The Joy In The Middle

a week late...

2012-02-29T16:49:00.000-06:00

did you know it's lent season?
my heart has been tugging at me for a week now.
i didn't grow up observing lent.
i always thought it was just for catholics.
but it seems lent has been popping up in evangelical churches the past decade or so.
i, for one, think it's really great.
depriving yourself of something to focus more on God.
sign me up... sounds simple enough, right?
but here's the thing... it's not supposed to be easy.
it's supposed to be tough.
i've given up chips and sweets before, which i thought was really hard.
but really... i just found another vice to fill my stomach with.
what keeps me from connecting with my God.
easy...
this mad beast...

if you don't get it...
it's the blasted computer.
blogs, facebooking, pinterest, randomness...
it's all so addicting.
and i get easily wrapped up in the computer and all it's time wasting entities.
so... i'm taking a break.
from blogs and facebook, specifically.
because i will admit that i have issues with being slightly obsessed.
all this to say... sayonara!
i'll be back come mid-april.

the oscars

2012-02-27T09:36:00.000-06:00

i watch the oscars ever year.

not the entire thing, no.

but i catch the bulk of it.

am i a movie buff?

no.

definitely not.

truth be told, it's all about the fashion for me.

i enjoy the red carpet stuff almost more than the show.

(although how pumped is everyone to have billy back on the stage?!?)

so here's the list of my favourite's of the night...

and the not so favourite's.

first, my favorite of the night.

beautiful penelope cruz.

the ethereal blue tone on this dress, divine!

and so elegant.

it looks like she's floating.

LOVE it!

(come to think of it... the color is the same as my grad dress, circa 1997... no wonder i like it!!)

meryl streep.

i love her, i really do.

and she deserves all the credit for her acting ability, but not for her dress.

this is just my opinion but i'm just not digging it.

i think it's mostly the fabric.

gold lame?

i think she could have done better.

but... i'm not a fashion critic... just an observer!

she still looks beautiful though... just don't love that dress.

gweneth...

she looks amazing.

i am in love with this tom ford creation!

very elegant, understated but modern and fresh.

she looks so tall!

and that cuff!

that CUFF!!!

i want it!

great job... and the low key hair is perfect!

angelina, whether you love her or hate her, her dress was beautiful.

i, however, thought she didn't look very healthy.

when she was presenting on stage, her arms were so frail and stick like.

is this supposed to be the picture of healthy and fit?

i don't think so...

and what is with her always sticking her leg out?!

strange.

so, in summary, the dress... gorgeous!

the wearer of the dress?

needs to gain about 15 pounds to look better and healthier, in my ~~not so~~ humble opinion.

michelle williams...

dawson creek, man!

i loved that show back in the day!

she's come a long way since the mid 90's, huh?

she looked stunning last night and this louis vuitton tiered dress did not disappoint.

the color is incredible.

coral? yes please!

i could do without the little waist skirt... but it's sorta cute.

my fav however, the wave like patterns on the skirt.

i just want to touch the bottom and feel that fabric!

what i don't like? the pink purse.

just didn't go with the feel of the dress.

but that's just me.

natalie portman.

she is one of the prettiest, in my opinion.

i love that she's gorgeous, and also incredibly smart (doesn't she have an incredibly high IQ?).

the dress is alright, i guess.

but nothing spectacular.

to me it just looks like a 'prom' dress you could buy in the junior section at JCPenny.

maybe she was just trying not to outshine the best actress nominees of this year?

not sure, but i think she could have done better.

face, hair and jewels though? beautiful.

and i love her manicure!

(on a side note, did anyone else notice she always seemed to be covering her abdomen area...

either with her clutch or the envelope? maybe preggers again?

or was it announced already and i'm just clueless?!? ha ha ha!)

and this was me... last night...

enjoying my big old bowl of popcorn and a beer...

because, let's face it, i'm never gonna look like those hollywood girls...

so i might as well indulge, right?

hope you all had fun if you watched... and if you didn't, it was probably time better spent! ;)

raw cheeks

2012-02-22T17:09:00.000-06:00

ok, gross, i know...
but the insides of my cheeks are so totally raw.
it's from these babies...

ohhhhh... SOOOOO good!
i'm seriously obsessed.
these thick cut sour cream and dill chips are the best chips EVAH!
they are so flavourful and yummy!
and if you live in canada near a superstore (or grocer that sells PC brand) then pick some up.
now.
i'm embarrassed to say that every time i grocery shop, i pick up like 3 bags.
ok, i'm not embarrassed to say that.
i'm embarrassed to say that i finish 3 big bags a week.
ok, now i'm cringing (as are you... i know it).

so, i just thought i'd share...
raw cheeks and all.
now i'm going out for a run to burn the calories off from these puppies.
that is all!

snow wonder there's no school!

2012-02-21T09:16:00.000-06:00

ha!
yeah, i'm pretty funny... snow wonder?
ok, i know... lame-o.
we got a lovely snow day given to us today.
it's warm out... and we got a dumping.
the most we've gotten this season.
it's gorgeous outside and when i told my girls there was no school today...
they squealed in delight!
they already had yesterday off... and they have friday off.
talk about an easy week for them, huh?
me, on the other hand...
just kidding!

ok, i gotta admit... snow days are pretty fun.
a cozy warm house with nowhere to go?
we'll be doing a lot of this today...
cuddling in bed...

chillin' on the couch and watching a movie, perhaps...

and a lot of outdoor time...
concluding with piles of wet outerwear, clogging up the back entrance.

anyway, my living room is calling... there's already a fort making party in process.
my skills are being summoned.
looking forward to today, even though i'll be cleaning and tidying more!
happy snow day!

like a child

2012-02-17T14:49:00.000-06:00

i've been having a bit of a rough go of things with my middle girl.
you see, she's terribly sensitive... but also extremely strong willed.
once she's upset about something, anything, it's hard to get her to snap out of it.
so she comes home from kindergarten at lunch today,
she starts to play with her little sister and then they start to fight (surprise, surprise) over the same doll.
i knew baby was playing with the one doll first so i told little k to give back the doll.
she snaps (like usual) and goes running and stomping into her room yelling, "no one lets me do ANYTHING!!"
you see, this behaviour can be pretty normal with this one.
she's highly emotional.
but... she's also the sugary sweetest little thing too.
so affectionate and lovey.

how to proceed?
i don't know.
even after a "talk" she was still so emotional.
then another thing set her off... and another thing...
she was freaking out in her room again.
finally...i had to resort to measures.
she sobbed in my arms and cuddled up to me.
i was crying too.
all of a sudden she stops crying and just lays there.
then she looks up at me, "mommy, can i change my clothes?"
and all is normal again.
it was like a light switch.
she was crazy... then calm.
i just sat there, sorta dumbfounded because i couldn't help but see the correlation that was playing out before my eyes.
here is my child...
my beautiful little girl.
i love her unconditionally, i do.
but she can make me so angry sometimes.
she continues to disobey, disregard my rules, be rude to me, etc...
discipline is necessary with children.
after i get through to her, she's open.
she's apologetic and genuine.

i see my own Father in this situation.
He loves me so much... true unconditional love.
there are ways that He is trying to guide me... trying to discipline me.
He sets rules in front of me to protect me, to love on me.
but do i always easily obey?
do i always believe He knows what's best for me?
no, i don't.
and like my middle daughter, He needs to show me His love with some discipline sometimes.
the hurt isn't always for nothing.
the hurt shows us where we can change things in our life that need changing.
the tough stuff isn't about us being punished.
no.
it's about us realizing that we are not alone and we cannot do it alone.
all He wants is for us to climb into His arms and let Him do His thing.
why do i need so much coaxing sometimes?
i'm not sure.
it's the best place to be... safe and comforted in the arms of my Saviour.
training my children is God's way of training me.
isn't that funny?
i learn so much more out of this mothering process about me, than about them.
it's the most absolute hardest job i've ever had, it's also the job that has brought me to my knees more times than i can count.
so thank you Lord for these hiccups... because i know You're just doing Your job as a parent. :)

happy V day!

2012-02-14T09:22:00.000-06:00

9

2012-02-03T08:00:00.080-06:00

""Be... " was inspired by realizing all the things that a child not born would not experience. The writing in the background lists positive actions and activities and experiences a child not born would never know. This project was on my heart for an extended amount of time. It was an emotional piece to complete." - Jessica Gilliland

today marks the 9th anniversary of a sad event in my life.
9 years ago today i experienced a miscarriage.
and after that day, my life has never been the same.
traumatic events have a certain way of changing the course of your life.
they often alter the way you think and feel.
during that time i was completely and utterly devastated.
i was a few days shy of being 13 weeks.
13 weeks!
this is the time when you're finally starting to feel good again.
you're telling everyone the good news.
you're out of that "danger zone".
at least that's what i thought.
i'm not sure why, maybe because i'm a private person, but we didn't share our pregnancy news with a lot of people.
we only let our closest friends and family know.
maybe subconsciously i knew something would happen?
i'm not sure.
but when it did happen, i was in a state of shock.
i knew bleeding while you're pregnant wasn't good.
to make a very long story short, after a couple of days, my already passed on baby was removed from my uterus.
i felt empty.
i hurt... physically, yes, but emotionally i was in the worst kind of pain.
the feelings of grief consumed me.
i couldn't think about anything else but that baby that i lost.
it was my little august baby.
that's what i called it (because i was due in august).
i just couldn't figure out why God would want to put me through so much pain.
i couldn't look beyond my own circumstances.
i was drowning in a sea of doubt and anger.
it was a tough time in my life.
and during that time all i wanted was to go back to what it was like before.
i wanted to wish the whole entire experience away.
i didn't think there was any worth in it.
what was the point?
you can probably figure out what happened after...
i got pregnant again.
and, blessedly, that baby was brought to full term and i delivered a healthy baby girl.
plus two more afterward.
but i never forget that first baby.
and always, around this time of year, i remember my little august baby.
and although i'm sad that i had a little baby that i never met, i know that i'll meet him/her in heaven one day.
and now, do i regret that miscarriage?
never.
it has shaped who i am.
it has softened my heart... it has brought me closer to a lot women who have experienced similar events.
it helped me to not take for granted those subsequent pregnancies.
and above all else, it helped me realize that God was with me that entire time.
when i felt most alone and broken, i think He was probably reaching out the hardest for me.
i couldn't see it because i was so consumed but afterward i saw His hand on my life.
without that miscarriage, we wouldn't have our firstborn daughter.
it was a hidden blessing... a moment in my life where i could only see a tiny part of the tapestry that's being woven.
now that i see a piece of the bigger picture i know not to be afraid when we go through tough stuff.
He is ever faithful to provide, amidst and especially IN those moments.
so i say, "thank you Lord for that time, 9 years ago...
for my sweet august baby....
and for loving me through the mess.
i know now that You knew exactly what You were doing."

this verse was my saving grace during the winter/spring of 2003.
a close friend tucked a hand written note into my pocket at church and this is what it read:

The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
Psalm 34:18

i still have that note, all these years later...

His love is enough

2012-02-01T16:56:00.000-06:00

do you ever get the feeling that you're just not good enough?

you can't seem to do anything right?

not a good enough wife...

certainly not a good enough mother...

not a good enough daughter...

not a good enough sister...

not a good enough friend...

not a good enough... well, anything?

sounds like a pity party, don't it?

well, it's not really.

but these are normal thoughts that i have.

some days they're louder than others.

probably because things don't always work out according to my plans.

i will disappoint... i will be disappointed.

i will hurt others... i will be hurt by others.

it's just gonna happen, regardless of the type of person that i am.

and i can, embarrassingly, say that i put a lot of my self worth in what others think of me.

i do.

it sucks.

i'm trying hard not to let that happen but it still does.

but i pray and ask God to change my heart.

i need to find my worth in Him alone.

i need to be ok with what happens in my life... because i know His hand is on my life.

although i love, love, LOVE all the people in my life...

and i want to be my all to them...

i need to focus more on being my all to Him.

so what does that look like?

“For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession.” Deuteronomy 7:6 (NIV)

knowing i am treasured by God should be my first order of business.

when i feel love and accepted by Him, i think i'll be better equipped to deal with life's disappointments.

this process also involves a lot of prayer on my part.

crying out to Him to change me.

i want to be more like Him... to let go of selfish pride.

and He loves me no matter what.

i'm not gonna earn His love, it's already there.

it's always been there.

and there's nothing i can do to make Him love me more... or less.

He is constant and His love is perfect.

For I am the Lord, I do not change. Malachi 3:6

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Hebrews 13:8

His love never changes.

His love never fails.

lyrics... which are just so perfect:

Nothing can separate
Even if I ran away
Your love never fails

I know I still make mistakes
But You have new mercies for me everyday
Your love never fails

Chorus:
You stay the same through the ages
Your love never changes
There may be pain in the night but joy comes in the morning
[ Lyrics from: http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/j/jesus_culture/your_love_never_fails.html ]
And when the oceans rage
I don't have to be afraid
Because I know that You love me
Your love never fails

Verse 2:
The wind is strong and the water's deep
But I'm not alone here in these open seas
Cause Your love never fails

The chasm is far too wide
I never thought I'd reach the other side
But Your love never fails

Bridge:
You make all things work together for my good

2012-01-30T15:56:00.000-06:00

ok... i know you all love pinterest just as much as i do.
and if you don't... well, you probably just haven't discovered it yet.
tell you haven't noticed this...
it seems like whenever i'm on, there are always multiple pictures of some hot toned body.

and right NEXT to that hot toned body, is a picture of an amazingly delicious dessert or delectable dish.

tell me, what is the fairness in that?!
can you have it all?
this?

and this?

(these two really were side by side)

this is usually more suited to me when i'm 'pinning'.

oh well... i'll keep pinning on my merrily little way!

8 is great

2012-01-25T22:31:00.000-06:00

(at the hospital a few hours after birth)

motherhood is hard.

it's downright the hardest thing i've ever done.

however, it's also the most rewarding.

what a rollercoaster!

i was inaugurated into this profession by none other than my big k... my firstborn.

today is her birthday and i have a lot of emotions overcoming me.
every year on her birthday i reflect on the day she was born.
it was a long haul, her birth, i mean.
i was in labour, from the very first contraction to the end, for approximately 68 hours.
ha!
that sounds WAY worse than it was... but they were off and on for a few days before they picked up.
being a first timer, i geared up after the very first one.
hence... i felt like i was in real labour for days on end.
realistically... i only was in active labour about 18 hours 'til she was born.
but the long and short of it... she took her sweet time to arrive.

(in her first week at home)

she made me work for her presence.
which is funny because that's still her personality today.
she doesn't easily give her heart or love away.
she's not very affectionate...
she doesn't like to share her deepest feelings or darkest secrets...
let's face it, she's often awkward in situations that call for genuine thankfulness or showing of emotions.
you have to really pull things out of her.
she makes you work for it!
but when you get to see a sliver of her shining personality... it's magic.
she's magic!
my first born!

(2 weeks old)

she's instinctually a leader.
she's not the loud, boisterous kind... but just a gentle and quiet one that leads naturally.
don't get me wrong... this girl can be loud!
but only in situations where she feels extremely comfortable.
i'm sure her teachers laugh when i ask how she is at school, expecting and bracing myself for the worst.
at home she has an attitude (but what 8 year girl old doesn't?)...
but at school, she's always the picture of respect.

(about 7 months old)

i guess we must be doing something right.
that, or it's just a first born trait.
this girl would NEVER bend the rules.
i'm serious!
she is a rule follower, through and through.
she also has an amazing memory and an uncanny ability to remember the most minute details.
i think she inherits this from me.
we both can recall past events and situations that many people tend to forget.
i love that we have this ability together.
(although my ability is seriously lacking the older i get.)

(about 18 months old)

she has a multitude of friends and is friendly with everyone.
kids her own age are just drawn to her.
it's kind of strange because i don't think there's anything that stands out about her...
but it's something i love about her.
i was just talking to a teacher from her school the other day and she told me how she's observed that k is always playing with different groups of kids at recess time.
and she's having a blast with every one of them.
we had to seriously widdle down her birthday party list!
i hope this means she won't be cliquey when she's older... time will tell on that one.

(2.5 years old... a big sister!)

she has thirst for knowledge that is insatiable.
she always wants to research new stuff, wants to read about different countries, wants to watch shows on exotic animals, wants to see pictures of machines, and people and more.
it's exhausting... but exhilirating to see her learning and taking in her environment.

(2.5 years old... getting into momma's stuff... curious and apparently observant!)

she's very independant.
even though she is social, she absolutely loves to play on her own.
nothing is better than when she's holed up in her room, making cities and creating worlds for her tiny petshop animals and playmobil people.
she could spend hours in this type of creative play.
but she's also a fantastic big sister.
she's patient, especially with her littlest sister, and (mostly) accepting.
even though they quarrel, she loves her sisters very much and would do anything for them.

(3.5 years old... can you tell her little sister looks up to her?)

she's also a fantastic writer.
her teacher told us that she just writes and writes and writes.
her imagination is limitless and she fills pages and pages with her made up stories.
it's never a chore when you hand her a pencil and paper and tell her to write.
it's one of her greatest joys!

(4.5 years old)

even though she doesn't show it when we're there, she loves church.
she loves to be at sunday school and learn new bible stories.
she is not a singer and it's like pulling teeth trying to get her to sing, but she loves music.
and often we'll hear her humming and singing along to her own praise and worship music in our basement.

(5.5 years old and heading to kindergarten!)

she is just a joy...
and our first little miracle.
she came after our devastating miscarriage and showed us that having faith in God was the only thing that mattered.
and this is why we fittingly gave her the middle name, faith.

(5.5 years old and became a big sister yet again to another girl)

she changed our lives, for the better and she keeps changing it.
daily i'm thankful for her... even though daily we seem to fight.
i think it's because we're so similar.
we think the same way... we act a lot in the same way.
this leads to the butting of heads.
but i just love that girl so much it hurts.

(goofing off at 6.5 years)

she keeps breaking the mold i put her in (which is good) and she surprises me all the time.
she's the girl that we trial and error everything as parents.
she's the guinea pig.
but she handles all the pressure and expectations so well.
i usually don't give her enough credit.

(feeling uncomfortable in the spotlight on her 7th birthday)

she truly is a gem.
we pray that she'll put God number one in her life and from there... we feel everything else will fall into place.
we hope she'll have the courage to chase her dreams even knowing that we won't always be there to catch her when she falls.
we pray for her to stand up for those that can't... and yet be meek, humble and a willing servant.

(7.5 years old... and doing her job as biggest sister perfect as she can)

we have so much to be thankful for... and all we can do is praise Jesus for this little lady!
aw sweet pea... we love you so much!
happy 8th birthday!

(7.5 years old, in grade 2 and loving life!)

we can't wait to see where life takes you!

(8 years old, taken tonight... while eating her choice for dinner, sushi!)

just being silly

2012-01-20T16:59:00.000-06:00

i'm usually that mom that's always bossing my kids around.
telling them, yet again to, "hurry up... brush your teeth... get ready... i'm gonna leave without you!!"
yup, that'd be me.
but i'm also the mom that has no problem being silly.
even silly to the point of embarrassing them.
ha!
it's payback time, ya'll!
remember all those time dad embarrassed us, sis?!?!
M and i actually revel in the times we can embarrass our kids, especially in front of their friends.
i know... diabolical, huh?
isn't that par for the course though?
so it's of no surprise to you that i'd take some pics like this with my oldest today...

pathetic pirate on the wee one, or what?

clearly this is the point where she's getting bored.

act like a monkey... just like mommy!!
that's the spirit!

c'mon... let me give you a BIG smooch!!!!
i LOVE you!!

more kissies from yer mama!!!
(i just can't help it!)

come back here... come back!!!

don't leave your mama all alone!

aw, now that's better!

be silly... be present.
i'm trying... i'm not perfect, but i'm trying.
have a great weekend, ya'll!

2012-01-19T09:05:00.000-06:00

what the world needs more of...

raspberries in lime yogurt (you can thank me later)

girls doing cartwheels

ruffles, ruffles and more ruffles

starbucks coffee on a chilly drive (look at that temp reading people!!)

and more cute, mostly naked babies dancing on kitchen chairs for photobooth!!

cheap fix

2012-01-16T17:16:00.000-06:00

i needed a change.
the weather is getting colder and i feel more and more housebound.
cabin fever, if you will.
when i have that feeling, i need to change stuff up.
nothing crazy (although i so badly want to PAINT) i switched up the paper in my living room frames.
you may remember it looking like this:

and here's what it looks like now...

it's just a subtle difference, but i kept with my love for blue and yellow.
clearly.

isn't it amazing that something as cheap as scrapbook paper can have such an impact?
i love cheap retail therapy for the home.
it's my fav!

oh, and i forgot to share one of my fabulous antique mall finds from texas.
i couldn't leave it there... especially since it's my favorite shade of blue.
plus, it was only $18.
(which my husband thinks is $18 too much. sigh... men!)

do you find it hard to believe that each girl in my home totes this little chair to where they need it?
i didn't think so.
it is already well loved.

as is this soft and cozy quilt i found at the local thrift store.
don't worry... i washed it on hot and dried it and it smells just like new.
i just couldn't resist it because of the perfect coloring.

ahhh... so nice how a simple change can bring so much contentment.

10 on the 11th... posted on the 12th!

2012-01-12T10:20:00.002-06:00

ok, i saw so many great blogs last year with the whole 10 on the 10th thing going on.
if you've never seen it, you take 10 pictures, 1 every hour for 10 hours on the 10th day of the month.
seems easy?
but doesn't exactly work if you forget.
oops.
i only remembered late at night on the 10th.
so, i did it on the 11th, yesterday.
and i didn't have time to post the pics yesterday.
hence... they're up today.
better late than never, right?
(is that my motto or something?)
and... they're with my phone... so excuse the quality!
they start at 10:00am.
(just so you know... they're taken IN that hour, not necessarily right at the turn of the hour)

grocery shopping with my baby!
(10am)

thrift store find.
yay or nay?
i didn't buy it... too big but i liked it!
(11am)

lunch.
what can i say?
i'm very health conscious, clearly.
(12pm)

wednesdays are dance days.
my middle honey pie LOVES ballet!
(1pm)

here is what i bought at the thrift store - a cute quilt.
it is SO incredibly soft!
a good washing and it's good to go!
(2pm)

relaxing on my friend's couch.
seriously... we had such a quiet and cozy afternoon.
babies napped... bigger kids were quiet.
it was lovely!
(3pm)

convinced my fabulous sister in law she could do a cupcake bday party for my niece in her home instead of shelling out $ to a bakery.
she's a better baker anyway.
and i told her to buy these little cupcake holders for favors.
took a pic to send to her so she knew what i was talking about.
hello dollar store... you rule!
(4pm)

dinner.
it was bitterly cold outside yesterday... soup was what the doctor ordered.
(5pm)

apparently making little guys out of random items in the house is fun.
the girls thought this was pretty funny.
they laughed and giggled until they cried.
so did i... until i found the dirty shoes up on my counter.
(6pm)

night time snuggles and kisses.
another busy day behind us.
(7pm)

the last one

2012-01-09T09:56:00.000-06:00

so the flu has been making the rounds in our home.
yucky.
and not the aches, chills and fever flu...
but the dreaded stomach flu.
gross.
daddy was first.
then babycakes.
then big k.
then me.
last night, little k caught the bug.
so she's home sick today, on the first day of school after christmas break.
go figure.
oh well.
at least now it's gone through all of us,
and thankfully it has been a short flu bug.
hopefully we'll all be back to regularly scheduled programming tomorrow.
today will be another day of cuddling, watching cartoons, reading books and napping.
oh glorious napping!

happy bday to my #1 man!

2012-01-05T09:53:00.001-06:00

today my incredible husband turns 34 years old.
let me first start out by saying that i can't believe we're nearing our MID thirties.
feels like i'm still, like 23 years old.
don't i look like it?
can i get a what what?!
alas... we're getting old.
but i'm still always gonna be younger than my man!
ha!
maybe i'll take comfort in that!

random facts about the big M:
-his favorite fast food restaurant is dickey's, hands down.
-his favorite type of desserts usually have chocolate as the first ingredient and peanut butter as the second. (this is very opposite of me)
-he hated school growing up and failed math but now he's almost always the scorekeeper when we play games b/c his math is better than the rest of us.
-he has one older, very talented sister (which means he's the baby... just like ME!)

-he's a very hands on daddy and far exceeds me in the patience department with our girls.
-he loves nothing more than to play with his girls on weekends and when he gets home from work.
-some of his favorite snacks include spicy nut mixes, hot hamburger dip and taco chips, pretzels and cheesies.
-he is mildly obsessed with watching sports... football being number 1, hockey, golf and baseball rounding out the top 4.

-his dream trip is to travel to africa one day and go on safari.
-he likes strange and twisted movies, i.e. seven, hannibal, and the twilight series (he will proudly admit that one!)
-he wooed me while we were dating with his fancy red sportscar, a 1996 acura integra GSR 2 door. looked just like this.
-his favorite dog as a child was named elmo.
-he has worked at the same place of employment for 17+ years.
-he is particularly nit picky about his desk being organized at work, yet his night table at home is usually in shambles.
-he loves the houston texans, the houston astros, the texas rangers, and the winnipeg jets.

-his favorite clothes all come from lululemon... he doesn't have a problem sporting yoga wear for men.

-he wanted to date one of my best friends before he met me.

-he is a country music fan, through and through.

-as a little kid he was the best hockey player on his team, skating the best and scoring the most.

-he loves Jesus and leads our home with a heart from God.

-he has some sort of compulsion with purchasing jackets. i swear he has hundreds of them!

-he makes the best bonfires and takes pride in creating the perfect fire.

-he loves to camp with his family.

-he secretly would love a sportsbike but i'm way too chicken to allow him to get one.

now you learned a bit about my man....
and i'll end it with this...

dear husband,
i love you so very, very much!
you make my life better because you're in it.
i hope you have a great day, even though you have stomach cramps (TMI perhaps?).
and i can't wait to see how hot you'll look 34 years from now!
love you the most!
happy birthday sweetie!
from your doting and perfect wife. ;)

out with the old... in with the new!

2012-01-03T12:30:00.000-06:00

welcome 2012!
it's a new year.
it's always strange and i have a hard time getting used to correctly writing out the new calendar year.
i often find myself continually writing out the previous year.
does that mean i have a hard time with change?
or does it mean i'm just forgetful and need to change a habit?
probably the latter.
but i will say i do have a hard time with change too.
i'm not one for doing the whole "resolution" thing.
i've tried and failed (hello FLY LADY!)... so i just don't do it.
but what i do do is take stock of the previous year and try to find ways i can do better in the new year.
i have a LOT of areas that need work.
a LOT.
some will require a lot of change.
something i'm not always comfortable with.
it will require leaving my comfort zone.
it will require putting others needs before my own.
it will require making myself last so that Christ can come first.
God is continually moulding and shaping me.
isn't that a comforting thought?
that all those crappy and hard times are worth something!
they're not in vain.
the difficulties and problems that we encounter are ways that should draw us nearer to our Saviour.
i need to keep that thought at the forefront of my mind.
you know... when i'm hurt by words, when i'm weary from parenting, when i'm angry from injustice.
He will use those times to refine me.
thank you Lord!
so... resolutions or not, i think 2012 can be an opportunity to grow.
grow as a wife.
grow as a friend.
grow as a mother.
grow as a daughter.
grow as a sister.
grow as a Christian.
and finding joy in the middle of it all!

Christmas

2011-12-24T17:07:00.000-06:00

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6

wow, this blows me away.
a saviour born into man, a helpless babe.
in a lowly stable, into a dirty manger.
i can't imagine putting my own baby into a filthy animal feeding trough, let alone the messiah!
but that's how it was planned out.
from the beginning of time.
a humble beginning for the Lord of Lords.
how awesome a beginning.
but that's not even the most exciting part of the story.
this God man grew... and lived a perfect life.
something no one else can and will ever do.
then, He died.
was crucified.
for me.
for you.
so we have the chance to live.
what a gift.
a precious gift!
God is good... Christmas is a time to celebrate His birth.
even in the lonliness that many often feel during the holidays you can rest in His peace.
He will comfort like no one ever can.
feel it... accept it.
His peace, love, hope and joy are His gifts to you.

Merry Christmas!!!

thoughts on marriage

2011-12-21T15:32:00.000-06:00

i went for a run this morning and on my playlist came a great tune.

you see, i'm kinda cheesy and like a whole variety of music when i run.

this sunny morning i got to hear a great tune called 'believer' by the canadian christian boy band, jake.

ha!

even writing it out makes me laugh!

anyhow, i couldn't help but reminisce that some good friends of ours used this song in their wedding slideshow.

they were young, like us, when they got married.

early 20's.

i remember when i was engaged and working at an accounting firm that people were just flabbergasted that i was so young and getting married.

i just shrugged and said, "yep!"

they just couldn't understand how i didn't want to go "find myself" and "live a little" before i got hitched.

it still makes me shake my head.

why on earth would i want to wait to marry?

"well, you don't know if he's the right one!"

well, guess what... he is!

i chose him... and i got married.

i made a commitment.

before God.

are there tough times?

have we gone through trouble in our marriage of 12+ years?

you bet!

have i had doubts?

probably.

but i'm committed.

i took a vow.

and even though i was a mere 20 years old at that time, those words meant something to me.

and now, a dozen years later, they mean even more to me.

because i choose to live out those vows each and every day.

the infatuation may have subsided... those butterfly feelings of new love may have faded...

but what's left is love.

real love.

it's not always pretty.

we're not always kind to one another...

but at the end of the day, we know that we're together 'til death do us part.

and here's the beauty of it all...

once you're married, you're joined together.

it's no mistake that God created the institution of marriage.

it reminds us of His union with us.

when we became Christians, we were joined together with Christ.

essentially we made a vow with Him.

and guess what?

He's gonna stick it out through the good and the bad times.

do you think He ever thinks about leaving us?

nope.

case in point:

"Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."

Hebrews 13:5

He stays committed to us... so we need to stay committed to Him.

just as we need to stay committed in our marriages... and other relationships.

our relationship with God is such a good reminder to continue to love those around us, even in the hard times.

in our hard times... and in our loved ones hard times.

even when we're a hot mess, lost and feeling alone, God is always there.

even when we don't feel Him there... heck, even when we don't want Him there.

He is always there.

He is never failing.

His love never fails.

no matter if we were young when we made the commitment to follow Christ or old, He never gives up on us.

marriage... with our spouses... and with our God.

it's something that needs continual care and work.

with prayer, love, devotion, honesty and commitment, there can be amazing fulfillment.

no matter how young you were when you committed yourself.

grace on a wednesday

2011-12-14T15:26:00.000-06:00

lately, i've been in particular need of God's grace.

the tough days seem to just meld into one long stretch as of late.

yes, we've had a quite a few of these rough days lately.

you know the drill.

too much rushing around...

too many scheduled events...

too many deadlines...

too many burdens...

too many hurts...

too many this...

too many that.

i've had a few moments where i feel the need to flee.

then, reality sets in, and i know that this is the life i've chosen.

life is busy.

yes, it is.

i feel overwhelmed at the exhaustion of it all.

i have little patience and a multitude of embarrassingly short tempered moments.

between the yelling, the crying and the complete gong show (and that's just ME), i want to give up.

i am a failure.

oh yes, mom guilt.

actually, maybe it's just human guilt.

there it is.

it's messy.

complicated.

life is not perfect.

far from it.

luckily there is some saving grace.

grace from God.

oh sweet grace!

it's the only thing that gives me comfort.

when i'm feeling my lowest, drowning in a sea of self doubt, self loathing and pitying...

i just look up.

my Saviour is there, offering me the best gift.... grace.

i certainly don't deserve it and yet it's freely given.

i don't have to be perfect.

i can't be.

i will fail, time and time again.

but His grace will NOT fail me.

He will lovingly restore me and fill me back up.

oh how i need that grace.

the grace of Jesus.

it doesn't make my multiple wrongs right.

i still need to be challenged to change my stubborn ways.

but that grace brings peace to my soul.

and hopefully, with every bit of grace i willingly receive, i can give it to others.

sweet, sweet grace.

my budding artist

2011-12-13T11:16:00.000-06:00

“It took me four years to paint like Raphael, but a lifetime to paint like a child.”
― Pablo Picasso

i've been inspired to make more use of our art supplies.

let me rephrase that...

i've been inspired to let my children make more use of our art supplies.

i craft and create all the time...

but my overwhelming urge to keep things tidy hinders my children from being creative with my stuff.

miss casey is fantastic at convicting me to let go of my controlling tendencies and let my kids create what they want to create.

check out this great video of her passion, here.

so, this morning, i pulled out the paint supplies and some fresh paper.

i gave baby H a brush and let her paint to her heart's desire!

i didn't even put a smock on her... because she was already wearing a bathing suit.

(gotta love 2 year old fashion sense!)

watching her paint freely without reservation was beautiful.

again, i'm learning through the eyes of a child.

“Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.”
― Pablo Picasso

snow

2011-12-05T10:20:00.000-06:00

our first snowfall came a couple of weeks ago already but it seems our girls have been waiting forever for the white stuff.

once it arrived, they were happy as can be!

first instinct?
to eat it, naturally.
no waiting on mommy to tell them if it's clean or not.

particularly, this one has a penchant for eating the white stuff.

of course the older two have taught her well.

for some, me included, the snow means less time outdoors.
how quickly can i get back inside a toasty warm home?
how fast can i pile my groceries in the vehicle to be out of the cold?
but for these three?
nah.
how efficiently they can put on their snow attire, ready to tackle a blanket of white.

the cold does not bother them.
it's magical.
and fun.
and a new adventure awaiting to be explored.

fresh and new.
something beautiful.

these girls teach me new things every day.
stop where you are.
enjoy the moment.

be thankful for what's right in front of you.
jump for joy for the simplest of pleasures!

thank you Lord for snow!

instafriday

2011-12-02T11:04:00.000-06:00

again, these are from the past couple of weeks...

my life as of late!

two little munchkins hitching a ride!

ladies church event... a good friend was speaking and my dear friend, D and i wouldn't have missed it!
yes, i bring my "camera" to church.
only b/c it's my phone... and my father in law was stuck watching my girls.
i had to have it on in case he needed my help. ha ha!

my sweet grandma, or "omi" as we affectionately call her.
we went to visit last week and got to go swimming at her apartment pool.
a highlight for my girls, for sure!
i just wish we lived closer than an hour away. :(

pole dancing in the cart at dollarama.
doesn't get any classier than this.

fur stoles is where it's at, yo!
don't you know it?!
ha ha!
my sweet pal and i on a shopping escapade.

enjoying my new pretties!
(even when you're christmas shopping for others you can treat yourself, right?)

a glimpse of my home made teacher gift.
thank you, pinterest!
you are a time waster... but you give me inspiration and help me to be creative!

choosing a christmas tree to take home.

the one we chose... undecorated.

the same tree... WITH all the trimmings!

christmas baking!
hard on the feet standing all day... but love having a freezer full of yummy goodies to share!

sushi date with one of my oldest and dearest friends.
it's like a piece of art!

my little stinkster!
one of her favorite treats... sour cream.
go figure?!
so i put it over some raspberries and blackberries and she devoured it.
strange girl... but i LOVE her!!

good day sunshine

2011-11-27T15:51:00.000-06:00

i was noticing my reflection on my screen as i was browsing the intranets...
ooooooh... kinda creepy sunshine in the face pic!!!

that is all!
(can you tell i haven't been in the blogging mood as of late?!)

instafriday

2011-11-18T16:26:00.002-06:00

this is from a couple of weeks ago but i couldn't resist.

she is way too cute to not get this pic on!

obviously this is PS (pre-snow).

the tickle monster makes her appearance.
baby giggles are the best!

first snowman of the season...
definitely won't be the last.

first real snowfall of the season too!
find me a child that doesn't do this at least once a year?

being the nerdy mom i am, i took my girls to the museum.
we had lots of fun!
it's awesome to come here year after year and see some of the same exhibits from when i was a child.
so nostalgic for me!
here we are, pretending to be crewmen on the Nonsuch boat!

this is the same boat, but on the outside of it, naturally.

woah!

those are some freaky deaky eyes on my kids!

of course we had to check out the science exhibit.
b/c, you know, we're so sciency.

can you tell it's movember here?!?!

we also tried a cool science project...
you know, b/c we're so sciency?
we made ice cream... in a bag.
it was SO yummy!
seriously!
although the recipe hardly made a cup.

no school = crafting day!
can i resist anything that's owly?
i don't think so!

of course you need to get some good make-up techniques done on crafting day.
i have such girly girls!
i wonder where they get it from?!

ok, we also attempted this play clay recipe.
it was kind of a fail.
boooo.
really messy and stainy.
is stainy a word? i don't think so.

new sock bun curls on pinterest?
well, didn't work for me.
but the before pic is kinda cute... if you're into ballet!

an awesome snow run!!!

eye doctor visit.
she did great!!

that's it!!

i think i found...

2011-11-13T09:56:00.000-06:00

what i want for christmas!!!!

click to see this amazing advertisement.
you can wear forever lazy ANYWHERE and EVERYWHERE!!!!
i can't wait!!
maybe i'll ask for two... less laundry days.

crafternoon delight

2011-11-08T22:50:00.000-06:00

ha ha ha!
ah, jami nato.
she makes me laugh.
i think we'd get along swimingly in person.
she's crafty, yes.
and when she puts up craft tutes, she'll call them crafternoon delight.
i've always loved it.
like i'm seeing will ferrel in anchorman singing, "sky rockets in flight..."
and i swear, the entire time i was crafting today, i kept singing in my head, "crafternoon delight...".
she is a funny girl, that jami.

anyshways...
(taking yet another cue from missus nato)
back to the craft.
i wanted to create something.
didn't know what.
but it had to be easy.
and it had to be completed during nap time.
sometimes that's 1 hour.
sometimes that up to 3!
today was a lucky day... i got me a good 2.5 hours.
but, don't be afraid, this crafternoon delight only took about 1 hour (for one piece).
so, what am i going to make?
headband tutorial... to the RESCUE!!!!
yes!
perfect.
i have lots of little scrap pieces of fabric in my home.
let's throw 'em all together and make some cutesy headbands.
because i have three girls.
because it's easy and i don't have to sew anything.
because i can wield a mighty glue gun.
oh yeah!
so, i first bought some el cheapo headbands from the dollar store.
then i got all my scraps together and tried to find good colour combos.

first headband... yellows and pinks.
cut out 6 circles in two different sizes (the tutorial i followed used 3 sizes but i just settled for 2).

after you've cut out your circles, fold them in half and then half again, one on either side and make a cone shape.
this sounds confusing but once you're playing with the fabric, you'll see what i mean.
refer to the tutorial link above if you're confused.
then glue towards the base between the folds to hold into place.

now you have these cute little cone/triangle thingys (don't you laugh, it's all very technical).

glue the 6 largest thingys onto a felt circle in a circular pattern.
it's like a fun little puzzle!
but with hot glue... so don't let your preschooler try it unless you want to teach them a lesson in heat.
now use the smaller triangle thingys and do the same thing ON TOP of the larger ones, like so.

now look through your button stash, find a cute one, and hot glue it into the middle.
then cut out another piece of felt and attach it to a headband, and glue the flower to the other side.
it'll look like this when completed.

now put it on your sweet girl...
of course, letting it cool down first!
sweeeeet, huh?

now because it was so simple...
i made another!

little bitty wanted one too!!
and ain't it cute on her?

of course i made one for big K as well.
although by that time, the natural light was all gone and so pics weren't as nice.
and... then i made another.
by the time the last two were completed, it wasn't crafternoon delight anymore... but myhusbandishungryandwantstoeatdinnersoclearoffthetableofcrafts...
did you catch that?
me thinks more of these sweet head adorners will make it into my craft routine in the future!

the blue skirt

2011-11-03T17:02:00.000-05:00

i have to tell you a story.

it's the story of the blue skirt.

this blue skirt was worn almost every single day.

by one special little 3 year old girl.

she was so in love with this skirt.

there was nothing that didn't match this skirt.

sometimes, the skirt itself was the entire outfit.

running high and low...

all over the land, this skirt was in tow.

it never came off, not even for sleep.

it was even suitable to wear to decorate a christmas tree.

over jeans, to boot!

this girl has a keen sense of fashion at a young age!!

now i have a little 2 year old girl...

that has the same keen fashion sense as her biggest sister.

and she has found a blue skirt of her own.

she dances and prances and flits about.

happy as can be in her pretty satin blue skirt.

(shirt is optional at 2, as you can plainly see)

everything is prettier with a blue skirt.

big sister approves.

are you surprised?

she set the bar!
now her little mini-me is following in her footsteps!

and that... is the story of the blue skirt!

oh how i love these little girlies!

(just one sweet middle one is missing.)

(can i also say how fun it was looking through all those old pictures?! of my sweet babes as babies?!)

a long post about obsession

2011-11-01T14:40:00.005-05:00

i'm not talking calvin klein fragrance here.
(although i do love the men's obsession...
reminds me of when M and i were first dating!)
i'm talking about unhealthy obsessions.
these aren't necessarily OCD type diagnosable obsessions.
these are the things that you think about most often.
the things that reoccur several times in your thought processes in a day.
i've been struggling a lot with my own.
i have obsessions.
i think we all, as women, have obsessions.
it's something we all deal with.
don't we?

we're obsessed with making sure our hair looks good, perfectly straightened or curled.
we're obsessed with the number on our scale, "just 5 less pounds and i'm happy... just 5!"
we're obsessed with having the right wardrobe, the right labels, the right style.
we're obsessed with having perfectly well behaved, smart, polite, charming children.
we're obsessed with cleaning every nook and cranny in our homes.
we're obsessed with making sure everyone likes us.
we're obsessed with our jobs.
we're obsessed with exercise and the pursuit of "healthy living".
we're obsessed with giving our children everything they've ever dreamed of.
we're obsessed with eating and gorging ourselves with junk food.
we're obsessed with TV.
we're obsessed with the internet and everything enticing we can find.
we're obsessed with shopping, for ourselves, for others.
we're obsessed with how we look, constantly criticizing ourselves.
we're obsessed with our kids and their overscheduled lives.
we're obsessed with our time, filling it with pointless activities that only satisfy ourselves.
we're obsessed with wondering what others are thinking about us.
we're obsessed with scheduling and planning everything in our daytimers and on calendars.
we're obsessed with money, where it goes, how we spend it, how to make more.
we're obsessed with keeping secrets from the ones we love.
we're obsessed with making sure our exterior doesn't match our interior, because we're crumbling inside.
we're obsessed with being perfect "stepford" wives.
we're obsessed with being the #1 mom in front of everyone but our own children.
we're obsessed with our bank accounts, our debts, our lines of credit.
we're obsessed with counting calories, fat grams and saturated fats.
we're obsessed with counting the wrinkles on our foreheads or the grey hairs on our heads.
we're obsessed with being with people because we can't handle being alone.
we're obsessed with being alone because we can't handle being with people.
we're obsessed with our thighs...
our butts
our boobs
our calves
our shoulders
our feet
our stomachs
our hands
our eyes
our noses
our chins
our cheeks
our ears
our hair
our entire bodies.

we're obsessed with being the life of the party, the most popular.
we're obsessed with competing and beating everyone.
we're obsessed with organizing and micro managing.
we're obsessed with looking and acting like the perfect christian.
we're obsessed with sleeping and resting.
we're obsessed with getting people to think like we do because, naturally, it's the right way.
we're obsessed with knowing what our loved ones are doing at every minute of every day.
we're obsessed with getting that last thing checked off our to-do list.
i could go on and on and on.
we're just obsessed...
and it isn't getting any easier.

i can relate to quite a few of the above obsessions.
some are milder than others.
some i don't identify with at all.
how about you?
do any of these obsessions show up in your life?
a little?
or a lot?

wanna know what one of my obsessions is?
it's my stomach.

i hate it.

i absolutely hate it.

every time i walk by a mirror, i look.

i am constantly thinking about how much i can't stand it.

i feel like i work hard to get rid of it (running, watching what i eat), and yet it's still there.

it's a plain obsession.

so, why do we do this?

do these unhealthy obsessions help us in any way, shape or form?

or do they keep us from being all that we're intended to be?

how does God feel about our obsessions?
and what can we do about them?

can we obliterate our obsessions and worries?

do they just go away on their own?

How should we go about life?

Matthew 6:27

Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

Matthew 6:19

Therefore, set your priorities on God and not on money.

Matthew 6:34

So never worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Philippians 4:6-8

Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable -- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy -- think about such things.

1 Peter 5:7

Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

Deuteronomy 6:5/Matthew 22:37

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.

God is the only thing we should be focusing on.

He alone is worthy of our 'obsession' if you want to call it that.

only He deserves our complete attention, love and service.

to offer these to anyone else... or any one thing or things is, essentially, idolatry.

i'm not saying, by any means, that i'm good at offering my all to Him.

i'm certainly not.

it's something i struggle with on a daily basis.

this much is true...

we are going to continue to be hard on ourselves.

we are going to continue to have trials with these issues in our lives.

but what we can do is, in the midsts of our struggles, look to God and see what He sees in us.

1 Samuel 16:7

For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.

Psalm 139:13-16

For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

He loves us so.

He loves us just the way we are.

He doesn't want us to worry and obsess about all these trivial things.

He wants to give us hope, in the middle of the pain .

He wants us to feel beautiful when we feel ugly.

He wants to make us feel loved and accepted when we feel unworthy.

He wants us to give love instead of spreading lies.

He wants us to be intentional in that love instead of abusing it.

He just wants us to be happy and love Him.

can we do that?

i'm going to try.

i'm going to try and resist the temptation to obsess.

whether it be respecting the image i view in front of the mirror,

loving my children like God simply loves me (unconditionally),

or just embracing the woman i've been created to be.

can you?

daughter, mother, grandmother

2011-10-28T13:58:00.000-05:00

Family faces are magic mirrors. Looking at people who belong to us, we see the past, present and future.

Gail Lumet Buckley

my middle child

2011-10-24T09:17:00.000-05:00

this girls cracks me up.

this is the picture i found on the computer this morning.

she's looking good, huh?

those girls love a little photobooth time, once in a while.

can you see that she's on a rollercoaster in the picture?!

ha ha ha ha!

today little k is 'star of the day' at kindergarten.

basically that means that she brings snack for the entire class
(i sent along frozen yogurt tubes),
she gets to help the teacher with special tasks,
and she gets to do show and tell.
now, most children bring a favorite stuffed animal, right?
maybe a cool collection of some sort?
what did my daughter decide to bring?
OWL!

her favorite blanket, affectionately known as "owl", was her pick of choice.
i'm not sure how many other kids will bring their favorite blankies for show and tell.
that certainly ain't gonna stop her!
she LOVES this thing!
(can't you tell by all the rips and holes?!)
she's just mildly obsessed and sleeps with it every night... and drags it around the house every day.
so, we packed owl up and sent him along to kindergarten too.
i hope they have fun today!!
(and i hope owl comes home on the bus too... or we'll have a major cry fest after school)

a little change up

2011-10-20T15:02:00.000-05:00

have i said how much i adore my new'ish storage cabinet yet?
because i really do love it.
for the storage, yes... but especially for the design aesthetic.
i love it!
and i love that i have all that space on top to display knick knacks and chotchka.
yup, i said that.
just call me an old grandma.
i fight so hard for the no-clutter look, but in the end, it's just not me.
i like stuff.
treasures.
trinkets.
those kind of goodies.
and when i see something cute at a store that screams my name (owls and bird stuff, definitely)
i can't help but purchase and bring home.
at least i have a place to put them, right?

every once in a while, i like to change up my "stuff".
you know, walk around the house, move things from here to there?
that way it looks different and new... and yes, exciting.
it feels like i'm just shopping in my own home.
very forgiving on my wallet.
ha!
you gotta try it sometime.

here's my most recent change up:
here's the before...

and, here's the after.
not too much of a difference, especially on the left side but a couple things have changed.

i stood all my photo books up instead of laying flat, and i moved the family rules canvas and replaced it with another canvas picture.
plus a few other randoms things were swapped out.

and i have displayed my cute new milk glass vase.
$5 from an antique store... in a dinky old town to boot!
gotta love a deal!
especially when it's something that i've been looking for specifically.

you're probably wondering what happened to my family rules canvas?
well, i moved it over to the kitchen/dining area.
it was always annoying me b/c it's not quite done and i looked at it more often at the front door.
now it's not aggravating me as much and yelling at me to finish it. ;)

oh yeah... and here's real life, underneath that family rules canvas...
the complete chaos of arts and crafting supplies for my girls.
seriously?!?!
how can i contain the constant mess??!!

WWIW

2011-10-19T17:02:00.000-05:00

i didn't do a whole week's worth of outfits...
but a couple is better than none, am i right?
forgive me for my poor phone pics.

here's my church outfit.
dress -- american eagle
tshirt under dress -- target
sweater -- hand me down from SIL
belt -- forever21
skinny jeans -- standard & practices, avail at nordstrom
boots -- norstrom rack

a cute go-to necklace of mine.
it goes with everything.

and my brown boots.
they go with almost anything too.
it's getting cooler and cooler here... which means i'm wearing some kind of boots, 90% of the time!
let's face it... it's usually my UGGs and we all know how fashionable those are! ha!

this is my "volunteering in kindergarten" outfit.
it wasn't until i was there and helping the kids with their paint project that i realized a scarf wasn't the best accessory that day.
oh well!

cardi -- splendid from anthropologie
tuxedo ruffle tshirt -- gap
scarf -- la senza
jeans -- BCBG from many moons ago

you couldn't see my shoes in the last pic, so here they are.
(apparently the best part of the picture is of the potty in the background, sorry about that!!!)
any time i wear little flats like this, my girls call them cinderella shoes.
ha!
i just love that... and i feel kinda princessy each time i wear them.
these were a $14.99 score from the gap.
i love me some deals!

that's it for this week! :)

intentional play

2011-10-17T22:10:00.000-05:00

so i'm having lots of free time with my baby these days.

every morning we have moments to be together.

she is a pretty independent player, which makes it sorta tricky.

and because she plays so well on her own, i will sheepishly admit that i spend time going through emails and blogs after my older two leave for school.

it's so quiet in the house.

i have a cup of coffee.

i sit and read a bit.

but then i feel guilty.

i know time is precious and short in these younger years.

so i have to be intentional.

i have to stop what i'm doing and go and spend time with her.

and every time i do, i love it!

she is hilarious!

i love her little character!

and i wonder why i don't make it more of a priority.

so that's what i'm trying to do... take hold of these precious moments and don't let them pass me by.

am i the only one that struggles with this?

tell me i'm not alone?

here we are, playing cars...

dad's birthday nature walk

2011-10-13T16:46:00.000-05:00

my parents were just recently here to visit.

during the time they were here, my dad celebrated his 62nd birthday.

i asked him, "what do you want to do today, dad?"

it was a saturday, so we were all home.

he thought wistfully and decided that we should go on a 'drive'.

now you got to know that in my childhood many weekends were spent going on 'drives' with my family.

my dad LOVES to drive.

we decided upon a destination, the goose sanctuary it was.

and off we went.

we admired the beautiful scenery in the van and were eager to walk/hike once we reached the geese.

here are some pictures from that afternoon...

we all had a great time.
the girls so enjoyed themselves and i felt a bit of nostalgia for my childhood.
it's time to start our own traditions with our girls.
that's kind of strange to think of...
like we need to branch off on our own, without our parents.
but it's exciting to see our children enjoying the same things we enjoyed when we were young.
thanks for the 'drive' daddy-o... and happy birthday again!

handsome

2011-10-12T09:00:00.001-05:00

i stumbled across this pic of my hubby the other day.

i know i got a big old belly in this picture but
i just gotta say...
he's pretty darn handsome.
and he's MINE!!!
aren't i a lucky girl?

God time

2011-10-11T09:00:00.001-05:00

confession...
my prayer life has been a little non-existent as of late.
it's been embarrassingly stagnant.
i have no excuses.
i can say things like, "oh, my kids are keeping me busy!" -- they are.
and, "when i have time for God i'm just too darn tired!" -- i am.
and, "i just need some time for myself." -- sometimes i do.

but they are not excuses.
or rather, i should say they are extremely poor excuses.
it's like i tell Jesus, "hey, can you just hang on there a minute?
can't you just wait over there until i feel i really need your help?
i'm just gonna keep you in this neat little box, ok?"
this is what i'm saying to the creator of the universe.
this is what i'm saying to the almighty and omnipotent God.
this is what i'm saying to the one that has saved me. ME?
pathetic.
uh huh.
that is me.

i know what He should be saying back to me and my 'excuses', "YOU want ME to wait?"
but He doesn't say that, does He?
He does wait on me.
all. the. time.
He is always there.
He is the one that is always craving me.
when it should be exactly the other way around.

i shouldn't be surprised that this is the way things are right now.
my relationship with my Jesus is essentially the same as other close relationships i have in life.
like my marriage, for example.
i can't just assume that my husband and i are going to have multi-faceted intimacy without communicating.
can i?
and i can't just assume that my friend (swap friend with mom, sister, etc.) and i are going to connect on deeper levels when we're not even talking.
can i?

so how come i think that i'm going to have this grand ole' spiritual life when i'm not in communication with my God?
it ain't gonna work, will it?
true intimacy and depth cannot be achieved without some form of communication.
i will not continue to grow and thrive in my spiritual walk without a proper prayer life.
it will take work.
it will take dedication.
i will fail.
but my God will be there every time to pick me up and dust me off.
and i will try again.

step one in this journey...
carve out time for God.
this includes getting up BEFORE my girls get up.
oy!
this is a hard one for me because i am NOT a morning person.
M is getting up early for work anyway, so why am i staying in bed 'til the last possible second?
i can make the time.
i'll read my bible along with doing my daily devotions on my phone.
(i get daily devos sent to my email from proverbs 31 ministries... which are really awesome, by the way)
step two...
coffee!

i don't think it's a bad thing to lure myself out of bed in the mornings for the promise of a hot cup of java.
i am setting my coffee maker timer every night before bed in the hopes of an amazing early aroma.
step three...
use those free moments i have during the day to talk to Him.
you know the times... sitting at the bus stop, taking a shower, going for a run.
there are always times when i can pray.
i know that.
i just need to take the opportunity.
step four...
see where things go from here.
see where God takes me.

The prayer of a person living right with God is something powerful to be reckoned with.
James 5:16 MSG

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-10-09T20:38:00.000-05:00

Great is thy faithfulness, O God my father
There is no shadow of turning with Thee
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not
As Thou hast been, Thou for ever will be

Great is thy faithfulness
Great is thy faithfulness
Morning by morning new mercies I see
All I have needed thy hand hath provided
Great is thy faithfulness, Lord unto me

Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To thy great faithfulness, mercy and love

Great is thy faithfulness
Great is thy faithfulness
Morning by morning new mercies I see
All I have needed thy hand hath provided
Great is thy faithfulness, Lord unto me

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside

Great is thy faithfulness
Great is thy faithfulness
Morning by morning new mercies I see
All I have needed thy hand hath providedGreat is thy faithfulness, Lord unto me

i can't help but feel thankful when i hear this song,
one of my favorite hymns of all time.
this thanksgiving i'm thankful for my family,
my friends,
my church,
my health,
my country,
and so much more...
but most of all, i'm thankful for a Savior that keeps loving me
even when i'm the most unlovable.
His faithfulness and assurance is a surprising but welcomed gift
when i am weary, down trodden and feeling unworthy.
(which is... ahem... all the time)
Thank You Lord for those tender mercies!

happy canadian thanksgiving to all!

letters and a desk

2011-10-05T09:00:00.001-05:00

i'm always looking for new projects and crafts to do for my home.

i want my home decor to convey our family, our likes, our creative juices.

i'm always inspired by many things; other bloggers, pinterest, store window displays, you name it.

i found these wall letters at anthropologie a few months back.

i think i saw them somewhere in nie nie's house a while ago as well.

i love the idea of our initials on the wall.

however, i wasn't ready to spend $15 per letter.

actually, i shouldn't say that.

i was ready.

i did spend over $15 per letter.

and then proceeded to return them the very next day.

i just couldn't justify it.

i still wanted that 'look' so i thought i'd replicate it in a much more cost effective way.

enter hobby lobby!

(i LOVE that store! why, oh why don't we have it in canada?!)

i picked up all the letters i needed and they were priced at $1.99 each!

yup! less than 2 bucks per letter!

then i went to my local scrapbook store and chose some pretty paper.

here's what the letters looked like before i added the paper to the front:

and here's what they looked like after:

then i put some 3M sticky strips on the back and stuck them to the wall, like this:

once i had them on the wall,

i moved my couch over because i had to move the side table over,

so the table lamp didn't block my new letters.

then i noticed there was a big empty space to the left of the couch.

i remembered this cute little kid's desk i bought at the thrift store a couple of months back.

i first thought that i'd spray paint it and it's sat in my garage ever since.

today, i realized i wanted to keep it the way it is, rusty and weathered.

methinks there's gonna be a whole lot of 'school' playing in the living room.

and i'm just fine with it!

no heat curls

2011-10-04T16:18:00.000-05:00

this is not my new princess leia hair-do.
i'm sure, like me, you've heard of 'no-heat curls'.
if not, well, read on.
i first saw them on julie's blog, on her daughter.
oooh, i thought, looks easy and cute.
well, not the headband part... the after part, of course.

ok, easy and cute?
i'm sold!
so i watched the 13 minute tutorial here.
and it really was THAT easy.
easy enough, that i now do it ALL the time.
that's mostly because i am as lazy as it comes, when it revolves around my hair.
and, sadly, my girls' hair too.
those poor girls have to rely upon headbands and pony tails to make their hair look fancy.
moms of boys that long for a girl with hair to play with are hating me right now. ha ha ha!
So long boring hair!

HELLO, no heat curls!

it really is the simplest thing.

if you have relatively long hair, try it.

my hair takes curl very easily (because i have natural wave) and i leave it in for only a couple hours.

i wash my hair first thing in the morning.

let it air dry ('til about 85% dry).

start wrapping around the headband, all the way around 'til all the hair is up.

then i do everything i need to do that morning, including picking up little k from the bus stop.

(i don't need to tell you i turn heads when i have that awesome headband hairdo!)

then take it out of the headband once i can feel it's all dry and...

voila!

my new nails

2011-09-30T16:07:00.000-05:00

i got my nails done!
oh girls out there...
seriously, i'm not a hands nail polish kind of girl.
i'm really not.
it chips.
it looks tacky when it's chipped.
and i get annoyed seeing the chips.
so i just flake it off.
gross, right?
so... i don't put it on my fingers.
(toes, that's another story.)
so... when i was first introduced to this new fandangled manicure last year, i was sold!
the first place i went to called it 'perfect polish'.
the girl i went to yesterday had what was called 'luxio'.
this stuff is the BOMB, people!
it actually STAYS put.
kind of like a gel nail, but not.
(i don't know... i've never had gel nails before, what am i saying?!)
but, for real, it does not come off.
it just grows out.
so your beautiful manicure will last...
through the dishwashing,
through the weed pulling (yes, i enjoy doing this),
through the diaper changes (no, i don't enjoy doing this),
through the high fiving (who doesn't like to give an aggressive high five, am i right?),
and through whatever your life throws at your precious digits.
IT. WILL. LAST.
i promise!
local gals, just ask me where i got it done.
it's close and cheap... two of my favorite things! ha!
now, who wants to see another picture of my pretty lady fingers?
yes, i'm still wearing my favorite lulu running shirt from this morning.
if you're making an assumption that i haven't showered yet, you'd be right.
yes, it's 4:00pm in the afternoon.
please don't judge!

while taking phone booth pics, i went a little crazy.
here are some shots of me and my nails.

i thought i looked kinda gansta in this pic.
yo, do they choose the color 'current' in the hood?

everybody was kung-fu fighting!!

karate... martial arts... asian influences... brings me to the next photo.
domo arigato, mr. roboto!
do you like my sweet robot moves?

a little bit of vogue, to cleverly cover up my no make-up face.

and a little fishy action to finish it up.

there you have it...
a little plug for the fancy manicure.
call your local spa/aesthetician today!

instafriday... ON friday!

2011-09-23T12:20:00.000-05:00

i'll admit... some of these pics are from last week too.

but i haven't linked up in a while.

here goes...

some of the fruits of our labours...

pizza sauce, salsa, tomato soup, beets, jalepenos, mustard, tomato jam.

mmmmmm... all so good!!!

and doesn't it all look so pretty and uniform?

i wish it was my basement storage room... but it's not.

this is my mother in law's fabulous space.

oh yes... it's started once again.

dance class.

big K is gone on wednesdays from 4:45-6:30!

crazy long!!

and little K has an hour long class, also on wednesdays, from 1-2.

they're both so cute in their gear.

zoo time!!
here are my monkeys... checking out the monkeys!

we saw some pretty monarchs at the new butterfly pavillion.

we met up with the youngest of my girls' cousins.
the lone boy with a bunch of gals this day!
they had so much fun running around and wreaking havoc.
(they weren't really bad that day... they were great!)
don't you love some of those fake smiles?!?

here's a real smile.
who doesn't like to cap a day at the zoo with some ice cream?!

on a date... in the lumina!

went our for supper with our good friends and we went cruising in their parent's lumina!

this car is nostalgic and special.

it's probably one of the few remaining vehicles with a BENCH seat in the front.

it screams good times.

and wine with some cake?

yes, please!

on my in law's side, there are 4 of us with bdays in september.

so we have a big joint bday party.

this cake... was... to... DIE for!!!

peaches, cream cheese icing.

need i say more?

no surprise who made it! ;)

shopping spree

2011-09-22T16:57:00.000-05:00

so i went on a shopping spree yesterday...

but don't get too excited.

it wasn't me that got to shop but a good friend of mine.

she has dealt with a lot of hard blows this past year (the big scary c-word)

and she felt like some retail therapy was needed.

who am i resist?

we had a great time!!!

her credit card is now burning. ha ha!

do you know how awesome it is to pick out all sorts of items for a friend to try on and buy?

if you don't, go out and shop with one of your besties today.

and be sure it's with one that has some cash to burn! ;)

you're guaranteed a fabulous time.

we were so hard-core shopping that we didn't even break for lunch.

now that's commitment.

us mamas were on a mission.

when you even have half a day without the kidlets, you gotta make it count.

here is one of the awesome items she purchased, this dress:

isn't it an adorable dress?!

i LOVE it!

and it looks amazing on her.

now she needs some fun shoes.

so i'm looking online for her which is almost as fun as regular mall shopping.

there's no impromptu hat pictures, of course.

or laughing in change rooms.

but online shopping can be dangerous too.

don't kid yourself!

i thought the dress would look fabulous with opaque dark tights and these shoes:

or possibly these ones:

who doesn't like a great pop of color with a neutral like grey, am i right?

she also wanted something to cover up with if she feels cold.

i thought a little sweater would work.

this black one could be ok:

or even this one is great if you want to go with a plumy/purple and more neutral shoes:

and i even like the look of going a bit more casual with a jean jacket like this:

course what i like to do best... is scour my own closet for recyclables.

you'd be amazed what you can find if you tend to hoard some of your clothes, like i do. ;)

and really, in my humble opinion, a women can never have too many cardigans.

they go with EVERYTHING... and work in any season.

so whenever i see a cute one on a sales rack, i tend to go weak and make a purchase.

anyhow... this is a random clothing post.

none of it actually mine... but fun, none the less.

as for my fall wardrobe... it's layers, layers and MORE layers.

plus boots.

i LOVE boots.

can't get enough of 'em.

oh yeah... and yesterday when we shopped we happened to purchase matching shirts.

not for us, silly.

for our eldest daughters that are best buds.

here they are sporting their new tops today at the bus stop.

big shoes

2011-09-19T14:51:00.000-05:00

I've got big shoes to fill.

This is my chance to do something.

I have to seize the moment.

quote by Andrew Jackson

first days of school

2011-09-12T20:34:00.000-05:00

it's always a momentous time, right?
the first day of school.
all idyllic and serene.
a special time of reflection from where you've come from...
and a time to ponder where you'll go.
happy and well behaved kids, eager to have a new beginning.
and standing over it all... a calm and patient mother.
ready to shepherd her children to their first morning of classes.

well, not in our house.
it's crazy town in our home.
clothes flying everywhere,
a frazzled mom (that'd be me) trying to scramble together some semblance of a lunch,
toothpaste smeared all over the bathroom,
half eaten breakfasts,
a baby with a bottom that needs changing (and yes, i'm still calling her a baby even though she's now 2!),
a 7 and a half year old crying because this particular morning she wasn't able to carpool.
i mean, what kind of a mother doesn't let her daughter have her way?
i can't believe she made her go along with her own little sister on her first day of kindergarten.
for shame!
(of course i'm being a bit sarcastic here)
ahem... it was one day. she can go without her friends in carpool for one morning, right?
or am i a bad mom?
nope.
don't answer that.

anywaysola... back to the scene.
it was chaos.
every morning since school has started has been kinda psychotic.
but, it's what i've expected.
really, it's what i've been anticipating all summer long.
those lazy dazy days are now gone...
welcome to routine.
nothing like a rude awakening, am i right?
but once i'm in the swing of things, it'll all be good.
this much i know is true.

so... here's some 'set-up' pictures to make it look like i was that awesome, calm and attentive mother.
don't you love how you know what the background scene was now?!?!
hahahahahaha!

i now have a daughter in grade 2.
sigh... she looks so darn sweet in these pictures.

those are genuine smiles.
they are.

she really is a beauty.

and she does love school... so what's not to like about that, right?

don't be fooled into thinking she's working.
she's sitting beside one of her little buddies...
and when those two get together, trouble is a brewing! ;)

first day of KINDERGARTEN!!!!

well, she could learn a lesson or two in the posing department from her big sister.

this one she nailed... with her infamous scrunchie smile.

proud momma and daddy!
sniff... sniff...

awww... sisters together at the same school.
(don't look too closely at big k's puffy and red eyes... remember, i do not say 'no' to my daughters)

my little love bug!
she is so affectionate... i LOVE it!

seeing some neighbor buddies in the school yard.
she was super pumped!!!
(D... do you like how little k's arm is around your daughter?!?! look familiar?!)

she found her name on her cubbie!
hooray... she did learn something in preschool!

ok this was when mommy was lingering too long...
i wasn't ready to leave.
she was, however, SO ready for me to go.

"c'mon baby girl... just ONE more picture!!"

and just like that...

i have two girls officially in school.

oy... now i feel old (and not b/c it was my birthday yesterday)!

two!

2011-09-08T13:16:00.000-05:00

it's hard to believe it's been two years ago that we welcomed this sweet baby girl into our family.

september 8, 2009 was the day our third daughter was born.

and our lives haven't been the same since.

she brings so much joy and happiness into our lives.

she's busy and stubborn ("self... SELF!!"),

goofy and sweet,

persistent and loveable,

and very affectionate.

she is a blessing!

she is who she is... and i LOVE that about a two year old!

she teaches me each and every day of how it means to live life with fervour and vivaciousness.

she is a precious gift from our Father in heaven!

happy second birthday to my sweet little bitty!

you've completed our family like only YOU can!!

we love you!!!

pictures from the week

2011-09-05T11:15:00.000-05:00

can i blame it on the long weekend that i didn't get my instafriday up on time?

yes?

why, thank you!

our week in pictures... plus a few extra submitted!

two of my good friends hosted a 90's prom party last weekend.

you better believe we all had a good chuckle when girls would arrive in their prom attire.

D took the cake as a trashy pregnant prom queen!! ;)

(yes, i made myself have bangs for the event!!)

took some family pictures, here's a candid i got with my camera before the session began.

ohh, i love these little girls!!

after we took pictures we indulged in some of the yummiest poutine EVER!
seriously... this place take their poutine to a whole new level.
i ordered the double pork... chipotle pulled pork and bacon. plus a yummy mushroom gravy. mmmm!
check 'em out -- smoke's poutinerie.

thunderstorms during the night?
this was the perfect spot for one of my daughter's to cuddle up on... and they did!

apparently i need to put my youngest in gymnastics?!

ok, this is from a couple of weeks ago but i had to add.
our oldest two girls and the neighbor kids had an iced tea stand!
aren't they the cutest?!

my husband is a little obsessed with fantasy football.
the draft is like christmas to him. HIS words... not mine.
this week was his 2nd draft... and it was at our house.
so... out the house we went.
over to a pal's place.
the kiddies had no problem watching a movie all together!

crafting with my big girl.
something about painting... it's very relaxing.
i spent over an hour working on my butterfly. ;)

i wore me some HEELS this week too!

it's funny... because i rarely wear them.

sometimes to church because i know i won't be walking lots.

we had a ladies night out and i knew i had to prettify my feet... on went the heels.

luckily, we sat and ate... and sat and enjoyed coffee.

not much walking for my tootsies!

here's som of the awesome tapas we ate.
mmmmmm.... spanish tapas!
it was so fun.
we just asked the waitress to bring what the house deemed best.
we ate and shared and passed plates.
it was delish!
my favorite?
the zucchini blossoms!

that was my week!

every morning

2011-08-30T09:55:00.000-05:00

it's the same thing every morning.

my first born is a creature of habit.

"what do you want for breakfast, sweetheart?"

"BURNT TOAST mom!"

and so every morning, i proceed to burn her raisin bread in the toaster oven.

i then present it to her and hear,
"perfect mommy... it could even be MORE burnt next time!"

it's the little things, i suppose?

cookie making and little girls

2011-08-29T10:56:00.000-05:00

the other day was just one of those days that i felt a failure as a mom.

you know the days...

nothing seems to go right.

you're frustrated.

the kids are frustrated.

you do or say things you shouldn't.

to help combat those moody blues, what better option is there than to bake?

and what could be more appropriate with three little girls than to bake cookies in tutus?

for those that know us in real life... tutus are a fashion staple in our house, ahem... for those 7 and under!

saw this recipe highlighted on julie's blog and had to try it!

scooping cookies is where it's at!

i mean, who doesn't like to sneak a mouthful of tasty cookie dough while working?

with three little helpers it takes a bit more time and it's a little bit more messy, but time well spent, indeed.

waiting for the gooey goodness!

mmmmm... cooling.
i was surprised how tiny these cookies were.
they didn't flatten out like most recipes.
but we LOVED them!

now tell me... what is better than a warm and melty chocolate chip cookie right out of the oven?!

i can think of 3 things that are better, personally! xoxo

cheers to a bad day, turned good... by chocolate, naturally!

boots

2011-08-24T11:13:00.000-05:00

These boots are made for walking,

and that's just what they'll do

one of these days these boots

are gonna walk all over you.

Are you ready boots?

Start walkin'!

my week in pictures

2011-08-19T10:45:00.000-05:00

i was too lazy to instagram my pics this week.

(is instagram a verb?!)

so you'll just get straight off my iphone pics.

at least they'll tell the story of my week!

the tomato harvest has began.

and wow... i swear there'll be thousands of these red gems!

just wait 'til we start canning!!

this is just one short morning picking.
oy!

went out for dinner with some wonderful girl friends from high school.
i do not see these ladies enough!
but when we do get together, the conversation is fluid and with depth.
love you, K and A!!

we ordered yummy pizzas!!!!
too bad we had to retreat inside once our pizzas arrived for all the wasps buzzing around us.
boooo!

trying to get those appointments in before school starts.
big K got her teeth checked out.
no cavities!
hooray!
(and what is that thing going to grab her on the bottom left side of the pic?!?! what the?!?!
i think maybe it's baby's hand and with the camera speed and her pulling her arm away it looks alien like?! CREEPY!!!)

here's a new way to ride in the stroller!

i guess that's where you gotta go when your big sis is in the front!

future mardi gras goer?!
i should hope not!
but she does look kinda cute... as long as she doesn't start lifting her shirt up! ack!

my good pal charmaine has 3 kids that are the same age as mine.
don't you just love that?!
makes for some great playdates!
the two littles are starting to 'play' together now instead of just beside one another.

these two are pretty close, literally and figuratively.

and these two... well, let's just say, a wedding might be in the works one day! ha ha ha ha!

my poor neighbor across the street.
her kids are grown and out of the house but her backyard is like a children's oasis.
playhouse, play structure, this chair swing, bouncing horses.
the girls LOVE to play there!
and she's so hospitable and offers her yard to the children any time.
so, once in a while, neighborhood kids (and cousins) head on over there for a bit to play.
it is a highlight once there.
how many kids can we get on the chair glider?!

ok, i lied, i have two instagram pics.
however, they were taken by my friend and her phone and just sent to me.
these were taken watching daddy's slowpitch game the other night.
first, the girls...
this is one of big k's best buds.
friends since birth, seriously.

and little k's future husband (i know i'm setting all my kids up before they're in 2nd grade).
these two are little sweeties!
and yup... they've already kissed. multiple times.
can you blame 'em?
look how adorable each one is?!?! hahahahahaha!

just a few highlights from my week!
enjoy and link up!

instafriday... this i can do!

2011-08-12T16:10:00.002-05:00

jeez, i've been a terrible blogger this summer.
maybe i can get back into the swing of things once school starts.
at least that's what i keep telling myself.
i need inspiration.
but all i've been getting this summer is perspiration!
ha!
(ok, i'm not that funny, i know)

i was driving home after doing some errands one afternoon and look what i saw:

it's kinda grainy b/c i had to zoom in but i couldn't help but sneakily snap a picture.
this is what it's like living in our small town... old meets new!
rollerblades and a skateboard plus kerchiefs!
who knew it was such a stellar combo?

little K learned how to ride a two wheeler last weekend.
she is doing amazing!
she's a lot more brave than her older sister was at the same time.
(we had to force big K to ride a two wheeler... and little K basically forced us to teach her! who has time?! ha ha!)
case in point, she's almost a whole year younger learning to ride on two wheels!
now, it's ALL she wants to do!

aren't these the CUTEST baby shoes, like ever?!
not worth $55 price tag... but cute enough to try on.
it's probably a good thing babester hated them b/c they were difficult to get on.

date night... 3D style!
we are probably one of the last peoples to see transformers 3.
we just don't get out too often on our own.
i bought a big bag of seasoned popcorn for supper and enjoyed the 2.5 hour show!
(i gotta say though... i wouldn't want MY almost bare bum on a huge 3D screen to start the movie!!)

sigh... look at that long beautiful hair.
(don't tell me how ugly the ends look, just sigh with me please)
this is right before we went into the salon to get haircuts.
they insisted they wanted short hair.
i insisted to cry.

sniff, sniff...

look at those lovely locks.

wasted away on the floor.

all those perfectly highlighted strands cut off.

why can't i have naturally perfect highlighted hair?

you know i wouldn't be cutting it off!

the aftermath.
ok, it's not too bad.
they're actually pretty cute with their short hair.
and brushing through it won't force me to the looneybin anymore.
but i'll miss that long hair of theirs.
they are pleased as punch with their haircuts.

no haircutting for this baby, just yet.
she's content to stay cute as EVER in her carseat.
yum... i just wanna eat her!
look at those adorable buck teethies!!!

i love evening runs.
yeah, i'm tired from a long day with the kids... but there's just nothing like running as the sun is setting.
the air is much cooler, i can run without sunglasses, the streets are quieter.
plus, running with a pal don't hurt either.
thanks for the good chat during the run, b!

hmmm... boys will be boys.
can i hear an amen?

isn't it nice to have a friend with a pool?
these girlies had a blast!

and the littles had some fun too!
it's ok to be timid of the water when you're 2, or almost 2.

that's bits of my week!
what does next week have in store for us?