forward it back

connecting with my guys via 'the biebs'

while i was listening to my oldest son saying his bedtime prayers the other night i realized he was quoting lines from justin bieber's song "pray"-- (children are crying, soldiers are dying, some people don't have a home). it hit me then that i needed to blog about this bieber phase that we're in (and yes i do mean we!) before it's over and i couldn't believe i hadn't done so already. this is how i know i haven't gotten the hang of this blogging thing yet, you see i took the boys to see the justin bieber movie the night it came out, february 11th. i came home and briefly wrote about it (in my note book), posted a picture on facebook, and went on and on about it for weeks to my friends and family and to anyone who brought up justin bieber for that matter! (all the while being made fun of by my husband) of course i didn't get the clue to blog about it until i heard easton pray....better late than never though right?!

we've had the slow on-set of bieber fever going on over here for about the last year-and-a-half or more. i could tell you about countless youtube videos watched (thanks for starting that mom!), coming home from the scholastic book fairs at school with bieber posters and books, the boys cranking their little radio (or 'ghetto blaster' like i called it when i was their age--LOL) outside playing their JB CD's and riding their bikes in continuous circles on the court out back just singing and riding (i'm sure the neighbors loved the blaring music but it's just too cute), i could tell you about our impromptu family bieber dance party nights (i have video to prove it...and the bike riding as well). we could talk about bieber trading cards, silly bands and magazines, cooper putting justin bieber's name on his birthday party invite list or the boys singing along to their ipods with their headphones on all too loudly while trying to dance like him and of course our regular jamming to JB in the car. oh yes, and there has even been arguments as to who looks more like him!
(watching justin bieber videos on you tube)

i'll admit i was a little leary at first. i didn't know anything at all as to who this kid was (except that he was discovered on youtube) and why were my boys liking him? wasn't he somebody that just all the little girls are liking, i questioned if it was weird that my boys liked him? i did kind of go along with the skeptics at first, he's young, not my taste in music...yada yada. well, after the 56,478th time of hearing his songs (okay...probably more like the tenth time-ha!) i finally had to admit that i was digging this kid.
(they begged and begged but i wouldn't buy it)

the day the movie came out jeremy was at the fire station and we had been couped up inside all week so i knew i wanted to get out and do something that night with the boys. i asked them while they were getting ready for school if they wanted to see "gnomeo and juliet" or the "justin bieber: never say never" movie. they responded with a very loud "justin bieber! we can't believe you even had to ask that mom!" LOL! i was actually worried that cooper wouldn't want to go since just the week before he came home from school sad saying his friends didn't like him anymore because he liked justin bieber. oh yeah...that happened! second graders people! second. graders. ughh, ticks me off but i'm not gonna talk about that now. thankfully it didn't hinder him from wanting to go.

i called that morning and got our tickets ordered. we got there early enough that we had to wait in line to get in the theater but not for long. it was packed as expected. we were definitely in the minority...umm me being over the age of 15 and the fact that i had boys with me:) there were other boys there that were older but i don't think my guys even had a clue that they were out numbered so that's good, apparently i'm the one that's worried about that. anyway, it was SO.MUCH.FUN! all the kids were yelling, clapping and singing to the songs. even at times getting up and running around the theater giving each other piggy back rides. at first the boys were looking around like 'what in the world is going on?!' but they soon joined right in. i just loved looking to my left and to my right seeing my sweet boys having a blast and singing along and just watching with such intensity. porter cracked me up when he would start hollering and every now and then i would catch him with his hands on his hair gently feeling to see if his faux hawk was still standing up!
(waiting to get in the theater. taken with my crappy purse camera)

now here's where i go on and on about the movie...LOVED IT! if i wasn't a bieber fan before, this movie certainly did a great job of making me one now. such a great story and the fact that they had so many photos and videos of him throughout his life and at such young ages helped so much with the telling of his story. i was so impressed with his mom and grandparents and how he was raised and the fact that they showed them praying in the movie several times. i just thought that was incredible. i loved his team of people, they showed them going around before every concert giving away tickets or during the concert taking someone from the farthest seat to the 2nd row...such generosity. i want that job! justin bieber definitely has some insane talent, he is very driven and works really hard--ughh, i could go on and on and yes, he is certainly a cutie! i found out that his mom and i are the same age...as if i already didn't feel old enough sitting in that theater with a bunch of teeny boppers! but honestly that's how i felt watching the movie, like a proud mama. i got teary eyed a few times especially when they showed his mom watching him perform standing there clasping her hands together with such sparkle in her crying eyes. oh that just tugged on my heart strings so much, i remember how i felt just watching easton in his school spelling bee!
we drove to the movie listening to JB and we drove home listening to JB. except on the way home i had 3 sleeping boys but this mama was still jamming and wishing so badly to be young again. it was such a great night. you know i have taken the boys places and to do things many times when it's just them and me and lots of times it frankly...well, sucks due to constant fighting etc.. but this night was perfect. they were wonderful. i was just giddy when i got home. of course the first thing i thought of was a play on the infamous mastercard commercials:

4 tickets to "justin bieber: never say never" in 3D $48.50
3 kids packs $18.50
1 pizza/large drink combo w/ carmel gourmet choc popcorn $20.00 (don't judge me! ha)
date night with my 3 handsome dudes...priceless!

it's pretty much been JB 24/7 since then. in the house, in the car, and oh yes...on my headphones at the gym! yep, i'm the 35 yr old mom jamming to JB on the treadmill! this is where i'm feeling the connecting with my boys though. i'm hoping that right now they think i am the coolest mom ever because i like who they like and i crank it up in the car and we all sing at the top of our lungs. i know it won't always be like this. pretty soon they will be too cool and not want to like anything i listen to. i won't be going to movies with them, i'll be dropping them off and if they're anything like i was they will be hiding on the floor board of the car so no one will see them with their mom. these are fleeting times and i just want to grasp it, caress it and hang on to it for as long as i can. however, i might need to take it down a notch though....just the other day we were singing loudly to the acoustic version of "baby" and i was being a bit of a show off and totally went all out on the part that goes like this "yeah yeah i'm sixteen and i thought that you'd be mine, i used to tweet you and text you and call you and hit you on facebook all the time...." LOL you get the idea. i was kind of in my own little world and at the end i kissed my fingers and did the peace out thing only to look over at easton starring at me with a deer in the headlights look and he slowly says "umm, that was awkward". oh my goodness i/we died laughing and of course porter makes me do that now every time that song is on.

finally, i am loving this phase of justin bieber with my boys and when it is over i pray that there will be something else i can genuinely connect with them on. i pray that i see their strengths and passions and lead them in the right directions to help pursue their goals and dreams no matter what they may be.

(some shots of easton and cooper's room in it's current state. will be fun to look back on someday too)

(there is another poster on the back of the door too)
(interesting i know, bieber posters with a painting of birds. there is a story though, it was painted by my mom for easton per his request a few years ago)
(trying to make sure i give them the freedom to hang stuff in their room the way they want as my parents did with me. i had skid row posters wallpapered on all 4 walls and the ceiling! knowing my mom i do not know how she let me do that...because i don't know if i'll be able to let them go that far??!)

as always, thanks for taking the time to read my ever so long ramblings.

xo xo

it's about time i shared these...

since the 5 people that read my blog have been teasing me lately that they are tired  of logging on and seeing the same thing for a few weeks now i figured i'd share the family pictures we had taken back in october.

all of these photos were taken by the lovely and talented jessica peterson of jessica peterson photography. she is such a beautiful person and so great to work with. if you are in the kansas city area i would definitely check her out and if not, for sure go by her website and blog for some amazing photography and inspiration.

 

i tried to narrow it down to about 10 photos to share but i just couldn't so bare with me:)
 
 
makes me happy happy:) 
 
can you say "t.r.o.u.b.l.e"? ha ha
 
 
oh yeah...too school for cool!
 
this kid is such a good kid...and i'm not just saying that because i'm his mother:)
 
love love love this picture!
 
ughh, that mouth, those lips...first thing i noticed about him when he was born.
 
my cooperman.
 
i think this is possibly my all time favorite picture of cooper. his smile is infectious.
 
i can't help but look at this picture and just melt but i have to be honest, right after i melt a little voice in my head says "oh too bad the little horns on his head got cut off"!! i know that's bad, sorry. (hee hee)
 
this next one is hilarious, like mother like son is all i gotta say! LOL!
 
 
oh yeah...we're bad to the bone baby! (i feel the need to put an LOL so you know i'm kidding but i'm afraid i'm becoming an LOL over user) LOL!!
 
that's more like it:)
 
my hubba-hubba hubby!
 
and finally, ending with our goofy selves.
 
well, there ya go family. i suppose i should've posted these earlier so you could have chosen what pictures you wanted but too late...i already ordered for you:)

i still have to figure out the ones i'm ordering for myself and how i will display them. our picture walls are in desperate need of a redo. what do you do with the pictures that you can't bare to take down but you need the wall space for new pictures? i have so many pictures that need to be printed and framed, a project that i hope to slowly accomplish this year. anyway, i'm so glad we had these done. it had been way too long since we'd had our family pictures taken. if it's been awhile since you've had your family pictures taken you need to (as the saying goes) just do it! it's so important and your kids will thank you down the road.

**on a huge side note-- i don't know if i'm ever going to be able to figure out typepad. when i type my posts the spacing is exactly how i want it but then when it's actually published it looks all screwed up. sigh!**

hope everyone is having great week. we're off to good ole' mansfield (the blink-and-you'll-miss-it-little-town where jeremy's from in missouri) for the weekend.

love ya friends!
xo xo

amen

i have been praising God this week due to something that happened in my family this past weekend. i can't elaborate on it but praise is due for sure! i heard this song the other day and was moved beyond words in light of the recent event. felt led to share.

 

don't ya just want to be up on that roof top dancing? well, i do! amen and amen!

happy day to you:)
xo xo

i love a good laugh

and these cards certainly gave me one!

i was actually able to make it to a hallmark store by myself this week one morning while the boys were all in school. i was looking for a card for my mom as it was her birthday when i stumbled across this line of cards called "the edge of motherhood--- laughs for proudly imperfect moms", it was in the 'shoebox' section. oh my word, i was laughing out loud! (and if you read my last post you know i needed a good laugh!) i had to buy a couple to share with you...and if you're a mommy friend of mine, who knows you might just get one in the mail sometime!

 
the inside reads "ok now you tell me." LOL i could use that reassurance on a daily basis!

 
inside reads "what's cookin". seriously...that is my house!! yep, same food groups.

ok, i saved my favorite for last...
 
inside reads "some animals in the wild eat their young. i kind of get that now" LOL!! this one could not be more true to my life...especially what the inside says! i love it!

there are a lot of other funny ones too. thanks for making me laugh hallmark. i hope you all got a nice little chuckle as well:)

happy day!
xo xo 

 

it's hard to be a mom sometimes

(this isn't exactly what i thought my first post of the year would be but it's something that continues to be on my mind so i figured i'd just share it and let it go.)

i cried the whole way home from mcdonalds. the whole way. and then a little bit more when we got there. questions and statements running through my head "where have i gone wrong" " what do i need to do?" and then the lies that satan likes to slip in there like "you are a terrible mother" etc..

it was the one day a week that i take porter to his choice of lunch after preschool. usually it's mr. goodcents but today it was mcdonalds. after we ate we entered the play place which was unusually crowded, i ran into a friend who was on her way out and she thoughtfully offered me her chair. she made a comment about there being lots of crazy kids and my nerves immediately kicked in because that's the perfect setting for porter to get into some sort of a fight (unfortunately speaking from experience).

i sat there directly in front of the play structure watching porter and i kid you not it hadn't even been five minutes when i see him grab some kid and very harshly push him/throw him--i don't know but it certainly didn't look good! i stand right up and call him to come down as i hear the child crying. he makes his way down and i tell him to get his shoes on, that we are leaving since he can't control himself, questioning him as to why he did what he did and scolding him of course. believe me, all i wanted to do was to grab him and get the heck out of there as fast as i could! seriously, can we not go anywhere where i don't have to end up apologizing to someone?!! all the noise went away and all i could hear was the child crying and i swear it felt like every eye in that place was on me, all the while porter was in slow motion getting his shoes on. complete and utter embarrassment.

as i'm trying to hurry him along he is saying things like "that kid is weird" and "he wouldn't let me by" and was not acting remorseful at all. meanwhile the child is still crying and no one has noticed yet and i'm trying to figure out what to do. finally some kids start to yell for their mom that so and so is bleeding. my heart sinks even more. as the woman comes forward i say to her that my child is the reason for the crying, that i saw him push her kid. she says to me "well, what a good mom you are for even watching" and i'm thinking, i wish...i just know my kid.

this lady had to climb up to get her boy and when she emerged i see a child that is significantly smaller than porter (probably 3 or 4yrs old) with a very bloody lip. now i really want to disappear. she whisks him off into the bathroom that is conveniently located right there in the play area and i stand there with porter just mortified. i feel as if i'm being judged as a mother by all who are watching. i know in reality that most people there weren't even paying attention but that's how i felt.

despite his refusing i told porter he was going to apologize. i finally knock on the door and when she opens i see a mother who is holding her sweet little guy with a cleaned up face and a little cut on his lip. i immediately start apologizing up and down and to make it worse i had to force porter to say he was sorry and when he did it couldn't have been more rudely. talk about a proud mama moment...not. then, as if i wasn't embarrassed enough i start bawling. most people who know me will not be surprised by that at all. next thing i know though this sweet lady is giving me a hug and says " it's okay, it's hard to be a mom, i know". she leaned down to porter and ever so nicely said a few things about being kind. i mentioned he was the youngest of 3 boys and it turns out her little guy was too. she had a friend with her who patted me on the shoulder and said they all had boys and that it is indeed hard. i was very thankful for these ladies and their kind words of forgiveness and encouragement. they could have easily been the exact opposite. i could tell they were very sincere, they made me feel that motherhood is truly a sisterhood and we are all in this together. anyway, my tears were flowing and i needed to get out of there asap before it got ugly!

i gently cried and sniffled the whole way home all the while having some serious words with porter who just seemed to not be getting any of it. i could tell it was bothering him though that i was crying because he kept saying "would you stop crying mom". i talked about having compassion for other people and gave examples. he seemed to be bothered by the fact that i said i cared for that little boy. when i pulled into our garage i just sat there for a minute before i opened my door and he popped up front and gave me a big hug, i hoped that was a sign that something was sinking in. who knows, it was an on going conversation all day and continued when daddy got home. 

so at the end of the day, still sad and frustrated and thinking that porter really didn't get much of what we tried to talk to him about i remembered something i've heard time and time again from various sources and that was to model the behavior you'd like to see in your children. so i have to let myself believe that even though i deeply wanted to run out of mcdonalds the fact that i stayed to apologize and the fact that porter saw me crying and showing sincere concern for these people we didn't know did something in his little mind. please Lord, let that be the case.

finally, the next morning i read a status update on facebook from one of the blogs that i follow, ispiredtoaction.com. it said this "today's prayer topic for our kids is compassion. God, please grow in my children a heart of compassion for others. Col.3:12". God's timing is amazing huh?! (or i guess you could argue that in this particular situation it was a bit late--ha ha!) so this is a huge prayer for me. i know he has it, i know it's in there. i've seen it and i know the sweet crazy little boy that i spend my days with. i've said it before, porter marches to the beat of his own drum and i wouldn't change him for anything. we just have a few things to work on:)

 

 **i have to laugh, because just the other day i was reading some sort of article about blogging, at least one person's opinion of it, and it said something like nobody wants to read real lengthy posts and to include lots of photos. LOL! so here you go-- a very lengthy post and i added a totally random photo just so there was at least one! i don't really know why i even posted this story. i guess it was mainly for myself, to be able to look back and remember a hard day, because there are lots of them. and to remember like what the nice lady at mcdonalds said to me "being a mom is hard". and well, being lengthy is kind of my thing:)

 

hope your new year is off to a fantastic start! as you know, i'm not too good at this blogging thing. however, i'd like to keep trying so i'll gradually start posting again soon...promise:)

xo xo

a 'thankful' leaf garland

 
this is just a quick post to show you a little project we did over thanksgiving. my mom made these huge leaf shaped sugar cookies and for some reason seeing those gave me this idea. you only need a couple things, fortunately i already had everything on hand.

i went through my scrapbooking papers and scraps and pulled out some fall looking colors, then i got my mom's big leaf shaped cookie cutter and traced it 17 times on the different papers (the number will vary obviously due to the number of people in your family), then with some help from my mom and sister we cut them out. i just left the pile of cut out leaves on the table with some different pens and a white sharpie marker and asked everyone to write something they were thankful for whenever they felt like it.
 
my parent's house is chaos when all 17 of us are there, especially with 9 of them being crazy kids so unfortunately i didn't get any pictures of the process. 

anyway, when all the leaves had been written on i used some embroidery floss (don't know if that's what it's really called. it was something my mom had that was a little thicker than thread) and i poked 2 holes at the top of the leaves with the needle first then i threaded the floss through. i did tie a knot at each leaf so they wouldn't slide around when hung up.
 
i think sweet caroline's was my favorite..."i am thankful for myself". love it!  
 
i love the children's handwriting and the fact that they truly write from their heart. the leaves that my parents wrote on i made the bookends of the garland so all their kids and grandkids were sandwiched between them. they are celebrating 40 years of marriage in december, i'm certainly thankful for that!
 

 

so there you go, our 'thankful' leaf garland. i believe we have a new tradition. it will have to be every other year though since we all trade off coming home and going to our in-laws. i don't know if we'll just add to this garland or make a new one, we'll see. it will be fun to hang up every year though and reflect on what we've written in the past. and what a lovely reminder too to continue to count our blessings.

xo xo

 

good mail days

i love getting fun things in the mail, especially when you're not expecting it. much to my surprise, within the span of 2 weeks i received quite a few fun packages so i thought i would share some of my good mail days with you starting with the most recent.

i have been a follower of the blog simplemom.net for about 2 years now. i remember the first night i stumbled upon it, i was so excited as to the things i was reading and all the information that was there that i just had to send an email. so i did, i sent an email expressing my gratitude and sharing how happy i was to have found this website. as a follower of the site it has been fun to know in advance about the book that was being written by tsh, the founder of simple mom, and kind of hear some of the ins-and-outs of it. anyway, i was able to pre-order the book but didn't know when it would be shipped so it was a nice surprise when i got this in the mail.

 
 
got my signed copy since i pre-ordered:)
 
"tsh oxenreider is the creator of the popular blog simplemom.net and is the founder of simplelivingmedia.com. she is passionate about simplifying life and eliminating clutter so that the truly meaningful things in life can breathe." that is from the "about the author" page in her book. i love that, i also love that she is a christian woman and she is a huge dave ramsey fan.

another little excerpt from the first few pages of her book... "there is no reason to complicate your family culture just because the culture at large is complicated. when you choose the simple road over the one cluttered with gadgets, theories, and systems your whole family will probably have more peace and less stress. and at the end of the day, that's what truly matters--a family and a home at peace. a home full of people, content with their belongings, their relationships, and their available time."

isn't that great?! i'm so excited to get started reading this. there is even home management templates in the back of the book--woo-hoo!

*************************************************************************************************************************************************** 

another little package came a couple days before halloween, sent by my sweet mother-in-law. she is always so good about sending the boys fun stuff in the mail.
but this cute little hand towel was sitting right on top just for me. 
 
the boys were so excited to rip into their goodies but they were good sports letting me take pictures first!
 
cooper immediately on his own got out a notebook and wrote mimi and russ the sweetest thank you note. he wrote the "i love you" on the back. i love it every now and then (in my case it's every LONG now and then)  when you get a small assurance that you just might be doing something right:)

************************************************************************************************************************************************** 

one of the fun things that i got to do when i was visiting my sister was go to the horse shoe craft and flea market in denver. there were so many fun talented vendors there, i collected many business cards since i wanted more than i could afford. my sister left with the perfect chair that she'd been looking high and low for and got it at the perfect price...even better! one of the vendors that i purchased from was kind enough to reserve the bracelet that i wanted on her etsy shop since i didn't have the correct form of payment at the time. so again, a nice little treat when i received it in the mail!
    i am such a sucker for a nice hand written note, it made receiving the bracelet that much more special.
 
it ties together with ribbon-- so stinkin' cute! i love it! this bracelet is from bringaboutart.etsy.com. definitely check it out, she has some beautiful furniture pieces as well.

so here are a few other vendors that i loved that you just might like too. the first is mukee.etsy.com, this guy makes handmade jewelry from reclaimed skateboards! super cool! i bought a pair of earrings from him, unfortunately i don't have a picture of them but there are some very similar to the ones i have on his site. then there is resplendid.etsy.com. she takes repurposed frames or vintage windows and makes chalk boards or gilded glass frames etc... i loved seeing her work in person, such beautiful stuff! added to my wish list:) some other fun vendors that were there: dandysocialclub.com, studiolila.com, and planetogie.com (oh my goodness, these plush creatures were so adorable in person!)

*********************************************************************************************************************************************** 

and finally, the package that was the start of my good mail days...
 
blocking out my address takes a little away from the full affect of the envelope but oh well, you know. i was so surprised and giddy when i found this in my mail box, there really didn't even have to be anything inside the envelope because i loved it so much by itself! but lucky me, there was other equally awesome goodies inside.

travis millard was one of my high school art buddies. we actually went to school together all the way from elementary school through high school but became friends in high school due to sharing a lot of the same art classes. travis was always very talented and is an amazing successful artist in los angeles now. of course we lost touch after graduating, now fast forward several years to facebook....this is one of the reasons facebook can be so great in my opinion. reconnecting with people who you actually care to be reconnected with!

so to get to the point, one day travis posted a picture of this print he did paying homage to our high school art teacher for a show he was participating in called re: form school show in new york.
 
it's hard to describe the feeling i had when i saw this because to really understand you would of had to have had mr. wright as a teacher. i loved him. i hated him. he made me cry many many times but it always made me want to come back and "show him". he always participated in the same kansas city art shows year after year and year after year i always went and stopped by his booth to say hello. seeing this print brought back a flood of memories. art was the only thing in high school that made me even want to go. travis couldn't have nailed this any better!

of course i expressed all this to travis and how wonderful i thought it was and the next thing i know here in my mail box is my very own  giclee print. and let me tell you, it is so beautiful in person! i carefully unwrapped it and just starred at it running my fingers across it. it's a framer for sure! i'm so excited to have a piece of travis's art work and the subject matter is very dear to my heart as well.

look at all the other super cool stuff he threw in:
 
 
so cool! you seriously made my day travis, thank you so so much!
you can check out more of travis's work at fudgefactorycomics.com.

 wow! so there you have it...my good mail days:) if you made it all the way through, thank you so much and i hope something in there sparked some interest or at least made you smile. anyday now the Christmas cards will start arriving and i can't wait! that's like a present in the mail every day!

i hope each and every one of you has a wonderful thanksgiving spent with the ones you love! all my immediate family is in town for the holiday and for that i am extremely thankful.
thanks again for stopping by.
xo

brothers for life

i'm pretty sure it's normal for most siblings to have a love/hate relationship while they're young. they can fight constantly one day and then the next they are best buds. or they can not be getting along and then the neighbor boy or some other kid can be mean to one of them and it's like 'oh no you didn't!'. it's like i'm allowed to be mean to my brother but boy i'll be ready to fight for him in a second if anyone else is. i've seen that happen numerous times and it makes my heart want to burst, not due to the fighting part but the sticking up for each other part.

which brings me to this, evidence of a "best bud" type of day between cooper and porter.
 
cooper spent a lot of time making porter a "jet pack" out of poster board. he drew it, colored it, cut it out, taped it together and wrapped it up along with other random toys he threw in a box for him. he made it a big deal that he had this present for porter and we all gathered around to watch him open it. he had the above note attached to it. i'm sick that i didn't get a picture of porter wearing the jet pack! i don't know who was more proud though...cooper, porter or mama!

since that's kind of hard to read, it goes like this:
to porter you are the best.
porter you are very cool
you are won of the 3 best
boys in the univers. porter
you are funny. this is a
late crismis present.(he meant early christmas present) i hope
you like my present. love cooper  then the lovely picture of porter and his huge muscles!

yeah, i don't know...i think mama is the most proud:)

i was reminded of these pictures from this past summer in colorado on our "camping attempt" day.
 

 
 
for some reason this is the picture that gets me choked up, those little arms tightly wrapped around each other is just precious.
 
and they're off for another adventure!

i love it when we have "best bud" type of days around here. Lord knows i need to see that every now and then! i know these boys have plenty more days of fighting and not wanting to have anything to do with each other but my prayer for all 3 of them is that they would continue to bond and grow together and know that no matter what their brothers will always be there for them....brothers for life.

365--week 40

i might be a little short on words as i'm trying to crank some of these posts out before it's time to pick up my crazy boys. it's only been one day and i'm already missing them and sick of the quiet! people what is wrong with me?!

here we go...

day 274
 
oh my goodness! i can't even tell you how much i love this little dude! he has the sweetest, softest voice and articulates every word and repeats everything you say.(gotta be careful!) it is priceless! i was so happy i was able to make it to one of makayla's soccer practices. you did awesome girl!

day 275
  so this was the whole reason i got to go to colorado. my sweet cousin flew me out there to take some pictures of her and her groom in the mountains. seriously? how did i get so lucky? i'm afraid i got the better end of the deal! my cousin fully knowing that i am not a professional photographer and that i've never done bridal pictures before but yet still wanted me to come out and do this for her. thank you carrie, i was and am so honored that i was able to do this. (thanks to my photographer friend, cija, as well. i'll try and post some of my other favorites soon too)

day 276
 
i love this! weekend reading homework for makayla and preston wanted to get in there and listen too. love seeing my sister in her daily routine as a mama!

day 277
 
cool dude preston! this was on our way to the airport and we stopped to try and get a few pictures of the boys. being in a hurry really wasn't such a great idea, we didn't get many pictures. we were so busy most of the time i was there that we failed to schedule in time for pics of jenna's family. maybe we'll try again over thanksgiving??

day 278
 
home sweet home. porter learned to read (memorize) the eric carle book "brown bear, brown bear, what do you see" while i was gone thanks to my mom. he was bursting with excitement to show me and he didn't miss a beat! i was so proud of him. i caught him in his room just reading it over and over to himself. i hope this has sparked the interest in wanting to learn to read:)

day 279
this was just a random shot taken of easton while he was playing basketball (okay well i made him stop and look at me). just thinking about this cool kid who is almost 10, whose feet are ginormous and who is almost as tall as me--sigh. where has the time gone?

day 280
 
a couple days back home and reality is in full swing... helping with homework (or reading to porter while daddy helps with homework). i think i was missed and that made me feel pretty dang good!

thanks to everyone on both ends who made those 6 days i was gone possible. it was a much needed break. i came back feeling refreshed and renewed. i love you all!

xo