A Thorn Among Roses

the mc fam

2012-01-29T11:53:00.001-05:00

even when you live close to family, it seems that getting every single person in one place is just hard.

paige is always doing sports or chilling with her friends. ryan travels. i work and work out. my parents travel a bit. my brother work insane schedules. my niece is only able to be with us twice a month, so gathering us together and then getting a picture...amazing feat.

in the past year, we have all seen a variety of things happen. but as i look at this picture, with my parents as the head, i am continuously reminded that they remain the same. i mean, we are all getting older and our lives change and all that, but with the steadfast upbringing based on the foundation of God's amazing love for us through his Son, Jesus Christ, i am able to stand and look around and say, "i am blessed."

i think sometimes that life was just simpler when i was a kid. fewer distractions and more family time. honestly, just less of us, too. i mean, we were definitely skinnier...and at least for me, life was more focused and with way less distractions. you know what those are, right? distractions!

sometimes that's hard...jobs become super difficult, finances are miserable (can i get an amen?), special needs kids and counselors and psychiatrists and teachers and IA's....it takes some time. you get what i mean...

as a kid, i remember my parents reading The Bible to me...and today, i can stand firm on Psalm 91...knowing that the Lord, Most High, is where i find my strength, my shelter, my love, and my Salvation.

Thanks Mom and Dad. Thanks...

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.[a]
2 I will say[b] of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.”
3 Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare
and from the deadly pestilence.
4 He will cover you with his feathers,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
5 You will not fear the terror of night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,
6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
nor the plague that destroys at midday.
7 A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.
8 You will only observe with your eyes
and see the punishment of the wicked.

9 If you make the Most High your dwelling—
even the LORD, who is my refuge—
10 then no harm will befall you,
no disaster will come near your tent.
11 For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways;
12 they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
13 You will tread upon the lion and the cobra;
you will trample the great lion and the serpent.

14 “Because he loves me,” says the LORD, “I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
15 He will call upon me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble,
I will deliver him and honor him.
16 With long life will I satisfy him
and show him my salvation.”

Psalm 91, NIV 1984

a little giving

2012-01-12T12:15:00.001-05:00

one of the deepest passions i have in life is serving the homeless. it all started back in 2009 on a mission trip in NYC where we spent 10 days handing out water and snacks to people on the streets for nothing.

people were so hardened they most often would choose to ignore it or refuse to accept a free gift...it's a very clear image of grace, actually. god gives us his grace freely...it's just there, but we have to choose to accept it and act on it.

when we all came home from NYC, the students started a not for profit called "the andy project"...and it's going wayyyy strong. here we are 4 years later and every 2nd and 4th saturday, like 50 people head to indianapolis to love and serve the less fortunate.

my student ministry, student impact of westfield, bring an entire trailer full of clothing, blankets, coats, hats and gloves for families...and we bring along students who just want to serve. {and the fam comes along some of the time too!! but always on christmas}

one of the best ways we serve is just being a friend. i have this amazing friendship with myra, that has developed over the years. there are so many stories to be told...lives that change and circumstances that bring people to a place where they need help...but in the end, everyone just wants to love and be loved. we all want validated. {i mean, i love ethos woman...she's so amazing. taking care of her 12 grandkids, working and still smiling}

so heavy on my heart today were my homeless friends. it's snowing and windy and cold for the first time in a few weeks. please remember them in your prayers...they are the least of these...and it's always a joy to serve them!

don't just think about serving this year...just do it. and do it well. happy 2012.

'nastics time

2012-01-04T14:01:00.002-05:00

it's good old gymnastics time...well, in like 5 hours, but the girls are a little excited.

they get on their leotards {sofia calls it her re-o-tard} as soon as they remember it's 'nastics time!

i think they are pretty cute...

{and yes, i do comb sofia's hair. she's just a wild one.}

the hill is done!

2012-01-03T10:07:00.000-05:00

it's a new year...and we have had SNOW!!!! sweetness...because the girlies love it and it means getting out of the house to play and have some good old fashioned fun!!

sledding on the new sledding hill in town...which is uber awesome. we watched them building this thing over the last year and there has been tons of anticipation of the first snow.

and it was here!!!

sofia insisted on carrying the sled in front of her...by the end, she has resolved that daddy did know what he was talking about.

and then the snowman time started!

check out miss jada's snowman...with arms!!!

i love the "nose" building the snowman. sooooo cute!

and brooke built a snow fort with her friends...sweetness!

and look at this...my brooke, with a HUGE smile on her face. i mean, priceless!

and check out the hours of fun...love winter break, by the way. amazing times!

happy 2012!!!

da fam Christmas

2011-12-13T12:03:00.001-05:00

time to share a little christmas picture cheer with you all...

it's the girlies first, with the new scripture that the Lord so graciously gave me to provide me with a reminder...amazing stuff.

and then the fam...

it's been a great year. we have seen challenges in ways i would have never expected. we have been blessed far beyond my understanding...

and we remain the crazy fam we have always been. i'm so grateful...and so very tired too!

merry Christmas to you...

baking time

2011-11-22T10:30:00.001-05:00

i'm not the made from scratch mom, but my girls love a little dump, stir and bake action.

there's so much help sometimes...

the excitement is almost, well, unconfined! {she takes after her father's side...he he he}

jada is a natural born chef or "cooker" as she often refers to herself. she glows in delight when she is in the kitchen. {see what i mean about the father's side? hmmm?}

and what does brooke do while the other girls cook? chill and wait for the baking to be done.

dressing up for the day

2011-11-18T11:54:00.001-05:00

i'm not the biggest halloween fan, but i do love the dress up and get candy part...so that's what we do!

my parents always are part of the night...which i love!!!

brooke is still brooke...running like a tazmanian devil. she does the princess part, but still totally has to be her own unique self...with jeans, and a plaid jacket.

jada is always the perfect little sparkly princess...

and sofia is simply elated to be her most fav minnie mouse ever!

and in the end, they ate way too much sugar, had a blast and mom and dad ate some "tax" candy.

coffee, please and thank you

2011-11-11T08:13:00.001-05:00

sometimes, not so often, i leave a drip or two of coffee in my cup and walk away for a second. honestly, i usually have the cup firmly attached to my hand while there is any caffeine love in it for me.

of late, i've been caught a few times by the sofia...who is a mad mad lover of coffee. she takes what's in my cup, pours it in hers and takes off...

when i find her she CHUGS to the end...

then shows me the spit shine clean bottom of the cup...

and it's always followed by the "i'm so cute you could die face"...

and a giggle.

gone wrong...

2011-11-09T11:25:00.003-05:00

fam shoots are necessary, but this flipping DST killed my fam shoot last night!

i had the field and the wood boxes and the rocking horse, but hubs conference call went until 5:20...and the light was gone. i'm not talking about sunset, i'm talking PITCH BLACK!

so i grabbed the lighting and hubs grabbed the extension cords so we could at least see how the outfits looked since it took me an hour and a half to get everyone dressed, hair done and in one place.

the lighting worked fine...i was hacked though.

it wasn't what i wanted...i just tossed them in the yard and said stand there and we'll see what we get.

and what we got, well, was not the best. {seriously terrible...i mean, i should have at least posed them}

i was being somber a little and brooke looks at me and says, "mom, if you don't think about it and just move on, it will be better. besides, you are totally making it worse. i mean, we are all in the picture."

not such bad advice after all...i mean, a family is a family in spite of circumstances and clothes and locations.

a family sticks together, prays together, laughs and cries together.

and well, that is us, in spite of the crappy picture. a motley crew. a family.

sweetness

2011-11-08T00:05:00.000-05:00

i grabbed a few quick shots of sofia...and i just had to share them.

and then there's the smile to end all smiles...

and the real girl finally comes out!

joy and pain...

2011-10-26T10:06:00.000-04:00

sofia has lived her entire existence on the softball fields...it's what she asks every day. "do we have a tournament today?"

tournaments mean playtime and pools and...well...a few more emotions too.

the key to fun...a magic blanket.

add a pop...

then poke a hole thru the bottom and make the pop a "pee pee pop"...

toss in a backpack...and magic begins...

because in the backpack are some treats...

but even at the ball fields...there's time out for back talk and not being respectful. (yes, i am that mean!)

and there's tears...

proving hubs point...that in our house if someone isn't crying right now, they will be soon, or they have just finished.

but it's a cute cry!

it happened...

2011-10-25T18:28:00.000-04:00

it happened today...she got her license. and guess who she wanted to take on her first drive?

yeps...sofia daisy.

so off they went...without me...to get a poster board and stickers for a school project. {my credit card, of course}.

and that officially means i am old...

the upside to all this? i have another driver to tote around the kiddos if i need it!
{do you see the smile on sofia's face??}

me in real life

2011-10-21T08:58:00.000-04:00

i'm a real mom...i'm a real friend...and i'm a real person.

what you see is pretty much what you get. would i like my house to be perfect and my kids clothes to be stain and rip free? sure...but that's just not reality in this life.

when my friends call, do i call them back? yes...but it can be weeks bc you never know if there's meltdowns or psych appts or therapy or just life that gets in the way of having a single second of free time to make a simple call.

it's the life of me. i'm tired most of the time. i shower when i can get everyone everywhere and have time, so sometimes it's not until 2pm. i work out simply because i have to...and it's the one point of stress relief i have in life at this point. i don't have much "fancy" left in me...i wish i did, but i don't most days.

but hubs, well, he loves the fancy me...so he'll date me. yep...this is where you get jealous!

and when we go out, i have to wear non-hoody. {these are things i will never understand...i mean, i pull of a killer hoody and jeans}. i can rock a skirt and heels...the one great part of me is my legs, so girl, i rock them when i got 'em!

hubs grabbed a shot bc he wanted to show me "how good" i looked. thus, the amazing sarcastic face i'm making.

it occurs to me, though, that this is it. crap all over the place, nothing in order and me...right in the middle of it, trying to make it!

it's not awesome. it's not glamorous, but it's me...in real life.

how do we travel???

2011-10-18T15:46:00.000-04:00

we travel all the time by car...from 2 to 8 hours one way for softball...all the time.

and how do we do it? cheap for one...

lots of pillows...red boxes are a life saver...snacks...and secret "special stops" for ice cream.

and of course...
sofia crying...jada gazing...brooke resting...paige iPod'ing and chilling.

altogether, boringly...but we get the job done!

an apple a day...

2011-10-17T10:41:00.000-04:00

i was informed by the dr. sofia daisy that my baby, "kayla", needed some really serious help. she had just seen her in her office and she discovered the following:

kayla had a bad attitude
kayla had spent quite a bit of time not listening and choosing to do the wrong things even when she knew the right thing to do

kayla, worst of all, did not get any bubbles at the end of the appointment because of the choices she had made.

sofia told me that she had things i needed to work on before our next appointment...and can you see that stinking list!?!

she handed me "kayla", my cell phone, the notes and my bill.

i then was met by the secretary, jada, who required my money before i was allowed to leave. she gave me a bill...(i love love love that the first word is "cost").

so in the end, i'm thinking that all the time we have spent at doctors, psychiatrists and counselors has changed us all. and it has shown itself...maybe not in the ways you would expect, of course.

well, at least they were listening...right?

german michigan

2011-10-15T11:18:00.000-04:00

i'm finding all kinds of pics i have to share with you all from the summer...

one of the best things about travel softball is going places you would NEVER go normally as a family, so you have to make an adventure out of every place you go.

we headed to nationals in michigan this year and on the way home found the "germany in michigan", frankenmuth. why did we stop there? we heard the fried chicken at the bavarian inn was worth it.

i can tell you that hubs really enjoyed the huge beer glass...

but the best thing of all...paige being the pied piper of the girlies!

it doesn't get any better than that...because it's embarrassing for all future major events in each of the kids lives!

autism...really?

2011-10-13T19:19:00.000-04:00

it sucks. i'm just going to be honest. autism diagnosis sucks.

it's nothing we didn't already feel before the appointments, but hearing it, like FOR REAL, well, it sucks.

it sucks not because it's hard, but because your daughter is not any different of a person than before the diagnosis.

but the real diagnosis...it sucks.

new IEPs...new doctors, new therapists, and more "labels".

it kinda seems like people simply see "autism" and not brooke any more. so here's what i want you to know...

when you walk into a grocery store and you are brooke, you see lights flashing all over the place, you see swirling colors and hear clanging wheels and carts that sound like cymbals in your ear drums...so when she melts down and asks to ride on the bottom of the grocery cart in a ball with her hands over her ears and hoody over her head, please don't make a big deal of it and tell me she needs to learn how to deal with structure.

live my life...or better yet, live brooke's life...before ever saying one "helpful" word to us. you have no idea how bedtime can take 3 hours or how a 5 minute car ride to school can make or break an entire morning because the radio came on when the car started and it sets her off.

am i venting or being frustrated...you bet. because my daughter is not an autistic child. my daughter is brooke. a girl who has more compassion in her finger than most people do in their bodies. a girl who has amazing talent of remembering every single spoken word. a girl who can relate to animals in a very dr dolittle kinda way. a girl who has the sweetest smile and can hug tighter than almost anyone in the world. she's a girl who stands up for what she believes and just doesn't care if you don't like the funky way she dresses.

does b have autism? yes.

does it define who she is and who she will be.

absolutely not.

a little softball for you

2011-10-07T09:46:00.002-04:00

paige is loving softball, still...i suppose that's why she still plays year-round travel ball. i am so proud of her, though...

more than just on the field, where she is steadfast...

where she is a leader...

where she works with full effort every single play...

where she has a group of ladies she calls friends first, then teammates...

and where, in the end, she does it all for the love of the game.

eat.
sleep.
play softball.
is there anything else?

too big

2011-10-06T09:25:00.000-04:00

it's a hard time to be a mom...especially when your baby girl is 16, a junior and dating a nice boy.

homecoming was last week...and the dance...and me and hubs thinking about doing this with 3 more girlies...and a glass of wine.

for now...i think i will just lock her in the house and not let her go anywhere.

how do you think that will work?

neon day

2011-09-29T10:39:00.000-04:00

i can hardly believe i'm saying this, but paige is a junior...and it's homecoming week. {how did i get this old?}

and i'm so flipping busy, i don't even have a picture of her...this week. i do from last week during neon-out at the football game, though.

i know...mom of the year...again.

yep...i'm here and different

2011-08-12T10:19:00.000-04:00

one of the things i have been spending a LOT of time focusing on is my training and my diet. being a post 40 type 2 diabetic (thanks, sofia! ha!), means i have extra things to consider for the rest of life. being 4'10" sucks enough, but throw diabetes on top of it and a tendency to hold my entire weight in my waist and face, well, it's bad news.

so, i've totally kicked it in gear, sister. i mean in full throttle for the last 10 months. my workouts have went from twice a week of hard workouts to 2-3 days of spin and 2 days of boot camp a week...
and i think it's totally paying off! i'm down over 8% in body fat...and i have went down in clothes...killer. (i hate showing that picture from january...but it's flipping amazing the difference!)

am i perfect? nope.

but i'm working really hard. and not just on looking better, but on seeing that me being me and not being "perfect model vision me" is just fine. (still totally not there, by the way).

so for now, i'm drowning in sweat most of the time. when i'm not at the gym, i'm still kicking it old school with the girlies and hubs...which has been a softball adventure for the last year. and with tryouts for paige starting a new season of 16u travel ball tonight, i'm gonna be riding that softball train for a while!

miss you all...off to sweat!

another tourney

2011-07-09T12:23:00.001-04:00

Its toward the end of travel ball...and the focus starts to turn to the junior year and college recruitments.

Wish paige luck...

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Playing around

2011-07-06T19:44:00.001-04:00

We are runnin from ball park to ball park...state to state. But, the playground is always a lifesaver!!

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Startem young

2011-06-08T12:34:00.001-04:00

Softball is life around this fam...so we say

Start em right...
...but always bat em left!!!

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summer...finally

2011-06-03T09:58:00.001-04:00

We had our first day of summer...so that meant picnic, races and a hike in the woods.

The hike quickly turned into a creek adventure...and everyone loved it. Jada and I loved it best on dry land.

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Its warm

2011-04-18T16:04:00.001-04:00

And we are chilling outside until the next thunderstorm!

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Gone beaching...

2011-04-08T09:21:00.001-04:00

We are having the best time ever at the beach...

Both sets of grandparents are here...we have one of our fav hs students, bekah, along with us...

And its THE BEACH!!!!!

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In the eye of the beholder

2011-03-31T08:54:00.001-04:00

Jada and sofia were creating their own "movie" starring spongebob and mickey mouse..

And i think its going to be a big hit.

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Not me monday

2011-03-28T17:05:00.002-04:00

A few things me and the fam did not do...

I DID NOT get the worst ear infection i had in years last week. I DID NOT have a ruptured ear drum and two ear infections with a sinus infection.

Sofia DID NOT randomly say on the way home from church, "i do like like broccoli, mom. Just so you know." I'm sure there was thought behind that, but its unclear to me.

We DID NOT have jada's 6th bday rockstar party saturday. There was NOT mommy juice for the adults so the 15 kids could be in check during karaoke and dancing and tattoos.

Brook DID NOT take an AR test for a book shes been reading and score 100%! It is not amazing to see her finally succeed at something in school and be just like the other kids.

Sofia did NOT pray this week in the car, "dear lord, thank u for basketball. And for yummy food and sometimes the rain. Amen".

Brooke: "would u look at the size of that weiner?" Jada: "did u say weiner?" Brooke: "yep! That weiner dog is precious!" Jada:"that is a great weiner dog!"

I did NOT make sofia go without shoes to the store because she did not put her shoes away and then couldnt find them in time to leave. I did NOT have at least 3 people tell me she was missing her shoes.

Sometimes you just...

2011-03-22T10:11:00.002-04:00

Sometimes you just need starbucks...

I have a double ear infection, sinus infection and well, I am just plain exhausted.

Sofia on the other hand, she's just always in need of sweets...

So sometimes you just need a little starbucks to make it.

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Spring...or not

2011-03-21T19:57:00.001-04:00

Don't you just want to go down the swirly slide so you can find this joy?

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the real house...the real win.

2011-03-18T09:03:00.000-04:00

i'm not sure if it's the long winter or that there's just 6 of us in this house, but it's a flipping mess...always!

i get frustrated when i look around...bc as soon as i clean up, there's another mess. i mean, i have some really awesome "helpers"...but as you can see, there's some ba-junk-da-junk that could use a cleaning up.

i'm having a hard time this morning being really upset about it...because i'm rejoicing in finding my "fountains" or strength in what matters. passion 2011 rocked my world...like i mean, rocked my world...and the CD just released {with me singing off key in the crowd} and i'm praising God along with Chris Tomlin and 3000 other peeps to "all my fountains"...and i'm feeling the joy, man.

and then i turn around and i see the world i live in. i mean, that's hard for me in the midst of this...

and this...

but in the end, what matters? i'm really trying hard to keep that focus...ministry of late has been full of challenges. my house is a wreck. my kids are not listening...

and i remember, that's how satan gets to me. he picks at what i SEE every minute of the day. and it's in the unseen of Christ that really matters in the end.

because in the end...JESUS WINS. i mean, that's what matters. the dishes are piled, and the kids are playing naked babies in pillow cases in the great room...

but in the end...JESUS WINS.

romans 12:2..."do not conform to the pattern of THIS WORLD, but be TRANSFORMED by the renewing of your MIND...then you will be able to test and APPROVE what GOD'S will is...his good, pleasing and PERFECT will."

O'jada and O'sofia

2011-03-17T12:34:00.002-04:00

A bit o the irish....

Happy st pat's day

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Sunday

2011-03-13T09:38:00.001-04:00

Hubs made pancakes...and coffee...and I got to relax!

Ahhhhh.....

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Tag...you're it

2011-03-11T07:55:00.002-05:00

My girls are all readers...and the tag readers are so amazing.

I didn't fall for them bc of the cost, but nana did, and boy am I glad. It reads and has music and sound effects...even when u hear it repeated 46 times in a row.

And aren't they cute while they are getting smart?

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Kisses

2011-03-09T08:37:00.002-05:00

I was feeling not so perfect yesterday and was chilling out when sofia walks up and kisses me.

Sofia turns and looks back and says, "well shoot. I guess we're married ."

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Coffee and babies

2011-03-08T10:00:00.002-05:00

Sof tells me this morning she was "heading out for a bit". She strolls back to the kitchen, coat on, sippy cup in hand, baby in the stroller.

I ask "where are you headed?"

"I got my starbucks, and boy is this coffe good. Now i'm walking my baby and drinking good coffee. Its a very good morning!"

Well, who knew shw watched every detail so closely. Can you say "mini me?"

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not me monday

2011-03-07T10:34:00.000-05:00

a few things that me and the fam DID NOT do this week...

sofia DID NOT come into our bedroom after being "asleep" for about an hour saying, "oh my goodness. i was totally asleep and a big tiger came into my room and licked me all over my face. it totally waked-ed me up. sorry, mom."

i DID NOT get one of the worst flu's in the world and have to stop roadside to puke on the way home from preschool pick up.

while we were eating dinner out thursday night, brooke DID NOT pull a colored pencil out of her boot when someone requested a color that was not part of the "coloring pack" at red robin.

i DID NOT have to report to jury duty this week and was NOT the only person there thrilled to be sitting in a quiet room where no one was asking me to wipe their butt, make them lunch or answer the same question 50 times. i was NOT totally sad to get released from the jury pool...but was NOT instantly happy again thinking i was NOT able to get a hair cut bc child care was already taken care of for the day.

jk, sof and i DID NOT play outside all day on the one non snow and rain day that we have have in like forever. we DID NOT sit in the sun and think 45 degrees was the most amazing temp ever!

i DID NOT get a call from b's teacher saying that she had requested her to "please just call my mom and straighten out this me going to my friends house after school thing. i'm sure you just don't have all the information. my mom has a lot of kids and she just forgets to do the right thing sometimes and send notes."

i DID NOT almost pee myself thinking of her saying that and then think how poor mrs perry had to not laugh when she had said it to her.

brooke DID NOT tell her teacher this week, "these kids are not listening. i think they are all jacked up on mountain dew."

a few more things too...but i need more coffee to think of them.

Sisters

2011-03-06T11:34:00.002-05:00

Jada has a bio big sister...carmen...so cute, so awesome, so much like a bigger clone of miss jada.

Its all good..

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Saturday coffee time

2011-03-05T10:51:00.002-05:00

There are things that just seem to be genetic...

And I guess I say that's just fine.

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one day

2011-03-02T08:40:00.003-05:00

one day i will be able to go to the bathroom in my own house, have toilet paper on the roll and not picked up from the floor and put into a bin behind the toilet and wipe ALONE.

one day.

if i had a dream it would be...

2011-02-24T00:21:00.001-05:00

dreams are an amazing thing to have...so when brooke brought home a piece of art she had created with her dream for our family, i had to ask the rest of the girls too.

paige's dream for the fam:
"spring break right now. beach. pool. done."

jada's would be:

"i wish i could be a cheerleader and then the whole family would come and cheer me being a cheerleader."

sofia's would be:

"i would be candle."
me: why??
sofia: "because ...ummmm...why not?"

brooke's...well, it's in picture form.

and if you completely understand what this means, let me know. i'm wondering if it's for all of us to grow long ears, walk on all fours and smile all the time...but who knows!

a little song and dance

2011-02-23T00:13:00.004-05:00

you can always count on sofia to have a song in her heart...and on her lips!

she shakes her little booty, dances and sings witheverything she has...no matter where she is.

i mean, say for instance, your momma has a flat tire and your dad has to come and fix it...you still sing.

in fact, you use the tailgate of your sisters truck as a stage!!!

anyway, listen!!!
{the image quality is horrid, but the video is precious}

one of these things is...

2011-02-22T14:16:00.000-05:00

i just love this pic i snapped outside the club of jk and sofia...

i posted it on facebook and i have a number of comments on how much alike they look with their smiles...

i think that's sooo funny. in case you didn't catch it, it's ok to notice that one of them is not like the other! it's good old fashioned sesame street song time!

i mean, i love that they are so precious, but they really don't look alike at all. they are the perfect jada's and sofia's ever.

this is my i heart faces entry this week...cell phone faces!

not me monday

2011-02-21T00:16:00.002-05:00

a few things me and the fam DID NOT do this last week...

my friend, stacy, DID NOT serve me an impromptu gourmet dinner on friday night of a salad of fresh greens, apple, feta, cranberries and a homemade vinagrette...all topped with sliced corn dogs. nope...she didn't.

i DID NOT get a completely flat tire outside of my fav place...starbucks...but it was totally closing time and i couldn't even sit inside and wait for my knight in shining armour to rescue me.

when said knight {hot hubs} came to the rescue whilst my hooptie was sicky, the spare tire holder thingy DID NOT break. we DID NOT have to leave our hooptie on a jack outside of our fav starbucks while we fixed the tire instead.

sofia DID NOT make an amazing supervisor at the said tire changing experiment...

sofia DID NOT make a "snack" for herself...koolaid, 2 cups uncooked rice, 1 cups goldfish.

we DID NOT eat out for dinner on friday night at muldoon's...it was NOT so much fun! and we DID NOT make it through the enitre meal without someone screaming, vomiting, farting or making a huge embarrassment of us.

i DID NOT ask sofia to go pick up her toys. she DID NOT respond with "okay, you stinking dirty rat."

jada DID NOT say "my heart was just hurting really bad bc a boy was being mean. That's just sad. Very sad."

jk and sof DID NOT make it to the club again this week all together...none of us had the flu, a fever or a cough...but we all did have smiles!!

hot hubs DID NOT tell jada to spell his name was "D A D...then R O C K S"

she loves them

2011-02-18T09:14:00.000-05:00

my miss jada got her dream...braids. long and pretty braids.

yarn braids to be exact...because i can do them, they don't hurt her hair and they look more than fabulous!!!

to answer a few questions...here you go!

yes...it's just yarn, braided in her hair

it took 5 1/2 hours...and a few good movies to get them in

how did i learn...youtube, of course! and some encouragement from pam and essense!!! and some great videos by keep me curly!

i saw this today from HERE on etsy, and i really feel like my miss jada {and me, for that fact}, could use this fab sign in our house!

she helped...

2011-02-17T15:57:00.000-05:00

i asked her to help...

and she did!!!

smarty pants

2011-02-16T08:06:00.000-05:00

sofia loves to read...all the time and every where.

she really gets into the book...

you have to love a girl that loves to read that much!
cute and smart...what more do you want???

disaster time

2011-02-15T08:25:00.000-05:00

play time around here to me often means a big fat mess of horses and princesses and dresses...but the girlies do love to play pretend.

they work and work on making everything perfect for the for the drama...

bring more stuff in...

then move on to the next room for disaster to commence...or playtime, whichever you prefer to say.

helping...

2011-02-11T01:07:00.001-05:00

sofia is the baby in the fam...there's no doubt about that.

she's def earned the role...and she loves it!

but when brooke's bmom, brit, and her 6 month old, jordan, come for a visit, there's a little green monster that shows loud and proud with my sofia.

now, don't get me wrong, she loves jordan soooo much. she kisses him and showers him with love, but there's always a little envy in the mix too.

i love the face smash in giving him the pacifier!!!

but look at the joy she has when he finally gets it.

she's so precious...and she'll always be the baby!

silliness with the camera

2011-02-10T22:05:00.000-05:00

i was grabbing a cup of coffee on saturday morning and i see brooke being the pro photographer with the rest of the fam...

"you sit here. move over a little. now be silly."

so what did i do??? grab the camera, of course!

it's fun when they don't think you are taking their pics...but that stinking sofia still got a direct smile in!

that poor zeus

2011-02-09T09:21:00.001-05:00

brooke loves zeus with every ounce of her body...and that poor dog is so good to her. he lets her dress him up with not a single growl or stink.

even when it's like a princess...and the poor dog is a male. he does have a look of concern, i have to admit.

dancing on the {table} stage, he fits right into the show.

the other day, brooke brought her backpack up to our room and told us to look inside at what she had special inside for us. i thought it was art or some paperwork from school...nope.

it was zeus...and he looked concerned, but still just sat there with that zeus-like look.

i prayed for friends that would love and care for brooke exactly where she is in life...and we have some of that. and we def have a bf for her...and it's def zeus.

dont get me wrong, the dog def needs some "please help me" time...and he gets plenty of that too...i'm sure if he could talk {and brooke says he does to her}, that he would tell us that things are pretty darn good.

oh and zeus is a cavachon {cavalier king charles daddy and a bichon momma}...just in case you were wondering!

the hair

2011-02-08T08:58:00.000-05:00

from the dawn of days, miss jada has always wanted a long swinging pony tail just like me, brooke and paige. it's one of the downfalls to being the only brown girl in a family of white girls.

no matter how many discussions we have, books we read and compliments we give, there is no replacing the desire for the swinging pony tail with jada.

so i did it...i bought the swinging beast

...and i have to say, she is totally in love!!!

not me monday

2011-02-07T20:24:00.000-05:00

a few things me and the fam DID NOT do this week...

hubs was NOT in san juan, puerto rico, beach side, while me and the girlies were NOT back here in the snow mecca during 3 winter storms in 3 days.

i DID NOT go sledding down the 4" inch ice covered driveway with only a small plastic disk between me and imminent death. i DID NOT scream like a baby with joy in the speed and spinning that happened. my neighbors DID NOT look outside at me wondering why i was sledding and the kids were watching.

i DID NOT start this post at 11:32 this morning and just now at 8:14pm get back to try and do something with it. i have NOT had a super busy day.

i DID NOT have the basic talk with b about boys and girls. she DID NOT say to me, "mom, i get it. i have private parts. so do boys. i will NEVER EVER touch them on a boy, not even when i'm married. it's gross. can we move on now?"

zeus DID NOT absolutely refuse to go potty outside in the ice covered tundra of this place we call home.

sofia DID NOT listen to my heart on her stethoscope and say, "uh oh mom. this is not good. i think your heart is dying. we should do something about that."

sofia DID NOT receive a "call" on her princess phone from her "boyfriend" while we were waiting at the doctor's office for paige's appointment. she DID NOT say, "mom, my boyfriend said i'm suppose to come to his house and watch a game or something and then there be a party. can i go?" i DID NOT look at paige and say, "and you don't think she listens to every work that comes out of your mouth!"

brooke DID NOT say to my mom on the phone, "nana, it's true. i'm reading zeus's mind and it's saying, "i totally miss you nana. i want you to come home now." "

jada DID NOT get a real hair pony tail, which DID NOT fulfill every dream she has had in the hair world since i can remember. the pony tail flips and she can twist it and i think she does NOT look 5 years older in it...and a little too sassy.

snow days

2011-02-04T09:41:00.000-05:00

even when you don't go to school, snow days are great bc you get to chill...

hang out and watch a little mickey mouse clubhouse in your old bumbo bc you want to be a baby a little longer...and so mommy can blog and save what little mind she has left.

it's worth it for both of us...

best news of the day...2 hour delay! which means the older girls are going to school and we're going to work out! wooo hoooo!

please come to the ball

2011-02-03T13:11:00.000-05:00

sofia loves to make believe and her fav thing to do is to prepare a princess ball...and sometimes she yanks jada into the scheme and they pull of the ball of the week!

it's a ton of work...

there are many, many famous guests that attend...

tons of preparation involved in the design and decor...

as well as the cooking and serving of the food.

all the work keeps my chef sofia quite busy...mixing and stirring on the stove top {piano bench}

there's baking food in big oven...{or the ikea spinny bubble chair}

in the end, in all their prep work, i get a little work done in between the tasting and the pretend eating...

calm

2011-02-02T08:23:00.000-05:00

in the midst of a house full of chaos and an outside full of blizzardy icy ick...sofia found her calm...and it's really stinking cute!

i'm sure at some point soon, that finger sucking will annoy me, but for now, she's finding her calm. sheeeeewwwwwww.

helper

2011-02-01T08:32:00.002-05:00

with the older 3 in school 3 afternoons a week, i actually have sofia alone, which is so nice. one of the things she has gotten big time into is "being mommy's helper".

i do love having a helper around...

she's not only cute but she loves doing the helping...

i mean...who cares that in the end all the flat ware, and anything else for that matter end up in the silverware drawer...

because a happy helper is a loving helper. woo hooo!

not me monday

2011-01-31T14:46:00.000-05:00

a few things me and the fam DID NOT do this last week...

i DID NOT pie the assistant high school principal on thursday night at the hs. paige DID NOT have the winning ticket and flip out then refuse to go up and pie mr naas. i DID NOT take one for the kid...i DID NOT feel like a weirdo, but i DID NOT have a blast doing it!

i DID NOT blog every single week day this last week and i AM NOT sooooo glad to be reconnecting with my bloggy friends and fam.

i DID NOT unclog 2 toilets in 5 minutes this week. i DID NOT think that having girls would be better in this arena than having boys, but apparently 3 and 5 year old girls do NOT have the craziest poo instances in the world!

brooke's urinalysis DID NOT come back completely clear with no traces of e coli or any bacteria for the first time in almost 2 years! we are NOT ever so grateful for that progress.

i DID NOT teach anchorsaway...a super awesome program for hs seniors going out into the world about their faith in God and in the Bible. i am NOT ever so blessed to have like 30 more students in my life. wow.

i DID NOT fix the most amazing meal eva...that required absolutely dump and run...and the fam was NOT amazed at my talent! it's like walking tacos in a flour shell, so i call them "sitting enchildas". post to follow soon.

sofia DID NOT jump up on stage at the rock, our hs ministry house, and start teaching to the hs students on friday this last week. she DID NOT say, "jesus is fun. he loves us. jesus is a shotty."

i DID NOT sit in paige's truck while she was scraping off the snow and ice...i DID NOT do it with a smile and in the heat. it was NOT awesome!

sofia DID NOT poop in her diaper...take the poo out of her diaper and dump it in the toilet. she DID NOT miss a big wad of a piece on the floor in her room...which she DID NOT step in and then proceed to smear off the bottom of her foot all over the wood floor. i DID NOT walk in to see her with a wad of poo in her hand saying "look mommy, i helping you clean up." i DO NOT love bleach...and hate that poo still is an issue in my life.

and hubs DID NOT spend lots of time chilling with little man...b's birth bro. soooo cute!

the thorn...

2011-01-28T09:15:00.001-05:00

poor hubs...he's the only guy (the thorn) in and amongst all us girlies (roses), but i have to say, he totally loves being the thorn.

he kicks in and just enjoys all his "daddy's girls"...i think i might have the lead, though, with paige and i'm holding on by a thread!

i even let him pose for pics like this...even though i did all the baking with the girls and he stepped in for a quick shot at the last minute.

i mean, all in all, he deserves it because in this house of roses...

if someone isn't crying
someone has just finishing crying
or someone is just about to start

hormones galore...and one man to stabilize us all. poor guy.

mmmmm....baking time

2011-01-28T08:59:00.000-05:00

one of the best things about having little girlies is that they LOVE to help in the kitchen and baking is the master of bonding mommas and kids world round!

i'm certain that in jada's adult life, food prep will be involved. this girl loves food and anything meticulous {which i hate} she loves to do in the kitchen!

brooke is the "engineering" mind in the kitchen...why does this work this way and how many cookies can i fit on this roll out.

and sofia...well, she's the cute end of the deal who just eats.

we prepped and baked...and laughed along the way...

they did a really great job...i mean, wow!

and jada says, "mom, take my picture with the cookies because i am the best cooker in the world and i want to remember it."

and in typical form, my blood sugar went low, hubs popped in at the end to help and he got in the pics with the girlies.

so much fun!!! and i love that in spite of us not being gourmets, we make the best rolled cookie dough cookies in the world.

oh, you don't believe me? just ask jada!

her wish

2011-01-27T00:09:00.002-05:00

me: jada, if you had one wish right now...what would it be?

jada: hold on mom, i will show you all of it.

me: how do you show a wish?

jada: just wait...

{she scampers off in the other room...rumbles are heard..paper is being crunched}

me: honey, what are you doing?

jada: i'm making you my wish. you will have to wait.

{more crumples...then the refrig opens...the silverware drawer and the pantry open}

all i can think is...this is NOT going to be good.

i hear a toilet seat pop up in the bathroom...

me: sofia, is that you in the bathroom?

jada: nope, that's me.

me: aren't you working on your wish?

jada: yeah.

me: but in you are in the bathroom.

jada: of course, mom!

she re-enters the room...proudly holds her hands out and says,

"this is my wish".

it was this...tuna fish, in a can.

then she says, "oh, this is really fish, right mom? because that is my one wish. to eat fish. can we eat fish? i mean, the fish in the can. what's it called again?"

wow...that's a kid who loves food. one wish and she goes for the generic store brand tuna fish.

she's really embracing the new budget. good kid.

the infamous mickey mouse party

2011-01-26T00:18:00.004-05:00

i have never had a kid more in love with mickey mouse in my entire life...

sofia literally sees those stinking ears in the world all around!

so it was only natural that she would BEG for a mickey mouse birthday celebration...

and then the flu hit this house. and hit again and again.

but the birthday must go on...and on before nana and papa head to the sunshine-y place for a smidge. so on the party went...or the dinner with dq ice cream cake, fun plates and napkins.

the great thing about sofia is that she has hubs attitude on most things...so merely having anything at all with mickey mouse on it, well, that made it the most perfect party ever.

add the nana and papa factor in and well, life was more than complete for sof. everyone knows when nana is coming there are gifts not far behind...usually in papa's arms!

i guess you can see by the face...she was delighted!

in absolute awe of the mickey cake...and to think i was going to put effort in making her a cake in the shape of his head. i'm so glad she loved this one!

oh, and as i type this (definitely 11 days later), i remember, i don't think we even gave her a gift. well, i guess we should get on that.

wow...mom of the year, again. and she still loves me.

it's wordful wednesday...come play along!

innocence

2011-01-25T13:26:00.000-05:00

in loving i heart faces...i'm totally offering up sofia this week...

innocent wonder

do you think she really thought i didn't see her eating the cooking dough??

sofia is what??

2011-01-25T11:18:00.000-05:00

where has all the time gone?? i mean, we started this blog when sofia was in utero to keep everyone updated on her progress...and mine. how in the world has that been three years ago??

well, it has...and our sweet little 3 pounder has grown up to be a spunky, smart, chatty, ever moving 21 pounder at 3 years old.

how do they go from this...

to this full grown little tidbit of full blown energy??

the Lord has certainly blessed us with way more than we could ever have imagined...sofia in and of herself was a pure miracle.

{infertile...i scoff at your "infertile" words...at almost 40, pre-menopausal and very, very surprised}

so happy bday {like a week or more late} sofia...you are treasured, you are loved...and your mom has too much on her plate and you being the 4th kiddo get all the cuddles right now, but the late birthday post on the blog!

not me monday

2011-01-10T11:17:00.000-05:00

a few things me and the fam DID NOT do the last week {or so}...

the fam DID NOT get together with the ungerer's to play games and watch the colts {epic fail}. this insane game that starts with "qui" or something was NOT almost the death of me.

we DID NOT make up two bday parties for sofia so far this last week so we could enjoy dairy queen ice cream cake...and we DID NOT eat it both times. we are NOT planning a party on friday this week either...

the fam and 15 other high school students DID NOT go downtown in indy at 7am christmas morning to serve the homeless and make them christmas dinner in a parking lot, sing christmas carols and give out backpacks full of necessities. it was NOT the best christmas morning we have ever had.

a homeless man on christmas morn DID NOT ask me to give a cookie to my kiddos from him so he could give his one and only christmas present of the day. i DID NOT cry...and the kiddos DID NOT think that was the coolest gift they had ever gotten.

while drinking my coffee, i DID NOT notice sofia crawling up on the center island...no diaper on. when i asked why, she DID NOT respond, "i just wanted to put my bare butt on the counter."

sofia DID NOT make it through to midnight on new year's eve whilst dancing the jig, singing and moving constantly to ensure she DID NOT fall asleep.

while playing the infamous "q" game, i DID NOT have to write a 5 line poem about karen then sing it in opera style...nor did i have to dance the ballet in the hallway, in front of everyone. i DID NOT almost pee myself doing the tutu hops and leaps.

i DID NOT get the awesome honor of attending passion 2011 in atlanta with 19 of my college students and a few other staff. i was NOT 15 years the elder of the youngest person there...

i DO NOT want to kiss beth moore, francis chan, louie giglio, john piper, andy stanley and so many others for bringing the gospel to us...to make jesus famous and not themselves. dude, they have it. they really have it.

i DID NOT find sofia in the buff dancing around {see a pattern?} saying, "i don't have my clothes on! i don't have my clothes on!"

we DID NOT celebrate new years eve with some awesome folks...and i was NOT dead by almost 9pm for some reason. we DID NOT have a blast just chilling out and talking all night.

brooke was NOT driving her remote control car around the house while she was on the toilet...she DID NOT think it was uber funny to run the car into people and for them not to see her.

on new years eve, when i told jada she needed to toast with someone, then sip and move on, she DID NOT say, "what's the point in that? i mean, why can't i just drink it all? it's mine, right?"

i have NOT gotten to totally hang out with so many of my college students while they were home for break...it was NOT awesome!!! and did i mention that they were almost all serving the homeless along side us on christmas morning??

i DID NOT sleep through my alarm on saturday morning to take a load of my student impact students to the andy project. i am NOT totally humiliated and angry with myself. grrrr....

i DID NOT watch one of my fav students ever fall down 3 steps at passion, laugh and walk the other way asking if anyone knew her. i would NEVER do that...that would be a bad leader.

i DID NOT look at my twitter feed to see that during ryan's bball game she was twittering interesting dog facts on my account.

brooke DID NOT lose her tooth while vomiting with the flu. when i asked how that happened, she said, "i was just puking and BAM, it flew out. amazing." ewwwww.

i DID NOT find a pair of boys whitey tighties in my couch while cleaning after christmas...i DID NOT get giggly when i saw the little wall-e's...which i knew belonged to my nephew.

i DID NOT just find sofia eating a bag of white chocolate chips from the pantry...when i walked around the corner, she DID NOT stuff a handful in her mouth! she is NOT a big old stinker!

merry christmas to you

2010-12-23T04:34:00.001-05:00

awesome friends and a dinner party

2010-12-22T16:29:00.000-05:00

one of the best friends i have ever had in this life is my fav miss stacy...she's got the southern flair...and in indiana, it's hard to find! she is a precious little gem in this world i live in...{she does avoid the camera like no other though}

for one...she makes the BEST derby pie you will ever eat. i mean, knock you down and set you back, kinda derby pie.

for two...she's got her life in order. i mean, not like everything done and perfect, but her life in order. her lord is first...and it shows. her girlies are awesome...the kind of kids you want your kids to be friends with.

three...well, she loves coffee. loves to chat. loves to think and create....and she's just a good friend.

but the other day, i discovered one more thing i love about my friend, stacy...she can put on a dinner party like no other.

there were 4 couples...and stacy did it all up herself. did we eat on paper or normal plates? no way! china! real china! all of us have little kids and haven't seen china in a while and we were so excited!

we drank wine and ate some pre-dinner appetizers that she had made up...the snowman cheeseball was a HUGE hit!!

then, came the dinner...it was a SODA theme. everything that was made was done with soda in it...and amazing!!

shrimp, avacado and grapefruit salad {with grapefruit soda}. recipe HERE.

dr pepper brisket...the sauce was to DIE for! like amazing. recipe HERE

there were mashed potatoes and glazed carrots that were somehow made with soda pop too!

oh, and a real soda bottle with syrups to made real sodas...i mean, over the top!!!

dessert was over the top...so good, i didn't even take a picture bc i was eating it too fast!! and of course, there were two!!!!

anyway, today, i'm thankful for my buddy stacy...she's not only super fun and a great friend, but a sister in christ that i'm really, really glad i get to share life with.

my only regret for the night...not taking pics of everything! we all had such a good time...so fun to be a real adult!

tradition and fun

2010-12-16T09:56:00.001-05:00

we love to decorate around these parts at christmas time...and there seems to be no lack of helpers, either!

but when my SIL meg {www.megandtheboys.blogspot.com} comes from colorado to visit, there's even more help...and way more fun to go along with it!

it was a "new tree" look this year...and boy, was it fun!!!

it all started with my desire to have a tree that looked like the girlies...hot pink and green...and it took off!!!

walmart delivered with NON BREAKABLE ornaments that were super fab and cheap...spiced up a little with ribbon for hanging and...bazaam!

and then, the FAIRIES!!!! oh my word...the fairies!!!! thank you tj maxx!

there's always the "star" and how brooke fights to be the one to put it on...she won this year, again. stinker.

and somehow, there's still not a single pic of me with the fam or the tree...such is life.
i did grab this super fab shot of the hubs...donning the garland.

i'm pretty happy with it...i dream of the day that i can decorate my house without the worry of zeus or the girlies trying to consume any part of the decor. for now, i'll do with a cute tree in a vaguely decorated house.

good thing i love these girlies!

and they all rallied around for a volunteer pick...how awesome!

some sugar, some spice, but not all the same

2010-12-14T10:46:00.000-05:00

i got to keep my awesome nephews for a few days...and lemme tell you, boys are so much different than girlies...but oh so cute!

i love how boys always start things in a more "normal" way...

but it just gets too boring...i mean, eating a snack while watching tv with your cousins and sitting in a chair SEAT is just too, well, normal.

so my finn...he just changes it up a little

seems perfectly reasonable...and don't you just love that sofia is trying to ham it up in every single pic??

another thing i learned having my 1 year old nephew, rowan, here...sofia is very clearly suppose to be the baby of the family. she started in on "he not your baby mommy, i your baby."

i mean, who wouldn't want to cuddle that little bundle?

the best

2010-12-02T07:29:00.000-05:00

i have found the one and only thing i strongly desire for christmas...

a real lens coffee mug! i mean, seriously awesome!

the fun...continues

2010-12-01T17:10:00.000-05:00

who knew 7 years ago our fam would look the way it does now? i mean, it has changed so much...and with brooke's bmom, brit, having a baby boy, jordan, we have our boy!!!

finally i get some little little guy time...and it's so special bc it's b's birth brother. and brooke could not be more proud of him!!! {me too, btw}

i mean, i have to be the very best in the world faux grandma-auntie d in the whole world. i mean, i don't really know what i'm called, but i do know this. i am blessed.

not me monday

2010-11-30T10:02:00.000-05:00

a few things me and the fam DID NOT do this last week...

i DID NOT return the bb flip hubs got and and replace it with a super fab samsung galaxy android phone...hubs is NOT super jealous of all it does and i am NOT, for the very first time, the leader in phone technology in the fam!

while on potty break with finn, rowan and sofia, sofia DID NOT discover that boys {or at least finn} are made a little different. she DID NOT yell at him for standing up and trying to pee, saying "you will make a big mess. sit down!!!" finn DID NOT stare at her like she was crazy and take his time.

my life is NOT more complete with a "find a starbucks" app on my phone...where the locators are grande starbucks cups.

i DID NOT decide to take 4 children {2-2 year olds, a 12 month old and a 7 year old} to the OT office on monday. we DID NOT clear the waiting room playing legos and police. i was NOT exhausted after just keeping tabs on who was where and who was eating what. i DID NOT love every single second, though, of having awesome time with my nephews, finn and rowan.

brooke DID NOT barf when her birth brother, jordan, spit up on her. she was NOT gagging for minutes...we were NOT all laughing at her.

i DID NOT find a completely buff sofia in the kitchen saying, "i put my poopy in the potty mommy"...from that, i DID NOT go searching for the lost pull up and poo. i DID NOT find a pile 'o poo next to the toilet, in the hallway and in the toilet...with the pull up sitting closeby. when i asked, sofia DID NOT say, "mommy, you said to put the poopy in the toilet, not in my diaper. i did that. {insert greasy grin}". my potty training skills are NOT being taxed by one, little miss sofia.

my hubs DID NOT randomly send me a fab love letter declaring his love for me and our family. i DID NOT get all giggly thinking about how happy i am that he's so hot and thoughtful all wrapped into one package. i am NOT the luckiest girl in the world...

i DID NOT take out of the house at 930pm on thanksgiving to head to toys r us for a killer deal on pillow pets {with hubs, meaghan and jon} to find a line about 200 yards long in the freezing weather with a wind like 25 mph. we DID NOT drive around giggling at the people who would stand in line to save $30 then head to a warm mc d's for diet cokes and sweet teas.

we DID NOT try very , very hard to do a large ehaus fam portrait. we DID NOT have a very hard time getting 6 little ones under 7 to do what was needed...and it was NOT worse getting the adults to do their thing. brooke and/or jack DID NOT have their tongue out in every single picture we took...i am NOT frustrated that my own fam {as a photographer} can't seem to get a decent picture!

my student impact girls bible study was NOT flipping amazing...we DID NOT stand in the kitchen at the rock, chat, drink coffee and hot chocolate and laugh and just "BE" together. it is NOT amazing to see the work of God in the very small things in life.

i DID NOT design a new and improved dhaus photography logo...i am NOT hoping it's fun and amazing...and NOT eye catching or memorable, of course.

i DID NOT have to pay $50 {as a photographer} for mildly crappy and corny preschool pics bc jada DID NOT lose her picture package. it was NOT discovered 3 days after the last due date to be located in her friends backpack. why you ask...well, simple...because "mia is my best friend and i wanted her to have all my pictures." well, mia, hope you enjoyed them...and jada, thanks for sharing, but seriously! $50!!!

the pharmacist DID NOT say, "oh my, you are back again today?" i am NOT sick of all the ickys and sickies! i DO NOT want a de-germinator in this house and county!

my nephew, finn, DID NOT call me mommy...and i DID NOT say, "finn, i'm auntie d, not mommy." he DID NOT reply with "i know that, but for now, i think i will just call you mommy. it's easier." he is NOT 2 years old!!

all here...no, really!

2010-11-27T14:25:00.000-05:00

we're at hubs fam's house and like for the first time in years, we are all together...so we tried pics. it kinda worked...

there's a whole bunch of others that are hilarious...some are just plain annoying, but honestly, we're all still together!

happy post thanksgiving weekend...and gear up for that christmas holiday season.

innocence

2010-11-17T11:20:00.000-05:00

when i asked b what happened to her face, she said...

"i was just sitting there, reading a book and BAM!! i notice jada is coloring my face."

when i asked about her legs...

"well, i guess she's sneakier than i thought. wow, mom...jada should really be in trouble."

i know i look tired, but do i also look like a total idiot?

not me monday...month

2010-11-15T11:10:00.000-05:00

a few things me and the fam DID NOT do the last, well sadly, month...

sofia DID NOT have a snotty nose, start blowing a snot bubble and notice all the adults around were utterly grossed out. the snot bubble DID NOT get larger and then smaller...and when the "oooouuuuueeewwww" got loud, she DID NOT turn around, smile a huge smile and lick it with her tongue on the bottom of the bubble and giggle as loud as she could. she is NOT a handful!

i have NOT been super busy with photography and have NOT been uber happy with all the awesome fams i've met. it has NOT been so much fun to add to the family with income again after soooo long!

while working out with my trainer, dawn, sofia was NOT playing fetch with her dog, muffin...when muffin returned the ball, sofia DID NOT put her foot on top of the ball, look right in muffin's eyes and say, "what do you think about that one now, mr. wagster?" i DID NOT proceed to spit my entire mouth of water across the room.

brooke DID NOT master all of her sight words with a new process the special ed teacher has been using, along with us and her tutor...it adds tactile cues and sign language. i DID NOT do a happy dance for b when she got them all...and we DID NOT celebrate huge!

jada DID NOT pray outloud that God would forgive our sins and for us "making the worst choices ever that land us in our rooms."

paige DID NOT have a few weeks softball free...she DID NOT sleep all the flipping time and prep up for a big season that is yet to come.

we DID NOT eat at yogi's at IU's campus this last weekend...i was NOT served my diet coke in a pitcher with a straw. i DID NOT almost tear up with joy and admiration of an establishment that understood the need for diet coke served properly!

sof DID NOT say to her pretend bf on the broken cell phone, "boyfriend was being nasty to me mommy." She DID NOT get back on her princess cell and tell him 'hey boyfriend, you respect me or I punch you.'

sofia DID NOT pee and poop on the froggy potty...and hubs DID NOT leave it there whilst i was at a photo shoot. when i returned home, i DID NOT ask why zeus was scouring in the potty...i was NOT told "no worries, zeus has cleaned it all up...but oh, man, sick, gross! {insert gag} zeus ate the turd! he ate the turd!!"

paige DID NOT ask all day "do you think zeus has pooped the poop yet?"

while we were reading "lazarus get up", sofia DID NOT ask why he died and then came back to life. i DID NOT explain that it was a miracle that jesus performed. brooke DID NOT say "well, i guess he learned his lesson. he should have gotten a flu shot."

sof DID NOT ask to call nana and ask her a question..."nana, can you please buy me all the toys i see on tv that are fun?"

when i sent sofia to her room for a nap, for the 3rd time, she DID NOT slam the door and say, "mommy, you are a big, fat meany head." re-open the door, slam door. re-open the door. slam door. i DO NOT have my hand full with a 2 1/2 year old, strong willed child.

jada DID NOT say to sofia, 'if you don't eat your chicken or share, then santa puts you on the naughty list. and that is REAL LIFE sofia."

face first

2010-11-05T11:02:00.001-04:00

sofia has a few major loves in her life.

mommy and daddy {i mean, like we are SOOOO cool}

mickey mouse

and donuts...

{i also add screaming and calling her sister's names, but we're focusing on the good stuff for now}

you have to love a girl who just goes all out on what she likes...

sofia lives for donuts...i mean, like i'm pretty sure she dreams about eating them at starbucks...the old fashion donuts, that is. no stinking little baby cake donut for her!

...and i mean, the girl knows how to enjoy the flipping donut!

i'm gonna go face first into the icing {or cup} on my coffee...i'll def not be posting that picture, btw.

gone...like really, gone

2010-10-14T12:46:00.000-04:00

where have i been? well, you asked.

it's been one of those "seasons" in life here lately. i'm bogged down with so many "to do's" and kiddos and softball and photography and working out and friends getting sick and life's struggles...you must know what i'm talking about. surely i'm not the only one.

i look back at the end of the day and i see a flurry of activity...i see my kids fed, my smiling husband, my messy house, the unwashed laundry and the dishes stacked to the ceiling in the sink and i think, "what did i accomplish?". i mean, i did something today, right?!

i have this thing that constantly gets in the way...it's called ME. and sometimes i even refer to it as MY LIFE. it plain gets in the way of what's real. what's important. what's good.

i get overwhelmed with the always low balance of the checking account. i get ticked off that my friend out of nowhere has a 8 1/2 hour surgery for cancer and she has a 3 and 1 year old that just have no idea and a husband who is trying to take it all in and on. i see myself and think, where am i going wrong.

i know this is kinda a brain dump, but i just was thinking {and i do mean "JUST" was thinking}, i can not be the only one. i mean, my life is pretty good. i want water...i go the sink. i need bread...i go to the store. my kids get sick...i go to the doctor.

so why is it that life just gets in the way? i think it's because we forget what's first. what's most important...i mean, this whole "doing it on your own" crap the world feeds us is, well...crap! we aren't meant to do this alone.

i love jesus...i mean, i serve him in so many ways. i teach a girls bible study, i lead a college small group, i preach to junior high and high school kids at church, i am a leader of student impact and i make a difference. i know that. i spread the love and the gospel of jesus christ.

but ME gets in the way. why? well, because when i don't continuously seek HIM first and HIS kingdom, it just doesn't work out. i mean, the bible tells me that clearly in matthew 6. its says this...

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?

Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.

If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.

{wait for it...because here it comes baby}

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

matthew 6:25-34.

so, i guess i'm dumping a little here to remind myself that in all that i do...there's really only one thing that really matters. i can be a great mom. i can cook great meals. i can lead my children. i can teach God's word. i can be a humble wife. i can be a valued friend.

but none of it matters if if i don't seek HIS kingdom {not mine} and HIS righteousness FIRST {not even second or as an afterthought}. first. because when i don't, i make me my faith. i make me my religion. i make me my idol. and well, that's no stinking good at all.

so i'm off to not worry about tomorrow and seek...seek...seek.

and that's where i've been. gone. like, really gone. aren't you glad you asked?

giggle bunny

2010-10-06T10:32:00.000-04:00

sofia is in this giggle bunny phase...where she loves to be tickled and that leads to contagious giggles and grins.

location of the tickle-fest is never an issue...i mean, tickling is for everywhere. even on the driveway...

but the result is always the same...

uber cuteness all around!

hanging at 5 minutes for mom.

parades and all

2010-10-05T09:21:00.000-04:00

being a kid is awesome bc even when the parade in your home town for homecoming is totally lame, you think it's perfect...

why? bc you are with your friends...

they throw candy...free candy!!!

and when else do you get to scream and run around begging for people to give you a hat?

why not? and in the end...it's still fun bc it's YOUR hometown and that's what makes it fun.

not me monday

2010-10-04T08:44:00.000-04:00

a few things me and the fam DID NOT do this week...

hubs DID NOT get a special little souvenir from our france trip...it was NOT a 50euro speeding ticket for 117 in a 100!

sofia DID NOT decide to help mop...she DID NOT make it into the hallway before i DID NOT figure out that the water on the mop was from the toilet. our floors have NOT ever been mopped faster!

i DID NOT workout in the rain outside for my saturday boot camp for over an hour. i DO NOT loathe being soaked in the rain. and it was NOT only 50 some odd degrees either.

brooke was NOT telling me and brit {her bmom} a story on friday whilst in the middle she DID NOT scream "squirrel" and point and then continue right on. it DID NOT prove to us that in fact she is NOT the dog from UP! in real life!

jada was NOT so tired from us playing before preschool that she DID NOT fall asleep on the 5 minute ride in the car TO preschool.

i DID NOT have an epic alarm failure on wednesday morn for my fav thing...student impact...i DID NOT wake up when there was 10 minutes left. i DID NOT catch all kinds of slack from all the students.

the hot tub cover DID NOT come in after much anticipation. we have NOT enjoyed the awesomeness of the hot tub almost every night since!!! i am NOT still flipping out that java ate a hole in the cover that has successfully cost us $350!!!

hubs and i DID NOT get an espresso maker to enjoy doubles at home. we have NOT been having espresso after dinner each night...and we have NOT been loving it!

brooke DID NOT ask me how me and hubs chose her to adopt this week. when i told her the story she DID NOT say "well that's nice. where are we eating?"

while looking for shoes at the second hand store, sofia DID NOT pull out a sparkly red pair of princess looking shoes and scream, "oh my gosh! these are mickey's girlfriend's! you know, minnie mouse's shoes!" we DID NOT buy the shoes for $3!

sofia is NOT in a new "sing as loud as you can" phase. when hubs asked her to quiet down a little, she DID NOT say, "dad, i singing to jesus. it's suppose to be loud." hubs DID NOT decide she was right and let her sing her heart out.

no school day...

2010-10-01T09:09:00.000-04:00

the non-high school kiddos got wednesday off this week for teacher conferences...no school means kiddos whining around about not having anything to do and fighting over the tv and who can go where.

enter my friend, stacy!! she's awesome at little kid stuff...and the kids love it too.

so we all headed over to a park close-by where they have an active archeological dig and tons of trails.

everywhere we walked, we were asking the girls if they could find stuff from the indians...and boy, did the creativity fly!!! limbs became canoe paddles, shells became food dishes, and the kiddos started really getting into it!

i'm not much of a history buff, but there is a ton of indian artifacts and they have uncovered saber tooth tiger teeth and wooly mammoth horns, which is pretty cool.

proving that kids are like their parents, jada's one question of the day after looking at the archeological finds....

"why would these indians break all their pretty stuff up and bury it in the ground. it just makes no sense."

yep...we learned a lot. :)

sadness falls...

2010-09-29T11:08:00.000-04:00

when paige and austin were getting pics for homecoming, sofia was jacked up...she was saying, "i go dance wif you, austin."

as paige and austin made their way to the car to load up, sofia yells, "wait, i need to get my seat. my car seat, austin. i need my seat."

reality started to set in that she wasn't going along...and the eyes started to swell and get all red and puffy...

...and then, sadness fell. it fell hard!!!

and like any woman in love, she chased that car all the way to the end of the street begging him to take her.

it's ok...she learned a really good lesson. when you learn that boys ARE stupid {{boys are scum...kick them and run}}, we unite as women.

we went to DQ...with daddy too...the only real man who will not break your heart!

makenzi and beks

2010-09-28T00:35:00.002-04:00

one of the great things about being a photographer is capturing the beauty that sometimes people never take time to see. i mean, even in people we so often overlook their beauty...

i love doing shoots for people i adore...and my students, well, they are my fav!! i love that we do life together and then we get to do pics together too! so two of my all time favs did senior pics recently and i just had to share them with you all...bekah and makenzi.

they are gorgeous on the outside for sure...and they both are lovers of jesus. they serve others fervently. they show the love of christ in their normal, every day lives.

are their lives perfect? nope. it's full of divorce. pain. mom's with breast cancer. family struggles.

but does it stop them from being who they are in christ? not one bit.

"for we are created in christ jesus"...and they know it. they live it. they inspire me.

love you girls!!!

not me monday

2010-09-27T08:31:00.000-04:00

a few things that me and fam DID NOT do this week...

paige DID NOT play in a softball tournament all day, head home and transform into a homecoming pretty lady saturday night.

austin and paige DID NOT look really cute...and me and hubs were NOT a little, well, WOW at how big our little girl has become. i mean, sophomore! really?!

ryan DID NOT have a convo with austin prior to him leaving with his baby girl...

sofia DID NOT start screaming when she discovered that she was not part of the dance...she DID NOT start wailing and chase the car down the court.

i DID NOT do 3 bootcamp workouts this week and a flipping spin class. my booty does NOT feel like i rode 327 miles on a bike. i am NOT ready to have the body of a supermodel with all the work i put in.

brooke DID NOT kick open paige's bathroom stall door at bw's the other night. b DID NOT giggle so loud that you couldn't hear paige's screams.

lipgloss can NOT solve the world's problems...i'm just saying that obama could really use some. it makes the girlies smile, even when there's shots involved.

my girlies DID NOT teach me so much about the love of Jesus this week by just being them. we DID NOT read john 14;1-14 and at the end, they all prayed. Sof said "Dear Jesus. Love. House. Never leave me. Not scared. Amen." i DID NOT think that she totally got it!!!

sof DID NOT sport a total image while playing outside...she was NOT on a "conference call for a bible study" and i was not to "interrupt" her.

i am NOT feeling like i need more france...i am NOT baking all my bread fresh now and am turning into a julia childs, listening for the cracking. and i DO NOT need more espresso and eiffel tower either...just saying.

...and then there's more

2010-09-23T07:45:00.000-04:00

if you are tired of hearing about france, you'll have to pardon me...

but seriously, i have some awesome pics to share!!!

isn't it great to walk down this street to go and get your toothpaste??? i mean, seriously!!!

and then, right next to the toothpaste, you find this awesome and amazing piece of furniture!

...and look...there's even a little note on it about me!!

and then, there's the buildings...my fav, of course, are these wooden ones. they are literally swayed so far to the side that you can see how NOT upright they are!

streets...well, hard to walk in heels on, but awesome!

and when you are high up...the views:

my fav part, tho...i kept running into this way too hot guy every where. so awesome!

it worked out!

{{forego the terrible picture in the hotel room...but it's the best we could do.}}

oh the wonderful things you can do... francias

2010-09-22T12:23:00.000-04:00

so there's a few things i know for sure after being in france.

they are smart...bc they totally understand the imperial, majestic quality of good coffee {espresso}. i mean, any day you can start with a double shot of espresso in a fab ceramic micro mug with a croissant and fresh squeezed juice is FABULOUS!!!

the eating and drinking in france is an all together experience...it's not about speed and getting the whole thing over...it's about the beauty of the establishment, the friendliness of the one waiter and one chef...it's about the perfectly fresh, made that day bread which is unmeasurably fantastic and we flipping need to do here in the states!!!

at this place, one of our favs on ile st-louis, an island of sorts in the middle os paris, was this fab german/french restaurant. how many people work there? 2...the chef and the waiter...sometimes the chef's hubs shows up to clear or reset a table, but 2!

see the chef in the pic? yep, we were sitting right on the other side of the serving bar. she fresh cooks each dish as it's ordered. ryan has beef bourguignon, and i had côtelette d'agneau au four, baked lamb cutlets.

and of course, you see all those glasses, yep, we had us some wine and some apertifs and then, of course, coffee!

even a lunch that is considered "fast" takes an hour to eat...and boy, the food is so good, you WANT it to take an hour!!

and still...no skimping on the style and decor

and you always get the view too! ahhhh, the view!

it's just fun to have the whole dining experience. we walked to and from dinner bc that's what you do. the 45 minute walk is definitely a relationship builder and it makes the dinner more personal. and the views of the streets along the way are just stunning...everywhere you look is more history, more beauty, something new you've never seen before. it's just all part of taking the whole thing in. awesome.

and it's also part of finding the place where you will have your drinks before dinner, bc, again, it's just what you do. and i mean, who doesn't want to have happy hour in this place???

and at the end of the day, the meal is over, you and your lover are refreshed and renewed, you get to take the subway to la Tour Eiffel and sit in the park and enjoy the peace, the beauty, the awe and the twinkling.

i have a new fav place to be...and it's def in france with hubs. more than amazing...more than peaceful...more than rebuilding...just plain awesome.

not me monday

2010-09-20T11:43:00.000-04:00

a few things me and the fam DID NOT do the last, well, month or so...

i DID NOT fall off the blogging earth lately for school, softball, travel and, well life.

my doctor DID NOT report to me this week that i had lost 17 pounds since march...and i DID NOT say "take that boot camp...i'm beating you". i'm not proud of myself for all my hard work.

i DID NOT get to jump a plane and take a vacation with ryan to france while he was on a business trip to paris and rennes, france.

the trip was NOT the best, most relaxing vacation of my flipping life...and there was no beach. can you believe it?

while walking up the steps at sacre couer (the highest point in paris...and a beautiful church atop), there was NOT a man playing a harp with our wedding march when we walked by...it was NOT one of the most romantic things of my life.

paris was NOT the most beautiful place...it was NOT sincerely the city of love.

even a little city street can NOT be simply gorgeous and romantic...and we DID NOT have a fab time just having our aperitif right here!!! {for real}

i DID NOT realize that i have almost NO pictures of the girls bc i've been actually focusing on me and ryan and france...sad, but for once, it's true.

but the kids are NOT still totally precious...and even more so since we got back and spent time alone.

paiger DID NOT make team akadema 95...a college showcase fastpitch softball A team. it was NOT her dream to make this team and she is NOT having a total blast playing on such a great team. she is NOT playing center field and rocking it out.

brooke DID NOT ride her bike into a mailbox on our cul de sac sunday evening...and she was NOT fairly proud of the battle wound on her rib. she is NOT a trip.

jada DID NOT pee on her bedroom floor while we were in paris and totally blame the dog...she was NOT caught in her fib by good old auntie christin and brittany. she DID NOT have a time out and some major clean up to do.

sofia and i DID NOT have a moon launch this last week from the sandbox in the backyard. we DID NOT make a birthday cake for santa, who does apparently live on the moon in the off season.

sof DID NOT pray at dinner "dear jesus. thank u. i really love u. thanks family. amen'. i was NOT overwhelmed with the most sincere love and emotion at that point. i DID NOT look up to see paige and ryan were feeling the very same thing.

i DID NOT tell sofia i had to go to the doctor...she DID NOT respond with, "why mom, does your butt really hurt?" i DID NOT think that was worthy of going to the doctor, but did thank her for her thoughts.

i was NOT in total withdrawal in france bc i did not have my laptop or wifi most of the time. i DID NOT have total twitter loss...apparently, i can survive without wifi...but only with the aid of espresso, croissants, lots of sleep and the eiffel tower.

please do NOT come and see me again...i will NOT be talking about paris forever and posting pics for the next week!!!

outside dining

2010-08-31T00:26:00.001-04:00

i love the creative and imaginative minds of kids...i mean, i don't like the messes that come with the imagination.

sofia is all about imaginary everything right now...her babies are always crying and need food or diapers, there's always food to be cooked or prepared, and there's definitely a lot of cleaning to be done.

{i have no idea where she gets any of these ideas, btw}

the sandbox is a great place to hang out and get some outdoor cooking, and dining done! and when jada's home, she joins right in, bc she's the "cooker" in the fam!

when the bowls and spoons come out...there's entree's galore, and of course, starbucks to drink.

and two cooks in the outdoor kitchen...wow, there's food flying everywhere!

mixing and cutting...

filling and washing...measuring.

and the fun is always super duper messy...but it's all just FUN.

not me monday

2010-08-30T10:24:00.000-04:00

a few things me and the fam DID NOT do this last week...

i DID NOT get what i've been asking for...i DID NOT have 4 scheduled shoots in 3 days and i am NOT thrilled to see that my work is really getting noticed...finallly.

jada DID NOT say in the car on friday night, "have you noticed that i am the only brown person in this family?"

hubs DID NOT respond with, "jada, i believe i have the oddest part in this fam bc i am def the only man."

i DID NOT add, "paige is the only one with a different last name, brooke is the only one with a bio baby brother, and sofia is the only one with a bio link to daddy and me. i guess we're all just different. and well, different is good. different is us."

i DID NOT have a total blast with 2 of my most fav high school girlies ever on a duo shoot saturday. we DID NOT take an air conditioning break in the historical museum and fina all sorts of fun things, like wooden shoes the size of new hampshire!

i also DID NOT stand guard so bekah could straighten her hair in the alcove near the elevator...i mean, a girl has to have good hair in her senior pictures!

hubs DID NOT bring the girlies to the river where i was shooting on saturday to play in the water. i DID NOT look over at some point during the shoot and see a man with his pant legs rolled up with three little girlies bouncing along int he river like ducks in a row. i DID NOT think he looked a little feminine...but soon realized that he was the best hubs in the world for just playing.

we DID NOT have a fun family dinner over the camp fire this week in the back yard...we DID NOT make pepperoni pizza pudgy pies and they were NOT awesome!!! we DID NOT have marshmallows for dessert...yummo! i DID NOT get more raves from the fam on that meal than the parmesan crusted chicken with brown rice and mixed veggie meal i made this week. i do NOT wonder why i even try sometimes.

brooke's teacher DID NOT send a note home saying, "is brooke right or left handed because she wrote half of this paper right, switched it up and finished it left. when i asked her she said, "it's just the way God made me." " brooke is NOT a true ambidextrous.

paige DID NOT have her very first practice on her new travel softball team this weekend! we are all NOT excited at all for the year for her and all the experience and exposure she will get.

hubs is NOT FINALLY taking me along a paris trip...i will NOT be in paris sometime this week and i will NOT be sipping espresso, eating crepes and taking pictures of things i have long to see since i was a very little girl. i DO NOT have so many things i want to do...and i am NOT jacked!

while doing some ministry planning only a few minutes ago, sofia DID NOT color her feet blue while i was on a phone call.

jada DID NOT decide that half way around the cul-de-sac that the "sweat on her face" was too much and lieu in of riding the bike, she would just plain walk it. i mean, why ride the bike when you can do the same thing walking it and not sweat.

i DID NOT do 3 boot camps this week...and i DID NOT limp all day saturday from the muscle pain. if i DO NOT look like a flipping super model soon i might hurt someone!!

i DID NOT turn around to find the flipping cutest puppy ever chewing my only pair of glasses!!! grrrr!

princesses and fairy tales

2010-08-27T16:01:00.000-04:00

i've always been the mom who never wanted their girls to be prissy or girly...but there are things i have learned with having 4 girlies...girls just like to be princesses. it's something they are born with...

any my girlies are no exception. the other night, hubs and i got a "show" from b, jk and s...and you guessed it, it was a princess show.

{and note...they are all smiling and loving each other. that was the "show" part for us!}

so the story goes...prince mickey kisses princesses tiana

tiana is flabbergasted.

mickey is hurt.

the end.

jordan

2010-08-17T00:03:00.004-04:00

brit, b's bmom, had jordan about 2 weeks ago now. she's just a beaming momma...and brooke, well, she's a super proud sister.

but this little guy...he's so precious i can't hardly stand it! being a faux grandma is awesome. i get to spoil him and love on him and not have to do the ate night feedings. i don't know why we don't do this always together!

and a boy...well, it's all different. with my 4 girls and no boys in sight, this little guy is getting so spoiled it's not even funny!

it's already been so incredible to see brit parent jordan and be able to still have b and jordan bond as siblings too. it's been a real gift...and i'm sure there's a lot more to come.

did i tell you he was precious???

not me monday

2010-08-16T09:38:00.000-04:00

a few things me and the fam DID NOT do this week...

baby jordan {b's birth bro} DID NOT poop in brit's hand while i was doing his photo shoot saturday. he DID NOT proceed to pee TWICE all over the place either.

brooke DID NOT come and stand next to me at the end of the day, after the birthday party and say, "mom, i really loved the party and thanks. dad said i had to come and say this and i was just trying to go to the bathroom. so thanks, mom."

paige DID NOT harf her entire freezie drink right in front of her boyfriend on friday night...3 times! she DID NOT have to miss the first day of travel tryouts on a team bc she was still harfing!!

brooke's birthday party was NOT simply a time for her friends to get together, play with zeus and each other, run around and scream and just be kids. they DID NOT follow that chaos up by nailing a pinata with a broom handle and scavenging like wolves for the prizes inside.

sofia DID NOT come into our bedroom on friday night saying, "i am big girl. i eat food. drink juice. jordan...he a baby. he can't eat real food." it was NOT 12:30am when she had this revelation...

i DID NOT do the one thing a photographer NEVER does...i DID NOT delete a flash card without checking to make sure all the pics were downloaded. i DID NOT delete all of b's birthday pics like a loser mom and NOT a pro photographer. i {hubs} DID NOT have to do a file recovery and the files are NOT just fine now on the computer. i am NOT an absolute idiot.

i DID NOT drive by "mr dan's hot dogs" and have a total flashback to childhood. i DID NOT text my dad and ask if we ate there to find out that we did...and dan DID NOT change the name in the 70s from gay dan's to his new name. i DO NOT think he made a really good decision on that change.

jada DID NOT say "i really just need to do this alone with you, mom. i really think sofia just doesn't get it sometimes."

i DID NOT do a 3 hour a photo shoot in 100 degree weather of one of the cutest, sweetest girls ever! in spite of the heat, it was NOT one of the best shoots ever.

brooke DID NOT say to me, "jordan and i have even have the same looking breasts mom. that's amazing. he's a boy and i'm a girl." i DID NOT gaze into the sky thinking i had no idea what to say.

sofia DID NOT say "daddy, you the big daddy here" to hubs on sunday. hubs DID NOT get a huge smile on his face on that one.

...and she's 7 now!!

2010-08-12T12:12:00.000-04:00

it's brooke's bday today...

i can hardly believe that 7 years ago today we were in a labor/delivery room with brit...worried so much about brittany and at the same time, so incredibly excited to see the baby that we had waited so long for.

brit was so young...we loved her so much and we just wanted everything to be okay for her.

i have to say, i specifically remember actually feeling the room was full of holy angels...there was this powerful sense of God's presence and peace and love. we had tons of people on their knees for brit...and for that, i am so grateful. bc that day, that moment, brooke was the witness of God's love to a number of people who had never felt that kind of love before.

and then the little horse was born...and there was a sigh of relief that all was well. i remember looking for ryan while i was holding brit as the nicu doctors took care of brooke's lungs.

ryan was in the hallway outside the room, prostrate on the floor, sobbing. he was overwhelmed with the beauty and grace we had just witnessed. from that day on, i really believe he and i saw a true picture in like real life of what's God's grace looks like...in flesh.

brooke is a vivacious, hilarious, beautiful gift from God...and every day i'm so grateful she's my daughter {even on "those" days}. and so are her sisters...i promise!

{i put this pic in to make sure to remind paige that she was overly jacked about getting brooke...this literally was the first time she held her and she could not wait!!}

one week ago, we were back at that hospital where b was born...with brit, delivering her baby boy, jordan. and that was another huge gift from God.

because not only do i have an awesome 7 year old that will def change the world, but i have a super courageous, loving, honorable and humble "daughter" in brit...and a "faux grandson" in little jordan.

more importantly, i see God's hand working...brooke was just the beginning.

watch out world...bc my brookie cookie is gonna rock this joint out.

thanks, brit. love you brooke. happy bday, girl.

a sea of red

2010-08-11T08:59:00.000-04:00

family is super important...and we have a HUGE family!!! every year we have the big old fam reunion...and since there are 5 fams represented {grandpa and his 4 sisters}, we all have a color we wear...and our color is red.

my dad is the oldest of 8...and well, all of them have a number in their fams now, so we're a huge group...a real sea of red. at he reunion, there were 127...and that was missing a whole bunch!

and come reunion time, we bring our a-game...because there's some pretty fab stuff. i mean, we are quite the people. not!!! grandpa died 2 years ago and so grandma is the matriarch and she loves the reunion! she's the cheerleader...

we have major competitions, with huge prizes. this year...wait for it...watermelon seed spitting contest. {i refused to participate...sorry about that}. but in the spirit of fam, gab tutored brooke...

then brooke passed on the info to her sister and cousin...i mean, we NEED to win!!

no matter what, there's always time for hugs...

...and some comfort food from nana!

just in...

2010-08-10T00:01:00.002-04:00

my trainer shared a little news just released from UCLA...and it's def worth noting.

a study conducted by UCLA's department of psychiatry has revealed that the kind of face a woman finds attractive on a man can differ depending on where she is in her menstrual cycle. for example: if she is ovulating, she is attracted to men with rugged and masculine features. however, if she is menstruating or menopausal, she tends to be more attracted to a man with duct tape over his mouth and a spear lodged in his chest with a bat up his booty while he is on fire.

no further studies are expected on this subject.

just thought you should know...

not me monday

2010-08-09T10:32:00.001-04:00

a few things me and the fam DID NOT do this last week...

ryan and i DID NOT play in our first co-ed softball game together in like 5 years. i DID NOT realize that turning 41 was more than a number when i could not see the flipping softball coming at me. i was NOT totally embarrassed that i stopped on a play bc i thought i was on the fence line and apparently i was NOT still in the middle of the playing field. i am NOT ready to flipping redeem myself from the sucky horror of my playing skills last week, tonight, on the field again.

when asking brooke to jump in the shower, she DID NOT run out of the bathroom screaming, "shiver me timbers dad...it's freezing!!!"

i DID NOT have a big ole family shoot on sunday afternoon with one of the funnest and cutest 3 generation fams ever. i was NOT laughing the whole time at little brady, 3, who totally gave me flowers for being a good photographer. i am NOT considering adding that to my pro resume, btw.

sofia DID NOT decide she couldn't walk on saturday unless she had shoes on...when shoeless, she would stand and scream, "i bleeding on my feet. you come get me someone. i can't walk." the injury seemed to NOT subside once we hit the park at nana's house and there was NOT a ton of running and playing.

at nana and papa's new house, i DID NOT totally make a challenge game for the girls to pick up all the fallen branches and put them into a pile...my mom was NOT surprised by my ingenious chore/game ability and NOT happy that the sticks were all in a single pile for her!

hubs and i DID NOT watch a red box that i picked randomly that was NOT the flipping most depressing movie ever...especially when i DID NOT pick it bc robin williams was in it and i DID NOT think i would laugh the whole time peeing myself...when in fact, i DID NOT have this "what am i watching" look on my face. it was NOT a good experience.

i DID NOT see the inside of the bburg starbucks 2 times in 5 hours and both times have chatty time with my fav college age group students/young adults about life and the decisions that need to be made. i am NOT the most blessed person to be involved with them...and i am NOT way more blessed than what they think they are...bc they are NOT awesome!!!!

hubs DID NOT send me a text last night that said, "the cicada's are so loud that i can't even hear myself molting." and i def DO NOT think he's a total dork.

brooke DID NOT become a bio big sis for the first time ever this week. she DID NOT stand in awe of how "boney jordan's butt" was...and how cute he was. she DID NOT say, "he's so stinking cute, i think i'm just gonna have to eat him right up mom!!" brit, b's birthmom, is NOT totally amazing and doing fab...and she and jordan are NOT coming up this week for b's bday party and a few days overnight to chill as a newr, bigger fam! and i def am NOT a faux grandma...bc i'm only 41!!!!

jada DID NOT wake me up one morning at 6:30 am asking me to paint her nails bc they just looked awful. i WAS NOT completely exhausted and a little annoyed even processing at that hour that i had finger nails.

i love college

2010-08-04T09:52:00.000-04:00

i love college...students!

ryan and i have been in student ministry for a number of years, but about a year ago we really felt the call to move from high school to college. making a long story short, we jumped in and became the "old faces" in what we are calling "the bridge"...college age and young adult group. it's a place where younger adults are doing life together, serving God and others and getting some old fashion mentoring from a few old folks...ryan and me :)

oh. my. word. how fun! so we tossed together a little shindig for the church's high school students to just hang out and have a coffee shop night...and the college students brought their a-game!

we had REAL starbucks iced and brewed coffee...bc we have style! just saying...

live music all night long...even when the storms came around!

decor...well, it speaks for itself!!

delish eats...

and did i mention, FUN!!!!

and of course, when you are in student ministry, you do it with the fam...so our kiddos are just part of the gig. they love "the big kids", as they call them...and what great role models for them too!!

yep...paige was thrilled to be part of the hs group and NOT one of us this time!!

and one of the coolest things EVER is this...God is with this group! these people serve others in big ways, give beyond themselves, love Jesus and have a lot of stinking fun in the meantime. i love them all so much...

and of the group, the 5 in this pic...well, there's a little extra special-ness! ash, erin and hannah were all students in my hs girls life group...tyler and parker in ryan's. {not to mention like 80% of the group we were in hs ministry with...} but to still be a WANTED part of their lives, is just awesome. awesome.

and...that's all i have to say about that!

not me monday

2010-08-02T10:35:00.000-04:00

a few things that me and the DID NOT do this last week...

i DID NOT totally miss a turn this week because there was a grown man driving a lawn tractor on the main street...he was NOT a total bobby bucher {water boy}.

jada DID NOT tattle on sofia for dunking her head in the toilet...for us to see a completely dry and clean sofia. jada DID NOT get in big time trouble for tattling to get her sister in trouble. i am NOT frustrated with this ongoing tactic of hers.

i DID NOT get to totally hang out with the best college aged kids in the world on saturday and then again on sunday night...i am NOT totally blessed by so many awesome young adults who love jesus and just wanna be His love in this world. wow.

i DID NOT get to make pudgie pies with my high school bible study this week...and we DID NOT make pizza pudgie pies, which were NOT totally amazing and awesome. i am def NOT getting the girlies some fab tonka toasters to make some dinner over a fire pit here at home :)

hubs DID NOT go to san juan and stay on the beach at a resort "for work" 3 days...he even DID NOT "have" to work from the room one day, you know, beachside. i am NOT bitter...grrrr.

me and hubs DO NOT start our co-ed softball league tonight after a 3 year sabatical (that we DO NOT call sofia). i am NOT jacked to get back to the sport i love. and i am NOT worried just a little that i will seriously injure this not 25 year old body.

brooke DID NOT ask me 'mom, zeus has 2 seeds where he pee's. what are they for?'

me:'those are nipples, they are suppose t be there.'

b: 'wow...wish i'd have known that. i have been trying to pick them ever since we got him.'

sofia DID NOT drink bubbles that were left open on a table...she DID NOT swallow it with snarl on her face and shake like a lizard int he grass. the bubbles were NOT orange scented...and i DID NOT wonder why in the world some idiot would make drink scented bubbles!!!

paige DID NOT go tubing and totally hang with her fav cousin, gab, all weekend. i was NOT a little jealous that they even wen to the drive in!

corn hole

2010-07-23T08:44:00.001-04:00

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!!