First week down. And, thoughts about this crazy life.

So I found this picture tonight and I have no memory of getting it taken, but, I love it. My biggest babies were so, so... little! Ava was probably 3 and August couldn't have been more then 10ish months?! Jane wasn't even a thought at this point. Holy moly. While I look like an incredibly goofy momma, I still just love this picture. Life is just crazy fast and sometimes I feel like if I blink, another day is gone.

We made it through week one of Kindergarten and all 5 of us are enjoying it. Ava LOVES her class, teacher and all the new activities. August loves having all the toys to herself during the day, Jane loves sleeping, and I am loving a few hours to get things done and get back to creating. :) This week I said to a friend that I felt bad about enjoying the void of one child at school. She reminded that I don't need to feel that way, it's OK to enjoy the new routine. Especially when everyone is SO happy. So, I am now thoroughly enjoying it. We had a parents meeting last night and I'm eager to be a blessing to Ava's teacher and the staff at her school. What a HUGE opportunity! My imagination is already going a mile a minute with ideas.

The days are different and we are learning our new day-to-day. I so enjoy packing up my big girls "Sophia the First" lunch box and watching her (shall we say) creativity on the days that I let her choose her own outfit. THAT is proving to be the most challenging thing so far! Ha. I'm back to cooking almost every night and things are just feeling really normal. {sigh}

This morning my husband took our 3 year old out for the morning on a daddy/daughter date - leaving me time to pop Jane in the baby seat and check out some of my favorite stores basically alone. So refreshing to just have quiet. I walked up and down almost every aisle of our local antique mall - it was wonderful - and I found a few pieces of vintage silverware for my crafty dining room project. I don't know what it is about antique stores - but, I always get emotional when I look at stuff. Isn't that so strange? All this old classy stuff that used to be somebody's belongings, now lining the aisles getting picked through by thirty-somethings who think that once super practical day to day things are awesome decorations. Ha! Can I still blame postpartum for these random emotional dramas? Anyway, it was a wonderful time out and I even have a few minutes to check out a local thrift store for some cheapy frames. Score! My project is almost complete and I'll put up some pics once its finished. Here is the gist of what I'm going for, from Pinterest:

 

Now that I have a few extra hours in my day when my two littlest nap, I am so enjoying really getting back into creating things for the home. I've missed it. It doesn't come naturally to me... but it's fun to look around and get ideas. Operation "really move in" is now in full effect. We've been here a year in October and I still have boxes. Still. One day at a time I suppose. 

Side note: Anyone else avoiding the news lately?

Wow it seems the world is minutes away from imploding on itself. So much sickness, sadness and sin. It's enough to make my heart break. I have found myself pondering the power of God a lot lately - even in the midst of so much ugliness. He promised He will return and make all things new. What a hope for those of us who believe! 

And there she went

The first time I held that 8 pound bundle I knew I was in for a whole new adventure. For 5 ( and a half...she would say) years we've experienced the highest joys and most troublesome trials of this thing called parenting. I can count on nine million hands the times I have failed. But I can also tell you that each time we felt such grace from our God.

This morning I watched my girl turn a page in our story. She started kindergarten with such admirable courage...without even looking back.

And as I kissed her forehead and turned to leave her classroom the tears came. My tears. Did I do this right? How will she do? Please Lord send her a good friend. How can we moms have 100 thoughts all at once like that?

This afternoon as I nursed the baby, who reminds me so much of my Ava, I just all out cried. Are we really this far into the story with her? Kindergarten? Wasn't I just nursing her and babbling silly pet names to her in whispers while she cooed?

And while I'm tempted to imagine any and every bad thing that could be... I will think on truth and I will trust and rejoice in the Lords plan. And just as I felt my heart could bust - I get a text from a friend. She works at Ava's school. Seems my girl got to be line leader, and the tears again. Mine. I am so proud of that girl and I can't wait to hear every detail of her big day.

I embrace our new page in this story. And I'm thankful for that little school just down the road.

The end of the season.

Roses!

We are mid August and the yard is starting to wrap things up.

I haven't gotten a lot of time to actually be outside to enjoy all the pretties. Having a baby threw a wonderful wrench in my attempt to garden beautiful flowers. Can't complain about that. :) But the other day while the girls were out playing, I grabbed the camera and explored. 

The end of the season is looking pretty good. 

The last of the hosta blooms.

Trumpet vine, my favorite.

Not sure what... but I love the fun shape of this leaf.

Our gorgeous BIG back yard tree.

Here's to a fantastic remainder of the month and to big yellow leaves here soon. {grin}
What's growing in your yard?

Baby Weight. Seriously though...

So, I'm breastfeeding this time around. And by that I mean... it's going well and we are strictly nursing no supplementing, no breaks, no reason to. It's Ah-mazing. Jane seems to just get it, which is totally unlike my other two children. Strange, but I am NOT complaining. :) This child eats and sleeps and that is her life - and she's chubby and happy and sleeps. But I have already covered that. It's awesome. I feel good.

I also feel... slightly fat.

Now, before I get a zillion comments about how it will eventually go away and to treasure these days, etc. I AGREE on those points. Perhaps, though, I'm treasuring the food a little more and forgetting that while I am burning the calories while nursing - it's not a free for all. (bummer) I'm literally hungry ALL.THE.TIME and because it's this urgent starvation feeling I just go for what's easy - banana's, something peanut buttery, or... all the amazing desserts we got with our "new baby meals". Those meals have now come to an end and perhaps that is best for me. :)

While I have lost some weight, I feel like I have SO much more to go. The task seems daunting and today I feel discouraged about it. I'm also super curious how you moms do it... losing the weight so quickly, that is. And how on earth do you have time to exercise or practice any form of fitness?? I am on a 3 hour routine of nursing, baby napping, keeping other 2 alive... repeat. There is little to no time to even cycle through the laundry or sit down {and not be nursing}. I'm not a multi-tasker when it comes to that sit down time. And that's another post all together. The other night I nibbled on some carrots because I read they help with lactation - but, the entire time I was pretending they were chicken wings and big fat juicy bbq ribs. Don't judge.

Ah, baby weight. You sweet little reminder that Hershey bars and entire bags of chips probably weren't worth it that last month of pregnancy. {sigh} I will conquer you after Christmas.

Just for the record, I really am ok and not too super discouraged.
After all, we just ordered pizza for dinner. ;)

Friday catch up.

First of all... announcement: Jane Evelynn slept, wait for it, 12 hours last night! To be fair I should let you know that I tip-toe in at 10:30 and give her a bottle I somehow managed to pump throughout the day. She stays asleep and just guzzles that down so I lay her back down and we carry on. I also must admit how excellent my stealthy ninja crawl moves are now. If you have never dropped to your knees and crawled out of your babies nursery...well, then you just don't understand. :) I'm considering myself the ninja queen.

It's a friday family day and I kind of want to pull my hair out, or nap, or drink 3 more of these iced mochas. How is it that I look forward to this day allll week and then the day of seems sooo chaotic and nerve frazzling. It's a word, trust me.

My husband treated us to breakfast out at Perkins. And all the momma's say "Amen". So while it was awesome to not have to prepare food and actually get a warm breakfast, it's always loud and slightly crazy to be in public. If I really focus and step back out of myself... it's cute, and once in a lifetime. Breakfast out with my goons really is precious and I know we make people smile - or wag their heads - I've seen both. {grin} Today the girls made up a game called "Scooty checkers" with the jelly packets and coffee creamers. (Side note: Thank you perkins for leaving those on the tables!) They started out so nicely and in just a few minutes the 3 year old was chucking her packets at the 5 year old and loud giggles followed. Then the sleeping 2 month old woke up and breakfast came all at once. I will not go into the number of times one child climbed under the table and visits to the bathroom. But it's real.

Currently, everyone is doing their own thing - and if you have multiple children you might appreciate this. I know I do. My biggest is playing in the toy room while the three year old is making a "craft", and I use that word loosely as she is playing with a glue stick, the lid to said glue stick, 1 piece of paper and a cut up piece of ribbon. Hey, it's a craft to her. Annnnnd she's quiet. As she went to do this "craft" she turned around and said to me -

"I'll do something my best".

Ah I love these little 3 year old sayings.

My husband is asleep at my feet. And you think I'm kidding. I'm not. This man can curl up and pass out just about anywhere. I would share a picture but I'm sure I would get "the look". So I'll just treasure this image myself. Jane is...you guessed it, asleep. I am beyond thankful for that nap loving babe.

Last fall...oh, how I am ready for it again!

As for me... I'm dreaming. Yep. Dreaming. Not that I want the clock to move or that I'm rushing life... because really I'm not. Just, dreaming and thinking of what's to come. In two weeks my girl heads to kindergarten and life will change...again. Then it's practically Thanksgiving. OK, that's a leap but that's how I feel. I am secretly enjoying these cooler summer days while everyone else complains. My fall loving self has already pinned a ton of Autumnal things for this fall on Pinterest. I'm on the hunt for the perfect fall smelling candle. I'm also dreaming about a clean house. A house that organizes itself or at least vacuums itself. I really do clean - sometimes I deep clean, even. And yet all of that goes to pot almost as soon as I move on to the next room. I know it's just a phase and someday I'll have a clean house and empty rooms... but today I'm just dreaming. I'm also dreaming about another iced mocha. Did I already mention that? If you haven't tried Caribous iced mocha...do it.

I miss blogging. I've had so much on my mind and heart recently but there is just no extra time to blog it all down. Maybe that's ok. I'm keeping up with my paper journal and treasuring lots of things there. But I do miss writing (and reading) on the ol' blog - maybe once biggest is at school we'll have more time. Life rolls on - mountains and valleys. I'm thankful for each day and for this family the Lord has given me. Speaking of... back to family day.

Life in Pictures.

Woooot! Today marks 8 weeks since we brought a new baby into this world. She is growing and changing and we love every minute of it!

My girls keep me on my toes and remind me I only have two arms, several times a day. But you know... it's all blessing. We are so thankful for this crazy time in our lives. Here's what we've been up to.

Praise God for this sweet life on earth. We are so thankful.