Feathering

I guess it's just part of being a lady, knowing, learning how to feather your nest.

And yesterday afternoon was spent feathering a bride-to-be's nest

with these 4 lovelies

and 30 others.

With party pics

And cheesy games

All for love of this lady

breaking in her hot bridal heels.

They were killer.

Oops,

this giveaway hasn't happened yet.

Next post. Promise.

Chances still look good for you!

Children

We spent the afternoon in the outskirts of town

with family

a birthday girl

and lots of littles scrambling underfoot.

There were the bold ones and funny ones and caring ones and roaming ones and watching ones.

Mine was the watching one.

She always has been.

And it's okay.

It's what's always made her, her.

And watching these precious people,

watching them with their inclinations, their habits, their way of saying and doing their piece,

it's what makes her...her, him...him.

The kind one wandering with the purse on her arm, the sweet one pushing the birthday girl on the bike, the peaceful little who chooses to ride the bike backwards it's just her way. The stomping cowboy boots, the six year-old throwing the ball for all the little girls, my baby boy passed from arm to arm, and my girl who after two hours of watching decided to join the party and ran and ran and ran, in her own time, to the beat of her own drum.

Our children,

Beautiful.

Giveaway winner posted soon...there's still time to get your name in...

48

a toddler cooking breakfast

a little Good Morning America

a jazzercise class

two flu shots

and a referral to the pediatric respiratory specialist

two trips to two different banks

a bummer visit to the dentist

two delivered photography cds

a visit to the cupcake place

a celebrated birthday

a planned wedding shower

two goodnight bedtime routines

a baby up by six

a scheduled heater maintenance visit

a scheduled pediatric respiratory specialist visit

a mini reading unit planned

an evaluation completed

a balanced check book

baths

four emails finally answered

a breakfast baked and frozen

a fav recipe shared:

laundry

another two goodnight bedtime routines

and these were my 48 hours.

life is good and full

don't forget the giveaway...chances are real good for you right now...

Senior

cuz this one is gonna stay like this forever right?

i mean i've said it before, so...right?

i mean, she'll sing herself happy birthday in bed during naptime (make that "naptime")

forever, right?

oh, love.

but it's good.

keep agrowin', my love

it only gets better from here.

i'll just be a soaking it up here.

don't mind me.

just like this momma and dad.

whose pictures i am totally in love with this evening. by the way.

and don't forget to click for the giveaway.

and here for more of the pictures.

Calm...and a giveaway

I've got quite a task on my hands,

raising a boychild that is.

I mean, I don't know boys.

Seriously, don't know them.

And,

There's those days as a mom, a wife, a lady, a teacher...heck, just a human, that you just feel like life in general is just out of your league.

Let alone totally equipping a small person, a small MAN, for life.

Like we all know when it's one of those days that just keepin' myself from slappin' the snooze one too many times is enough of a challenge.

Or, and I'm telling on my sister with this one, one of those morning when you try to unlock your classroom door with your electric car door button.

Or one of those nights like last night where opening a prepackaged container of guac with a torn bag of tortilla chips qualified as a well-balanced dinner.

And I've got this creepin' feeling that my journey with the wrestle factors of life has only just begun.

So, today,

I

keep calm

and

carry on

pray on

breathe on

press on

sing on

And, well,

it doesn't hurt to look good adoin' it.

So,

introducing a featured fun sponsor...

This etsy shop is run by a long-time-ago friend of mine and holds some absolutely precious vintage accessories.

Lovin', lovin' it.

And so

We are offering her really fun giveaway here today.

A black and white feather headband.

Pretty, hip, simple.

All it takes to win?

Follow this blog,

leave a comment,

then be lucky.

Feeling almost lucky?

"Like" this page on facebook and then tell me about it for an extra entry!

That's all.

Simple.

It's true.

Winner announced next weekend.

Linked up with

Laughter

I got hit hard with a bug

And have been in bed for too many days straight.

So I took advantage of some of this time

To snuggle.

And laugh.

And then dosed up because

Never mind the thermometer reading

of 80degrees

We're still ready for fall.

And I have a little artist

Who wanted to paint

While he watched.

With rosy red teething cheeks.

See, I don't mind a little DayQuill,

but

Laughter really was the best medicine.

Him

I fell in love with him at nineteen years old.

He makes me laugh.

He makes them laugh.

He's just the best.

Littlemetoo

A long time ago, my family had nicknames for ourselves.

And,

my littlest sister, forever doomed to walk in the shadow of her two older and wiser ones, was deemed "Little-Me-Too".

Everything we did, there was a little birdy chirp, "Me too!"

And now, I have my own little "Me-too".

Really, there isn't a better feeling but when she shares her own funnies with me.

Like today, when she came across a picture from several years ago of Chris.

My silly husband was, as usual, making some ridiculous expression for the camera, and, my littlemetoo was, as usual, quick to imitate.

It happened the first time without prompting but, because I have a new phone, and she was enjoying her metooness so much,

I had to capture it to keep.

"Daddy do dat in picture" is what she keeps repeating.

Oh, mylittlemetoo. The joy you bring me.

Pride

It's undeniable.

Get five or six seconds past my patient "No...try again" and you'll hear the pride justadrippin' from my voice.

She's alearnin'.

And I've got just a little pride.

This is how I learned to read, so this is what I'm trying now...

I'll keep you posted on how it goes...

And curious about my chili recipe?

Here it is for the slow cooker or stovetop...

Enjoy!

Together

We spent the afternoon together yesterday

Nothing new, maybe

But purposely together

And of course I forgot the camera battery

Not the camera

Just the battery.

So these are a la cameraphone

Each day that goes by,

Every milestone

Every minute

Painful or joyous or giggling or tear-filled

What a blessing to be together

Some days this blessing is more beautiful than others

Because we all know we've been there

Pain, joy, giggles, tears

And sometimes we're there all in one day

But

I'm humbled when I'm with my family

Knowing that I'm building their legacy daily

Always.

Watching these two yesterday morning

Hearing them laugh together

Knowing they are dreaming of their life together

It was just a beautiful reminder.

To enjoy

the together.