much more full.

we did something really fun today.
something all together.
as one big family.
something together as a family of five.
and it was fun.
(which you know is sometimes rare.)

we all put on our converse,
(which nearly made B throw up in his mouth
as he's not one for matchy-matchy cutesy stuff)

(and i nearly wept at nordstrom when i eyed these for L)
delicious.

and we headed to the Getty Villa for a simply lovely time.

while L was still in the NICU last summer,
my sweet friend, Britta
offered to take our family's photos.
so today, on our seventh anniversary, she did.

and, one wild thing was that we ran into one of the nurse practitioners who took such great care of L when he was in the nicu.
and now she has a new little bundle of her own.

God is so good.
and i am blessed beyond measure.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
Colossians 3:16-17

16. homemade bread (especially if it's made by someone else)
17. a freshly bathed baby
18. spending time together as a family
19. spending time with just my husband
20. getting my photo taken