.....the {polkadot} tots.....

baby is 10 months

2012-02-11T13:08:00.000-07:00

10 months of kissing the top of this sweet little head!

at 10 months grey oliver...

*had his first haircut! not much to cut, but he had some serious old-man hair coming down around his ear....as much as it pains me to cut the hair of my children, the rest of it wasn't growing along with the tufts, so we had to do something!

*starting to crawl....well, his version of crawling, which is really more like scooting/ army crawl combination

*eating anything and everything we give him....we discovered this month that he LOVES blackbeans, animal crackers, goldfish crackers & waffles!

*noone seems to believe me on this one, but he talks! he says mama, dada, cracker & bye bye.....polkadot cop says i'm making it up, but he really does talk to me when we're alone! :)

*he went into the ball-pit for the first time...this guy loves everything....he thought it was VERY funny to sit in those balls!

*moved to a new highchair this month....i had my cousin pick one up for me from ikea & we LOVE it! i'll try to link it below...

*still nursing around the clock....really not showing a single sign of wanting to wean at this point

*loves his brothers, riding around on my hip 24/7& riding in the car

*you can tell he has big brothers because he becomes completely attached to things like matchbox cars...that he discovers while scooting around the house...this month he clutched onto a yellow car from cars & wouldn't do anything without it!

*ANOTHER tooth has popped through! this time it's a molar...i swear my kids are crazy with the teething...that brings his grand total up to 9

it is so hard for me to comprehend that he'll be 1 in less than 2 months! his 1st birthday falls on Easter this year, i can't wait to celebrate my little spring peep :)

brittany's baby shower!

2012-02-09T15:54:00.000-07:00

another baby, another blessing, another shower!

as always, i had so much fun putting this shower together for the beautiful momma-to-be Brittany! she has the smallest, cutest baby bump that has ever been, and you cannot even believe she's due in about a week! she didn't find out the gender so it was a gender neutral shower..plenty of finger food, fresh flowers, lots of friends & lots of presents! we cannot wait to meet this baby! her first son is going to be one darling big brother...he's the little blondie who was helping her open all the gifts!

congrats Brittany!

the table

veggie platter....hint i have learned along the way; add olives & baby corn to the veggie tray for something a little different....everyone with eat it right up!

big brother judah!

big brother helping to open all the presents!!

grey boy snuggling with his favorite miss mary

brittany & that adorable bump! she is so dang cute!

our most amused guest

fruit bowl

another good tip....cucumber & mint water! it's healthier & easier to make than punch...everyone loved it & it's really refreshing

yum

i printed out vintage alphabet flash cards from the handmade home blog to add to the decor....
they are adorable! you can print them here
she has a TON of cute printables!

hope you enjoyed!

xo,

little

2012-01-29T18:24:00.000-07:00

my life is so full of everything little right now.

lots and lots and lots of little moments.

scrubbing little heads, clipping little nails

q-tipping little ears, tending little hearts

listening to little dreams, reading little stories

it is sometimes hard to see the big picture, and remember that these littles will one day grow up

the little things we do, our small seemingly insignificant life

is actually part of a grand plan that greatly matters

and for that, i am deeply thankful.

somedays it goes by WAY too fast, sometimes it feels like i have been their mom for 18 years & they should be graduating any minute now....

but most of all, i just want the moments i have with these guys to matter, to count, i want them to KNOW....

to KNOW jesus

to KNOW we love them

not a little

but A LOT.

::::

cereal-bar baby shower

2012-01-16T00:05:00.000-07:00

this past saturday i had the pleasure of helping out with a church shower for a new mama who is expecting her baby in just 2 more weeks :)

i love throwing showers! she doesn't know the baby's gender so i went with bright, primary colors & since i am getting a little overloaded on church-lady egg dishes, we decided to do a cold & hot cereal bar....here are some pics from our fun morning..

{p.s. all pics are from meg, as usual}

baby is 9 months

2012-01-15T23:33:00.000-07:00

***

the 20 pound greyhound is 9 months!

oh, how we love him!

at 9 months...

*he's eating tons of baby food {love the ella's organics}

*eating puffs, crackers, cheerios ect.

*still nursing like a little maniac

*not really crawling, but propels himself backwards across the room {c'mon little christian solider, we must advance FORWARD}

*stays in the nursery at church!

*sleeping full time in his crib

*this guy is LOOKING a lot like his big bros!!

*outgrew his infant carrier & moved into the big carseat!

*sits for long amounts of time playing on the floor with his brothers

*he has such a sweet spirt & such an old soul...he's just a lover!

*********

products, toys, & food mama is loving at 9 months...

*the rodey horse

*ella's organics baby food

*g pants cloth diapers

* banana puffs

*aiden & anias swaddle bibs for feeding

*cloud b sleep sheep

*cloud b twilight turtle

*carters footie/ fuzzy pajamas

*my NEW petunia pickle bottom weekender diaper bag {it's HUGE}

2012-01-12T10:57:00.001-07:00

christmas. ice-fishing. new years. updates.

2012-01-02T09:54:00.001-07:00

a few catch-up photos from december

bunch of cousins ready to tear into presents.....judging by grey's face, i am calling this the forced family fun photo

well, this is the world's most ghetto gingerbread house. i am embarrassed.

grey cub was only slightly amused by our italian feast on christmas eve

a seriously happy ice-fisherman

this one's just for me. dang hub. you're hot.

all aboard the polar express! reed loved his polar express day at kindergarten-they all wore their pajamas, drank hot cocoa, rode the classroom polar express, watched the movie & came home with a special little jingle bell :)

sometimes it's peacocks, sometimes it's a million little sheep bums

dining room update! i have been working away on my dining room & kitchen---painting it all the most cheerful color {benjamin moore squish-squash} & couldn't find any curtains i liked....so i invented the no-sew SHOWER curtain method....it's called buy 2 cute shower curtains & pretend they are drapes...i hung them on the rod with really heavy twine

seriously....the ice-fishing was ridiculous this year

our merry & bright little christmas

original art

2011-12-19T16:59:00.000-07:00

i am so happy we have this photo-because the building where it was taken just burned down & is about to be torn down completely...it was such a beautiful building at one point in time-i used to have all my piano recitals there & we even considered it for a wedding location! i have been trying to decide on a few photos that i want to have either put onto canvas or frame-free mounting for my living room & have definitely decided this will be one of them- do you have any canvas or wall mounted art in your home? if so where did you order if from? I am a member of plum district....{if your not, click HERE & join for FREE-it's just a fabulous site with REALLY good deals...like $50 restaurant gift cards for $30} & they have offered and incredible deal for a huge canvas from the canvas people so I am going to give them a shot....

i'll let ya know how it turns out!

christmas merriment is in full swing here on the farm, we have been busy attending parties, putting up the tree, drinking peppermint mochas, wrapping gifts, cookie-exchanging & excitedly going to the mail-box every day for all the beautiful christmas cards y'all have been sending....so fun, this is my FAVORITE time of year. tomorrow is reed's last day of kinder before christmas break...his teacher has incorporated SO many fun things-including a ride on the polar express, and searching everyday for their naughty little classroom elf-on-a-shelf! today reed was the first to find him! reed also took it upon himself to tell his entire kindergarten class that Santa is not real. yep. the child is SO black & white, SO literal, he literally asked me point blank when he was only one if Santa was real or not....what the heck was I supposed to do? I didn't know he'd be sitting his entire class down in kindergarten for a theological discussion! LOL! gotta love these boys!

baby is 8 months

2011-12-10T22:54:00.003-07:00

this little rolly polly is 8 months

at 8 months….

he enjoys decorating for christmas

has 8 teeth

sits really well & plays by himself

loves the jump-a-roo

outgrew the bumbo

outgrew his carseat

outgrew the swing

outgrew his 6 month clothes

basically, he's a haus

says mamamamama and da da da da all the time

we haven't found a food that he won't eat!

does 'raspberries' all the time

has the jaws of a great white shark….do NOT stick your fingers in his mouth if you intend on keeping them

sits happily in his high chair eating puffs & yogurt melts & laughing at his nutty brothers

sleeping is still a total wildcard….sometimes he sleeps through the night
other nights he does NOT so much

happy, sweet, precious, adorable baby boy….we love you! we are SO GLAD your in this family!

loving the snuggles from this 8 month old & looking forward to seeing his first christmas….oh, the shiny wrapping paper!!

how 'bout them apples; 2nd annual canning & pie party

2011-11-28T23:23:00.000-07:00

my beautiful friend meg & i had our 2nd annual applefest canning sesh the week before thanksgiving---doesn't she take amazing photos? i think she should follow me around & make my life look really really pretty all the time.

even though it's really really messy about 99% of the time.

all in all....we canned 14 quarts & 2 pints of applesauce & made 11 apple pies

& still had SO MANY apples left...but we got a little overwhelmed with all the kids we had in tow...

meg & i tend to be like....lets go apple picking & canning & pie making with 4 babies & it'll be so magical! and well, it's not that it's not magical, it's just very chaotic.

it's magical chaos.

magical apple flavored chaos.

but very worth it...my boys LOVE the applesauce {little do they know there is NO sugar...it's all natural with a little cinnamon} we've already made our way through a quart! there is something so satisfying about opening up a can of something you made from scratch & feeding those hungry bellies full of it...

what are you storing up for winter?

tell me!

xo,

the diamond ring & the turkey

2011-11-27T13:02:00.001-07:00

some of the guys huntin' for chuckers on thanksgiving day

beautiful sunset

everyone who was there for dinner...believe it or not, we were missing 2 families!

newly engaged in wedding canyon!

some of the characters at thanksgiving dinner...it was impossible to get a shot of everyone eating

the ring!! isn't is so beautiful? she loves it! congrats guys!!

***we had a wonderful thanksgiving & holiday week! as you can see uncle matthew {my baby brother} proposed to his girlfriend & she said yes! yay! we are so excited for them!! we also got to celebrate thanksgiving 2 days in a row--once with my family {above} and the next day with the polkadotcop's side {unfortunately we didn't get any photos on friday} so...lots of love & lots of turkey! xo,

baby is 7 months

2011-11-14T10:17:00.001-07:00

my sunshine boy is 7 months!

at 7 months....

Grey has 8 teeth

is sitting up...sort of

is rolling over & pushing up {but not close to crawling yet}

is a total rolly polly! this little guy is a chunk!

eating baby food & puffs once a day, nursing the rest of the time

wearing 9-12 month sizes & surprisingly lets me put him in hats, keeping them on

grabs everything & shoves it in his mouth....those teeth are SHARP!

loves the bath & shower

attached to his little sleep sheep & his blankies :)

has every person in this family wrapped around his little finger

love you forever buddy!

xo,

halloween-ish 2011

2011-11-06T21:07:00.002-07:00

i'm definitely not a halloween lover....not a hater, but not an adult costume get-decked-outter.....but i do appreciate how much fun it is for my children to dress up & go into an annual sugar induced frenzy...turned RUSH...turned comabut, i have to say trick-or-treating was kinda chaotic-well, trying to wrangle finn in nearly every situation is fairly chaotic if i'm honest {let alone when he's thomas the train ON CRACK}..therefore my halloween-ish recap pictures are substandard, & it seems i am unable to capture pictures on any actual holiday...next year i am going to implement the dress up the day before & photograph policy for ALL holidays.*sigh*next year.i didn't even get a picture of baby banana...yes he was a dang cute banana, and demanded & screamed his way out of the banana bunting about 3 minutes after i stuffed him into it...hope y'all had a safe & happy halloween& that you rummaged through those candy buckets while the children were sleeping...happy sugar rush!

all together we had optimus prime, thomas the train, dorthy & 3 adorable cupcakes, one uncooperative banana, belle & lightning mcqueen!

optimus & thomas

warming up with chili & cornbread after trick-or-treating !

my cutie loving every minute of his favorite holiday!

friday 5; where do babies come from?

2011-10-28T22:13:00.000-06:00

here's a question for yaWHERE DO BABIES COME FROM?that question contains FIVE words.this friday 5 is brought to you by the 5 scariest words that a 5 year old could ever string together in one sentence....here we go....
it happened. it blindsided me out of no where. he asked the question. it's okay, you can hyperventilate, i did too.
we were driving in the car, talking about the only thing we EVER talk about {transformers and legos}, and little mr. photographic memory reed was recounting the dates & times of every transformer we have ever purchased {he could write a history book, we have A LOT of transformers}

then he got to optimus prime {see above}and he said....remember, we went to target & bought him when baby grey was still in your tummy?
yes, honey i remember that. actually i probably didn't remember that, but i was trying to remember that specific target run. again, we go to target A LOT.
i didn't think anything of it whatsoever & was totally preoccupied trying to switch the radio AWAY from the air1 pledge drive....
my little son was deep in thought, but he does that A LOT, so once again...no big deal.
then he broke the silence with the mother of all questions....momma, how DID grey get into your tummy anyway??? oh. my. stars.
i blacked out temporarily,and eventually said;
well....babies come from Jesus.and from magic snuggles.

and then i told him to go ask his dad.
because i remembered that being a mom to all boys gives you a free pass togo ask your daddy land

just thought y'all might like to have a freaky friday!

teeth

2011-10-26T13:59:00.000-06:00

littlest mister has 6 of them...chomp chomp!

baby is 6 months

2011-10-21T12:25:00.001-06:00

this little fellow is 1/2...grey oliver version .50

at 6 months mister man.....

has 4 teeth {two top, two bottom}

sits up for about 30 seconds at a time

rolls all ways

ate rice cereal once, bananas twice & reverted back to nursing full time

smiles & laughs all the time

still lives in the swing

still loves his bumbo throne

has lost his title as sleeping champ...i am a tired mama this month

loves the car

loves music

plays with all kinds of toys, grabs with both hands, looks for things to play with

loves his brothers & his da da more than anything

precious as ever

i think i'll keep him around :)

jack-o-lantern of all trades

2011-10-21T11:27:00.001-06:00

first cut

my manclan...even grey grey was getting in on the action in his bumbo

lil g's pumpkin.....a crazy hippo face :)

reed's pumpkin...the nightmare before christmas....

finn's pumpkin & my personal favorite....the AMAZING spiderman!!! you know we love spidie in this house!

i feel like i am a fairly creative person....at least a creative thinker. or a colossal thinker...not sure which. the polkadot cop however, is thinking creatively on an entirely different plain....he is pretty talented in the art department. if he'd let me, i'd post some of his artwork, but i am still pleading with him for that....he did a jack-o-lantern for each of the boys---what a guy! mine would have had triangle eyes and a crooked smile. the end.

but with the polkadot cop on the case, we got a nightmare before christmas pumkin, a cute little funky hippo pumpkin & a spiderman pumpkin.....he is something else i tell ya..... & these boys adore him so.

thank you hunky hot hubby for your fun tradition....you rock!

soccer season 3

2011-10-13T11:17:00.000-06:00

well the start of fall has been really busy for us this year! i am spending half my time toting little boys to & from kindergarten, fiddle, soccer, church & awanas...but i like to keep them busy...helps my sanity & keeps them active & happy-so it's a win-win.....speaking of win-win....here are the undefeated jaguars! they have rocked it this season & reed has found a new love for playing goalie! i am so proud of my little guy...i can't believe the season is coming to an end, last practice is tonight & the last game is on saturday! i love how soccer season ushers in actual fall weather...the first practice was hot & sunny & today i feel like i can legitimately wear riding boots & sip a pumpkin spice latte while they play...ahhh, fall.

jaguars & their awesome coaches!

water break

getting ready to play goalie!

as always, finn is thrilled at the prospect of sitting still

the undefeated jaguars

cute kids enjoying their game

friday 5; insta-friday link-up

2011-09-23T13:17:00.001-06:00

1.) welcome to my sweet, sweet dahlin' boy...he is simply to die for & when i get to bundle him up in a little fall hat it's almost too much to take 2.) we are taking teensy tastes of baby food! why oh why was ella's organic not around for #1 & #2? it's like heaven in a pouch...& all natural 3.) little finn & i have been painting painting painting everyday while #1 is at kindergarten...good bonding for these two right brained maniacs! 4.) i entered the world of gpant diapering a few weeks ago...i have to say i am LOVING it! the colors are to die for & that little g is on little g's bum. what else can i say? 5.) here's a sneak peek at my fall mantle...even though owls creep me out like none-other, i found this little white vintage guy rather endearing...couldn't resist...more mantle picks to come once it's complete!

link up your cuteness too!

allison's 30th garden party

2011-09-18T01:13:00.000-06:00

last night i enjoyed a fabulous shabby chic garden birthday party thrown in honor of my sweet friend allison's 30th...you should read her incredible blog & be in awe of her knitting talent like i am...click here to read all about how great she is
:::
the party was hosted by my teen idols, amy {my cousin} & kel....well, just scroll down & you'll understand why i'm obsessed with them...
they had the CUTEST ideas...complete with buntings, mis-matched vintage china, mason jar tea lights, quilts & a delish coconut cake
the evening started with an small girls-only dinner party & on the menu was
artichoke & sausage soup
vegtable soup {made from the community garden!}
bread with peach lavender butter {canned by amy}
salad {all organic & lots of veggies from the community garden as well}
wine
::::
what a perfect, simple & delicious menu to serve outside garden style
later on more people arrived for the drinks & dessert portion of the party...& unfortunatly it started pouring rain {which NEVER happens here}
it did not however come close to raining on our parade..we just moved inside & had a great time...i wish i had a photo of the darling aqua cruiser bike we all went in on for allison- but we were too busy enjoying the moment to snap a photo {isn't that how it goes?}
it was such a fun night with girlfriends, good food, good wine, oh, and that coconut cake...it was seriously to die for! i'll ask her for the recipe, i may have to do a whole separate post on it...

setting up...we used my cute quilt as a table cloth...fun idea!

adorable buntings made by kel

amy's amazing backyard

shabby chic buntings

table

lots of tealites, mason jars, cute barber shop straws from etsy

amy & kel were both florists at one point...good girls to know :)

i just adored these....can't you tell?

dessert table

kel & i setting up

kel with her precious brand 7 week old baby boy...he is so so loved

my teen idols for life

lighting up that beautiful cake!

birthday girl blowing out 30 fabulous candles

finn's farm fresh 3rd birthday party; part 2

2011-09-17T11:28:00.003-06:00

bunch of real cute kiddos...lining up to do the pinata!

3 of my favorite girls

my parents! my mom was ready to party!!-such fun grandparents

kids loved these party blowers

uncle dane playing that banjo...he is SO talented!

the birthday boy...drinking up that farm fresh milk :)

finn's farm fresh 3rd birthday party; part 1

2011-09-13T12:28:00.000-06:00

we had the most perfect night last wednesday for finn's birthday....you may remember last year he had the worst birthday of all time, so we made it up to him by throwing a huge farm-fresh bash....complete with a cookies & milk bar, banjos, mandolins, guitars, cowboy hats & a beautiful country setting...we had so much fun! he did too...everytime we drive by the hall he says 'there's my party mama!' here are the first set of photos...

perfect sunset to start off the evening

looking out from the back door

from the back yard

i was too lazy to stuff all those party bags so i just made a 'stuff your own party bag buffet'...it was brilliant, the kids loved it & less work for me :)

drink station & finn's banner

hanging with daddy

baby is 5 months

2011-09-12T22:03:00.002-06:00

this little peanut is 5 months

we are ga-ga over our baby GREY

there is just no excuse for the excessive baby talking i engage in...i swore i'd never

but i do...i mean look at this sweet mug! love sweet love--this guy has a home in the hearts of his older brothers & parents & is getting his sense of humor on in a big way...laughing and smiling all the time...oh i want to go hover over him in his sleep right now like a ~~creeper~~ loving mama! i can't get enough!

at 5 months lover boy mancub #3 is....

*sitting up in the bumbo

*rolling over occasionally

*belly laughing constantly

*smiles & recognizes his grandparents

*eating rice cereal

*nursing like a mad man

*has 2 teeth...both popped up on the bottom the day he turned 5 months!

*says "na na na na na na" & "ma ma ma ma ma ma" {i knew he loved me most}

*finds his brothers quite hilarious...you never know what will do it, but they send him into laughing fits with many of their boy-ish shenanigans...jumping on the bed, light saber fights {ps thought it was light saver this whole time, until the polkadotcop laughed hysterically at my pitiful starwars knowledge} ect, ect..

*all the sudden started taking a pacifier! amen!?

so wild about this small person!

ramblin' recap/ allergy update

2011-09-06T22:04:00.002-06:00

this has been a very odd past two months for me health-wise...you may remember my blog post about the 4th of July when I discovered {or at least thought i had discovered} an unfortunate deadly shellfish allergy...911 was involved & and it was all around embarrassing & terrifying too....well since then i have had episodes/ reactions to {although much more mild} a plum, an avocado, a banana & then a peach...weird upon weird, i am a freak of nature.today i went to the allergist for an appointment with a specialist & essentially left with out answers & the recommendations for more tests....i got poked like a little pincushion & then poked some more & did not show any sign of allergy to ANY of the foods that i have reacted to...kind of relieving and kind of not at all, since we still have to figure out why i randomly start sweating profusely/ vomiting/ blacking out... NO i am NOT pregnant. don't even joke. don't even think that. i would have a nervous breakdown at the prospect of revisiting my morning sickness...oh heavens. so...we are looking into other options, perhaps it's hormone related, perhaps i am just a total freak. unknown at this point.i was however instructed to continue to avoid shellfish...check.to carry my epi-pen with me.....check.to carry a bunch of medications that start with z...zantac or zanex or zerteck or something....have to figure out what those are and then i will certainly be prepared should an episode arise.i am just dying to eat a palisade peach but, just a little gun-shy over here....have any of you ever had something this bizarre come over you? no? well, just ignore me then and stare at the pretty pink type writer...can't you just imagine me in the 50s typing out a memo for mr. draper? any mad men fans? no? ok you have no clue what i am talking about? it's okay, me either. if you by any chance have had weird food allergies/ attacks/ episodes please comment & send me some advice!!

3

2011-09-04T12:25:00.000-06:00

***
in almost every birthday blog post i have ever read {mine included}...the words i can't believe he's already _____ are in there somewhere. not this one. finn is unique to me in the fact that he has always seemed his age....or even older. this may be due to the fact that he began climbing out of his crib and shimming down the side at 7 months of age. this may be due to the fact that he's had more injuries in his young life than that of a seasoned war veteran 92 year old man. it may just be because if you know him, he is who he is, he will never change, he is the one, the ONLY the FLYING FINN
and today he is 3 years old
and it suits him perfectly.
we are grateful to God for allowing us the privilege & honor to raise 3 bouncing boys, each one SO unique...we do not need any outside form of entertainment, because we have our Finn man....wild as the river & as bright as the sun.***

meeting our finn for the first time...this may be the worst photo ever taken of me, puffy face, no makeup (the horror!), tears streaming, bad hair, no earrings (blasphemy!)....but to me {and probably ONLY me} it is also the most beautiful, because it was the greatest since of relief i have ever felt in my life. 9 pounds 2 ounces of baby was here, after a very difficult labor...the kind of labor where you scream so loud that the sound coming out sounds foreign & unrecognizable. intense, insane & wild. and after 36 hours of contractions & 9 minutes of pushing we met him. he didn't even cry-he just looked up at me & glared-acting put out to be born. sorry dude, it was an act of nature that had to occur. and in a moment finn daniel was forever a part of our story.
***

this picture sums up his personality to a tee. he is a mover & a shaker, a jumper & a climber, a wild child, an emergency room kid, and we would be board stiff with out him. i love this boy. more than life.
***

the boy goes to school

2011-08-30T22:49:00.000-06:00

all summer long i have been dreading the moment....the first day of school! i talked to my sweet friend who is a teacher & she told me her best advice was to get all the tears out the night before....and that i did! as in cried a river....sobbed hysterically, curled in the fetal position, had flashbacks of giving birth to him, swaddling his teensy body, nursing him, watching him crawl, walk, run...thinking about his unwavering love of superheros, his tender spirit, his undying love for his little brothers...waaaaaawaaaaaaaa what the heck am i supposed to do? he's my BABY for pity sake. he's been at my side for the past 5 years, we are so much a part of each other it's hard to imagine daily time apart. but the thing is he was ready. he was so excited. so...we just did what we knew we had to do, had to embrace the inevitable, and RIP that band-aid right off! it only stings for a second. then it is followed by goodness. the first drop-off went shockingly well, basically i shocked myself at how composed i remained...NO TEARS. ah-mazing. well...ok, no tears until i got back into the car...then there were a few. the first two days have been fabulous...he LOVES his teacher, his school, pe, computer lab, snack time, making new friends {mom! a boy has the SAME sketchers as me!!} & reading pete the cat...he said he loves it all. i don't know if any mama's heart is ever quite ready for the next phase...whatever that phase may be-but i do know this; we have to suck it up, rip the band-aid & know that Jesus, our all-mighty KING will protect our little ones when they are out there, not just when they are in here. even if i have to chant that to myself 1000 times a day, i know it is truth. this sweet boy was ready....for everything there is a SEASON, a time for every activity under heaven.

and just like that, we are in the season where the boy goes to school.

***

work it

rockin the mario backpack

all smiles

kindergarten here we come

skater boy

brothers

the big drop off....cool as a cucumber!

back to school edition; schultete school cones!

2011-08-29T16:49:00.000-06:00

i am in love with traditions...you know this by now. both my husband and i have some german roots {HELLO just look at our last name!!} & one of the german customs my family has kept for generations is the making of peppernut cookies at christmas time {i'll post about it over the holidays!} but...i was researching back-to-school traditions and i fell in LOVE with this idea...it is the German SCHULTETE, which is a giant cone filled with treats & goodies & school supplies & given to the child on the first day of school....how perfect to start it now in our family as a fun new tradition! I have been busy making one for Reed for kindergarten & couldn't resist doing one for Finn for his first year of preschool too of course.so...basically it is like getting a stocking on the first day! so fun....and in true German tradition, I thought it would be perfect to put an orange at the bottom..just as i do with my kid's stockings on Christmas morning::::here is a darling picture of a little german school girl holding hers!

photo from themotherhuddle.com

doesn't she look so happy? i think this is so sweet.

and here are the two that i came up with...

i just rolled scrapbook paper into a large cone, hot glued it & filled it with polkadot tissue paper & treats...it made for a fun way to start the morning of his first day today! found some chalkboard artist trading cards & wrote their names with chalk pens & clipped them on the front, along with little reminders & scriptures....the target $1 bins were perfect for filling these cones on up!

i am definitely going to do this each year as a back-to-school tradition for the boys!

back-to-school edition; simple suppers/ meal plan

2011-08-26T14:28:00.000-06:00

with school starting, fiddle, soccer, church & everything else, i have to keep suppers simple...as much as i love to cook, i am going for the less is more philosophy when it comes to this school year...i find that i function at a 10 times higher rate when my meals are planned, shopping is DONE for a week at a time & i don't have to panic at 3:30 everyday....not to mention, our family lives life on a bizarre scheduele...as shift work is par for the course 'round here...so here are my simple suppers for the next 10 nights-they each have a main dish & one side...good enough for me-keep it simple babe...* baked mac & cheese {southern style} with a side of garden fresh tomatoestacos with a side of palisade peaches & creamgrilled chicken & caesar pitas with a side of berrieshomemade calzones with garden saladhomemade chicken & basil pizza with side of pearsbreakfast for dinner {waffles, sausage, eggs}southwestern wraps with a side of black bean & corn salsa blts with a side of cottage cheese
chicken salad on croissants with a side of cantaloupe slicessteaks on the grill with baked potatoes *

thankfully i have an assistant to dump cheese everywhere for me

yummy pesto/ basil/ chicken pizza...one of my favorites to whip up

kind of hard to complain about cooking when i am with a few seconds of the most amazing august produce in the country!
10 dinners that please these polkadots! what are you making? link up your menu plans & share the love...i can always use supper ideas!

back-to-school edition; some days just suck

2011-08-24T20:44:00.002-06:00

well...today was a rough one, so my intended back-to-school post is coming tomorrow...let's just say that the polkadot cop either has food poisoning or a crazy parasite from the water at the cabin & then reed's kindergarten open house ended in sobbing, tears & a total melt-down, which i was not expecting at all from him...caught me off guard & in turn turned mama into an emotional train-wreck...all we want is to make the best decisions, do good by our kids...am i wrong? we want God's best for these little people, and sometimes when the road is bumpy, i just have to take a deep breath and *sigh* and remember that somedays just suck. a lot. but even on those days we are still all here. we are still {relatively} healthy. Jesus is behind us, beside us, before us. sometimes it is just 103 degrees with no ac. sometimes you open the fridge and drop the vegetable tray and baby carrots go flying. sometimes your husband can't stop vomiting. soto bed we go, looking forward to august 25th, hoping it's better than august 24th, rising early with steaming coffee & little finn's first day of preschool. Thank Jesus for his grace and move forward...even on the sucky days.

and since no post is complete with out a photo...check out this little fellow that was crawling around on our front step....isn't he funky? i have never in all my life see a fuzzy red bug like this guy.

random. but interesting nonetheless...

oh, and one more thing-my hair is falling out. you know, postpartum style. thanks hormones, because that is what i need, a bad hair day.

back-to-school edition; finish summer projects

2011-08-23T17:03:00.002-06:00

it is seriously hard to imagine that spray-painting season could come to an end given the current temp of 103, but i am trying to finish up random summer projects this week before school begins! the first one is my highchair when i was a baby....it just needed a little love---in the form of GREY spray-paint...and the second was a random red shelf i have had forever & was getting quite sick of....when in doubt, don't throw it out, paint it aqua & turn it into a jewelry organizer!

stay tuned all week for more back-to-school week ideas!

back to school edition; after school treats

2011-08-22T09:42:00.001-06:00

well....the time has come. GULP. my baby is going to kindergarten in a week from today. deep breaths mama, deep breaths. the only way i know of to combat the fear {mine not his} is to throw a party and celebrate instead! so....i present to you a week long special edition on the blog...

polkadot's back to school week!

here we go...today i am featuring the cutest back-to-school treats imaginable!

i found these on various blogs & pintrest boards

planning to try some rice krispie fun this evening

angelo's pottery studio fun

2011-08-20T11:12:00.000-06:00

anything that involves a paintbrush, apron & a mess that i don't have to clean up is a score in my book....that's why we loved angelo's paint your own pottery the other day! both the boys painted a robot---a huge thank you to my dear friend & the boys' fairy-god-mother, rebecca for making this such a fun outing! your the best honey!! :)

friday 5; my picks for august style

2011-08-19T23:28:00.000-06:00

loosened shelby blouse from anthropologie....a-dorable! mine just arrived today actually...love it & it's so comfortable too

this chunky gold bracelet from hive & honey is gorgeous don't you think?

once again rebecca makes an amazing lipstick discovery and i follow suit; mac lipstick in gel frost

i am such a horrible pj person...always sleeping in hub's tees & weird yoga pants or something..i'm thinking i need to order these cute pants from old navy! they are currently on sale for $15

chinese laundry makes the cutest handbags...& i love a pop of red! i just fanagled a very similar one from Ross for FREE- blog post for another day- but they are beautiful indeed & red is the perfect summer-to-fall transition color

what are you loving this month? new trends? sticking with the tried and true? tell me! i love your comments :)

baby is 4 months

2011-08-14T23:16:00.000-06:00

grey is 4 months

not sure how that is possible, but this chubby little mister gets cuter by the second

didn't know that could be possible either...

at 4 months....

*he is holding up his head really well

*can roll from his belly to side & back to side but not all the way

*no signs of a tooth yet

*still nursing exclusively {thinking about trying that rice cereal this month or next}

*loves to sit in the bumbo

*filling out & getting some squeezable lovable little thighs!

*smiles & laughs...especially at daddy & the big brothers

*puts things in his mouth

*loves & seems attached to his swaddle blankets

*lives in his swing

*grabs his feet

*the colic is gone! praise. Jesus.

*sleeps through the night

he is in the cuddle-bug stage...i just LOVE holding him, snuggling him and being around him every second! he is such a gift to this family we would not be complete with out our grey!

i feel like on round three i am more focused on what's important...like cuddling on the couch, reading with the boys, and enjoying the smallness of this stage--

so grateful for this sweet time with my little misters.

friday 5; blogs i'm obsessed with

2011-08-12T11:59:00.000-06:00

it's........FRIDAY 5 TIME!! blogging & reading other's blogs is hands down one of my favorite things ever...i love how it connects us as women...and let's face it, i love how we can stalk each other's cute ideas! here are 5 {although there are WAY more than that} of the blogs i check everyday...check them out...i know you'll love them too!*{1} hollywood housewife.....okay she is pretty much amazing, i love her style too. her little girl pigtail is just about too cute for words, and i LOVE her book recommendations...we have the same taste in literature :)
www.hollywoodhousewife.com
*{2} shauna neiquest....well she's my favorite author, so i'm naturally drawn to her blog. i love love love her two books cold tangerines & bittersweet & she's releasing a third soon too!
www.shaunaniequist.com
*{3} katy from no big dill.....need inspiration? this lady is unbelievable! she has 5 daughters with the most amazing names ever & and little bun on the way...she sews, cooks organic, and well...she's darling.
www.thedillspiell.blogspot.com
*{4} i like it i love it! yet again...darling darling darling...i love her what i wore wednesday posts...cutest style ever! and her baby's nursery is tdf too
megandcalconner.blogspot.com
*{5} the nesting place. oh her cottage is a dream....exactly what i am trying to achieve in the farmhouse & she has 3 boys...so a stylish gorgeous home with three little misters...yep. she's my hero.
www.thenester.com

which blogs do you read daily? which ones bring you inspiration? link them up! happy blog stalking & HAPPY FRIDAY Y'ALL!*****

introducing {nest}

2011-08-11T22:02:00.000-06:00

i'm so excited to share what i've been up to the past several weeks...a brand new ministry for mamas with a fresh perspective & a real cute logo

and a real cute website

www.nestingrace.com

and a little twitter account

@nestingrace

can't wait to share more with you as things progress & if your local please join us for our september 16th kick-off!

cabin

2011-08-07T01:37:00.001-06:00

this week we got away for a 4 day trip to the cool mountain air at the hub's family's cabin...what a relief from this insanity desert heat! the boys were so excited when we told them that their cousins would be camping at the lake over in their rv....so it was boy mania this week! i can't think of anything better than little boys digging up earthworms, fishing with their dads, building fires, roasting s'mores and just plain getting dirty...they loved every second of it! we can't wait to go back...asap!

grey's baby dedication

2011-08-07T01:00:00.000-06:00

last sunday we had the privilege and honor to have grey dedicated- it is not a baptism or a christening, but a dedication of the child to the Lord, and as it is often called at our church a family dedication. it was a really special time for me, as we committed in front of our congregation to raise grey in a christian home, and fill him with the knowledge of the saving gospel of Jesus...the congregation is in turn charged with the calling to spur us on in christian parenting & act as accountability-what a sweet reminder too that these children belong to Jesus & they are blessings-it is dear to my heart, and we have had all three boys dedicated now. i thought it would be really special to have my dad {who is an elder} do the dedication & he did such a great job, it was so heartfelt & well thought out. thanks dad! grey was also presented with a special children's bible-as a keepsake for the dedication. later that evening we of course had to celebrate with a pool party, bbq, friends & family!

my dad preparing to dedicate our little grey

we had a little chat, if you will, in the car about standing still for the dedication...they did great!

holding my guy

dedicated unto the Lord

later that night at the party...great grandpa & great uncle t

swim time!

fun bright colors for the party

a few of the decorations

drink station

cookies galore

the bbq spread

good friends celebrating with us and hanging around the pool

anniversary gifts by year

2011-07-30T12:29:00.000-06:00

if you know me or read my blog by now i bet you've figured out i love parties, proper etiquette & southern traditions-i have always loved the formal way of gift giving for a wedding anniversary & thought i'd share the list with you...in case anyone out there shares my love for properness

it can give you a fun idea if your searching for the perfect anniversary gift for your love or a friend!

wedding anniversary gifts by year

1st paper/ clocks

2nd cotton or china

3rd leather

4th book

5th wood

6th sugar/ iron

7th wool/ copper

8th bronze/ pottery

9th willow

10th tin/ aluminum

11th steel

12th silk/ linen

13th lace

14th ivory

15th crystal

25th silver

30th pearl

35th jade

40th ruby

50th golden anniversary & traditional party is held by family & friends

friday 5; the attic

2011-07-29T23:41:00.004-06:00

i had the MOST FUN & unexpected day today...and it's a perfect thing for a friday 5 post....i took the boys over to my gg's (my grandmother, their great grandmother) house to swim & have lunch as we often do...we are so blessed becuase their farm is just right around the corner & we are within 5 minutes of each other...well today she decided to clean out her attic & it was AMAZING-among the many treasures were; my grandfather's air force uniform, my mama's wedding dress & veil, my great grandfather's christening gown, my great great grandmothers handmade (crochet & tat) doilies.....i just sat and soaked in all the heritage. it really was amazing. something about touching & looking at items that were made by your great great grandmother is so fulfilling...i felt so whole, so connected to my heritage. oh and her name was lula. so pretty much it doesn't get anymore magical than that. lula & i would have been dear friends...she lived on a farm & plucked her own chickens!

it was just such a special day spent with my beloved grandma...she is love & she is loved. i am so grateful for her, and that my children are getting to know her so well too. she gave me SO many treasures {my explorer was packed until i could take no more} but here are 5 for friday 5 of course!

are these precious upon precious or what??? they are vintage birthday candle holders. i die.

i about had a heart-attack when she offered this lamp which was my great grandmothers...you might recognize the chair behind it too from g's announcements, also from my great grandmother

this was the oldest antique from today, and it's in beautiful condition, it's a gold plated perfume tray from my great great grandma lula

by far the dearest to my heart, my grandpa & grandma's senior pictures...weren't they SO beautiful?

another item i adore...a vintage picnic basket from the 40s/ 50s, & it has my great grandmother's name plated on it! i am going to store magazines or something fun in it....can't wait!

more pictures to come once i play around arranging all my new treasures around the house! how fun, thank you for an amazing day & the sweetest memory grandma!!

HAPPY FRIDAY Y'ALL!
so tell me...what are your favorite vintage things that have been passed down....i love treasure hunting for my farm cottage!

seven

2011-07-28T21:16:00.000-06:00

10 years ago I kissed my boyfriend at the door on a freezy January night & wished upon a star that he could be mine forever. The cutest boy I'd ever laid eyes on. tall. And those blue eyes. And two dimples. and the wittiest sense of humor. and a mighty good kisser. Oh this boy. Please please please let him be
mine.

9 years ago I left for a month long trip to Europe & thought I was going to d----iiii---ee without him. who on earth can't enjoy a dream vacation to Europe?

8 years ago I was living in a teeny college apartment buying nothing but white chocolate mochas & bride's magazine dreaming of a fairy tale wedding and missing him so desperately it was pitiful.

7 years ago he got down on one knee in that same teeny apartment and asked if I would be his wife. 3 sweet months later we committed our lives, our hearts, our everything to one another. the most perfect and whole decision either of us has ever made. a fairy tale wedding with 503 guests followed.

6 years ago i stared at 23 different positive pregnancy tests lined up across my bathroom counter in utter disbelief. my young husband stared at 23 charges to the debit card in utter disbelief. sorry husband. still sorry about that. didn't know that positive meant pregnant. i know now.

5 years ago we welcomed the most brilliant gift of life i could ever imagine. reed andersen. a little teeny version of a mixture of us. he has his dad's brain & for that i am thankful. then we moved into our little yellow house on the corner.

4 years ago i knew to only buy one pregnancy test...and on christmas day 2 pink lines meant a new baby was on his way.

3 years ago we learned again that you are capable of loving more than one child with all your heart. welcome finn. oh our flying finn. life would be not be life without you.

2 years ago we moved home. back to our valley. back where we belong.

1 year ago we moved to this glorious farm. happy 1 year anniversary sweet farm. fresh air. sunshine. cornfields. aunt & uncle. it's the best place i know of.

this year we opened our hearts to our sweet, sweet baby grey. thank you God for this gift, another little boy, another sweet reminder of god's grace to our family.

we did these things together. we will keep doing these things together. i can't believe it....polkadotcop, you are my dream come true. you are the love story of my life. thank you for sharing my story, and for being the main character..you make me a blessed woman. happy 7th anniversary babe.

rimrock rodeo

2011-07-20T01:21:00.000-06:00

well this sure ain't my first rodeo....but it was theirs! these little misters were loving the cowboys & the mutton bustin'....unfortunately we got rained out part way through--i'm just not quite as tough as the real cowgirls who stick out the downpours in their ponchos-i mean, we wouldn't want my hair to go flat now would we? the tiniest mister stayed sound asleep in the stroller, despite the rowdy crowd & we had a ton of fun while it lasted! definitely worth the $8 entry fee :) the boys LOVED the names of the sheep {buzz, skywalker, lightning mcqueen} so that was fun too...another stay-cation activity to check off my list! oh...p.s. i put the boys in matching shirts & kept thinking that reed looked like he was wearing a belly shirt & finn a dress--well i finally checked the tags & they were in each other's shirts...lol. newborn brain over here.

bubbles

2011-07-18T11:07:00.000-06:00

sorry i missed my friday 5 post...i was jet-setting my way to northern california this week to be in a wedding...grey & i made a quick 48 hour trip-no, he's not a travel champ. but he is loved. and he can scream. anyway...just some photos of the muchachos-enojoy!

sweetest boy

benefit of going to the er all the time; free thor stickers!

reed

work it

these 79 cent bubble wands rock

simple pleasure

boys in the field

loving life

boys

popping the bubble!

last time i ever buy those dinky bottles of bubbles...these huge wands are WAY better!

offspring

2011-07-12T18:59:00.000-06:00

over the last 5 years, my cousins & i have turned ourselves into baby makin' factories, in fact i think we may go pro! ladies and gentlemen {okay, fine ladies & my husband--maybe my brothers?} i introduce to you the fruits of our labor;

10 little cousins sittin' on a pipe; james, jane, jonas, sarah, rachel, reed, finn, charlie & isabella

we added baby grey and baby elenora, so all 12 in all & the melt-downs began

these rascals are nothin' but {cute} trouble!

whew! that's one darling bunch of babes-my cousins are like sisters to me...i am so blessed & so grateful our kids are growing up together as close as we did!

baby is 3 months

2011-07-11T21:53:00.000-06:00

grey oliver our little love bucket is already 3 months &

what a pleasant little personality he is developing

at 3 months Grey...

*smiles back every time you smile at him

*just {literally tonight} started belly laughing

*has grabbed intentionally for the mobile on his swing, and is trying like heck to grab Reed's glasses

*his brothers and daddy are definite favorites

*breastfeeds exclusively {such a little nursing champ!}

*pulls off while nursing & looks up at me to smile

*we are making bi-weekly visits to the chiropractor & it has changed our life! he's a much happier camper, still with bouts of colic but not nearly as bad

*sleeps at least 9 hours every night....uhm praise Jesus!

*has every person in this family wrapped around his little finger....oh there's just something about the baby that can melt your heart!

*still sits up in church with mama---i'm just not ready to take him to nursery!

*just took his first dip in the pool at gg's house

*i love you to bits baby Grey...you bless my heart each day & watching you grow & develop is nothing short of a miracle-new life is such a blessing!

stitches

2011-07-09T15:10:00.000-06:00

well, it was bound to happen in a household full of boys...but i just kept praying it wouldn't happen yet. not today. not yet. but my little flying finn launched himself smack into the corner of my end table during a little brotherly ufc living room throw-down & split his poor sweet head clean open. the sweet ladies in the ER knew us by name....here is my little buster brown with his 3 stitches....yesterday was HORRIBLE trying to hold him down while they stitched him up, but today he seems totally unaffected.::::

friday 5; baby keepsakes

2011-07-08T08:43:00.001-06:00

it's that time again...friday 5 time! today i'm sharing my top 5 baby keepsakes, special things i've done for each of the boys-here there are
::::

{1.} baby announcement. i loved putting this one together....i ordered his announcements from tinyprints.com, which is my favorite site for stationary & cards....you can opt to have them print your return address, recipients address & even add postage {i did all three of these, i'm too busy with 3 little men} and it makes it so easy-they have a ton of fun designs to choose from.

{2.} a letter from the white house. i think it is a little known fact that your can request a personal baby greeting letter from the white house! it is a really special thing to have in your baby book...and the calligraphy is just going to make you swoon!
you can google it for more information if you want to do this, but basically you just send in your request to;
THE WHITE HOUSE
ATTN; GREETINGS OFFICE
WASHINGTON, DC 20502-0039
you can also request greeting for birthdays, weddings or other special occasions & it's free!

{3.} newspaper birth announcement...usually you request this in the hospital once baby is born, but you can always call the newspaper & request it to be printed...in my experience these take FOREVER to actually print {still haven't seen grey's} but the are a fun little clipping for the baby book.

{4.} silver baby cup, spoon or rattle to mark the baby's birth. i have one of each, one for each boy. a very southern tradition & a very classy way to welcome baby....it can be a pricey gift but it's appropriate for it to be given by the baby's aunt or grandmother. bronzed shoes or a sterling piggy bank are other classy ideas :)

{5.} the baby book....you know i am not a fan of characters or animals....but it is almost impossible to find a non-lame baby book. oh how i wish etsy & pintrest had been around 5 years ago, but alas they were not. so i settled for the carter's baby books {i have one for each of the boys because i wanted them to match} you really have to have a baby book, because you'll look back at it with love & your child will appreciate it when they're older. i remember looking through reed's when he was a newborn and smiling that it went through age 5, the first day of kindergarten, thinking that seemed impossibly far away. somehow we are there in one more month. gulp.

so these are my baby keepsake essentials what are yours? do you have a tradition that has been passed down in your family for welcoming babies? do you have certain things from your childhood that you want to carry on? i'd love to hear about it!
HAPPY FRIDAY Y'ALL!

4th of july lobster boil; my last lobster hoorah

2011-07-05T22:21:00.002-06:00

so...4th of july was eventful to say the least...let's start with part one {the happy part} and i'll explain part two {the NOT so happy part} at the bottom...

:::

part 1; 5:00-8:30 pm little boys running around, lobster boil in the works, scorcher of a day, cold drinks, my grandpa's 81st bday, family all around....total perfection.

boys are fun. boys are easy.

boys don't care about what they're wearing all that much & so mama can get away
with matching outfits.

grey's 1st 4th of july

my little firecracker

in between ufc living room throw-downs they sometimes hug

so excited & curious about the lobsters

they named each one

little did i know these bad boys were about to take me down

it was a scorcher for sure

my delicious arch nemesis

louisville love-bugs! we are so happy to have my brother & beautiful wife visiting....meeting baby grey too!

my table settings

found these darling tablecloths at {where else?} target!

colanders from the targ $1 bins were perfect for holding the lobsters

sparkler marshmallow pops

i've been blogging about these a lot lately...what can i say? they're darling!

wow. i am married to a hottie.

we boiled them in a turkey fryer

10 little lobsters

here's me about an hour before i almost died

boys with great grandpa-they get a total kick out of one another, probably because my grandpa still acts like a kid & on his 81st bday too!

part 2; 8:30 pm this is the part where i have a SUDDEN on-set crippling stomach pain/ profuse sweating/ hands itching/ passed out/ trouble breathing CrAzY allergic reaction to the lobster. who plans a lobster boil & then almost dies because of it? me. seriously. i am an embarrassment to myself sometimes. well...long story short it involved a 911 call, ems workers & an ambulance, an er visit & the discovery that i have a deathly allergy to shellfish. i guess you don't learn these things when your landlocked. i am now the proud new owner of 2 beautiful epipens. i'm not gonna lie- it was seriously a terrifying experience. thank goodness it's over & thank goodness i'm here to blog about it! ;) hope y'all had a happy, safe & anaphylactic-shock-free 4th!!

friday 5; summer reading list

2011-07-01T11:44:00.002-06:00

what are you reading this summer? i love, love, love to read, but at this stage in the game, i can usually read for 3-4 minutes until someone needs a granola bar, another glass of milk, has to nurse, needs more sunscreen & so on....but these are the 5 books i want to finish by august.

{1.} how to study your bible by kay arthur....our women's ministry team selected this book for our summer bible study- i am super excited to get started on it, anything by kay arthur is really solid. also i could definitely use some help in learning to be disciplined/ more consistent about reading scripture.

{2.} i adore shauna niequest....everything about her & everything she writes. cold tangerines is probably in my top 5 favorite books of all time, and bittersweet is her second book...i can't believe i haven't actually read it yet! i got it last summer & had such horendous morning sickness i couldn't even bear to crack open the page of a book...this is my light & enjoyable book for summer...she writes as if your having a conversation with her & i adore that style. everything about it is delicious...including the cover :) i can't wait for her 3rd book to come out...it's called bread & wine.

{3.} the title can pretty much sum this one up i think. my cousin picked this up at his seminar recently for me {she's married to a cop as well} it is so important for us to stay connected as a family & this book is a great one.

{4.} to be honest, i have never read a single parenting book. i think i got about 5 pages through baby wise when i decided it just wasn't my thing. i feel really blessed that mothering comes very naturally to me & i credit that to being raised by incredible, godly women-my mama, grandma & aunts-they led by example & i'm grateful for that. however i am trying to power through this one because i'm doing an online book discussion with it-so far it has made me stop and think about how important it is to have a true love for the gospel.

{5.} the wind in the willows- i adore this book! i am carrying on a long-time family tradition of reading 1 chapter aloud each night with reed-my dad read this one to me as a little girl & i vividly remember waiting in a blue recliner every night as he read aloud the adventures of mr. toad...i really hope i can create those same fond memories with reed. i think reading through the classics with kids is SO important...especially as it seems kids these days have lost a lot of the imagination that comes with a chapter book.

so....that's what i am reading- what about you? i love book suggestions! link them up!
HAPPY FRIDAY Y'ALL!

shower for elenora

2011-06-29T20:19:00.000-06:00

a little recap of the shower my cousin & i threw for the newest arrival in our family!

elenora brooke wood

she is an absolute dolly!

we loved welcoming her with boatloads of pink treats, tutus, bows & tons of girly outfits! your a special little girl elenora-we adore you!

i loved making these pink marshmallow pops

i found pink oreos {berry blast flavor} and pink wafer cookies

mini rainbow cakes

bite sized brownies topped with strawberry cream & berries {cupcake stand is from target}

putting the pops in mason jars & wrapping with ribbon made them look like little bouquets

all the treats {circus animal cookies in the back}

mama lauren buried under all the girl clothes!

i'm obsessed with marshmallow pops...and cake pops for that matter

here's the little dolly! elenora brooke

sprinkles

the hydrangas in the center & glass dessert plates added extra charm

pink, pink & more pink....what a fun shower to throw! isn't the chandelier tdf?

farm boy

2011-06-29T19:39:00.001-06:00

'round these parts we just got a shiny red hydrant pump.

and we cannot think of a single reason to get dressed on such a hot day.

and there is nothing we'd rather do than play with the pump.

so that's what we'll do.

::::

friday 5; self presents

2011-06-24T23:25:00.000-06:00

i was going to title this post "guilty pleasures" but then i realized i don't feel the least bit guilty about these things. me time is a MUST as a mama, and it doesn't have to be extensive, just consistent. avoiding mama burn-out is critical in my opinion...i mean, who wants to be the crab-cake mama exhausted to the core, unable to enjoy her children? not me.i am the biggest believer in the "put your mask on before assisting those around you" philosophy...if you don't take care of your little ole' self, you just plain don't feel good...and that's no fun for anyone.these are 5 of my favorite 'me' time/ self presents/ non-guilty pleasures whatever you want to call it :)

{1.} tips & toes. no matter what, i feel better when my nails look good. i pretty much keep them done in french tips...it's just something i enjoy & helps me feel pulled together, even though i am so not....pedicures are also a must for me...when i can sneak one in, i am in heaven!

{2.} starbucks. i just love it. i love coffee....and this week? i love love love the mocha coconut fraps...the toasted coconut on top is just so good it's silly.

{3.} mac lipstick. it's just hands down better than any other lipstick....my darling friend made the priceless discovery of mac icon in frost- it looks good on every single woman ever. i'm in love with all the colors but icon, spirit & fabby are the 3 i keep on hand.

{4.} greenroom journal. i adore blogging & writing on my mac, but there is still nothing like good old fashioned pen & paper...a stylish journal & a great pen are 2 musts for me. i will splurge on a great one & fill it up over the course of a year....this year however, i discovered these adorable {and affordable $12} greenroom ones from target. i love them. i'm filling tons of them. journaling is so therapeutic for me. they have tons of other stylish & fun products too :)

oh & they're eco-friendly!

{5.} potterybarn duvets. i have to have real feather down comforters & duvets & quilts on every bed...i am picky when it comes to covers. but, sleep is such a precious thing when you have littles, why not make the best of it right?

here's the current duvet i have....i sort of had to have it. this is the vanessa duvet/ bedding. i just adore it.

and that reminds me....i better go get some shut-eye :)

what are your favorite self-presents? do you like to save up for one big item, or spend your money on lipstick & journals and the like?

this inquiring self-gifting mama wants to know!

HAPPY FRIDAY Y'ALL!

vbs-sports camp 2011

2011-06-23T23:35:00.001-06:00

our church hosts an awesome vbs sports camp each summer....the leaders are seriously full of energy, fun & the love of Jesus & these kids have a ball! they get to alternate stations {soccer, football, water, snack, singing, gospel} and they just adore it all....i'm so thankful to the fun guys & gals that put this on each year & just love on our kids! thanks guys!

this year's theme verse was joshua 1:9 & by the last night all those kiddos had it down pat!

we had such a great turn-out-82 sweet souls on the last night!

my little stunt man preparing to join in on the action

my future daughter-in-law & her adorable mama
i may or may not have taken this picture for the rehearsal dinner slideshow 20 years ahead of time
arranged marriage is genius :)

the boys' buddy going for it on the slip-n-slide!

reed showing finn the ropes

so much fun

superstar!

best buddies-my boys adore this guy-he's such a sweetheart & a crack-up :)

he can't wait til he's old enough!

you can't really blame me for preparing the dowry can you? is she a dolly or what!?!

the bags that grapes come in

2011-06-21T19:00:00.001-06:00

here on the farm we are big fans of grapes. green grapes, red grapes, doesn't matter. we love raisins, grape juice, grape jelly, grape popsicles, grape fruit snacks, grape skittles, grape crush & oh glory,I particularly like grapes of the fermented variety. As i sit here thinking about it I think my love for grapes could be contributed to my early-childhood when I had a darn near steady diet of grape bonne bell . occasionally I'd fill in the nutritional gaps with bubblegum or dr. Pepper scented ones, but I'm a grape bonne bell girl through & through. Mmmmmm, I just made myself hungry. I may just have to do a drugstore dash the moment I finish this post. so, as y'all can well see I'm a fan of this delicious (& I think we can all agree downright biblical) fruit. however what I DO not care for is the bags they come in at the grocery store. can we say design flaw? Bless their hearts, but WHO on earth has designed this worthless waste of plastic? I cannot for the life of me figure out what annoys me more;

*Is it the fact that they never encase an entire bunch of grapes?

*Is it the useless "ziplock" closure which fails to zip-locked 100% of the time?

*perhaps it's the weird netted air holes so the grapes can breathe?

*Or is it the fact that no matter how you hold the bag, it tilts to a weird angle & you nearly loose all your grapes?

not only am I a full time busy blogging mama of three grape lovin' boys, but I am a worked up woman with a solution. Do you remember the green plastic crates that strawberries used to come in at farmer's markets when we were kids? They need to make those bigger, into a suitable size for holding a bunch of grapes. They couldn't roll out because the holes are too small. they don't tilt at weird angles. grapes can still breathe. We aren't wasting plastics and man power manufacturing worthless non-zipping zip-locks. Problem solved. Come to think of it we need to put strawberries back into those too. Good grief, maybe I should start writing letters to sun-maid & Driscoll. What about you? What's the biggest design flaw that plagues your day-to-day? Tell me somebody is with me on this one?!

grey's newborns

2011-06-18T22:04:00.000-06:00

are you on baby overload yet? sorry, but i just can't get enough of my little butternut! oh we are so in love with these sweet boy. i love how personal meg was with me & the comfort of doing his newborns at home was the best!

enjoy

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these were all taken by my lovely friend megan

find her work here;

www.megancookphotography.com

she has some serious God-given talent!

friday 5; service with a smile

2011-06-17T23:17:00.000-06:00

what a happy week! a tremendous improvement over last week, which was plagued with rashes & car problems. this week was full of sunshine, cupcakes & smiling faces. bless. today's friday 5 is a recap of the happiness...5 things that bring me joy...

{1.} we got an email from my brother who is currently in argentina serving on a mission...complete with pictures! we were so glad to see his face! we miss you uncle matthew!!

{2.} there are few places that can bring this level of joy as a drive-thru car wash complete with color soap...it's like a TREAT for my boys...boys, listen to mommy, if your good in the store, we GET to go thru the carwash afterwards!! yay!! my bribing skills remain unrivaled.

{3.} i mean, they were supposed to be "resting" during "quiet time" i peeked in on them because "quiet time" was FAR too quiet....and here they are; big brother reading to middle brother. i die.

{4.} apparently i am trying to look sultry. is it workin' for you? well if not just look at that butternut bundle of lovin! i mean is he cute or what? every time i whip out my iphone he starts smiling...kids these days, i tell ya.

{5.} somebody had a birthday this week....i won't mention names, but she's the only person in this house who orders herself hotpink custom chocolate cupcakes....devine. i love cupcakes? who
doesn't?!?

what makes you happy? if the answer is nothing, just order a dozen hot pink cupcakes & your bound to feel better. happy friday y'all - be blessed!

friday 5; summer style-cool hues

2011-06-12T09:41:00.001-06:00

*friday 5 on a sunday.....for a few good reasons; my internet has been down for days & mr. grey broke out in a crazy-town head-to-toe rash, oh and we had 3 cars break down in a matter of 7 days...but that is a post for another day...anyway here are 5 of my musts for darling summer style*

{1.} i just got this striped jersey knit skirt from old navy & i love it! it's so soft & comfy & hits mid calf which is a really cute length...the angled stripes are flattering while i'm trying to whip it back into shape after baby :)

{2.} teal coach bag-i have had mine since mother's day of 08 and i still carry it nearly every single day...the teal is a perfect pop of color & literally can go with anything! worth the investment!

{3.} i love my silpada aquamarine cocktail ring...it's pretty much a daily staple for me-i got mine for free a few years ago when i hosted a silpada party & it is so fun...perfect splash of blue for summer.

{4.} i recently found these gems at target...the mossimo braided sandle in grey.....which i would actually think is more blue....either way they serve as a neutral & look cute with skirts, summer dresses or jeans...another daily staple for me.

{5.} petunia pickle bottom cross-town clutch-how cute are these? i literally want one in every pattern...perfect to stash diapers, wipes & i can even shove a swaddle blanket in mine & it fits inside my coach bag so i'm not lugging more than 1 bag around at a time

what are your summer must-haves & daily staples? do you buy investment pieces or do cheap & trendy fun? or do you mix & match like me? inquiring mama fashion-ista minds are just dying to know :)

happy friday {sunday} y'all!

baby is 2 months

2011-06-08T19:51:00.000-06:00

grey {or as he's been dubbed by his big bros 'chumbee'}

is 2 months! i cannot believe it has been 2 whole months since this little mister joined our family! he is so sweet & brings more life & joy than we could have imagined-oh how it blesses my heart to watch my 3 boys grow...

at 2 months you...

*sleep through the night {i know, i'm spoiled, you might feel like punching me in the face}

*nursing champ...which is followed by;

*spit up EVERYWHERE, all the time

*scream for a portion of the afternoon...a little bit of colic {i'll take colic with a whole night's sleep any day of the week}

*are not a fan of riding in the car

*so easy to SMILE...oh you warm my heart! you are just like your big bros

*cannot stand to have a wet diaper...not even for a minute

*love your new swing

*love the bouncy seat

*love to be held face down on mama's arm

*like your moby wrap & ergo for brief amounts of time

we are 2 months in & just can't get enough of you chumbee! your adorable & such a gift from the Father

the little barista that could

2011-06-07T09:48:00.001-06:00

ok first of all-I'm posting from my iPhone due to lack of Internet acsess here on the farm at the moment & I am throughly annoyed by it all...it's a little ridiculous that I'm annoyed at the fact I'm blogging from a teeny computer I can hold in my hand-but when you pay for a service-ahem stelera wireless- you just expect it to work am I right? anyway, a few weeks ago I wrote about how grocery store ladies love to insult & hurl soul damaging comments toward poor defensless new mothers-you remember? well last night I had the most delightful encounter at starbucks. I'm telling y'all this barista got it RIGHT. finally. so my sweet baby dot has a little colic-which is just downright overwheling & exhausting to say the least-he's such a sweet boy but when that little belly starts to ache-he screams & screams & screams. crazytown screaming. check-yourself-into-the-looney-bin style screaming. the car exasperates this screaming 10 fold...so driving anywhere is a stress city. last night I had to run an errand with the grey man & once I couldn't take it any longer I just pulled the car over into (where else) my safe haven; starbucks parking lot. i determined I wouldn't be able to hear the barista over the drive-thru speaker & actually going in despite the screaming would still be better (and if I'm honest I thought it could burn at least 10 extra calories by lugging the infant carrier with me)...that was my first good move. the moment we stepped foot into the soothing low-lit coffee aroma filled heaven he went from screaming to just fussing. fussing I can handle. I don't know, he must have buckled under the pressure to purchase a $5 cup of coffee....whatever it was I'm going back, and that decision was confirmed after I had this conversation with the little barista that could-God bless you barista you have the gift of encouragement!

barista: how old is the little one? (good manners! you didn't mistake my son for a girl & your taking interest in the love of my life)

me: he's 8 weeks

barista: he's precious, and how many is that for you? (okay let's be besties, you have recognized that I'm a veteran mother & are taking genuine interest)

me: he's my 3rd boy

barista: how fun! and how many do you guys want? (okay your a genius I'm on the verge of leaving my estate to you-you didn't say 'wow you have your hands full' you didn't act wildly dissapointed that I have all boys AND you are suggesting that I'd be perfectly capable of managing more children-brilliant!)

me: well I'm good at the moment

now what she DIDN'T say here was 'your not going to try for that girl??' and that is the true beauty & genius of her- I'm madly in LOVE at this point

barista: my first neice was born in October & babies are just so fun

that's it. that & then she swirled extra caramel into my machiatto I'm about to kiss her feet now

AND THAT is how it's done...take a cue grocery store creepers, take a cue from the little barista that could.

friday 5; baby gear

2011-06-03T20:31:00.001-06:00

1.) well, i could write an entire post on how OBSESSED i am with these swaddle wraps by aiden & anias they are ah-mazing. they are made from muslin cloth...so soft & so---swaddle-able! our little grey loves to be swaddled, so these are the perfect blankets for him. i now own 8 total (including these precious star ones featured above- you know i LOVE bright colors!) they come in all different patterns & packs of 4, or you can buy them individually...my little man has been wrapped tightly in one since the day we brought him home!

2.) fisher price woodland bouncy seat ok...whooooo doesn't love owls? i do! well, actually i detest real owls, but the little posh owls that are on all things baby are pretty precious i must say-i am just borrowing this from my cousin, but it has been a LIFE SAVER with my fussy babe...he just loves to be moving at all times, so i resort to this thing when my arms feel like they're falling off :)

she purchased this one at target last season.

3.) the luxurious ergo carrier! of course i had to choose galaxy grey- i mean..what other color would be suitable for my little mister? this is hands down the most comfortable carrier i have ever tried-does not dig into the shoulders at all! and the best part about it is that is lasts through all stages- you can eventually put it on your back to tote a toddler around.

4.) we decided to splurge on round 3 & invest in a different infant carrier/stroller combo & i am so glad we did! i love this chicco carrier & travel system in fuego

i can't believe how far they have come on baby gear in just 5 years time! this set is a dream...works seamlessly together & it's just plain cute! i love the red-it's cheerful & gender neutral...in the event that we popped out a few more baby dots....{husband is saying YEAH RIGHT} to that comment at the moment :)

5.) my 5th feature for the friday 5 is this fisher price rock & play sleeper/ rocker...grey has slept in it every night of his life so far right next to my bed...i try to stay as far away from baby themed {out of control animals prints, characters ect} patterns as possible {ok minus owls} & i like this modern pattern. it's never amazing to fill your master bedroom with baby gear...so keeping it neutral is a good thing! it's nice how it's a little inclined too especially since i have quite the spitter on my hands!

what are your favorite & go to baby things? inquiring baby-braindead mommies want to know..

whimsical dr. suess inspired party

2011-05-28T08:49:00.000-06:00

i have been looking for ideas for finn's 3rd birthday {don't worry it's still 3 months away} but i am always planning the next party in my head...i came across this whimsical dr. suess inspired party {still waiting for my pintrest invite so i can put it on there!} on one of my favorite party planning blogs;

hostess with the mostess

our little man loves his dr. suess books, and kinda reminds us of a dr. suess character too :) i think this party is darling darling darling don't you?

definitly my starting point for his birthday bash...and my mind is reeling with all sorts of other ideas to add to it! hope you enjoy this colorful inspiration as much as i do

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friday 5; beauty products

2011-05-27T20:25:00.000-06:00

welcome to my new friday post...like the title?i'm starting a fun thing for fridays called the friday 5...super simpleevery friday i'm going to share 5 of my favorite things :)this week {ha, and probably a lot of weeks}i'm going to feature beauty products...i. love. them.makeup, brushes, cleansers, scrubs, volumizers. lipsticks.nailseyescheekslipshairbodytoesyou name it, i've probably tried it.....i'm a beauty aisle junkie.if i could review beauty products for a living i'd be in high heaven!ok so here it is...5 of my fav summer beauty products

1.) yum. yum & yum! the 2011 maybelline summer collection; the bright side

these are limited edition & are in the BEST flavors...

my personal favorite is pineapple paradise-the polkadotcop enjoys it too, considering he's not a lipstick fan {how did we hook up again? mind boggling}

anyway it's sheer/ golden sparkly heaven

i might need to check the caloric content..i may or may not snack on this stuff

oh. heaven.

2.) my skin & cuticles are dry NO MATTER WHAT...

no matter the season, but summer brings it to a whole new level..

i'm LOVING keeping my cuticles more moisturized with this vitamin E nail & cuticle oil by sally hansen...

just a few drops massaged on feels like a spa manicure..i carry it in my purse & apply multiple times a day

3.) Mario Badescu enzyme cleansing gel this is my absolute favorite cleanser. it is a gel which i love, it feels like a little mini-facial in the shower every morning! i adore it...i don't use any of the other products {little on the pricey side} but this stuff is a must for me....i buy it in the 20 oz size & it lasts for about 4-5 months at a time for me.

4.) this tarte eyelash curler is worth every penny! i've had one for a couple of years & i love the picture perfect mascara too-nothing adds a little something extra & a little pop like curling those lashes!

5.) revlon colorstay brow enhancer when i was in high school one of my darling girlfriends {who was also the resident beauty expert} told me that the brows frame the face, & that they are the foundation for your whole look...i pretty much stand by that to this day....i think a great brow is SO key to an overall put-together appearance...i use this everyday...{even if i don't feel like doing a whole face, i do brows, lashes & lipgloss, those are my minimum going-into-public-requirements} this stuff is great-its a tinted wax-in stick form-that doesn't go on too thick, or too overwhelming, but it gives a definite shape & color to the brow & keeps them tame all in one slick move. on the opposite end is the illuminator which is perfect for going under the brow-totally brightens the face! i'm a fairly dark brunette, and i use the light brown/ champagne combo, and i find this one plenty dark enough.

::::

what are your favorite beauty products? inquiring beauty product hoarding minds want to know!

happy friday!

buy this, so i can bye this

2011-05-25T13:36:00.002-06:00

http://westslope.craigslist.org/reo/2402360368.html

cars, carnivals & ice cream

2011-05-24T11:19:00.003-06:00

we sure had a fun-packed weekend around here...kicking off ourwait for itwait for it.... summer staycation!woo-woo!i made a sweet discovery that we have a new & local classic car museum called allen's unique autoswe love the classic car museum in gateway but having one a few minutes away is even better!i snuck in a picture before getting my camera booted by the security guard (oops) what's the fun in that? can't take pics? oh well.the boys loved it & thankfully our little screamin' baby dot cooperated for the majority of our visitafter the museum we were of course hot & hungrya very dangerous combination for this family....& if you add a HOT vehicle into that mix, well someone might loose it BIG TIME

this place is owned by a chick so all the signs are pink & sparkly & the lobby is zebra print
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obviously our favorite thing ever
::::

boys were in high heaven!
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but, there's nothin' a little ice cream can't fix! so we headed over to you scream i scream & the boys each choose their favorites..

finn with chocolate of courseand reed made the ULTIMATE good ice cream decision..bubble gum! my favorite as a little girl hands down :)reminded me of going to baskin robbins with my dad-anyone remember that place?yum.unfortunately i couldn't indulge due to my no-dairy diet for screamin' baby dot& you know...gotta shed that baby weight baby!

i love their cute little scoops on the sign
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finn with his rocky road-yum!
::::

reed eating a scoop of bubble gum & day dreaming
ah, to be 5
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fun at the carnival
deep fried twinkie? yikes! is that legal?
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chicco & finn on the merry-go-round
::::
the next day the boys had another big day with 2 fun suprises

first they got doughnuts & steamers at starbucks with chiccothen spent the morning at the carnival with chicco & papa!i'm not gonna lie...that place is full of creepers & sketchy peopleso hold on tightly to your dollars & babies....but it is still a ton of fun for the littles! thank you chicco & papa for a fun day!
that was 3 staycation stops in all :)

The summer staycation project 2011

2011-05-22T16:33:00.000-06:00

staycation

a few weeks ago our church youth group did a 'staycation' I thought this was such a cute idea..they stayed in a hotel for the weekend & did all kinds of local fun things...you get the picture it's a vacation but you stay in your own town-then again the youth leaders at our church totally rock so i'm pretty sure anything they decided to do with those kiddos would be rad...I keep thinking about how fun it would be to do a staycay with my boys & ive been brainstorming all weekend on what we'd do...well I decided to turn it into a full blown blog project...

here's what i did & why...

so i made a giant {and pretty ambitious} list of places to visit, restaurants, coffee shops, ice cream shops & doughnut shops to try, things to make, hikes to go on ect....and the best part is they are all things we can do around here with the exception of a few day trips {and those are within about 60-90 miles} i am determined to have a FUN summer....despite this hideous economy & depressing news front. I have really been thinking that children are SUCH a blessing & they are only little for a teeny amount of time...we might as well make the most out of it & have a BLAST doing it right? I so want to ENJOY my kids, not just survive their little years. I'm going to put this list on the side of my blog & cross them off as we go {photograph & blog it up of course!}

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alan's unique auto museum

Dino museum

math & science museum

gelato junction

I scream you scream ice cream shoppe

The donut place

graff dairy

Farmer's market

gg's pool

Chicco's pool

Aspen street coffee company

The hot tomato pizza

Monument coffee shoppe

get a Texas doughnut at homestyle bakery

The dream cafe-enormous cinnamon rolls

The botanical gardens

natural history museum

camilla's

hike liberty cap

hike the lemon squeezers

walk the river front trail

get reed's training wheels off

use our reusable grocery bags

watch fireworks

day trip to ouray hot springs

day trip to Glenwood hot springs

day trip to moab

weekends at the cabin

airplane ride with great grandpa

splash pad

eat Olathe sweet corn

Traders coffee & tea

make homemade ice cream

squeeze homemade lemonade

make homemade marshmallows

homemade play dough

homemade rock candy

Make crystal gardens

teach the boys how to plant

star gaze

drive-in movie

malts at munchies

carnival with papa & chicco

try all the drive thru coffee shacks we can find around town

kids plex play place

get snowcones

buy treats from an old fashioned ice-cream truck

sidewalk chalk

bubbles

::::

grown-up staycation...a few of my summer goals

*once a week date night {even if it's in house}

*learn my sewing machine

*go yard sale-ing {have some specific items i'm looking for}

*read the books for my book-club with my girls {i'd be happy to finish just one!}

*work on my photography

*get all the kid's clothes & hand-me-downs organized

*run & shed the rest of this back-to-back-to-back baby weight {probably most important one for me}

*organize the toys & set up the playroom downstairs {looking for ideas...send cute ones my way!}

*finish the wisdom series i just started {beth moore} i'm SO great at starting things and SO BAD at finishing them! working on this.

*blog, journal & coffee drink...take a little time for just me :)

{if anyone knows how to do this enlighten me!!}

*make Grey's baby announcements...yikes better do that soon!

*plan finn's 3rd bday {he had a HORRIBLE 2nd..gotta make it up to him}

I would love it if anyone wants to join me! Send me your fun local ideas, link up your staycation lists or summer goals...I love making a good list how about you?Now let's see what we can cross off!

grocery store ladies; a friendly reminder

2011-05-19T14:14:00.004-06:00

*well, you've sure got your hands full!*

The number one comment made to me by absolute strangers, church ladies, random bystanders at the gas pump, friends, kittens, puppies & sparkly unicorns. Just joking about the last part..however, I can't help but feel that even the cows in the field are thinking the same thing as I lead my 3 ring circus down our 1/4 mile driveway to get the mail. It's one of the strangest of all human phenomenons--the compulsion people feel to offer sympathy & pity & tell you your out-numbered when your the mother of all boys. They will quickly follow up by asking if you were wishing for a girl. Then if you say 'no we're happy with whatever' they will insist that you are wrong and you were in fact hoping for a girl by saying something like 'but wasn't a teeny part of you hoping for a girl? shortly followed by 'well will you try for a girl then?' my pedicure lady assured me the other day that I'd get a girl on the 4th. She is just SURE of it. Okay, how rude can you be? First you ridicule me for having my hands too full & then let me know that they are full of (in your grocery store coupon clipping, produce loving, unwelcome comment spewing opinion) the wrong people? boys? I'm confused. First of all, thank you for the reminder that I am a female and that I gave birth to 3 males (prior to this moment that fact had escaped me). Secondly, we love our happy chubby- little -lover- dreamboat- baby -boy. Who was born just 5 weeks ago. So, if I were you RUDE LADY, I'd take into account my raging postpartum hormones. But that's just me. Then again, my mama taught me not to be a rude grocery store lady, so I'd never have that problem to begin with.

Most times I take offense to the comments which seemingly suggest I am not capable of managing my own children, and the pitiful glances offered upon my all-boy brood- but other times (which are much more rare) I'm strangely comforted by the common thread & knowing looks shared by other women in the grocery store. Those i have been there looks. Every now and then you'll meet the most darling 80-something little sweet woman who just whispers in your ear 'I had 5 boys, bless your little heart, enjoy it' ...but she is most certainly the exception-and even then i'm gettin' a bless your little heart... my reaction is dependent upon on my mood. And coffee consumption. And sleep depravation levels. When I was still pregnant with my sweet {and VERY MUCH WANTED} Grey, I actually had the pharmacist tell me I looked like I'd swallowed a watermelon seed. Hmmmmm. Sound medical advice right?

But here is the thing about boy moms; we are a little feisty. I wouldn't mess with us if I were you. We know how to stand our own. We are accustomed to blood and breaking up brotherly brawls & killin' spiders with nothing but a kleenex. And in my case anyway, I'm pretty girly...so I'd watch the comments lest i claw you with my french tips or drop kick you have way to the moon with my stilettos. Oh, and I have 3 little men to back me. So, grocery store ladies...i mean bless your little hearts y'all but GO EASY on the comments ya hear?
p.s. this is my 200th post! i think i'm gonna celebrate by eating 200 m&ms or something.

mother's day brunch.

2011-05-11T09:13:00.000-06:00

here's a little recap from our MOPS end-of-year mother's day brunch:

menu

:::

strawberry spinach salad

veggie tray

fruit tray with vanilla yogurt dip

tea sandwiches

muffins & cupcakes

pineapple punch

hymn

:::

Jesus paid it all

prayer & devotion

craft

:::

tissue paper pom-poms

for the decor i used bright spring colors {peach, mint, hot pink & yellow HELLO bringing back the 80's!}

I didn't have enough of either place setting so I alternated peach colored square plates with my china {vintage desert rose from my grandmother}

I tied coordinating ribbons & napkins & a package of recipe cards to each plate

& then the centerpieces were spray painted mason jars filled with carnations & wildflowers

baby is one month.

2011-05-11T08:50:00.000-06:00

::: our darling baby grey:::

little mister man turned one month old on sunday {mother's day}
such a sweet month this has been for our family
this morning i was nursing him on the couch & right after he finished
he started SMILING & COOING at me for the first time.
heaven. on. earth.

baby's first bath.

2011-05-06T17:02:00.000-06:00

this little guy loves the water!
& his mama loves giving him a little extra faux in that hawk when his hair is wet
:::

wheel barrows.

2011-05-05T22:40:00.002-06:00

first of all can i just say that i thought they were called wheel barrels?

anyway

what could be better than a kid-sized wheel barrow when you live on a farm?

how about 2 kid-sized wheel barrows, one for you, one for your brother?

oh wait...keeps getting better...

how about they show up as a surprise in the mail?

and you know the UPS guy who delivers them! {and he is NOT the fedex driver who gets stuck in the field...refer to fedex post}

does it get any better?

we don't think so! these little john deere wheel barrows are so fun...the boys LOVE to run with them & fill them with all sorts of little boy treasures...rocks, sticks & dirt of course!

thank you @emilyrose for these darling wheel barrows we are having too much fun with them!

yee-haw y'all

happy friday

:::

easter delinquency.

2011-05-05T22:03:00.000-06:00

ok.

they had the CUTEST outfits.

i spent HOURS obsessing over what they'd wear...finally landing on a children's place/ gymboree combo from heaven above-

they all coordinated.

they were beyond the sweetest little misters you've ever seen.

and for 4 or 5 minutes they were all clean, with no spit-up, no easter bunny chocolate faces....no sunday school glitter or deviled eggs down the front of those darlin' plaid outfits...

however, i was unable to document this little boy easter-clad glory.

much to my great dismay.

this is a picture of the amazing flying finn...at approx. 6 am when he came in to my bedroom to announce that his chocolate eggs were delicious...yes, face covered in chocolate.

they also had coordinating easter buckets...complete with a bug theme (bug catchers, bug nets, lindt chocolate bugs that i so did not eat) you can kind-of see one of the buckets behind this little boy who plundered through it in the early hours....

next year i will do better.

because you know what i'm gonna do y'all?

i'm going to DRESS THEM THE NIGHT BEFORE

and take their pictures...

then there will be no pre-church insanity...

isn't it brilliant? you can do it too...i won't mind!

boy to the third.

2011-04-30T22:07:00.004-06:00

{and then there were 3}
:::

the tiny boy.

2011-04-26T15:23:00.001-06:00

:::

i will temporarily remove my face from the top of grey's sweet head (new baby smell anyone? my FAVORITE thing ever) but only to post pictures of this little teensy man. he is beyond perfect. everything i could have ever dreamed up all rolled into one precious dark-headed bundle of baby-lovin' goodness.

17 sweet days old

:::

a birth story.

2011-04-23T10:28:00.001-06:00

{the story of Grey's arrival}
3:59 am
I woke up on April 8th at 3:59 am with that familiar yet also brand-new-all-over-again contraction feeling-enough of a pain to wake me from my sleep yet not enough to be positive of labor. It still amazes me how our bodies just know when it is time. I laid in the dark breathing slowly and listening to my sweet husband sleep through 5 contractions that were exactly 5 minutes apart. I decided to get up and take a hot shower...and I did the works- shave, exfoliate, cleanse, scrub....all in the steamy hot shower where the contractions did not let up, and increased to only 2 minutes apart...I remembered the words of my cousin that if they don't stop in a hot shower, you know your contractions are the real deal. I felt sure & confident of the capable body God gave me, knowing I could do this. I was very calm-which if you know me is not exactly my typical state.
6:30 am
I woke my husband up telling him I was having contractions, and I felt I was going into labor but it was not yet time for action-his amazingly calm demeanor is the perfect counterpart to my hyped up personality-he just smiled sweetly at me & didn't say anything. He didn't need to-I just needed reassurance & he gave exactly that to me in a simple look.
10:00 am
I spent the morning laboring in private in our room with the door closed. it was a perfect grey day storming & blowing and raining on the farm-I lit some candles and had a glass of water and just worked through the contractions-some really intense & some very manageable...they remained totally consistent until noon-when they began to taper off and space out to 30 minutes apart.
1:00pm
I had been texting with my mama (my labor coach) all morning-keeping her updated on my contractions...she called me & asked if she should come get me-which I was unsure since the contractions had tapered into hardly anything-I asked her where she was (we live about 30 minutes from the hospital) and she busts up laughing & I hear giggling in the background- she confesses she's hiding out at my uncle's house (who we rent from) 1/4 mile up the road. She cannot help herself. She just loves childbirth.
2:00 pm
I had almost convinced myself entirely that I was not in labor at all but my mother (thankfully) talked me into going & just getting checked at the hospital-so off we went. Not one contraction from my house until we were in the room-and just a very mild one up there. I had a very sweet nurse who I could tell also didn't think I was in labor so I began to doubt myself very much- she hooked me up to the monitor & nothing. No contractions. after 30 minutes she decided to just check me to make sure before sending me on my way-she checked me and started laughing-I looked at her & at my mom when she announced I was almost at a 7 & that i should NOT in fact go home, but check in and walk the halls for a bit.
4:30 pm
my mom & i walk the hallways of the hospital (which is all newly remodeled & slightly confusing) for 45 minutes (oh, and you have no clue how HOT i am looking in my hospital gown and flip flops by the way)...my contractions immediately start back up as we walk, occurring again every 3-4 minutes & begin to intensify...we walk until i cannot walk any longer & head back to the room.
5:30 pm
the nurse checks me and i'm at an 8 & in the last hour had gone from 20% to 80% effaced. I decide to get into the jetted hot tub for pain relieve..i am beginning to scream a little & there is a chance i broke my mom's hand from squeezing it so hard through each contraction. I order the epidural but remain in the tub for an hour...my mom is so amazing, just confirming my beauty, my strength, speaking so much truth & love over me, telling me that i am getting closer and closer to holding my beautiful baby....my pain level increases & i remember. how do we do this time & time again?
6:30 pm
my mom & the nurse help me out of the tub & i am feeling like the pain is almost unbearable at this point...absolutely in transition labor. epidural goes in. GLORY TO JESUS. Dr. Chambray, you are my hero. My wonderful husband arrives, my mom had texted him telling him we were getting close, he settled our other two boys in at their cousin's house and headed up to be with us. His calming presence is just what i need.
7:50 pm
I have the most insane urge to push. as in NOW. the doctor and nurses are pleading with me to hold off a little longer until i am fully effaced...but i HAD to push. i know my body. right then. right there.
7:55 pm
4 contractions & 4 pushes later a full head of dark hair, and a perfect, healthy, beautiful baby boy is in this world. born at 7:55 pm. Grey Oliver. My third-born son. He had arrived. The most natural yet sacred of all human moments...is that first breath, the first cry, the moment he's on my chest and i am staring into the face that i have dreamed of and wondered about for 9 months. My husband cuts the cord. And Grey is ours. What a gift from the Father.