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summer, summer, summertime.


we are certainly feeling quite summery around here.
the weather has been warm.
very, very warm to be exact.


we’ve been enjoying
popsicles, 
lemonade, 
ice cream in the afternoon 
(well let’s be honest, 
i can enjoy ice cream anytime, anywhere).




but it also has me thinking about how i can make it an intentional summer.
intentional for me and
intentional for the kids.



i’ll be striving to find that delicate balance 
between no structure and yet having structure.
because if you know me 
(and i mean really know me) 
you know i need structure. 
i love it. 
i’m lost without it. 



be sure to check out these two posts
(i’ve linked to them before)



my kids have been absolutely loving 
listening to some fun kids stations on pandora.
but i’d rather that instead of memorizing silly lyrics to 
a yo gabba gabba or shirley temple song, 
that we all fill our minds with the Word of God.  
my absolute favorite is seeds family worship music
which are NIV Bible verses put to music.



i have a couple of ideas brewing in my head
for our summer plans
and know that i need to have them in place 
when the first day of summer welcomes us.




don’t these pictures just scream summer?
okay summer, i hear you loud and clear.


For the word of God is living and active.
Sharper than any double-edged sword, 
it penetrates even to dividing 
soul and spirit, joints and marrow; 
it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
Hebrews 4:12

so today, i’m linking up with
 
(and you should, too!)

be sure to check in later tonight 
for this month’s 
ten on ten button
(and you should, too!)


and then of course,
picture me imperfectly, tomorrow!
(and you should, too!)

1076. the bright red flowers dropping from our neighbor’s tree
1077. the teensy tiny yellow flowers found in our backyard
1078. special hand-painted objects from my children
1079. the continuous drip, drip, drip from our kitchen faucet that reminds me how wonderful it is not to have a drip, drip, drip sound all the time.
(getting fixed soon)
1080. feeling more and more comfortable with shooting in manual

the day for mothers.

well i don’t know about you,
but i had a lovely mother’s day.


on saturday, while i was out of the house
(spending time with the one and only
B had the kids make me a beautiful “happy mother’s day” banner.
apparently, K colored every single letter
and D took care of the exclamation point.
that was nice of him.


and yesterday, we spent the day at my parents’ condo
(we switch off moms every-other year since 
we are so blessed to have all of our family live so close).

my sis, Aunt WW and 
my brother, Uncle S and 
of course, my mom’s dog, Bella 
joined in on this photo.

we were just missing my other sister, Aunt CC
but she was busy enjoying her very first mother’s day not here
(since she JUST had baby E, two weeks ago).


a lot of delicious food was eaten,


the boys played a game of scrabble,


in which L was a big help,


my sis and i talked 
blog talk, 
design talk, 
career talk, 
life talk.
you know, the usual.


i sported the most beautiful necklace that D made in preschool.
i absolutely
absolutely
adore it.


L got plenty of attention,
don’t you think?


the kids 
played, 
napped, 
swam
and
melted down.
it was perfect.
well, not the melting down part.
but in those moments, 
i try to remind myself that 
they are melting because 
they just can’t possibly 
squeeze one more ounce of fun into their day.
and so they must melt.


and, i got a photo of my little family. 
that’s all i really wanted yesterday,
but i ended up getting a lot, lot more.

My son, keep your father’s commands 
   and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.
Bind them upon your heart forever;
   fasten them around your neck.
When you walk, they will guide you;
   when you sleep, they will watch over you;
   when you awake, they will speak to you.
Proverbs 6:20-22

1071. the man who made me a mother
1072. the reminder (everywhere) to be grateful
1073. sermons that leave me saying, “wow.”
again and again and again.
1074. family photos
1075. a busy but calm and lovely, lovely weekend

packing it all in.

not too long ago,
i took the kids to visit family
we generally try to see nearly everyone in one fell swoop.
it turns out to be an intense day,
but oh so worth it.

especially the drive back home
where all of my littles are sound asleep
and i don’t have to be touched or talked to 
and can enjoy non-children’s music.


doesn’t my grandmother look amazing?
i won’t tell you her age
(because that would be rude)
but she’s older than 89 and younger than 91.
amazing, i tell you.


and when we go and visit we always get in some good
Uncle S time.


my sweet boy.


Great Grammy would have 
liked to hold L longer 
but his 27 pounds 
can exhaust the best of us pretty quickly.


my parents graciously hosted us on the open seas.
or the bay.
but whatever.


and it is only a matter of time 
before this little one goes overboard.
i promise you.


we can all thank D for this shot.
the sea lions sleep anywhere they can get to.


and D took this shot, too.
after one shot he proudly announced,
“mom! i almost got your eyes.”
but how about that.
my eyes did in fact make it.


That Guy is surviving cancer.


my parents took us to a petting zoo
where the kids got to ride on a train.


and at my parents’ everyone wears crocs. 

L even has his own pair.

1066. buckled children and long phone conversations
1067. shopping at target by myself
1068. how easily L goes to sleep
1069. nearing 3 months without a seizure
1070. a really clean sink

cinco.de.mayo.

it’s embrace the camera day!


happy cinco de mayo!


this all started when B and i were dating.
i went on a family trip to mexico 
where i bought a huge sombrero to bring back to B.
everyone needs one of those, right?
right.

we recently found said sombrero.
then i had this idea to take a picture of
everybody wearing it.
but then B does what he always does.
he comes up with a better idea.
so this is what he came up with.


aren’t we horribly scary?
yes, yes we are.
and L is sporting a milk mustache. 
he’s too happy to make a scary face.


but not B. 
he loves to make scary faces.
and this face is bordering on his joker from batman face.
and that face has been outlawed from our house 
because it freaks me out too much. 
but i’ll let this face slide.
just this once though, honey.
just this once.

1061. free apps
1062. teaching my kids new games
1063. D reading me stories during rest time
1064. somehow, that to-do list getting smaller
1065. the lego club magazine (free!)

easter celebrated.

well, now that i have a little more time this week,
(click here to see why)
i thought i’d do a quick blog about our easter.
we kept it really mellow and low-key this year.
we need some mellow and low-key every once in a while.
i even served cinnamon rolls from tj’s.
and you know what?
everybody devoured them.


the cousins joined us for the festivities,
which always makes it fun.


eggs were compared


and counted
and a fun day of celebrating ensued.


this is a dear friend of mine
who is one of the most Godly women i know.
i am so blessed to have her in my life.

1051. going swimming
1052. sleep (this can never get old)
1053. laundry being done
(and not just sort-of done)
1054. dinner prepped early in the day
1055. the same verse popping up all over

the piggy came home from the store.

well, the fever is hanging around 
and so is the piggy.
if you have no idea what i am talking about,
click here. 


but L doesn’t seem to mind one bit.

You will keep in perfect peace 
him whose mind is steadfast, 
because he trusts in you.
Trust in the LORD forever, 
for the LORD, 
the LORD, 
is the Rock eternal.
Isaiah 26:3-4

1046. not having to wait months for a new surgery date
the surgery has been rescheduled for a couple weeks away
1047. the care that others have for my littles
1048. raspberry and blueberry lemonade popsicles
1049. a found sombrero
1050. a beautiful new journal that reminds me to 
live in hope

this little piggy is going bye-bye.

early tomorrow morning, 
L is having surgery.

he was born with a sixth toe on one foot 
and an extra toe bone on the other foot. 
so he will be getting both of those “extras” removed. 
his new feet will fit better in shoes 
and will aid in his learning how to walk.

(this photo was taken when L was two months old)

we feel so blessed by L’s wonderful surgeon, 
who assures us that this is something he does quite often
this is not always the case for L. 
much too often we hear the words, 
“hmmm, i have never seen this before. 
let me bring some residents in to see this…”

when L was born, we explained to both D and K 
that God made L special 
in that He gave him an extra toe. 
D thought that was so great that he decided 
that when he was born, he too had six toes. 

tomorrow should be a big day.
and not only because of the surgery.
tomorrow also holds significance in our hearts.
two years ago 
to the day
i was wheeled into the labor + delivery department
fully in labor with L
who had only been in my belly for 29 weeks. 

we remember how our fear and trembling 
was met with His perfect peace and blessings overflowing. 

From the fullness of his grace 
we have all received one blessing after another.
John 1:16 

i have been reminded that
i am not my own and
L is not mine
and neither are D K or B.
they are all gifts from our glorious God.

i must cling to Him and Him alone
and not to anyone else.
or anything else.

so, we humbly ask for your prayers.
prayers for the Lord’s will to be done.
and prayers that the small fever that he has been battling all weekend
will vanish and will not delay the surgery.

we got a little note from L’s extra toe. 
it reads:
going to market.
love, pig

1041. the smell of roses pouring through the open windows
1042. a clean closet
1043. meeting baby E on skype
1044. bright new dish towels
1045. feeling covered in prayer


be sure to check out my new header 
+
blogging will be light this week 
but i do hope to post some quick updates.

a royal party.

the bigs and i are looking forward to settling in for
a viewing of the royal wedding for
friday movie night 
(a new tradition for us).

B remembers his mom 
waking him up in the middle of the night 
when he was four years old 
to watch Princess Diana’s wedding.
i am grateful for tivo so that i do not have to do that.


and, it was absolutely perfect timing that B’s mom 
just returned from a trip to London
where she brought us back this lovely 
oven mitt.

now i just need to think of something 
delicious to cook. 

1036. the weight being lifted
1037. excitement and anticipation
1038. picturing what our summer will be like
1039. being able to enjoy the last dr.p
1040. picking up a tear-free L from the CBS nursery
(a first)
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