things i love about you, mom...

You’re funny…
You can make me smile no matter what.
You show me what it means to be a good mom…every.single.day.
You make me happy.
I love hearing you sing your songs about anything and nothing…even when they get stuck in my head.
You are the one person who can “talk me down” when life overwhelms me.
You always put us before yourself…and never give it a second thought or ask for anything in return.
You taught me what it means to love unconditionally.
You’re spontaneous.
You showed me the importance of following rules.
You let me break the rules sometimes.
You are always proud of me…for the big things, and the little things.
I love making you proud.
You have awesome legs…you do!
You make good food…and no matter how closely I follow your recipe, my meatloaf will never taste like yours.
You are always “on”…I’ll never understand how you do it.
You taught me to love antiquing…I love finding vintage treasures.
You taught me about the value of money, and finding a good deal.
You always have your soda and always know where the closest “soda store” is.
You’re Jack’s best friend…and becoming Lila’s favorite too.
You never missed a game.
You love to watch the Cardinals.
You don’t mind embarrassing us.
You’re never embarrassed by us (right?).
You showed me to always have manners, and to be nice and respectful…because mean people suck.
You always believed in me.
You always stand up for me.
You have a great laugh.
You’re an amazing Nani to Jack and Lila…they light up when they see you and that makes me happy.
You’re pretty.
You’ll do anything for them.
You showed me to always work hard, and to always do my best.
You work harder than anyone I know…and you never complain about it.
You’re a kid at heart.
You’re tough.
You always cheer the loudest.
You don’t need much to be happy.
You’re smart.
You always know just what to say.
You spoil us all: with presents, treats, food…but mostly love.

thank you, jack & liley...

Sometimes, I just need to look at pictures of these two to remind me to be happy. Seems strange…it shouldn’t be something that I have to remind myself to feel…but when stresses are overwhelming, and I can’t see clearly, I look at my favorite people and everything else melts away.

Jack...

…he’s my best friend.

He has the same morning disposition as his dad, let’s just say they’re not “morning people”, which means he’s pretty much all mine in the mornings because I baby him…I will baby him as long as he lets me.
He calls his sister “Sweetie-girl” and “Girlfriend” in the softest, loving voice…he most-always happily obliges when I ask him to “hopscotch” towards Lila to make her laugh…
His favorite colors are pink and purple…coincidently, so are mine.

He loves the “Ariel Song” in Little Mermaid and can sing the whole thing: beginning to end.

At night, he calls me into his room every 5 minutes before he falls asleep, because he needs to make sure I’m “checking on him”.

When he wakes up in the middle of the night, he calls me and I reassure him everything’s okay and that he cannot wake up yet, because, “4:30 is the middle of the night and we have at least 1 more hour of sleep before morning”.

He loves to brush his teeth and cannot do so without leaving a white drool-stain down the front of his shirt…and his chin…and pretty much all over his face.
He hides (in the same spot) whenever someone comes through the door. He loves to surprise people and I love to watch him pop up with a huge grin when I’ve given up on finding him!

He has a major sweet tooth and would rather have a snack in the morning than a real breakfast. I don’t let him have a “snack”, even though I’m pretty sure the mini muffins I feed him are not any more nutritionally sound than a cupcake.

He’s adventurous and wild. He loves to run and will do so until he’s made to stop. (LOL: Christmas card outtake!)

His loves to wrestle with his Daddy. Even when he is bounced off the bed onto the hard wood floor, he cannot wait to get up and do it all over. He’s tough when he needs to be…but will readily convince me that the red marker on his hand is “bleed” and that a Dora band aid makes it feel better…He loves his blue blankie, and can’t sleep without it, his cup of cold water, and without the line of cars and toys on his windowsill…which grows by the day.

I often find myself saying to him, “Stop playing around”…and I think to myself, “Just let him play…he’s only 3 once…he’s just a little boy.”

We read books every night, and recently, when I finished up by saying, “…and they lived happily ever after.” he said, “Hey, just like we did!”
Yes, we most certainly did, Jack.

My whole life...

It was the tiniest thing I ever decided to put my whole life into. ~Terri Gillemets

my heart in her hands...

I took this picture when Lila was 2 weeks old...her hands were extra "peely" and I found the perfect little shape of a heart on her right ring finger...

my heart...her hands

love

I'm out of creativity this week...so I'm falling back on the old standard: an adorable picture with some good words...happy day!

It's my Birthday :)

Yeah! Although, I'm officially on the "downward slope" of my 20s...but I'm having an amazing day...and it just reminds me how lucky I am!

My morning started off with over-sleeping (ugh)! But it was all uphill from there...with flowers from my boys and the best card from Jack (Jim):

It's true! And then I got a surprise card from my Pops on my car...he even stuck it in a zippie bag to avoid the condensation! Thanks, Dad!!! (love, Bones)

And then I came to work and got a big surprise with a festive-decorated desk and lots of delicious snacks!

And this sign that cracks me UP! (PS: I'm NOT 30!!!)

And another one that makes me laugh again...apparently, I'm a mini-cougar! (Don't ask!)

And THEN, I opened my inbox to find that Carey sent me some hilarious ecards that rocked my morning and made my face hurt from smiling...

Thanks, Care!

And I did get the musical birthday wishes from my Mommer :), who is the bomb and gave me my birthday present early...and it's been the best gift ever! Yes, it has contributed to my apparent incessant-picture-taking, but it's an obsession I l-o-v-e!

So now,

I'm off to be old, chow down, and party like a rock star (kinda)...if I'm lucky, Jack will sing "Happy Birthday" to me, like he did for Papa (check out the video at the bottom)!

Thanks to my family and friends...I love you to pieces and I'm so, so, SO lucky to have you in my life...you're the best :)

I took his hand and followed...

My dishes went unwashed today,

I didn't make the bed,

I took his hand and followed

Where his eager footsteps led.

Oh yes, we went adventuring,

My little son and I,

Exploring all the great outdoors

Beneath the summer sky.

We waded in a crystal stream,

We wandered through a wood;

My kitchen wasn't swept today

But life was gay and good.

We found a cool, sun-dappled glade

And now my small son knows

How Mother Bunny hides her nest,

Where jack-in-the-pulpit grows.

We watched a robin feed her young,

We climbed a sunlit hill,

Saw cloud-sheep scamper through the sky,

We plucked a daffodil.

That my house was neglected,

That I didn't brush the stairs,

In twenty years, no one on earth

Will know, or even care.

But that I've helped my little boy

To noble manhood grow,

In twenty years, the whole wide world

May look and see and know. (Unknown)

bubble fun!

If there’s anything half so much fun as being alive, I’d like to know what it is. ~ Frederick Buechner)


Oh he couldn't be more excited about this double bubble!!!

Reach for the sky:

happy weekend...have fun!

It Won't be Like This for Long

(Listen to: It Won't Be Like This for Long by Darius Rucker)

What happened to my baby? Seriously, have you seen him, because this is what I see:

And this is a little boy. A grown-up, little boy who knows what he wants and isn't afraid to let you know about it. Who repeats everything you say and loves to be funny and play hide-and-seek.

This little boy who makes bubble beards and then just has to put one on Mommy to match!

Who laughs so hard that nothing else in the whole world matters...nothing but that laugh...

Here is the report we got yesterday for Jack. He's taking care of the younger babies in his class...

I couldn't be prouder of my grown-up, little-big boy...

KC Recap!

Here's a few to recap our trip to KC last weekend...

Here's Jim and I with my SIL, Jennie and FIL, Mark at the KC Irish Fest...

And how could it be a valid post without some of Jack and Ava?! Here they are enjoying the rodeo...

and eachother's company...

and dirt! Apparently, dirt is the new black!

They had so much fun...

Oh Kansas City~

What a weekend...TGIF!

Laugh today...

The most wasted of all days is one without laughter.