A Thorn Among Roses

with travel softball done for about 3 weeks, we totally are taking advantage of spending time with friends and just hanging out. we got together with 2 of our fav fams and just chilled...and laughed, a lot. joey is totally being preggers like his wife, darcy...he's almost got it, i think! the kids just played...and i can't tell you how awesome it was! what would hang out be without some awesome competition...major corn hole tournament! and in the end...me and karen were totally killing it and a thunderstorm came and made us quit and then brian and joey cheated and got "champion".  i don't know how that happened...i mean, girls have to chat and why can't they just hang out while we chat before starting another round. silly boys... anyway, good friends are a total treasure and so much fun!!

sofia is totally into the pretend play right now... she's loving her school bus full of little people and animals and lately, well, there has been some mayhem. on the drive to school, the kids decided to "twash" {trash} the bus and it then, needed a car wash. i would like to point out that the lecturing abilities of said 2 year old bus driver were quite good and impressive and very, very hilarious! i notice that my gerber daisy was the flipping car washer. {this proves, btw, why all of my things are not nice anymore bc if there were, they would be a good car buffer} {{noting the awesome sound effects by the perched lips}} and during the rinse cycle, she discovered there was a camera...so we got us some CHEESE. ...and big sis stepped in to bring it all around to the end. and then i noticed, i have 2 of my daughters, doing a car wash.  one in a bikini and the other, well, topless.  i sure hope that says nothing about our future.

a few things me and the fam did NOT do the last 3 weeks... {{bc i'm totally behind and there's so much stuff to tell}} our hooptie DID NOT run out of battery bc paige was NOT waiting in the escalade at b's OT and passing time by watching movies.  paige DID NOT lose track of life bc her bf was there.  hubs DID NOT rescue us like a super hero!!! sofia lets out a toot go...i DID NOT say, "sofia, what do you say when that happens?" sofia DID NOT respond, 'i farted. thank u.' hubs asks sofia, "sof, why do you talk so much?"  sofia DID NOT respond with, "i have things in my head."  she is NOT too smart for her own good. driving past starbucks sofia DID NOT say, "starbucks, momma.  i wanna donut.  mommy coffee. i wanna donut."  i DID NOT do this to her. oops. during my boot camp workout, in one hour, the carbon dioxide detector DID NOT go off from spraying lysol bc  one of my kids DID NOT have a potty mess all over my trainers e...

so i'm on the hook for brooke's bday in a few weeks...and i just love to look at all the ideas. i mean, i love doing the party stuff... cupcake centerpieces {ala how does she} are perfect-o for any girlie party!!! and i kinda just have to do this whole PINKY PUKE thing she has going on... sadly, it make sme happy to see that much sweetness in one place! and let me show you what brooke has thus far requested...the d$&$@# unicorn! seriously...not my idea of pinky loveliness. maybe if i add these precious toppers it will make her happy enough... at least ii'm hoping.  any other great (not ugly) ideas?!

hubs and i got to escape for like 5 days on a hs conference/summer camp with paige. i always knew that paige was a good kid...she leads by example, she is devoted, she's steady, she's focused.  but seeing her again this year, worshipping and diving even deeper into her faith, well, it just makes my heart swell. one night at the end of lesson and worship, we were all leaving to go to small groups and i look up and see paige hugging hubs like there's no tomorrow.  i can't really explain how much i loved them both at that very point... anyway, we had a great time.  it poured on the beach the entire time we were there.  we got a few hours of non-rain time, but it was still awesome. god speaks to me the clearest when i am able to hear...you know, like in the midst of a hug between father and daughter or in the midst of a rainy beach walk or even in the midst of quiet time where i have intentionally taken time to sit with him.  he clearly spoke...i def know that i ...

i swear, i'm still here.  life has certainly been whipping me around of late...i'm not gonna lie. hubs, paige and me, along with 55 other students and leaders, headed to bigstuf, a hs summer camp on the beaches of panama city beach a few weeks ago...and since then, well, it's been a blur. there's been softball, softball and more softball.  b got violently ill with her kidneys last week and we have been on kidney watch since.  i'm photographing quite a bit and well, building more portfolio action.  what  i've also been teaching a hs girls bible study, leading the college ministry and preaching on "desire" on sunday morning for the next 3 weeks. [insert deep breath here] well, here's the deal-io, i miss blogland.  i find time to tweet while sitting in the dr offices or on the road trips, but i'm still here!  and maybe tomorrow i will do a NOT ME post for the last 2 weeks bc there some things you just have to know!!! smooches...miss u!